President Jacob Zuma has appointed a joint task team to help strengthen education in the Eastern Cape, the presidency said on Wednesday.
“The move taken by the presidency is intended to supplement and strengthen the work of the department of basic education... in order to improve educational outcomes in the province,” spokesman Zizi Kodwa said in a statement.
Zuma visited the province last month to assess the state of education.
Kodwa said the team included the ministers of basic education, Angie Motshekga; finance, Pravin Gordhan; justice and constitutional development, Jeff Radebe; higher education, Blade Nzimande; and public service and administration, Richard Baloyi.
It also included MECs for provincial planning and finance, Phumulo Masualle; sport, recreation, arts and Culture, Xoliswa Tom; economic development, environmental affairs and tourism, Mcebisi Jonas; local government and traditional affairs, Mlibo Qhoboshiyane; and education, Mandla Makupula.
“Due to the urgency of the matter at hand, the task team has already met and agreed to work closely together to deal with the challenges that had led to the intervention,” Kodwa said.
Last month, Motshekga signed a memorandum of understanding with the Eastern Cape education department setting out the details of an intervention.
The government announced an intervention in the province in March after a number of problems surfaced.
Among these were a non-functional school nutrition programme, a lack of transport for pupils and overall poor management of systems.
There was also a strategic leadership vacuum in the province, problems with the organisation's structure and culture, poor financial management systems, and a lack of monitoring and evaluation. -
Sapa