PRESENTATION TO PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE: BASIC EDUCATION

CHIEF DIRECTORATE: LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

06 September 2011Cape Town

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The Legal and Legislative Services Chief Directorate is in terms of the new organogram of the Department constituted of a legal services and legislative services unit

The structure of the unit could be represented by the following diagram:Chief Director

(secretary )

Director(secretary)

(language practitioner) Deputy Director Deputy Director

SAO Assistant Director Assistant Director

INTRODUCTION

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STRATEGIC OBJECTIVESThe strategic objectives for these two separate functions are:

1. Legislative Services

•Mainly responsible for the development, processing and implementation of legislation and impact of the Constitution and international instruments on education.

•Provide advice to the Ministry, DG and other units in the department.

•Also focuses on human rights in education and advice parents, learners and the general public on education matters.

2.Legal Services

•Mainly responsible for the management of litigation against the department and PEDs.

•Management of contracts, memoranda of understanding and other legal instruments.

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Legislative Services

The Directorate has the following strategic objectives:

(a) To draft legislation and regulations and to assist in their processing

•Research the existing legislation and regulations to that it caters for the needs of education across the nation and remain consistent with the international trends

•Consultation on the development of the Bills (new or amendments to existing Acts)

•Obtaining HEDCOM, CEM, Clusters and Cabinet approval

•Get Bill certified by Chief Legal Advisor

•Ensure the Bill is tabled in the Parliament

•Assist the Committees of Parliament to deliberate, amend and approve the Bill

•Assist with the promulgation of the Act.

•Provide support (workshops to provinces) for the proper implementation of the Act

NOTE: (i) Currently the sub -Directorate is busy with the processing of the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act (Bill). The Bill was considered by the Portfolio Committee on Education and the Select Committee on Education and Recreation. This will be finalised before the end of this calendar year.

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(ii) The directorate has initiated the National Education Evaluation and Development Unit Bill (NEEDU Bill). The Bill is still consultation level with the HEDCOM, CEM and would probably be advertised for comment before it could serve before the Cabinet Committee.

(b) Draft Regulations authorised by the Acts and assist in developing of regulations by other departments.

• The draft Regulations must be duly consulted before they are promulgated into law by the Minister.

• The comments received by role-players are evaluated and presented to the Minister to approve before the Regulations are promulgated.

• Currently, the following Regulations are being developed(i) Section 38A Regulations- Regulations Relating to the Prohibition of the Payment of

Unauthorised remuneration or the Giving of Financial Benefit or Benefit to Certain State Employees

(ii) Amendment of the Safety Regulations in Public School(iii) Regulations for the Prevention, Support and Counselling of Pregnant learners and

Pregnant learners with HIV and AIDS in public schools(iv) Regulations for the Educational Assistance of Victims Identified by TRC

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(c) To manage the administration and secretarial services of HEDCOM Legal subcommittee

• Prepare invitations, the agenda and information pack for the provinces and other participants.

• Keep records of all the meeting and resolutions thereof and circulate to all participants

(d) Manage human rights issues, International Conventions on children’s rights and support provinces

• Support provinces in all matters brought to the meeting for discussion• Use the structure as a monitoring tool to evaluate implementation of legislation and

compliance in the provinces• Visit PEDs and monitoring implementation of legislation and regulations. For this

year, all provinces have been visited and reports for the visits are being finalised• Conducting workshops on Legislation and Regulations.• Provide regular advice to PEDs and responding to their queries.

LITIGATION• ART v MINISTER – EQUALITY COURT APPLICATION

BACKGROUNDEquality court action brought against the department on grounds of language discrimination;

(a) the criteria applied in awarding the Funza Lushaka bursary is in conflict with section 9(3) of the Constitution; Afrikaans speaking students who choose Afrikaans as a subject for teacher training do not qualify for the bursary;

LEGAL ISSUE:Is the criteria applied in awarding the Funza Lushaka Bursary discriminatoryagainst Afrikaans speaking students?

STATUS:The criteria used to award the bursaries have a rational justification i.e. Scarcity of skills and expertise in the field;Statistics show that Afrikaans speaking students receive a generous portion of bursariesThe matter is being defended and prospects of success are favourable.

DBE’s POSITION•  

WELKOM AND HARMONY HIGH v FREE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

BACKGROUND• The Applicant sought an order to overturn the FSED directive in terms of 

not to effect the SGB Pregnancy Policy. The FSED intervened by directing the schools to admit learners to school after the school implemented the Pregnancy Policy provisions which stipulated that a learner will not be permitted into school within the same year that she absented herself due to pregnancy, she may only return the following year.  

LEGAL ISSUE:• Did the FSED have the authority to override a decision made by the school 

in terms of a Policy determined by the SGB?

STATUS:• The Policy discriminates against learners and prevents them from access 

to education. It is prejudicial as it increases the time in which a learner will complete their schooling. Currently the matter is being taken on Appeal. 

 

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SR KHUBEKA v MEC: KZN & OTHERS

BACKGROUND:• Labour court application brought by SEM employees seeking an order that 

the  consent  agreement  entered  into  between  the  KZN  department  and fellow DCES officials be reviewed and set aside.  This was as a result of and upgrade of salaries in respect of DCES/SEM office based educators from a grade 10 to 11 and the KZN department reversing the decision by consent as DCES/SEM school based educators did not receive the upgrade. 

LEGAL ISSUE:• Did the MEC and HOD have the power to upgrade the DCES/SEM post 

from grade 10 to 11?

• STATUS :• Legal opinion was sought and HEDCOM passed a directive that all 

provinces who upgrades DCES/SEM officials did so ultra vires as the Minister has the power to determine salaries and conditions of service. Currently KZN.DOE is defending the matter.

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PJ OLIVIER & OTHERS v MINISTER

BACKGROUND:• application  brought  against  the  ECED  to  direct  that  the  ECED 

decision,  not  to  fill  all  vacant  substantive  posts  at  the abovementioned  public schools in the Eastern Cape in accordance with their 2010 post establishments, be judicially reviewed and set aside. The post establishment for 2011 was unlawful as  it was not determined by 30 September as envisaged in SASA.

LEGAL ISSUE:Was the HOD’s decision ;• not to fill vacant posts in terms of the 2010 Post Establishment•  and thereafter determining the Post Establishment  for 2011 after 

the  30  September    unlawful  and  therefore  unjust  administrative action?

STATUS:The matter was settled, however now the settlement order is being challenged on the grounds that the parties did not have authority to enter into such settlement agreement. 

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INTERNATIONAL  AGREEMENTSNo Directorate Topic Parties Rationale Budget Comments

1 International relations

Enhancement of cooperation in the field of basic education

RSA(DBE) and Serbia(ministry of education)

Supplementary school for the teaching of the Serbian language in GDE

Serbian govt. to provide funding

Currently finalizing formalities with Int. Relations

2 International Relations

Enhancement of cooperation in the field of basic education 

RSA(DBE) and Republic of China (ministry of education)

Provision of  Chinese scholarships  to educators

 Chinese govt funding

Formalities to be concluded

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Enhancement of the English language

RSA(DBE),Britain and Northern Ireland (Ministry)

Exchange of information on promoting the English language 

Both parties comply in terms of available funding 

Formalities to be concluded

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DOMESTIC AGREEMENTSNo Directorate Topic Parties Rationale Budget Comments

1 Curriculum Innovation

Connectivity to schools

DBE,DOC and Telkom

Provision of connectivity to schools

R350 million - DOC

Finalizing obligations

2 School Infra-structure 

Electrification of schools

DBE and ESKOM

Provision of electricity to schools

R60 million – ASIDI grant

Formalities to be concluded

3 School infra-structure

ASIDI Project DBE and DBSA Replacement of mud schools in EC

8 billion Agreement was signed

4 Ministry Section 100 intervention

DBE and EC provincial government and National Government

Addressing challenges with the Eastern Cape education department

PED vote Implementing

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