DBE 2025/26 Annual Performance Plan; Basic Education Employment Initiative

Basic Education APP                                                                                                                  Strategic Plan The Department of Basic Education (DBE), led by the Director-General, delivered two key presentations: the Five-Year Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan (APP), as well as an update on the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI). The Director General outlined the financial challenges facing the education sector, pointing to ongoing budget cuts and significant infrastructure backlogs, despite progress in eliminating pit latrines. He stressed that many schools remain unsafe and called for new funding models and accurate infrastructure data. The Department is collaborating with the National Treasury to assess the condition of school assets. The presentations detailed strategic priorities, performance indicators, and the 2025 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, aligning with broader national development goals and youth employment strategies. Committee members’ questions included delays in infrastructure roll-out, and weaknesses in monitoring and evaluating Early Childhood Development (ECD) funding. Members queried the reasons for unspent capital budgets, cuts in ICT allocations, and budgetary changes within Programmes. Questions were raised if strategic planning was aligned with department goals and how budget reductions were affecting specific initiatives. Concerns were also raised on the reduced number of districts being monitored under the National School Safety Framework and the need for targeted support for provincial school sports programs. The Committee further discussed challenges such as delays in the delivery of workbooks, the Funza Lushaka graduate placement program, the importance of ensuring that vulnerable groups are not excluded from job opportunities, and infrastructure problems in schools. The Chairperson was particularly concerned about transparency and accountability in the Department’s APP and that all DBE commitments, especially to implementing the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act, are included and upheld.