DBE, Umalusi & SACE 2023/24 Annual Reports; with Minister and Deputy Minister

Video Basic Education SA Council of Educators Umalusi The Department of Basic Education (DBE), South African Council of Educators (SACE), and Umalusi Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training briefed the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on the 2023/24 Annual Reports. The DBE presented a 2023/24 unqualified audit opinion however, the Department had to deal with irregular expenditure, fruitless and wasteful expenditure, delays in consequence management, and material irregularities. The Department spent 99.78% of its allocated budget. In the past year, the sector has faced challenges related to the Covid pandemic, infrastructure deficiencies, delayed projects, overcrowding, and budget constraints. DBE needs a strategy to maintain infrastructure and add classrooms in certain provinces. The Ministry set out ongoing challenges which included infrastructure deficiencies, pit toilets, delayed projects, and the role of implementing agents. SACE highlighted the organisation's 90% performance rate, however, only 33% of targets were achieved in Ethical Standards and Misconduct. The Council reported a net surplus of R191 million and cash equivalents of R124 million, including a R3.1 million write-off and underachievement of educator misconduct targets. The Council planned to phase out professionally unqualified teachers and focus on quality and content knowledge to ensure educators were fit for purpose. The CEO reported 606 ethical misconduct cases during the review period with 50% relating to assault, 110 cases for sexual misconduct, and 110 cases for verbal abuse. The Council also engaged with the provincial departments on cases regarding unqualified teachers and infringements of the SACE Act. Umalusi presented its strategic priorities and reported that it had achieved its targets for the financial year. The Council’s leadership emphasised Umalusi’s quality assurance processes were adjusted to the changing curriculum and it reviewed the Senior Certificate in 2008 and recommended changes to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). Leadership emphasised the importance of inclusivity, ensuring diverse staff and institutions. Members asked questions related to the measures in place to address irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure as identified by the AG’s report; wanted to know what the progress was on infrastructure development; asked how many schools benefited from initiatives; wanted to know what the Department was doing to address governance challenges in schools; questioned the cause for delays and what the proposed remedy was; noted a percentage of District Directors had not undergone the mandatory competence assessments before appointments and asked if there would be assessments to ascertain individual fitness; asked how the Department monitored the impact of social issues on learners; wanted to know if the DBE collaborated with other departments and the private sector; asked about the report by the Auditor-General on procurement awards made to bidders who did not score the highest points; and asked about delays in consequence management. Members also asked about additional support classes to achieve more bachelor passes; if the extra classes were adequately resourced, especially in previously poor-performing provinces; asked about the Funza Lushaka bursaries which reflected underachievement; asked if Grade R teachers who were unqualified as educators were still teaching; asked the Council to furnish an overview of the reported educator misconduct cases, including consequence management; wanted to know if there were any variances between the allocated budget and actual spending; asked the Council if any disciplinary actions were taken against educators found guilty of professional misconduct, and if measures were taken to ensure educators did not re-enter the profession where applicable.