Latest news with #SiviweGwarube
IOL News
17 hours ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Minister Gwarube urged to intervene in KZN school nutrition scandal
DA KZN demands urgent intervention from Minister Gwarube over alleged corruption in the school nutrition programme, calling for accountability and protection of learners' right to food. The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal said it will submit a formal briefing document to Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, urging her to intervene in the province's troubled National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). This comes in response to serious allegations of corruption involving provincial Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka and other ANC-linked figures. DA KZN spokesperson on Education, Sakhile Mngadi, said the party welcomed the decision by Finance MEC Francois Rodgers to launch a preliminary investigation into the alleged misconduct. The DA believes this marks a significant step toward confronting political corruption in the province's education sector. Mngadi said: 'The MEC's response is a vital and encouraging step in the fight against entrenched political corruption, which continues to rob many of our learners of their basic right to food.' KZN Treasury spokesperson, Nkosikhona Duma, confirmed on Tuesday that while media reports have surfaced alleging tender fraud and bias in the NSNP, no formal representations have been received yet.
IOL News
14-07-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Basic Education Minister Gwarube to review school feeding programme in a bid to tackle challenges
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said the National School Nutrition Programme is set for a comprehensive review. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has announced plans to review the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) to ensure it is managed efficiently and provides quality food to pupils. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube informed the members of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) recently that her department intends to review how the programme is managed going forward amid concerns about dysfunctionality. The minister's revelations have been welcomed by suppliers in KwaZulu-Natal, who stated that there are serious challenges in the programme, especially regarding the selection of suppliers. The minister said, 'We are reviewing the models used by provinces to implement the National School Nutrition Programme to improve efficiency, financial management, and accountability in how this programme is implemented. 'Through better project management and grant monitoring, we aim to ensure that every allocation strengthens teaching and learning outcomes,' the minister said. The department said in a statement that the School Nutrition Programme is funded at R10 billion, feeding over 9 million pupils every day. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading It was not immediately clear what specific changes the minister seeks to implement in the programme. The previous administrations had discussed possibly centralising the tender process, with one main supplier being responsible for food delivery. This approach was attempted in KZN but resulted in disastrous consequences, where the supplier failed to deliver meals, leading to children not being fed. The programme faced other challenges in the province. This year, suppliers have expressed concerns about non-payment for services, stating that the rates paid do not adequately cover the food they are required to deliver to schools Expanding on the possible changes in the programme, ministry spokesperson Lukhanyo Vangqa stated that the minister has asked the department to examine the distribution models used in the provinces. The aim is to identify areas where greater efficiencies can be achieved through economies of scale, to remove hyper-centralisation, close gaps that lead to corruption, and improve the quality of food delivered to learners. 'Numerous reports have highlighted challenges with the NSNP, including food that was not delivered on time to various schools, allegations of corruption in some provinces, and issues with the quality of food in certain areas. The minister is currently conducting a review, and it is only after she has received the data from that review that she can evaluate which models would work best in different contexts,' he said. Thabang Mncwabe, a representative of the NSNP Service Providers Association in KZN said they noted the minister's report on proposed improvements for the scheme. But he said all role players, including the leaders of the industry who have been consistently calling for the transformation of the NSNP should be heard during the review process. He added that they were concerned with the processes followed for the NSNP tender in KZN and called for provincial treasury to halt the appointments to be published on Friday pending due diligence. Sakhile Mngadi, the DA spokesperson on Education, said they fully supported Gwarube's commitment to reviewing the implementation models of the National School Nutrition Programme. 'In KwaZulu-Natal, the recent failures of the programme—marked by food shortages, irregular suppliers, and poor oversight—have exposed deep systemic weaknesses. Thousands of learners were left hungry due to financial mismanagement and lack of accountability. 'A full review is essential to ensure that provinces prioritise both value for money and nutritional quality. This programme is a lifeline for over 9 million children across South Africa. In KZN alone, it supports over 2 million learners daily. 'We cannot allow incompetence or corruption to undermine this critical intervention. Improved models must include stricter supplier vetting, real-time monitoring, and decentralised decision-making where appropriate. The goal must be to ensure that every child receives a meal—every day—without delay, waste, or abuse. We will support and monitor this process closely,' he concluded. THE MERCURY
IOL News
11-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Education Minister outlines plans for department's R35 billion budget
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube tabled the department R35 billion budget on Thursday. Image: Supplied BASIC Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube believes her department is on track to transform the basic education sector into a 'builder' of the country. The minister tabled her department's budget in Parliament yesterday afternoon, revealing that the Department of Basic Education (DBE) received a total budget of over R35 billion — an increase of over 8% from last year. She touched on the work needed to be done, including improving access to Grade R education, growing the capacity of teachers, and establishing the infrastructure required to ensure quality education. She also touched on the financial challenges faced by the provincial departments, stating that she has asked them to produce credible financial recovery plans. Financial problems have plagued the KwaZulu-Natal education department in recent months. Addressing the members of Parliament, she stated that in every generation, a choice must be made: to be a builder or a breaker. She said while they still face budgetary constraints and delays in critical investments as a result of years of under-funding, a lot of groundwork has been done to ensure the sector performs optimally with the resources available. 'Builders roll up their sleeves, confront hard truths, lead, and work every day to strengthen our schools, support our teachers, and uplift every learner. Breakers, on the other hand, sow division, undermine progress, and sacrifice the future of our children for cheap political point scoring. 'This budget is for the builders — those who understand that lasting change is not forged in the headlines, but in classrooms and communities where our children learn, dream, and grow. 'In the past year, we have laid strong foundations to restore the public's confidence in basic education,' she said, adding that her department is committed to five key priorities: Strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy Advancing inclusive education Supporting teacher training and professional management Improving school infrastructure, safety, and learner well-being Expanding access to quality Early Childhood Development Speaking on the challenges faced by provincial departments, she said years of bailing out failing state-owned enterprises (SOEs) instead of investing in education have caused real harm. This has led to: Unfilled posts due to compensation ceilings; Infrastructure backlogs; Interruptions to key learner support services; Non-payment of school allocations in some provinces. "These are threats to the right to education. I have directed all provinces to submit credible financial recovery plans to be reviewed in July, addressing vacant posts, delivery breakdowns, ghost employees, and compliance with funding norms. Provinces must ring-fence spending on teaching and learning, infrastructure, and learner support. No space exists for vanity projects." 'We are activating oversight tools available under the National Education Policy Act. Where necessary, we will escalate failures through intergovernmental mechanisms and this Parliament,' she said. Speaking on quality education, she said, 'Among the changes being made for access to quality education, we are reviewing Post Provisioning Norms to improve teacher distribution and buffer provinces against budget pressures. 'In addition, we are updating the National Catalogue for Grades 1 to 3 to ensure learners receive high-quality, curriculum-aligned materials. We anticipate this new National Catalogue will be in place by 2026 for procurement for the 2027 school year. She said, 'Quality teaching is the greatest enabler of quality learning outcomes. We are therefore auditing all training and professional development offerings for teachers.' Detailing how the budget will be allocated, the minister said the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Conditional Grant increases to over R1.7 billion, with over R230 million allocated to an ECD Nutrition Pilot and R162 million set aside for ECD infrastructure. 'Our goal is clear: every child must enter Grade R ready to learn in all respects. 'Our strategy centres on foundational learning — ensuring all children can read and calculate by age ten. Over R4.6 billion is therefore allocated to Curriculum Policy Support and Monitoring — an increase of over 14%, enabling national oversight, teacher support, and curriculum delivery.' R57 million over the medium term will support learners who are not being taught in their mother tongue through the rollout of mother-tongue-based bilingual education. Speaking on the investment the department will make in teachers, she said, 'No reform succeeds without empowered teachers. That's why we're investing more in their development. Over R1.8 billion therefore supports teacher training, mentorship, and leadership.' On safety, infrastructure, and nutrition — all funded by the budget, she said the R15.3 billion Education Infrastructure Grant (EIG) will be used by provinces to eliminate pit toilets, expand classrooms, and repair schools. R10 billion will feed over 9 million learners daily. Matakanya Matakanye of the National Association of School Governing Bodies welcomed the budget but said it fell short of expectations. He said it had been hoped that the budget would focus on dealing with rural and poor township schools. THE MERCURY
IOL News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Minister Siviwe Gwarube says BELA Act is being implemented despite ongoing work on regulations
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the BELA Act is being implemented, but Parliament urges urgency on final regulations—especially for admissions and language policy—to ensure clarity, consistency, and full compliance across all provinces. Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act is already being actively implemented, even as work continues on the finalisation of supporting regulations. Addressing Parliament's portfolio committee on Tuesday during the 2025/26 Budget Vote, Gwarube said her department had rolled out extensive support to provinces and districts to ensure the Act's smooth implementation since it came into effect on December 24, 2024. 'This support has included training of provincial and district officials, the development of interim guidelines and the development of an extensive suite of draft regulations to further support implementation,' she said. Gwarube confirmed that the first two regulations , focused on admissions and school capacity , will be published for public comment in the coming weeks. She stressed the Department of Basic Education's (DBE) commitment to a "legal and policy framework that is responsive and fit for purpose." However, the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education expressed concern over delays in the drafting of the full set of regulations. Committee Chairperson Joy Maimela said: 'The majority of Members of the committee are of the view that deliberate attempts are being made to hold the full implementation of the BELA Act by delaying the drafting of regulations, especially those that speak to the two contentious sections. These regulations should provide the necessary clarity to implementers of the Act.' The committee was particularly concerned about Sections 4 and 5 of the Act, which relate to school admission and language policy—issues that remain contentious. Although additional time had been given for stakeholders to reach consensus, no agreement was reached, and the Act was enacted with the understanding that detailed regulations would follow. Maimela reminded Gwarube that the deadline for finalising the regulations was the end of June 2025.
IOL News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Gwarube announces upcoming publication of Bela regulations for public comment
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube says the first two regulations of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act will be published in the coming weeks for public comment. Image: GCIS Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said the first two regulations for the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Act will be published in the coming weeks. Presenting the department budget for 2025/26 in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday afternoon, Gwarube said her department has actively supported the education sector to implement the Bela Act, which came into effect on December 24. She said there has also been development of interim guidelines and draft regulations for further support and implementation. 'The first two regulations, which focused on admissions and capacity, will be published in the coming weeks for public comment. Further regulations will follow,' she said. 'This reflects our commitment to a legal and policy framework, which is responsive and fit for purpose. These broader efforts signal a broader shift to a more responsible, accountable leadership and a system that is grounded in purpose and growth.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The minister presented the budget after she and the provincial departments briefed the Basic Education Portfolio on the Bela Act regulations and implementation as they related to Grade R admissions. Gwarube, who previously promised the regulations would be published by the end of June, reportedly told the portfolio committee that 10 task teams were established to handle each regulation, and two regulations, now with the State Law Advisor, were nearly finalised. Committee chairperson Joy Maimela said in a statement that they had not been furnished with any guidelines or regulations. 'During our engagements with the provincial departments of education, it became apparent that the guidelines differ from the South African Schools Act. Some provincial departments are also confused about whether they received guidelines or regulations. This is the confusion we were concerned about from the start. If the provincial departments of education are confused, what about the general public and other stakeholders,' Maimale said. She said the committee has requested Gwarube to provide a comprehensive report within four working days on the process that led to the drafting of the guidelines. 'The committee is of the view that the time spent for draft guidelines could have been utilised rather for drafting regulations. We need the detail of what led to the guidelines as we must discuss if we need to write to the Office of the President and explain the confusion created in the sector,' said Maimela. Presenting the budget at the NCOP, Gwarube said the department's budget was R35 billion. She said the early childhood development grant has increased from R1.7 billion, with over R230 million allocated to early childhood development nutrition. A total of R162m has been set aside for early childhood development infrastructure. 'Our goal is that every child must enter Grade 1 ready to learn cognitively, be ready emotionally and physically ready.' Gwarube said improving foundational learning was at the heart of their strategy to ensure more learners progressed through the system, exited with quality results, and were better placed to study further, start sustainable businesses, or enter the job market. 'Our strategy places strong emphasis on string quality of early childhood and strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy.' She said they have set themselves to register 10,000 early childhood development centres in the current financial year. Gwarube also said they have developed learning and teaching support material to assist early childhood practitioners in effectively implementing their strategy. 'We are also developing human resources development strategy just for early childhood development to guide professionalism of the sector. ' She added that the Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme has been aligned to prioritise the foundation phase teaching.
