5 Year Strategic Plan 2005/06 - Department of Education
5 Year Strategic Plan 2005/06 - Department of Education
5 Year Strategic Plan 2005/06 - Department of Education
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The <strong>Department</strong> collaborates with other Provincial Government <strong>Department</strong>s and structures in the three<br />
provincial Clusters, especially the Social Needs Cluster, in pursuing these priorities. We will work with other<br />
members <strong>of</strong> this and other Clusters in pursuing integrated planning, budgeting, service delivery, as well as<br />
pooling <strong>of</strong> resources and capabilities since we believe Government can achieve much more in this way with its<br />
available resources. In addition to this, we shall continue to engage all stakeholders and social partners in the<br />
planning and delivery <strong>of</strong> our programmes. To this end, all stakeholders were invited to the <strong>Education</strong> Summit<br />
convened from 13 to 15 July <strong>2005</strong> to deliberate on the ransformation Agenda. My <strong>Department</strong> and I will also<br />
work closely with the four higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Province to more effectively harness their<br />
expertise and specialized skills to the best advantage <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Department</strong> and the Province.<br />
I am very pleased that the <strong>Department</strong>, who has the biggest share <strong>of</strong> the Provincial Budget and the<br />
biggest footprint <strong>of</strong> all the Provincial <strong>Department</strong>s with over 6 000 educational facilities and a presence in<br />
most communities, has embarked on an initiative called ‘Local Economic Development and <strong>Education</strong>al<br />
Provisioning’ to make a more significant contribution towards poverty alleviation and employment creation<br />
in the Province by targeting community cooperatives as service providers in procuring goods and services.<br />
I regard these cooperatives as more effective vehicles for broad based black economic empowerment and<br />
moral regeneration as they are rooted in the indigenous culture <strong>of</strong> ilima/letsema. This initiative is also based<br />
on cooperative governance and community-public-private partnership, and it will realize my vision <strong>of</strong> schools<br />
becoming ‘centres <strong>of</strong> community life’. Social issues like poverty significantly impact on our learners; it is for<br />
instance not possible to effectively teach a hungry or malnourished child and for her or him to do well at<br />
school. The Provincial Executive Council (EXCO) adopted our recommendation that this initiative be rolled<br />
out to other provincial departments and institutions and that the <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> Economic Affairs, Environment<br />
and Tourism be the Lead <strong>Department</strong> in implementing the initiative in the Province. The high level <strong>of</strong> poverty<br />
(63.6% <strong>of</strong> households) and 53.7% unemployment in the Province indicates the extent <strong>of</strong> the prevalence <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Second Economy epitomized by market failure which demands effective government intervention.<br />
Over and above the Provincial priorities, the <strong>Department</strong>’s <strong>Strategic</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> reflects the priorities set by the<br />
National <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Education</strong> and Government. The plan further outlines our strategy to turn this<br />
<strong>Department</strong> into an organization capable <strong>of</strong> delivering quality services in a manner that is timely, relevant<br />
and responsive to the developmental needs <strong>of</strong> the Province and the country in general. The <strong>Department</strong> is<br />
committed to rolling out its service delivery model articulated in previous plans by establishing adequately<br />
resourced and capacitated District Offices. Key to this end is the implementation <strong>of</strong> a matrix structure to<br />
facilitate programme and project management between provincial Head Office and the District Offices.<br />
However, the Executive Council’s resolution that the districts in the Province need to be properly coordinated,<br />
implies that serious consideration be given to the fact that the current number <strong>of</strong> District Offices in the<br />
<strong>Department</strong> do not coincide with the existing demarcation <strong>of</strong> District and Metropolitan Municipalities to<br />
facilitate coordination and integration <strong>of</strong> planning and service delivery between the <strong>Department</strong> and these<br />
municipalities. This will also entail that attention be given to strengthening the Circuits, mindful <strong>of</strong> the<br />
concomitant financial implications. Furthermore, related to a possible reconfiguration <strong>of</strong> the District Offices is<br />
to establish and/or develop comprehensive primary and secondary schools that <strong>of</strong>fer good quality education in<br />
these centres to attract people with particular scarce skills such as educators and other public servants, who<br />
have to now send their children elsewhere where schools <strong>of</strong> this nature exist inside or outside the Province.<br />
The slight improvement in the <strong>2005</strong> matric results has demonstrated that my <strong>Department</strong> is close to turning<br />
the corner and beginning to make, as the biggest provincial department, its rightful contribution in realizing the<br />
provincial vision: the Eastern Cape, a compelling place to live, work and invest in!<br />
M Matomela, MPL<br />
MEC FOR EDUCATION