Asmal: No cross-subsidisation

2003-02-24 18:07

Cape Town - Education Minister Kader Asmal on Monday rejected any form of cross-subsidisation between rich and poor schools.

"I don't know where these things come from," he told a media briefing at parliament after the first Council of Education Ministers (CEM) this year.

He was referring to media reports that it was envisaged that in future school fees paid to affluent schools would be subjected to "a form of taxation" to plough money into poorer institutions.

Asmal said there "is no such thing as cross-subsidisation" and the reports "were wrong".

However, he would like to see resources, such as libraries and sports fields, shared between richer schools and their poorer counterparts.

At its meeting, the CEM received the report of a comprehensive departmental report into the resourcing of education, including funding mechanisms and the costs of education.

Asmal said the report contained some "radical proposals" and far-reaching recommendations.

It is to be released at a full press briefing in Pretoria next Monday, followed by a presentation to the National Assembly's education committee the following day.

Curriculum changes

Turning to the curriculum changes for grades 10 to 12 - the further education and training band - he said this would only be introduced in classrooms in 2006, and not in 2004 as suggested in certain quarters.

The council had agreed that the date for implementation of the outcomes-based curriculum should be delayed until all the necessary measures were in place.

It was envisaged that this changed curriculum would last for 20 to 25 years.

The council had also approved a strategy for implementing the revised curriculum for grades R to nine from 2004.

The strategy provided for teacher orientation and training, and the model depended heavily on the instructional leadership role of school principles and district officials, he said.

- SAPA