1. Priorities for the next five years
Council of Education Ministers
16 February 2004

2. Highlights
Dismantled the apartheid structures & established a single system
A more equitable distribution of resources in favour of the poor
A stable system with virtually no industrial action
A framework for the provision of free education for the poor
Curriculum reform and improving quality
Developing un-/underqualified teachers

3. Highlights
Increased access with 98% of children of school-going age in schools
Increased learner performance in Grade 12 – from 53% in 1995 to 73% in 2003
Learner: classroom ratios dropped from 43: 1 to 38:1
Number of learners without water & sanitation decreased

4. Challenges
Literacy rates are still low amongst the 24 – 65 year old group
ABET - Uptake is low, drop out ratea are high and success rates are low
Number of learners with good Maths & Science passes low
Increasing crimes committed against children – indication of weak social fabric
Flow through between FE and HE low

5. Government priorities
Emphasis on the second economy
“which economy constitutes the structural manifestation of poverty, underdevelopment and marginalisation in our country” (President Mbeki, SON 2004)
Work vigorously to:
Consolidate the work that we have been doing targeting poverty
Increase the pace of delivery in areas that are weak so we do not regress
Package service delivery by collaborating with other government departments to improve efficiency

6. Implications for education
Continue working together with education communities in improving quality of education – Tirisano
Identify key levers for education to respond to these challenges
Focus will be on:
Dealing with poverty
Skills development
Quality education
Health and education
Institutional capacity development

7. Dealing with poverty Develop a school uniform policy
Investigate the “basic” minimum package to relieve the poorest 40% of learners from paying school fees
Investigate other options such as transport subsidies, boarding allowance etc
Ammend the Funding Norms:
A national resource targeting table
Compensate schools catering for the poorest
Food security
NSNP
Food gardens

8. Skills development Improve ABET delivery
Quality and relevance of programmes
Partner with DoL, SETAs and NGOs
Improve uptake, retention and success rates in ABET programmes
Literacy campaign in the next five years
Deepen and widen Maths & Science Strategy
Schools of Focused Learning
DoE/DoL leadership role in NQF implementation
Increase NSFAS – ring fence for scarce skills

9. Quality in education Implement Integrated Quality Management System
DAS, WSE
Finalise teacher development strategy
Roll-out of ICTs for teaching and learning
Roll-out of NCS at Grades 10 to 12
Strengthen ACE, NPDE
Delivery of infrastructure
Values in education – social cohesion
Sports, arts and culture
Quality in higher education

10. Health and education
Locate our HIV/AIDS programmes within the broader health issues
Continue mitigating the spread of HIV/AIDS
Role of nutrition in prolonging life
A focus on reproductive health
Health of children – eyes and ears

11. Institutional capacity
Technical assistance to HE mergers
Suppor FET institutions implement their strategic plans
Management & governance training
District development to support schools
Improve capacity at provincial and national offices