Minister Motshekga, you are aiming too low
02 July 2014
The DA will today write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Basic Education, Nomalungelo Gina, and request that the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, be requested to present clear targets for the department's 5 year turnaround plan which was presented to the portfolio committee yesterday.
While we are pleased that the Minister and her department have made a commitment to "focus on quality and efficiency of education", these commitments are not reflected in the targets she presented yesterday.
The Minister spoke of a "big, fast" approach, referring to highly-visible, affordable interventions. Eleven "non-negotiables were presented, as was a 100-day plan.
Any excitement was fast dulled when the detailed 5-year targets underpinning the new Medium Term Strategic Framework were presented. These targets are apparently awaiting National Treasury approval, but the Department is quite confident that they are aligned, not only with the National Development Plan, but with the "big, fast" approach.