PARLIAMENTARY PRESS BRIEFING BY PROFESSOR KADER ASMAL, MP, MINISTER OF EDUCATION, 10 February 2000

By now you should be aware of my programme for the next five years, and in particular the implementation plan for the nine priorities I outlined under the slogan, "Tirisano", copies of which have been made available to you. In his State of the Nation address on Friday last week the President said that this programme or plan " constitutes an important plank in our offensive to ensure that we develop the necessary levels of education and training".

It is this offensive that will drive all our initiatives this year. We have already embarked on an offensive to get our schools on track by visiting them on the first day of schooling. This offensive has yielded positive results already, and we have seen schools beginning to show improvement in their work culture. The MECs are continuing with the campaign to get the schools working, and have from time to time been dealing with dysfunctional schools, and in some cases taking strong measures to get the schools right.

However, let me take this opportunity to clarify that we are not just randomly targeting schools in a haphazard manner, disregarding completely the professional and ethical issues related to school supervision. Our programme includes developing proper frameworks and instruments for managing supervision in schools.

Some of these include regulations on records to be kept by schools, regulations on the role of principals and management teams during strikes, a framework document on whole school review, and an implementation plan for the agreement on teacher appraisal. I have also published the Norms and Standards for Educators, which spell out the kinds of competencies that need to be developed in our teacher education and development programmes.

We do however find that in some schools the situation has deteriorated such that we need to take extraordinary steps to normalise the situation.

May I take this opportunity to reiterate what I said last week. The programme we have embarked on is a very important one, and it should not be derailed or changed into a party political programme, because that will defeat its very purpose.

Therefore I have rejected the stance of the Democratic Party, which announced that it will adopt 100 schools. I have no problem with members of Parliament, as public representatives, ensuring that the schools in their constituencies are held accountable, and they work. But this cannot be done as a party political activity, lest we turn a very important intervention into some beauty contest for political parties.

With regard to Higher Education I have received the first report on what has now become known as the "shape and size" of higher education, which is about the kind of institutions we should have, their number, their location, their programmes, etc. I have charged the Council on Higher Education to ensure that the final report is submitted to me by June this year so that I can be ready to transform the landscape of higher education in this country. Let me take this opportunity to announce that following the departure of my advisor, Mr Tony Heard, to the President's office, I have appointed Mr Tembile Kulati as my advisor in his place. I have charged Mr Kulati with the task of focusing on this, working with the Higher Education Branch of the Department of Education.

Another major programme for us this year relates to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. As you will hear from my colleague the Minister of Health, there is a very close collaboration between the Ministries of Health, Welfare, and Education on this matter. We have jointly developed a programme which has elements that feed into each other. Education will lead with a major programme on Life Skills education, as part of Curriculum 2005.

This will see teachers being trained in how to deal with this subjects of AIDS in the classroom. Details of the plan can be provided on request. I have pleasure in announcing that with the assistance of USAID I have appointed an AIDS officer in the Department of Education, Mrs Willemhina May. She will drive all AIDS related programmes within the Department in collaboration with the various sections of the Department responsible for those programmes.

Taking our Tirisano priority on the school as the centre of community life as a basis, we would like to experiment in specific areas in some provinces, to see if we can provide all the necessary elements for dealing with HIV/AIDS.

We want to ensure that children are taught about the virus, that teachers are trained on the basic elements of a care and support system, and that they easily become extensions of the community based care system developed by welfare, that they themselves take the lead in volunteering for testing, and they are able to assist in providing support for AIDS orphans. Our approach is one that says that in the absence of a medical vaccine, a social one remains an absolute necessity.

Time does not allow me to give details of our implementation plan for Tirisano. But since you have been provided with copies, you will read for yourselves. I can only announce that we are still on track with regard to the establishment of an agency to drive our adult literacy campaign, and I will be making an announcement in this regard in two weeks time. I also wish to announce another appointment of an advisor on Environmental Education, Dr Rassima Wagiet.

Let me also refer you to the statement I issued day before yesterday, announcing the appointment of a Committee to review Outcomes Based Education. This too has been included in your package, together with the briefing document on the Business Trust initiatives, which focuses on Further Education Colleges and schools improvement.

With regard to the legislative programme for this year that has also been provided to you, and therefore I will not say much on it. (End)