Parliament agrees to debate state of education after school closures

Johannesburg – Parliament will next month debate the state of education in the country following the closure of schools by the government.

The IFP had called for the debate and Speaker Thandi Modise agreed that the debate be held in August.

IFP chief whip Narend Singh said on Saturday they were happy that the Speaker had agreed to the debate.

He said at the time the party called for the debate they wanted to know whether Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga was on the right track.

But the issue of education was still a matter under discussion in the country.

“At the time I asked about it, it was to ask whether the Minister was on the right track or not. I am glad it’s going to come up in the third term. I am glad it’s still on the radar,” said Singh.

In a meeting of the programming committee Modise had agreed to the debate on education to be held.

“We wrote to the IFP to write in a particular way. We have agreed to that snap debate,” said Modise.

Secretary to the National Assembly Masibulele Xaso also said they have agreed to the debate requested by the IFP.

“The debate on schools has been approved,” said Xaso.

The issue of education has been a subject of debate in the country after President Cyril Ramaphosa closed schools for four weeks.

The DA has threatened to go to court to challenge the decision.

Cope has said the decision has exposed inequalities between private and public schools.

The unions have come out in support of the government’s decision to shut down schools.

They said this will give government time to fix things that were wrong.

Political Bureau