Portfolio Committee meeting date/s :Tuesday, the 26 September 2006
Provincial NCOP meeting date/s : Tuesday, the 26 September 2006
Consultation : Parliamentary Legal Advisors, Special &Permanent Delegates
VOTE OF THE KWAZULU-NATAL PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE:
The Provincial Standing Committee on National Council of provinces Matters met today, Tuesday the 26 of September 2006, & agreed to mandate the KwaZulu-Natal delegation to the National Council of Provinces 'to oppose' the Further Education and Training Colleges Bill [B23-2006] on the following basis;
1.The Bill is at odds with its stated objectives and does not assist with broadening the intake of students at FET Colleges. The Bill must be used as an opportunity for the FET sector to ensure thata conducive human resources environment, a learning programme delivery scope, funding norms, viable strategic partnerships and effective governance are in place. It is important that the Bill brings about a clear distinction and synergy between schools, colleges and universities.
2. Numerous stakeholders have indicated that they were not consulted and were not afforded the opportunity to make input on the content of the Bill.
3. The current curriculum should be built upon and not scrapped totally. The status quo should be allowed to remain as it is until the problems in the Bill have been addressed.
4. The capacity of Councils to deal with human resource matters, such as the conditions of service of educators, is in doubt.
5. The criteria used to receive funding are very crude and limits funding to particular requirements.
6. There is a lack of standards for private colleges, which may be very problematic.
7. The limiting effect on the role of SETAs.
8. It is recommended that the time frames for implementation of the Bill be reconsidered and the status quo be retained for 2007.
The delegation is further mandated to consider any additional amendments, providing that
1) the amendments does/do not alter the essential elements of the Bill; and
2) consensus is reached on the proposed amendment/s by the KwaZulu-Natal delegation.
PROVINCIAL ENDORSMENT
Mr ME Mthimkhulu DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON:
KWAZULU.NATAL STANDING COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES MATTERS