Internal Affairs

All systems go for 2016 matric exams

It’s all systems go for the upcoming 2016 matric examinations, with preparations having started in earnest, said Umalusi on Thursday.

The Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training said all assessment bodies have presented their plans to it.

Umalusi, which quality assures all exit point examinations in general

Western Cape Education on 2016 World Teachers Day

Great teachers are the reason why ordinary learners dream to do extraordinary things – World Teachers Day 2016Dr Forest E Witcraft, said that: A hundred years from now, it will not matter what kind of car I drove, what kind of house I lived in, how muc…

Free education for poor is ultimate goal

Free education for the poor is the ultimate goal, says Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande.We have a process in place which will draw the roadmap to get there. Let us give that process the space that it needs, the Minister said.Minist…

MEC Ismail Vadi: Gauteng launch of 2016 October Transport Month

We welcome one and all to the Gauteng launch of the 2016 October Transport Month Campaign. We’d like to thank the City of Tshwane for co-hosting the event with the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport. Earlier today we saw an example of an intermo…

Building Collaboration Without Crisis

Too often, a spirit of international cooperation evaporates just when it is most needed and most promising. And then, lack of cooperation leads to crisis; crisis belatedly forces cooperation; but that cooperation must begin with picking up the pieces.

We saw this during the Great Depression when the international community was

Schools to battle it out in Kay Motsepe Cup

The Department of Basic Education, in partnership with the Motsepe Foundation, has launched the 2016 edition of the Kay Motsepe Schools Netball and Football Cup.

The Kay Motsepe Schools Netball and Football Cup has been in operation for 10 years and is regarded as having the largest prize money � R1

Mother of the nation turns 80

After weeks of pre-birthday celebrations, struggle icon Winne Madikizela-Mandela turns 80 today.President Jacob Zuma has paid tribute to the former wife of Nelson Mandela, saying she dedicated her life to the struggle for liberation.In a statement, Pre…

Government is providing a security net to over 17 million poor South Africans through social grants, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said on Sunday. The Minister said this when she led a briefing of the Social Protection, Community and Human Development Cluster. She gave an update on the progress made in the implementation of the cluster’s Programme of Action (PoA) towards achieving the goals of the NDP: Vision 2030. “Through Social Assistance Programme which is part of the country’s Social Protection System, more than 17 million poor South Africans are receiving social grants from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to the value of R10 billion per month. “It is also worth noting that this year; SASSA is celebrating ten years of its existence.” The Minister said the National Development Plan has set a target to eradicate absolute poverty – from 39% of people living below the poverty line to zero by 2030. She said the target is a lofty goal and yet one that must be faced head on as government sets to deliver on its promise. “Government is continuing to improve the living conditions of poor, vulnerable and underprivileged South Africans from within the length and breadth of our country. “These include unemployed South Africans as well as orphaned and vulnerable children living in child headed households. “We do this as part of our response to the current economic downturn which is affecting all of us,” she said. The Minister said the social cluster Cabinet Committee reviewed a proposal for Amendments to the Social Assistance Act. She said the amendments will include, amongst others, changes to the administration of social grants that will improve the efficiency of the Appeals process and the functioning of the Inspectorate. She said the amendments also seek to empower the Minister to make additional payments for certain social grants – such as Child Support Grant to orphaned and vulnerable children living in child headed households. Meanwhile, Motshekga said government has set itself a target to reduce the unemployment rate to 6% – by creating 11 million more jobs by 2030. “The EPWP Social Sector continues to play a significant role in responding to the challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality. “This fact was confirmed in the recently completed EPWP Social Sector 2014/15 Evaluation report by Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. “This report found that ‘Over the past five years on average 71% of participants were women and 51% were young people’.” Motshekga said the good performance of the various Social Sector departments has resulted in the EPWP Incentive Grant allocation increasing from R240 563 million in 2015/16 to a whopping R359-million to 40 departments in 2016/17 across all provinces. “This is a huge boost to our efforts to fight the scourge of unemployment especially amongst the youth,” she said. SOUTH AFRICA: GOVERNMENT TO RE-FOCUS ON HIV, AIDS LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMME

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says government has increased its focus on HIV and Aids education programme to help curb the spread of the disease amongst learners.The Minister said this when she Ministers in the Social Protection, Community a…

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