Pretoria - Cabinet has joined the nation in wishing the Class of 2012 well in their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.
The national executive also noted that was the first critical mass of matriculants born in a democratic South Africa.
"Cabinet noted that the success of the interventionist catch-up programme to assist pupils writing the senior certificate examination in Northern Cape has also sparked renewed hope and optimism, calling on all South Africans to continue providing full support to pupils across the country, including those in correctional facilities, as they write their exams," Cabinet said in a statement on Friday after its regular meeting.
Cabinet also commended Remember Mashabela of GaSelale, Burgersfort, who wrote the first paper of the matric exams in hospital.
Cabinet also noted progress made on the implementation of Section 100 (b) intervention in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo provincial education departments.
It said its intervention was beginning to yield positive results, especially in the provision of systemic solutions to:
* reduce the huge Compensation of Employees budget;
* strategically manage the high vacancy rates at schools and circuit levels;
* create accountable and sustainable procurement and delivery processes for learning and teaching support materials for 2013 and beyond;
* improve the provision of cost-effective and accountable scholar transport, school nutrition and infrastructure development programmes; and
* develop and maintain credible and reliable datasets, both learners and employees.
Cabinet further noted progress made in terms of the department's Catch-Up Plan in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Northern Cape, which includes newspaper supplements for students, community radio stations receiving transmissions from Mindset studios in Randburg and study guides for spring schools also being made available on websites.
Shifting focus to child support grant (CSG) beneficiaries, Cabinet noted a presentation on the overview of children receiving the CSG, including the employment and economic status of their caregivers.
It also noted the findings of the CSG Impact Evaluation Study and supported the CSG as one of government's successful developmental programmes.
"Cabinet approved that an Inter-Ministerial Committee constituting the Ministers of Social Development, Home Affairs, Health and Basic Education develop a proposal for the efficient registration of children," said the statement.
Commenting on the outcome of the South African Early Childhood Development (ECD) Conference held in East London earlier this year, Cabinet noted that the National Action Plan was a work in progress.
It approved that the Ministers of Social Development and Basic Education further consult on the possible recruitment of retired ECD experts and/or academics to assist at existing ECD centres while a standardised curriculum was being developed for ECD practitioners. - SAnews.gov.za
