Department of Basic Education Q1 and Q2 2025/26 Performance; with Minister

Video The Portfolio Committee convened for a briefing by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) on its first and second quarter performance report for the 2025/26 financial year. The Minister said that while progress had been made by the Department, she acknowledged challenges such as ongoing budget pressures impacting on infrastructure delivery, norms and standards, data quality issues in some provinces, recruitment and retention pressures, and the need for psychosocial support for teachers and learners. These challenges were being addressed through targeted interventions via annual performance plan indicators, improved provincial support frameworks, and the introduction of a strengthened monitoring architecture. The Committee found the Department’s reliance on improper baseline data problematic, because it presented a challenge in accepting the reliability of performance outcomes. The inconsistent data quality was further complicating efforts of the Department to meet its strategic objectives. For example, the data was unclear on the reduction of the infrastructure backlog relating to the provision of sanitary facilities at schools. The Committee proposed the strengthening of the collaboration with the implementing agents to deal with the critical challenges, and to address the persistent delays in infrastructure projects. The Department was, however, able to present an update on the completion of projects related to the provision of sanitary facilities at schools. The projects in KwaZulu-Natal were 99% completed, as were 96.7% in the Eastern Cape. All other provinces reported 100% completion. The Department would be approaching National Treasury for funds to conduct a condition assessment to update the PWC study which had been done a while ago. It was recommended that the DBE should perform such an assessment every five years to keep baseline data updated. The Committee was concerned about the consistent underspending of conditional grants, and proposed that officials responsible should be held accountable. The Department advised that the performance on conditional grants had recently been discussed in a meeting with the Council of Education Ministers (CEM). The overall position reflected a 60% spending rate and the CEM had resolved that underperforming provinces should provide reasons for underspending and submit turnaround plans to rectify the situation before the end of the financial year.