1 THE 2020 MATRIC INTERVENTION PROGRAMME RECOVERY

A SUMMARY OF ISSUES RAISED DURING DISCUSSIONS Learner Transport (Dedicated Learner Transport)
In many of the schools visited there was a similar outcry about the Learner Transport Programme not being available. The point was debated in some instances with the department outlining the policy in terms of the qualification of schools and learners to benefit from the programme. The department also indicated that budget constrains are amongst the major reasons why the department is unable to provide transport to all qualifying learners.

KwaMame Full-Service School has learners with special education needs who come from as far as Ulundi, in excess of 15km, to this school of need but there is no dedicated learner transport.
Similarly, there are learners with special education needs at Nombewu Full-Service School who travel more than 10km. There is no dedicated learner transport for them
The Hon Members requested the Department to make means to assist the learners in spite of financial constraints facing the Department to ensure that the learners’ right to basic education is protected.  
What the Department will do:
The provision of learner transport is the joint responsibility between the Department of Education and the Department of Transport. In terms of the provincial learner transport policy, it is provided to learners traveling three (3) kilometers to their school of need.
Public ordinary schools are classified in terms of quintiles. Learner transport is provided to learners attending schools in quintile 1 to 3.
Learners attending full-service schools are entitled to dedicated learner transport. To this end, the Department is engaged in a process of identifying funds to provide transport to full-service schools.<br>

KZN TRANSPORT (BUSES) FOR SPECIAL SCHOOLS In the main, two (2) issues were raised. The first one was a request for additional buses and the second issue was that it takes the Department very long to repair or fix broken buses. It can take more than three (3) months to replace the tyres or to get new license discs. Vulekani Special School had both buses not available at the time of the visit (1 February 2023) and as a result more than sixty (60) learners could not attend school. 

What the Department will do:
With respect to special schools, the department is aware of some of the challenges and is attending to all of them. It is for this reason that last year a needs analyses were conducted and established that 30 new buses were needed for 75 special schools in the province. These are mainly replacements. To this end, a submission was prepared but due to financial constraints only 15 buses will be procured during the new financial year.
The Department is aware of the delays in repairs to buses.
The service provider responsible for servicing and repairing the fleet is sourced through the Department of Transport.
This contract also provides for the servicing of the entire fleet of the Department, including buses for special schools.
Upon being alerted to the challenge of a prolonged time it takes for the repairs and service, two meetings were held with the service provider and the Department of Transport. The last meeting was in November 2022.
The service provider has undertaken to improve its turnaround time.
A follow up meeting will be held before end of February 2023.<br>

INFRASTRUCTURTE In many of the schools visited, the team was satisfied with the level of investment that has been made by the department in the infrastructure. However, there were few schools visited where there was a dire need for infrastructural intervention. One such school where a serious need for intervention was identified is Dover Farm School in King Cetshwayo. The school has very limited ablution facilities. The committee also indicated that more proper classrooms should be built since the school has a lot of mobile classrooms which are also in a very bad state.
In Harry Gwala at a school called Mhlaba Combined School, the situation was even worse. The school has a block which had the roof blown away by the freak storm couple of years ago. To make matters worse, the Basic Education Portfolio Committee visited the same school in February 2021 and crafted specific resolutions on issues to be attended to urgently. During the 2023 oversight visit to the same school, it was discovered that the 2021 resolutions had not been attended to. For example, the structure with the roof that was blown away in 2020 was still standing, posing a serious danger to learners. Consequently, the Portfolio Committee wanted to get a proper explanation as to why the resolutions had not been implemented after two years.
Amongst other infrastructural issues identified during the visit was the lack of sanitation and ablution facilities in some schools. Those schools include Dover Farm School in King Cetshwayo, Nombewu Full-Service School and Mhlaba Combined School in Harry Gwala District.  
What the Department will do:
The department has taken a decision to demolish the block that was damaged by storm at Mhlaba Primary School. The demolition of the structure will commence within the next 24 hours.
With respect to the ablution facilities, the appointment of the contractor will be finalized by 15 March 2023 and will be on site for a 3-month period of which will be complete on the 14 June 23.
On the upgrades and additions project, an appointment of PSP will be made on 30 March 2023. The appointment of the contractor will then be appointed on 10 January 2024. 
It is worth noting that considerations have been made on procurement process including utilization of open tender and appeals period.<br>

PPN Whilst in many schools visited there were no serious issues with PPN, it was however noted that in special schools and a technical school there was a challenge of weighting of learners. With correct weighting the schools could qualify for more teachers. In all special schools the shortage of support staff was identified as one of the biggest challenges. The Department was asked to work on this matter.  
What the Department will do:
PPN certificates were issued to all the schools at the end of 2022. All schools that have experienced an increase in learner enrolment are allowed to submit such increases for adjustments in their PPNs and new posts to be allocated. This is done after the 10th day after the start of each year.
The allocation of PPN takes into account subjects weighting, this includes technical subjects and special schools.
It should be noted that due to budget cuts during the current MTEF the department may struggle to fill all substitute posts.<br>

FILLING OF POSTS The non-filling of vacant posts for support staff was also raised as a challenge. The major outcry was that even in instances where there have been resignations but there have been no replacements. Special schools are the most affected by that as they have a shortage of professional staff such as nurses and physiotherapists.  
What the Department will do:
The filling of vacant posts in special schools and existing attrition posts which do not get filled.
The department is able to fill all the vacant education posts in special schools. However, due to austerity measures implemented in the province the department has been unable to fill posts for support personnel.
Two requests to fill 600 identified critical posts in special schools were disapproved by Treasury. The reasons given were that the department could not afford the recurring costs associated with filling those posts.<br>

NSNP Thuthukani Special School had three (3) challenges with the provision of NSNP.
Not all learners were provided for. In 2022 about 100 learners were not catered for.
Per learner allocation was for primary schools whereas the school has 19 year olds.
The school did not have volunteer food handlers although it is not a boarding school. 
What the Department has done:
All learners will be catered for from 1st April 2023.
The secondary school per learner allocation will commence on 1st April 2023.
The school will be provided with two (2) volunteer food handlers from 1st April 2023.<br>

SAFETY AND SECURITY IN SCHOOLS In all three districts that were visited schools complained about the lack of safety and security. The Committee pleaded with the department to find some innovative ways to come up with some security measures in schools especially because the Department was providing resources and equipment that may attract criminals.

What the Department will do:
The committee advised the department to help ensure that school principals identify police stations or police personnel with whom they are going to work in ensuring the safety of their schools. (Adopt a cop initiative).
The committee advised the department to help ensure that school principals identify police stations or police personnel with whom they are going to work in ensuring the safety of their schools. (Adopt a cop initiative).
In terms of the QLTC each school is required to establish a school safety committee and also to adopt a police from local police station.
All schools have established the committees.
Weakness has been identified in this area.
This will be rectified by ensuring that Districts attend to the relaunching of the QLTCs and also ensuring that safety committees are operational and effectively implemented.
Districts are to report on this by the end of March 2023.<br>

SHORTAGE OF WATER Many schools face the challenge of water shortage and the committee advised that the department must consider installing boreholes in schools. To this end, the department was requested to put aside the budget to deal with this issue.
At Vulekani Special School the Department installed a borehole but the quality of water is such that it cannot be consumed by people. It has a lot of acid. The Committee advised the Department to find ways to reduce acid in the water. The Portfolio Committee at their level will engage relevant Departments and stakeholders.
 
What the Department will do:
The Department will engage the Department of Water for guidance and try to address this challenge (acidic water) before the end of February 2023.<br>

QUINTILE RANKING OF SCHOOLS The committee raised serious concerned with some schools with higher quintile rankings but located in impoverished areas. The department was therefore asked to look at this issue.

What needs to happen:
Each affected school will contest the quintile ranking following the normal process and the Department will attend to the matter.<br>

CURRICULUM BRANCH MR M. J MAZIBUKO<br>

REPORT ON SCHOOL SAFETY School Safety is critical area faced requiring attention at schools as schools, Teachers and Learners are faced with school safety challenges which includes among others burglary, criminals robbing Teachers and Learners at gun point and issues of bullying among Learners.
The Department has programmes through which it is meant to prevent unwelcome incidences at schools. The programmes are informed by the National School Safety Framework and the Provincial School Safety Protocol.
School Safety Committees –
All schools in the province have the School Safety Committees.
Some of the Committees were found to be dysfunctional during monitoring, reasons cited were that some external stakeholders were not available for meetings. Workshops were conducted to capacitate them on how they could function with the available stakeholders while efforts to mobilize other or absent stakeholders to come on board.
The SGB Roadshows were conducted at the beginning of the year where Provincial Officials were deployed to address Principals and SGB Chairpersons as well as stakeholders like the SGB Associations. Here clarity on the structure of the School Safety Committees and their functionality was emphasized. A directive on reviving the structure and engaging in ab advocacy programme was given.
More training of 50% of the School Safety Committees is planned for the next quarter as per the Annual Performance Plan.
Linkage of schools with Police Stations –
All schools in the province are linked with police stations.
Some schools have complained that some Police Stations are far away from the schools and that some Police Officers are linked with many schools which makes it impractical to service them properly.
Other than the challenge for some schools, there is good working relationship between the Department and the Police and Community Safety.
Some Police have participated in school safety campaigns at schools and in the QLTC programmes as proof of cordial relationship.
School Safety awareness campaigns –
various school awareness campaigns have been conducted since the beginning of the year across the province.
Schools that experienced challenges were the most targeted. To mention but the few:
Ekuvukeni Police conducted school safety awareness campaign in some Uthukela schools. A number of government departments were involved in a programme.<br>

CODING AND ROBOTICS KZN is piloting C&R in six districts this year, viz Amajuba, Uthukela, Pinetown, King Cetshwayo, Umkhanyakude and Zululand as follows:<br>

FUNDING AND RESOURCES FOR CODING & ROBOTICS<br>

RESOURCES ALLOCATION FOR CODING & ROBOTICS The laboratory resources that have been procured for each of 16 schools piloting Grade R-6 include 20 learner laptops with a storage trolley, a teacher laptop with bag, a digital projector, magnetic white board, electrical and mechanical components as well as robotic kits and code card sets. They will be delivered in May 2023. Grade R LTSM were delivered in January 2023.
Coding and Robotics Competitions
 Learners from King Cetshwayo participated in various Lego League celebration events and competitions in 2022 and one team will represent South Africa in the Super Powered Challenge in Massachusettes,USA in from 4-12 June 2023. Various partnerships exist with schools in King Cetshwayo, including Casme, UniZulu, ORT SA and Unisa. KZNDoE is funding the team and coaches for the trip.
 From January- March 2023, SITA conducted a High School Challenge for Grade 8 and 9 piloting schools. Nkosi Ntulakabayise from Umkhanyakude won position 3 and will receive STEM lab equipment to the value of R300 000 from SITA.
Orientation of Piloting Teachers - All teachers that were selected to pilot Coding and Robotics have been orientated<br>

ORIENTATION OF NON- PILOTING GRADE R-3 AND GRADE 7 TEACHERS IN PREPARATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION TO SCALE<br>

SKILLS FOR A THE CHANGING WORLD TEACHER UNION COLLABORATION (TUC) Lesson Plan Development
 
Provinces were requested to develop scripted lesson plans for all four quarters. KZN chose to assist DBE with Grade 4 and 7 lesson plans and provinces have been provided with the lesson plans. Lesson plans for term 2- 4 are however still awaited from DBE.
 
Computer Hardware and Coding Training
 
Through a partnership between the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and DBE, 13 officials were trained from 23-27 January2023 in Cape Town. The second group of 12 district officials will be trained in Cape Town on 8-12 May 2023. These Subject Advisors constitute the Provincial Training Team (PTT) that will be responsible for training 300 teachers during the current financial year (2022/2023).<br>

Forthcoming Activities
Delivery of resources for 2022/2023 financial year
Mediation of resources
Orientation for Grade 4-6 and Grade 8-9 teachers from non-piloting schools
Computer Hardware and Coding training for Subject Advisors and teachers
Procurement of resources for 2023/2024 financial year
Learner competitions
Monitoring and supporting implementation
Successes
The province orientated 7890 Grade R-3 and Grade 7 teachers in preparation for implementation to scale
KZNDoE will fund a team of learners from King Cetshwayo who will represent South Africa in the Super Powered Lego Competition in Massachusettes, USA from 4-12 June 2023, through the MST Conditional Grant
Nkosi Ntulakabayise won STEM lab resources worth R300 000 in the SITA High School Challenge.
The Department increased the router and data package with Vodacom from 20 Gigs to 100 Gigs for the rollout of C&R orientation from August 2022.
Challenges
DBE has not opened the use of the new Moodle Platform from Sasol. Teachers who did the course last year need to receive the system generated certificate. The province also needs access to the new platform in order to commence orientation of Grade 4-6 and Grade 8-9 teachers.
Coding and Robotics resources are expensive
Supply chain processes are slow because most resources have to be imported
Burglaries and theft of ICT resources at school level is a problem and most schools cannot afford insurance.<br>

FINANCE BRANCH MR L. RAMBARAN<br>

progress report for the 2022/23 transfers to schools In terms of the legislative requirements and policies with regards to dates for Transfers to be effected to schools, the following relates:
Transfers to Public Ordinary Schools [Basic Allocation (40%)] must be effected by 15 May.
Transfers to Special Schools must be effected by 15 May each year.
All other Transfers dates will be made on the approval of the Accounting Officer.  
All Non - Compliant schools should have been visited and assisted and a full report had to be submitted to the office of the CFO in order to make Virements from Transfers to Goods and Services. (No learner must be denied the use of Norms and Standards funding because of poor management).
Transfers to schools for the 2022/23 financial period.
The following transfers have been identified:
Basic Allocation (40%) for Public Ordinary Schools
LTSM (60%) for Public Ordinary Schools
Petty Cash for No Fee Section 20 Schools
Inclusive/Full-Service Schools
Independent Schools
Special Schools
Pre – Prim in POS<br>

TRANSFERS It should be noted that this is the preliminary report for the department and journals are still being processed to correct misallocations. This influences certain expenditure outcomes within categories.<br>

BRANCH: IDS MS W. N HADEBE<br>

ZULULAND DISTRICT VISIT Kwamame Full-Service School

Portfolio Committee Recommendation: Urgently prioritise and address challenges with regards to learner transport for those who qualify for the service, especially learners with special needs, by the first quarter 2023/24
Response: Learners with mild to moderate special needs must be supported in mainstream schools within their communities to the closest schools. There is no provision for dedicated transport of learners in full- service schools. If a learners attends a full-service school as a school of choice, then the cost of transport is borne by the parent.

Zamimpilo

Portfolio Committee Recommendations: The Department must consider supplying the school with an additional bus for scholar transport as requested within 90 days of adoption of this report
Response: 10 buses have been procured for Special Schools of which Zamimpilo will be prioritized to receive a 35-seater bus to alleviate the challenge of learner transport 25<br>

ZULULAND DISTRICT VISIT cont.. Zamimpilo cont..

Portfolio Committee Recommendations: The Department should consider supplying the school with additional support staff as well as professional staff (Speech therapists, professional nurse and dietician etc.). The school also be assisted with additional educators.

Response: The Department has prioritized the appointment 333 support staff vacancies in special schools by June 2023. Zamimpilo is included in the prioritized list to receive additional support staff. In addition, a multisectoral meeting with Dept. of Health meeting to discuss the possible way of collaborating in the provision of professionals in special schools. The recommendation was made that Department of Health provide the professionals psychologists, therapists and professional nurses. The department of social development would utilize their social worker in the program that says one social worker per ward who will be attached to provide services. The DoE`s transversal team of therapists will also be supporting our special schools.

. 26<br>

KING CETSHWAYO DISTRICT VISIT Thuthukani Special School

Portfolio Committee Recommendation: The Department must ensure the school is assisted with additional scholar transport, especially for special needs learners before the end of the 2nd term school in 2023/24
Response: The Department of Education will next prioritize this school to receive one of the 10 buses procured for this financial year, for the transportation of learners to school.

Portfolio Committee Recommendation: The Department must consider filling all frozen posts that existed at the school – and not treat the school as an ordinary school within 120 days of the adoption of this report
Response: The Department has prioritized the appointment 333 support staff vacancies in special schools by June 2023. The list of support staff required by Thutukani SS is being prioritized for advertisement and appointment by June 2023. 27<br>

HARRY GWALA DISTRICT Nombewu Full-Service School

Portfolio Committee Recommendation: Ensure that qualifying learners, especially special needs learner received the necessary scholar transport, within 90 days of adoption of this report.

Kromhoek Full -Service School
Portfolio Committee Response: Ensure all qualifying learners benefit from the scholar transport programme

Response: Learners with mild to moderate special needs must be supported in mainstream schools within their communities to the closest schools. There is no provision for dedicated transport of learners in full- service schools. If a learners attends a full-service school as a school of choice, then the cost of transport is borne by the parent. 28<br>

HARRY GWALA DISTRICT Vulekani Special School

Portfolio Committee Recommendations: Filling of vacancies to address staff shortages, especially support staff
Response: The Department has prioritized the appointment 333 support staff vacancies in special schools by June 2023. The list of support staff required by Vulekani SS is being prioritized for advertisement and appointment by June 2023.

Portfolio Committee Recommendations: Addressing challenges with buses for learner transport
Response: The Department of Education has prioritized this school to receive one 60-seater bus of the 10 buses procured for this financial year. 29<br>

SCHOOL RATIONALISATION AND REALIGNMENT Portfolio Committee Questions and Observations
Members mentioned that non-viable schools needed to be attended to by the Department. The Department needed to consider closing/merging possible non-viable schools to alleviate learner transport challenges.

Response from Department of Education:
As the Department we are in the process of resuscitating boarding facilities in our schools to accommodate learners from the closed schools as part of our school consolidation project. The school’s consolidation project will reduce pressure from Department in providing learner transport to small schools.
- Currently the province has two schools in the SRRP consolidation project i.e Umsinga High school at Umzinyathi District with an enrolment of 111 learners and Sukuma Comprehensive High school at Umgungundlovu District with an enrolment of 284 learners. 30<br>

SRRP IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 31<br>

LEARNER TRANSPORT Phumanyova Secondary School
Portfolio Committee Recommendation: Ensure qualifying learners receive scholar transport.

Dover Combined Farm School
Portfolio Committee Recommendation: Ensure consideration of the school for scholar transport, within 90 days of adoption of this report.

Tisand Comprehensive Technical School
Portfolio Committee Recommendation: The Department ensure that learners who qualified for scholar transport are able to benefit from scholar transport.

Dingeka Technical High School
Ensure that qualifying learners receive scholar transport. 32<br>

RESPONSE BY DOE ON LEARNER TRANSPORT Despite continued budgetary constraints which persist to affect the provision of dedicated learner transport in KZN, government has, for over a decade now, been providing learner transport to thousands of qualifying learners who travel long distances to their schools of need. This is government’s recognition of the unenviable situation that many learners find themselves in where, without such government intervention, they would find it difficult to access their education. Many of these learners would have to travel dangerous terrains on foot without learner transport, which would put their lives at risk.

Over 70 000 learners are currently being transported to school through the dedicated learner transport programme on a daily basis at no cost whatsoever to their parents or guardians. These are learners who travel a minimum distance of three (3) kilometers to the nearest appropriate school.

Admittedly, there are thousands more learners who qualify to benefit from dedicated learner transport, but who do not benefit as a result of budgetary constraints. The department is in regular contact with Provincial Treasury to find ways to address this hurdle, as well as the attendant scourge of unavoidable overloads.

The financial crunch that is affecting the whole of the Republic has been the main inhibitive factor for there to be a viable solution to this challenge. Be that as it may, the dedicated learner transport programme has played a very important role in the lives of thousands of our learners by ensuring that they have access to their education. The Department will continue to put more efforts to finding ways to ensure that the number of benefiting learners increase in the province. 33<br>

34 34 SPECIAL SCHOOL & FULL SERVICE SCHOOLS This section provides the progress made in addressing the findings and resolutions made by the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Special Schools and Full-Service Schools.
One Special and one Full-Service School was selected in each District.
These Schools were all visited.
Considerable discussions were made on the status of the infrastructure at these Schools.<br>

35 35 KWA-MAME FULL-SERVICE SCHOOL<br>

36 36 KWA-MAME FULL-SERVICE SCHOOL<br>

37 37 ZAMIMPILO SPECIAL SCHOOL<br>

38 38 THUTHUKANI SPECIAL SCHOOL<br>

39 39 NOMBEWU FULL-SERVICE SCHOOL<br>

40 40 PUBLIC ORDINARY SCHOOLS This section provides the progress made in addressing the findings and resolutions made by the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Public Ordinary Schools.
Two Public Ordinary Schools were visited in Zululand and King Cetshwayo Districts. Three Public Ordinary Schools were visited in the Harry Gwala District.
Considerable discussions were made on the status of the infrastructure at these Schools.<br>

41 41 PHUMANYOVA HIGH SCHOOL<br>

42 42 MANZEZULU PRIMARY SCHOOL<br>

43 43 DOVER FARM SCHOOL<br>

44 44 TISAND HIGH SCHOOL<br>

45 45 ILEMBE PRIMARY SCHOOL<br>

46 46 MHLABA SECONDARY SCHOOL<br>

47 47 VULEKANI SPECIAL SCHOOL<br>

48 48 KROMHOEK PRIMARY SCHOOL<br>

49 49 DINGEKA TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL<br>

50 50 ERADICATION OF PIT LATRINES 1377 Schools were initially identified to be having pit latrines.
The Department since the identification of these Schools pursued eradication of pit latrines.
Various implementing Agents were engaged in order to quicken the eradication of pit latrines.
Different construction methodologies were also adopted.
The implementation of the Programme was haunted by numerous changes amongst them; disruptions by Business Forums and local communities, Covid-19 lockdown national shutdown, Budget cuts, July 2021 unrest, Business rescue of several contractors, limited capacity of contractors and Professional Service Providers.
Despite these challenges, the Department continued with the implementation of the Programme.<br>

51 51 ERADICATION OF PIT LATRINES Table below indicate the current status of the eradication of Pit Latrines.








The 192 Projects on construction stage are anticipated to be completed by the 31st March 2024.<br>

52 52 SAFE PROGRAMME In order to assist the eradication of Pit Latrines, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) implemented the Sanitation Appropriate for Sanitation (SAFE) Programme.
The SAFE Programme is managed Nationally by DBE.
The current status of the projects is as indicated below:<br>

53 53 ASIDI PROGRAMME The ASIDI Programme is implemented by the Department of Basic Education (DBE).
All the Education projects have been completed and the DBE is in the transferring these projects to the Department of Education.
The transferring is in progress.<br>

54 54 BOREHOLE PROGRAMME The Department identified 3 880 Schools not to be having water from Municipal reticulation or having other sources of reliable water supply.
The Department conceived the Borehole Programme to ensure that these Schools have reliable and safe water.
The installation of Boreholes has also been haunted by the following challenges: Business rescue of several contractors, limited capacity of contractors and Professional Service Providers.
The Department is installation Boreholes on Schools across the Province.
The current status of the installation of Boreholes is as follows:<br>

55 55 BOREHOLE PROGRAMME Table below shows progress on the implementation of the Borehole Programme:<br>

56 56 CONCLUSION The Department to a larger extent has progressed as indicated before on addressing the findings and Resolutions made during the Portfolio Committee of Basic Education visit to KZN Schools.
The Department regularly monitors progress through monthly meetings specifically scheduled to discussed the progress on the schools.
The Department commits to meet the timelines indicated.
There are schools indicated where bigger projects are being planned. Construction works on these schools is anticipated to commence in the 2024/25 Financial Year.
Planning works for these projects will continue in the current 2023/24 Financial Year.<br>

CHALLENGES IN RESPECT OF NATIONAL SCHOOL NUTRITION MS W. N HADEBE THE STORY OF PACINA RETAIL (PTY) LTD<br>

BACKGROUND As per the Division of Revenue Act (DORA) and the approved Grant Framework for the 2023/24 financial year, the Department of Education is obligated to provide nutritious meals to all benefitting learners in the Province. The KwaZulu Natal Department of Education provides nutritious meals to 2 444 401 million learners in 5 437 Primary, Secondary and Special schools in all school days. This translate to 83% of learners that are benefitting from the programme.

As part of promoting economic participation of small businesses and co-operatives, the programme has contracted a total of 1 765 service providers to supply and deliver food items to participating schools.

The NSNP also contributes to the improvement of livelihoods of poor communities through the creation of work opportunities for 14 668 Volunteer Food Handlers who are recruited from unemployed parents of learners to prepare meals for benefitting learners and are paid a stipend of R1746.24 inclusive of UIF from the NSNP Conditional Grant. 58 58<br>

BACKGROUND cont….. In 2023/24 the programme continues provide work opportunities by employing 1 246 Chief Food Handlers through the EPWP Incentive Grant. These Chief Food Handlers are recruited from unemployed youth; primarily women, to provide administrative support to 25% of schools.

At the end of 2022, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education issued tenders for the new service providers to be appointed on a three year basis for the implementation of the National School Nutrition Programme. The province is one of the five provinces (Gauteng, Western Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo) that follows a centralised implementation model. 

The province issued two separate tenders. One for the appointment of a service provider for the development and execution of a private label that would enable the province to better utilise economies of scale in the procurement of food items for the programme. 

The second tender was for the appointment of a range of service providers to procure food items on behalf of the schools from the Private Label and have it delivered to schools.

Pacina Retail (PTY) Ltd was awarded the tender in January 2023 and has made numerous presentations in different platforms within the Department wherein they confirmed their state of readiness. 59 59<br>

BACKGROUND cont…… PACINA Retail (PTY)LTD was awarded the tender in January 2023.Pursuant to their successful awarding, PACINA Retail (PTY)LTD made numerous presentations in the different platforms within the department wherein they confirmed their readiness to deliver. They presented to the National Schools Nutrition Programme and arranged a meeting at the SPAR DISTRIBUTION CENTRE to show the National School Nutrition Programme the stock already secured for the programme.
PACINA requested a delay in the provision of a full private label due to a delay in getting the Service Level Agreement but committed to the supply and delivery of of compliant food items with a sticker indicating that the stock is dedicated to NSNP.
The service provider made a presentation to Top Management wherein Top Management guided that PACINA be given a period of three months to prepare their ground thoroughly before they commence with the delivery of food items.
PACINA indicated readiness and commitment to deliver prepacked food items per cluster to identified collection points 60 60<br>

BACKGROUND cont….. The comfort emanated from the understanding that the SPAR Group is experienced in logistics and sourcing for their own house brand,as such the development and execution of a private label for the department will not be foreign since they were declared upfront as the anchor for PACINA.
PACINA had proposed to deliver from the 23rd March in their proposal and after appointment advised they will deliver from the 7th of April 2023 in preparation for the reopening of schools on the 12th of April 2023.
When The department wanted to meet PACINA to confirm quantities before delivery PACINA was unavailable and the SPAR Distribution Centre was inaccessible, as a result the department could not check anything as per SLA.
The Department experienced numerous challenges at the beginning of the school term and these are characterised as follows:
Non- delivery of food items in all schools on the 12th of April 2023
Shortages of deliveries during the past weeks
Supply of non- compliant food items such as Soya Mince
Long distances travelled by service providers to collection points
Lack of manpower to offload food stuffs from trucks and also to the service providers transport
Inability to supply gas to schools 61 61<br>

MITIGATING STRATEGIES After receiving reports on the non – delivery to schools, the MEC for Education then directed the Head of Department and Top Management to swiftly engage the main service provider with the aim of finding solutions to the glitches that have been identified. 

A provincial plan was developed to ensure that learners are fed, while assisting the main service provider to resolve the logistical glitches. A logistical plan was designed to ensure that all food items as per the approved menu were delivered to different distribution and collection points. 

While schools experienced food shortages for the month of April, a majority of schools commenced feeding on the 16th of April 2023.

Deliveries continued until the 26th of April 2023, in some schools especially King Cetshwayo District.

The department also deployed a monitoring team on the ground to ensure that all schools are feeding and report to Top Management daily to speedily resolve problems on the ground. The Head of Department also conducted daily progress report meetings with district directors to check on progress and come up with mitigation strategies. 62 62<br>

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS The Head of Department wrote a letter to Pacina Retail (PTY) Ltd informing them of their breach on their signed contract, giving Pacina Retail (PTY) Ltd seven days to provide reasons why their contract should not be terminated.

The Department sought a legal opinion on the grounds that the department has a steps to be taken because of the breach, with the intention to terminate.

Pacina Retail (PTY) Ltd then sent an email to the Head of Department on the 26th of April 2023, notifying him of its withdrawal from the contract provided they are paid for services rendered so far.

The Head of Department acknowledged the email, by informing Pacina in writing.

After the announcement by the ruling party, the Department issued a statement notifying the public of the termination. And also sent a circular to all districts and schools on the developments.

The 1 746 service providers were informed in the circular to procure food items from their normal wholesalers and supply and deliver to school for feeding on the 2nd of May 2023.

The Department of Basic Education led by the Director General has deployed a team of officials to support the Province. 63 63<br>

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS CONT The Head of Department has formed a task team compromising of officials from legal services, finance, SCM, NSNP and communications to develop implementation plans for the month of May 2023 and ongoing
The department is also seeking legal opinion from the state law advisor in respect to the termination of the contract with Pacina Retail (PTY)LTD and the pursuant of legal action to be taken.
The department of Basic Education led by the Director General has deployed a team of officials to support the Province in ensuring that feeding at schools runs smoothly as of 2 May 2023.
KZN PREMIER has also put together a Ministerial task team to assist the department in monitoring the implementation of NSNP within the Province 64 GROWING KWAZULU-NATAL TOGETHER 64<br>

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