Cabinet approves maths/science task team report

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Pretoria – Cabinet has approved the report from the Ministerial Task Team on Mathematics and Science Foundation Programmes, to be published in the Government Gazette for public comment.

The task team was mandated to develop a Technical Vocational Education and Training College-based Mathematics and Science Foundation Programme.

This will help to increase the number of university Science and Mathematics entrants, as outlined in the National Development Plan.

The programme targets those who aspire to enter the Technical Vocational Education and Training sub-sector, those already in technical vocational education and training colleges aspiring to progress and enrol in universities, as well as Grade 12 learners who wish to enrol in universities but do not meet the Mathematics and Physical Science requirements.

Cabinet was also updated on the evaluation by the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation of ‘The Impact of the Introduction of Grade R on Learning Outcomes’.

Cabinet said early investment in the growth and development of young children was likely to reduce inequality and raise productivity, especially in disadvantaged young children.

Cabinet also welcomed the significant achievement in the massive expansion of Grade R to provide education to more children.

Meanwhile, Cabinet also approved the findings of the 2012/13 survey on public funding for scientific and technological activities published.

National departments invested an estimated R29.4 billion in scientific and technological activities in 2012/13, which represents 3% of the total national government budget appropriation.

This is an improvement from the four-year average of 2.9% between 2008/09 to 2011/12.

“It is also evident that government funds most of the scientific research that takes place in South Africa, and that the bulk of the implementation is located outside national departments, i.e. in science councils and higher education institutions,” said Acting Performing Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Angie Motshekga. – SAnews.gov.za