The portfolio committee on basic education is expected to begin its week long visit to KwaZulu-Natal to assess the readiness of schools as the 2023 academic year rolls out.
The visits form part of Parliament’s constitutional responsibility to oversee the work of the executive and follow the money Parliament appropriates, to ascertain the impact on the lives of South Africans.
“The ability of the system to roll out the academic year is dependent on adequate preparedness, the availability of learning and teaching support materials, adequacy and availability of learner transport, effectiveness of governance structures such as school governing bodies at schools, adequate support by district and circuit offices. We will assess those multiplicity of issues to ascertain readiness,” said Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba, the chairperson of the committee.
The oversight visit programme follows the announcement of the 2022 National Senior Certificate results which saw KwaZulu-Natal achieve an 83% matric pass rate.
The committee said it will also use the opportunity to assess the results and find areas where there is potential for improvement to ensure progress by the system.
“But improvements at National Senior Certificate level are based on a functioning system at lower levels. Also, the inculcation of coding and robotics into the curriculum is necessary to produce a cohort that is needed by an evolving economy,” Mbinqo-Gigaba said.
The visits to the province would include an interaction with the Provincial Department of Education including district officials, associations of school governing bodies, and organised labour.
The committee will also conduct in-loco site visits to schools where members are expected to hold meetings with school management teams and relevant stakeholders to learn first-hand the state of schooling and to discuss the challenges faced by schools and to try to help them in finding solutions.
The committee will visit three educational districts in the province including, Zululand, Harry Gwala and King Cetshwayo.
This morning, the group are expected to visit to schools in the Zululand Education District starting at Phumanyova Technical High School, then to Manzezulu ECD Centre, kwaMame Full Service School and conclude at Zamimpilo Special School.
Education