1. Annual Report 2003/4 Department of Education
A presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Education 2 November 2004

2. Outline Delivery of measurable outcomes 2003/4
Implementation of legislation passed during 2003/4
Delivery against Cluster targets
Auditor General’s report
Expenditure on Expanded Public Works Programme

3. Measurable objectives
‘Whether the Department has delivered on the “measurable objectives” identified in the Budget Vote?’

4. Systems Planning
The focus for the year was on implementation of recommendations of the Cost of Education Study
Relieving the poor of the burden of school fees
Investigating mechanisms of reducing access barriers for children in rural areas
With regard to infrastructure development, the ff achievements were recorded:
Reduction in number of schools with learners under trees;
Completion of the Thuba Makote project that created temporary employment of person days for local communities
Monitoring capital expenditure in provinces,

5. General Education & Training
Progress has been good
Highlights include:
Successful roll-out of the Revised National Curriculum Statements
Development of Common Tasks Assessment
Complete audit of Special schools to establish capital, material & human resources required in special schhols
SANLI reached 72% of the targeted learners across provinces
Assisting community-based ECD sites to access learning programmes through radio
Successful conduct of the third countrywide elections of SGBs

6. General Education & Training
Challenges that remain & hinder progress include:
A vibrant teacher training system for ABET educators

7. Further Education and Training
A number of successes were recorded in FET:
A 10% increase in participation in Maths and Science
A 30% increase in performance in Maths & Science
Declaration of National Curriculum statements Grades 10 to 12 as policy
Improving the profile of FET Colleges
Amalgamating 152 colleges into 50 vibrant mega institutions
Awarding excellence and performance both in schools & Colleges
Setting up of management structures in all Colleges

8. Higher Education
In the higher education programme, the following highlights were noted:
Successful implementation of the first mergers and incorporations that are part of the transformation of higher education
Development of a new funding framework for higher education
Launching a review of NSFAS to improve efficacy in terms of coverage and size

9. Quality promotions
The single most important achievement with regard to quality promotion was the signing of the IQMS
Intention of the system is to improve performance by evaluate educators for salary & grade progression
Launch of the Grade 3 Systemic Evaluation Report
learners in schools participated in the survey
The report provides baseline information that will be used as a benchmark to monitor progress & impact of our interventions
Mean scores: Numeracy – 30%; Literacy – 50% and Life Skills – 54% will direct interventions

10. Implementation of legislation passed during 2003/4
“Whether the Department has implemented the legislation passed during the year under review”

11. Legislation
A number of polices and pieces of legislation were gazetted during this period
Religion in Education Policy
Has been implemented already since it was in line with our Constitutional principles
National Curriculum Statement (Gr 10-12)
This is a progression of the OBE curriculum
Implementation is set for 2006 in Grade 10
Between the time policy was promulgated and 2006, the Department will be preparing teachers, materials and learners for implementation
White Paper on e-Education
Implementation plans have been developed that take into consideration development levels in each province

12. Legislation
Policy for measurement of Research Output of Public HE Institutions
Purpose is to encourage research output & productivity
Comes into effect in January 2005
IQMS – immediate implementation, already under way
Language policy in HE
Comes into effect January 2005
New Funding Framework for HE
Comes into effect at the beginning of 2004/5 financial year

13. Cluster targets
“To what extent has the Department delivered on the targets given by to it by its Cluster?”

14. Social Cluster Cluster targets for the Department were:
Prepare for the take over of the National School Nutrition Programme by April 2004
The Department did put up the necessary systems in place to ensure successful implementation of the NSNP;
Focus was to ensure smooth transition
Expand the reach of ECD
Focus was on ensuring that the material available to a few institutions through radios and television, was made accessible to Community-based sites as well
A total of basic kits of learning resources were distributed, against the expected 4 500
80 additional sites were equipped with radio and television
104 television and 100 radio shows broadcast

15. Auditor-General’s Report
“Has the Department incurred any irregular expenditure patterns based on the Auditor General’s Report?”

16. Feedback from the Auditor General
The department of Education has consistently received a clean bill of health from the Auditor General
There are two issues that were raised by the Auditor General that require attention:
Conditional grants
Inadequacy of the Windows 2000 system to prevent & detect unauthorized access into the system

17. Expenditure on EPWP
“To what extent is the Department committing its Expenditure on the Extended Public Works Programme to create jobs in the alleviation of poverty?”

18. Job creation
There are three projects that the Department has used to create employment:
Ikhwelo Project
This project was an ABET programme that used the EPWP model to create employment opportunities in local communities
Also links with SETAs to offer ABET programmes through learnerships
Thuba Makote Project
This was a school infrastructure programme that created person days of employment to local communities
ECD Programmes
The training of ECD facilitators has also been based on the EPWP model