1. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR 2009/10
ANNUAL REPORT
OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR 2009/10
PRESENTATION TO THE
PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
13 October 2010

2. BACKGROUND
The Department of Education was abolished during the macro reorganisation process of the National Government during 2009/10
However, the newly established departments continued their functions under the Department of Education until 31 March 2010
The functions and budget of the Department were split between the newly established Departments of “Basic Education” and “Higher Education and Training” from 1 April 2010
The functions of the Department of Education are continued in these two Departments

3. It must be acknowledged that the split of the Department of Education into two departments had a negative impact on service delivery
Processes were complicated by the assignment of functions to two new Ministries and Directors-General, while the budget remained with the Department of Education
This in itself was a challenge as the new Departments had their own political mandates and programmes, but the Accounting Officer for Education remained responsible for the budget

4. Although the Department of Education closed down, the books of account remain open until fully cleared
This process will be managed by the Department of Higher Education and Training under the leadership of Prof Metcalfe, who has been appointed as the Accounting Officer for the Department of Education
The 2009/10 Annual Report of the Department of Education must therefore be seen as the final report on the operations of that Department and the bridge towards the functioning of the newly established Departments

5. Structure of the Presentation
Part 1 - Department of Basic Education
Part 2 - Department of Higher Education and Training
Part 3 - Annual Financial Statements

6. DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION -SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

7. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Minister declared 60% of learners to be in no-fee school i.e. approx 8 million learners in approx schools
The Technical Design of Phase II of NEIMS was completed
Further additions to the OSD for educators were implemented
Audio-visual training material on IQMS were developed and distributed to schools. Reports on schools visits are sent to provinces for intervention
NEEDU has been set up, posts are in the process of being filled
Bursary support was provided to Mathematics, Science and Technology
The Minister of Finance concurred on the Policy on Infrastructure as well as the Norms & Standards for School Infrastructure

8. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
A Human Resource Planning Framework was developed to assist the sector to plan for the demand, supply and utilisation of educators
The information system prototype was completed in partnership with SACE. The system is being piloted in all the provinces
The implementation of the Learner Unit Record Information and Tracking System (LURITS) and the SA-SAMS school administration system continued

9. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
77% ( ) enrolment of Grade R learners was achieved at public and independent primary schools and at community sites. Resource packs were distributed to all schools with Grade R classes
School Governing Body elections took place members were elected to various schools
The participation in the annual national assessment (ANA) in Literacy and Numeracy for Grades 1 to 6 increased to more than 90% since inception
The Data Quality Audit of some of the worst transgressing schools was concluded

10. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
To support and improve the quality of education in schools (Grades 10 to 12), the Department provided key support in developing Grade 12 assessment tasks for all 16 subjects
The Department released the report Teenage Pregnancy in South Africa with a focus on school-going learners
A teacher guide Building humanity and accountability in schools was developed to support teachers in their endeavours to inculcate a culture of responsibility and accountability among young people as the exercise their rights

11. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
An exemplar code of conduct for Learners at all public schools was developed. The document was distributed to all provinces. Provinces could encourage schools to develop individual and context specific codes of conduct.
The school nutrition programme was extended to Quintile 1 secondary schools. Provinces were provided with financial resources to prepare Quintile 2 secondary schools for implementation during the 2010/11 financial year
School health screening programme was rolled out in conjunction with the Department of Health

12. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
learners attended the Kha Ri Gude mass literacy campaign classes.
The programme has reached approximately 1 million of the targeted 4.7 million with little or no schooling
Created approximately short-term jobs
Reached about blind and deaf learners by employing Braille and deaf educators

13. Part 2 DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

14. Introduction
The Department of Higher Education and Training inherited the following functions from the Department of Education:
- Further Education and Training: College Sector
- Adult Education and Training
- Higher Education (University Sector)
The focus on key achievements is therefore limited to theses three sectors.

15. Further Education and Training
Emphasis was placed on support to provinces to implement the FET Colleges funding norms. NC(V) programme cost schedules were completed and distributed to all provinces
The register of approved FET College programmes were completed and approved by the Minister
An analyses were performed on the financial statements of FET Colleges in order to assess their sustainability and efficiency. 16 Colleges were found to be operating at a deficit
New templates have been developed and implemented for financial reporting, strategic planning and operational plans
Training manuals were developed and approved in order to improve the governance and management capacity of FET College councilors and principals. Training workshops were held from July to August 2009 at provincial and college level

16. Adult Education and Training
A tool was completed to monitor the implementation of the Adult Education and Training funding norms in provinces
An assessment policy was developed and gazetted for public comment
A workshop was held with the ELRC and other stakeholders to review the conditions of service for AET practitioners
A system was developed and implemented for the continuous monitoring of AET provisioning – during the year under review, more than AET learners in centres were reached

17. Higher Education
Developed a framework to analyse and review institutional statutes
Institutions were assisted with research outputs in order to improve their ability to manage research information. Changes were effected to the funding of Research Development Grants and these were announced in the Ministerial Funding Statement
All clinical training grant proposals were approved during the financial year
Institutions were supported in relation to SRC elections as well as student governance and leadership matters
A student registration monitoring process was implemented during January 2010 in order to minimise registration strikes
A skills audit was conducted for all Ministerial appointees to institutional councils
A draft policy on health sciences enrolment planning were developed and consultation processes continue in the 2010/11 financial year
Work commenced on the review of the higher education funding framework. This will continue in the 2010/11 financial year

18. Part 3 – Annual Financial Statements
2009/10 – Allocation vs Expenditure
Main reasons for under-expenditure
Audit Report

19. 2009/10 Allocation vs Expenditure per programme
Actual Expenditure
Deviation
% spent
R’000
1: Administration
1 403
99.4%
2: System Planning and Monitoring
4 450
95.8%
3: General Education
42.5%
4: Further Education and Training
1 595
99.3%
5: Social and School Enrichment
2 415
99.9%
6: Higher Education
146
100.0%
7: Auxiliary and Associated Services
32 872
32 561
311
99.1%
Total
97.8%

20. Spending trends per economic classification
Allocation
Actual Expenditure
Deviation
% spent
R’000
Compensation of Employees
791
99.8%
Goods and Services
63.0%
Financial transactions in assets and liabilities -
307
-307
Transfer Payments
Provinces and municipalities
100.0%
Departmental agencies and accounts
-105
Universities and technikons (current) 16
Foreign governments and international organisations
13 389
13 236
153
98.9%
Non-profit institutions 50
Households
6 611
6 492
119
98.2%
Capital Expenditure
Machinery and equipment
20 881
20 090
96.2%
Software and other intangible assets
6 335
5 638
697
89.0%
Total
97.8%

21. Reasons for deviations
Programme 1: Administration
(Unspent: R1,403 million)
Invoices received late and incidental savings
Programme 2: System Planning and Monitoring
(Unspent: R4,450 million)
Outstanding claims – IQMS moderators
Filling of posts for NEEDU slower than projected
Programme 3: General Education
(Unspent: R477,327 million)
Workbooks (R476 million): Inability to appoint service provider
Balance: Cost saving measures on printing costs for Annual National Assessment tests
Programme 4: Further Education and Training
(Unspent: R1,595 million)
Cost saving measures on administrative expenditure

22. Reasons for deviations
Programme 5: Social and School Enrichment
(Unspent: R2,415 million)
NSNP conditional grant – R1,762 million
Cost saving measures on administrative expenditure
Programme 6: Higher Education
(Unspent: R )
Late filling of vacancies
Programme 7: Auxiliary and Associated Services (Unspent: R )

23. Auditor-General Report
Unqualified audit opinion
Other matters raised by Auditor-General: Findings on performance information:
- Inadequate quarterly reporting on performance information