Mr Chairman, at the outset I want to make certain remarks before allowing the debate to get under way, and I shall then reply to the matters raised by hon members.

Allow me to thank the Director General of the Department and his staff very much indeed for the faithful and outstanding services that they have once again rendered this year. The past months have been very demanding as a result of the central position occupied by education matters in the debates in regard to the new constitutional dispensation in the country. This has made particularly heavy demands of resourcefulness, clear thinking, analytical ability and creative contributions on the part of the Director General and his senior staff. I believe that when one looks back at this stage in our history, their contribution in this particular year will be accorded great recognition.

In thanking the staff of the department, I should also like to refer to persons and bodies playing an informal role in management as far as the implementation of my functions is concerned and in regard to whom I wish to record a particular word of recognition. In the first place, there are the regular discussions among the three Ministers responsible for education matters, an informal management body that has achieved much and done particularly good work over the past two years. I also want to refer to the conference that is held periodically with the Administrators, the MEC’s and Directors of Education in expediting the co-ordination of White education and making it more efficient. I refer to the extremely valuable discussions that I have been privileged to have from time to time with representatives of the Federal Council of Teachers’ Associations and the South African Teachers’ Council for Whites. I want to refer with appreciation to the interaction with the representatives of the Committee of University Principals and the new, important Committee of Technikon Principals. Last but not least I want to refer with appreciation to the fruitful discussions that I have from time to time with the leaders and the executive of the South African Olympic and National Games Association and the South African Sports Federation. In referring to the formal management structures, one is inclined to forget just how much is achieved by means of this informal exchange of ideas with the persons and bodies to which I have just referred.

On a personal level I want to welcome Dr Dirk Meiring, the new Deputy Director General of the Department who took over from Mr Louw Visagie at the start of this month. In thanking Mr Visagie most sincerely for the services he has rendered and in referring with appreciation to the vast and comprehensive experience that he has built up in the Department over many years and made available to me and to the Department, I also want to wish Dr Meiring everything of the best. He is a person with particular qualities who initially as a university professor, later as the director of a technikon and eventually as Director and Chief Director of Education in this Department, has had an eminently suitable preparation for the important function he now has to fulfil. To my deepest sorrow I have unfortunately also to refer to the fact that our Director General, Dr P S Meyer, is retiring on pension at the end of July. His period of service from the start of 1982 was far too short—I say this out of selfish considerations for myself and the Department—for the contribution which this gifted and devoted top public servant was able to make in respect of education at the highest level. I would very much indeed have liked him to have remained in service for a longer period, but this is one of the problems when one inspans a Bolander—particularly the wife of a Bolander—in a job that requires moving to Pretoria for a large portion of the year, namely that their ability to endure this moving to the north is apparently limited.

That is why the new Parliament is not being built in Pretoria.

I want to refer with much appreciation to the particularly comprehensive and thorough management reform that has been brought about in the Department under the guidance of Dr Meyer. I want to express my appreciation for the enthusiasm and the understanding that he has shown for the new constitutional dispensation, and particularly, with that end in view, for what has to be prepared in respect of education, and for the mass of creative work that has been done in this connection under his guidance. I want to refer with appreciation to his particularly professional expertise. He is not only an excellent administrator but he is also primarily an educationist and has in his own right done work in the sphere of the promotion of education for exceptionally gifted pupils that has received international recognition and in respect of which he has made highly-esteemed contributions at international conferences abroad that have been published internationally. I want to express the hope that although he is now going to take things easy as far as his managerial functions are concerned, he will find additional time to continue to work on his professional and specialist contributions. Last but not least, I want to express appreciation for Dr Meyer’s excellent qualities and his contribution as a person of culture. I want to mention the fact here that he has been good enough to agree to act as chairman of the new Western Cape Regional Culture Council, the establishment of which is being considered at the moment, after his retirement. I want to express a great deal of appreciation to Dr Meyer and to wish him everything of the best but I also want specifically to emphasize the fact that I hope that he is not going to sit back and do nothing but that he will find many spheres in which to further develop his creative abilities in new capacities.

I should also like to make a few remarks in connection with the whole matter of the announcement of salary improvements for teachers in view of the fact that expectations have been created in this respect by various newspapers and also in an effort to prevent this delicate matter being bandied about unnecessarily during the debate.

I want in this respect to record the Government’s and my sincere and deep respect for the importance of the teaching profession in our national economy. When I say this, I am referring to all teachers—in our schools, colleges, technikons and universities. The high priority enjoyed by education is also apparent from the fact that the figures for both the total amount and the percentage increase in respect of the provision of education in the budget this year exceed those for Defence. There is an increase of 23% as against 21,4%, amounting to a total of R4 200 million as against R3 755 million.

At the same time the Government is fully aware of the necessity for an improved and competitive salary dispensation for the whole of the education profession. I am well aware of the backlogs that have arisen in the remuneration of teachers as against those in respect of comparable posts in the rest of the Government sector as a result of the salary improvements in regard to occupational differentiation that have been implemented step by step over the past two years for the rest of the Government sector, in the wake of the improvement for teachers of April 1981 which in effect heralded the entire process at the time. I also want to express my appreciation for the restrained and responsible action on the part of representatives of the education profession in their very earnest and urgent representations to me over the past months. I want to refer-here particularly to the Committee of University Principals and the Federal Council of Teachers’ Associations. I want to repeat the assurance that the Government regards the whole question of an improved salary dispensation for teachers as urgent, and that a more definite announcement in this regard will be made as soon as possible.

I also want to repeat the statement made by my colleague, the hon the Minister of Internal Affairs, in reply to a question last Friday, that salary improvements for teachers in the posts falling under the so-called top structure, will be adjusted retrospectively to 1 January 1984, the date that holds good for the rest of the top structure, although their cases will firstly, together with those of all the other teachers, have to be considered and finalized on the insistence of the various leaders in the respective education sectors.

However, we also ask for an appreciation of the fact that the Government has first of all to await the findings and recommendations of the recognized consultative structures in respect of teachers’ salaries in which all sectors of education including the organized profession are represented. I am referring here to the Committee on Education Structures and the Research Committee on Education Structures. The Government is bound by undertakings in respect of education not to consider salary improvements unless and until CES and RECES, as these two committees are known, have advised it fully in that regard. For that reason, I find it strange that a specific teachers’ association, the South African Teachers’ Association, having bypassed the federal council, recently demanded that I announce a new salary dispensation during the discussion of my Vote in Parliament, thus implying that the Government and I should anticipate the salary inputs of CES and RECES and determine salaries on our own initiative, which I was not prepared to do. I also asked for an appreciation of the fact not only that the CES and RECES inquiry was complex and comprehensive but also that these bodies had an extremely sensitive task in reconciling the sometimes divergent and even conflicting expectations and claims of the various sectors of education—the schools, the universities, the colleges and the technikons—with one another as far as possible, and that this also required time.

I would of course very much have liked the backlogs that have arisen in respect of teachers’ salaries to have been eliminated earlier, but as the Government decided in 1981 to follow the step-by-step method of occupational differentiation in order to provide a more competitive salary dispensation for the Government sector, it was actually unavoidable that the improved teacher salary dispensation of April 1981 should thereafter have been overtaken step by step and, in many cases, even passed by various other professional groups in Government service. As the education profession was first in line in April 1981 and as the financial expense of a program of occupationally differentiated salary improvements for the whole Government sector was so great that funds could unfortunately not be found for interim adjustments for education, it was only financially possibly after completion of the whole program—which in actual fact was shortened by a year in respect of what had been envisaged originally—to consider education as the first and highest priority once again in regard to the so-called maintenance program of competitive salary dispensations in this financial year.

I should like to raise two further matters here that are related to this question. I have already had various discussions with the Federal Council of Teachers’ Associations in connection with their proposals for improved negotiation machinery for the educational profession in respect of remuneration matters, and these discussions are making good progress. The discussions also include the question of effective participation on the part of the organized education profession in structures for the determination of education policy, and this principle is already finding expression in certain provisions in the National Policy for General Education Affairs Bill that has already been introduced into the House. Secondly, I have noticed that in its publication Mondstuk the Transvaal Teachers’ Association has recently raised doubts in regard to the taxation system, and particularly that it had apparently become too difficult for the ordinary man to understand, especially in regard to the alleged increase in individual taxation. This matter has not as yet been raised all that pertinently by the organized teaching profession, and I should like to offer my assistance to their representatives in arranging discussions with our financial authorities at high level for them where possible problems and misunderstandings can be eliminated, if there is a need to do so in this connection.

I also want to refer to a remark made by the hon member for Pinetown in a comprehensive contribution in respect of this matter during the debate on the Vote of my colleague, the hon the Minister of Internal Affairs, in which he asked the Government not to introduce occupationally differentiated salaries in respect of various subject spheres within the education profession. I want to remind the Committee that the Government decided against this as early as 1981, in spite of the findings of the then project enquiry into the quality of the working life of the teacher—which investigated salary matters in particular—that the backlog in certain subjects in school education and education in general, in particular in science, applied science and technology, was considerably greater when compared with the rest of the Government sector and the private sector than that in respect of teachers’ salaries in the remaining subjects, the human sciences, the commercial sciences and so forth. At the time the Government did not see its way clear to drawing any conclusion from these findings in favour of differentiated salaries for various subjects, but asked both the organized education profession as well as other persons and bodies in education to reconsider their own points of view in regard to this matter in the light of the findings of the project enquiry which investigated the matter at the time and which produced specific quantitative results. I am aware of the fact that the Federal Council of Teachers’ Association had in the meantime, after a thorough investigation, raised very strong practical doubts in respect of any form of salary differentiation among teachers in various subjects, and it is not the intention of the Government to take the matter any further unless it can obtain the support of the education profession. As the education profession was not in favour of it, the matter was left at that.

However, in the case of the universities, the reaction to this matter was different and, through the medium of the Committee of University Principals, the universities intimated that they did in fact see some merit in a greater suppleness in respect of salary policy to enable universities to act autonomously in respect of salary determinations for individual teachers where they felt this was merited on the grounds of the individual excellence of specific persons or on the grounds of market considerations in respect of specific subjects. Mr Chairman, the Government therefore decided that although it would continue to determine salary scales for the various academic posts at universities, and also with the view to the calculation of the subsidy formula, it nevertheless set the universities at liberty to determine the salaries of individual teachers as they thought fit, and thereby also to exceed approved salary scales provided that, in the process, the total amount spent by universities on salaries would not be higher than the amount generated for this purpose in terms of the calculation of the subsidy formula of the universities. The universities are also permitted to utilize their own income obtained for example from grants as an additional amount to supplement salaries. However, as far as the contribution of the State in this regard is concerned, their deviation in the determination of individual salaries with the view to differentiation has to remain limited to that portion of the subsidy that is generated for that purpose. In conclusion, I also want to say that it is my opinion that the universities will use this new autonomy in respect of salary determination with great circumspection because it is undoubtedly a matter that is not without problems. However, the Government was prepared to give them this opportunity provided that they remained within the limits of the amount generated by the subsidy formula for this purpose. This is in order to avoid their eventually having to approach the State to provide for the increased salaries that they themselves have determined. They have therefore to make provision for this matter from the money they already have in terms of the subsidy formula or make use of their own money that they obtained by way of grants.

†Let me refer briefly to the remark made by the hon member for Pinetown in his discussion during a previous Vote referring to the “hated merit system”. I would like to explain that the merit system for salary awards for the teaching profession, which the hon member referred to as “hated”, is a system which has recently again been revised in accordance with proposals which, I am informed, had the support of the representatives of the organized teaching profession involved in the planning committee working out a revision of the merit system. It is therefore not clear how exactly the love/hate relationship which exists here—hate on the part of the hon member for Pinetown and apparently a love attitude on the part of the representatives of the teaching profession—correlate with each other. The Government, however, had the clear support of the representatives of the teaching profession in revising the merit system and the merit system will therefore continue for teachers in the schools as revised. At this stage, Mr Chairman, I do not wish to add anything more.

Mr Chairman, I should like to ask for the privilege of the half-hour. On behalf of the PFP I would like to associate myself with what the hon the Minister said about Dr Meyer, the retiring Director-General. I want immediately to express our heartfelt thanks to him for the good work he has done in the interests of education in South Africa and I want to wish him all the best for the future.

Right at the outset of this discussion I want to refer to a matter which, I believe, in any present political dispensation in South Africa, requires urgent attention on the part of the Government. At the founding of the Afrikanervolkswag in the Skilpad Hall in Pretoria during the past weekend two extremely alarming speeches were made by a certain Mr Terre’Blanchè, the leader of the AWB, and Mr Jaap Marais, the leader of the HNP, respectively. Purely on the strength of reports and on the strength of what was shown on television, it seems as if these two gentlemen used or misused the opportunity to make speeches which, to my mind, were extremely inflammatory and militant and which certainly did not befit the founding of a cultural organization. I should like to ask a question and, when I do so, I do so on behalf of quite a number of concerned people in South Africa. On Sunday I received a number of calls from my constituency after this gathering, and the question I want to ask on their behalf, is: Are we not perhaps dealing here with a new, militant Ossewabrandwag in a cultural guise? Even at this early stage I should like to warn the Government to be mindful of the aims and actions of this movement and not to hesitate to act against them should they propagate racism and violence. At this sensitive stage of its existence South Africa cannot afford that. I want to make an earnest appeal to the hon the Minister to make a statement on this matter on behalf of the Government and to give assurances to allay the fears of many people in South Africa with regard to this matter.

I should also very quickly like to say something about the time available for the discussion of this Vote. The time available for the discussion of this Vote is completely inadequate in view of the large number of important matters falling under this Vote. One can think of universities, technikons, colleges, art, culture, museums, libraries, scientific matters, research, finance, the new constitutional dispensation and matters relating to it, the recommendations of the De Lange Committee, and the Government’s White Paper on it as well as legislation which is envisaged, to refer to just a few. This year more money has been appropriated for education than for defence, but the official Opposition has nevertheless been given only 50 minutes to discuss this Vote with all its facets and its variety of problems. This is totally unacceptable and, to my mind, makes a farce of the purpose of the discussion of the Vote. It makes it completely impossible for the Opposition to fulfil its responsibilities in this regard. I want to make an extremely urgent appeal to the hon the Minister to use his authority with the persons and bodies...

No, you must ask your Whips.

No, our Whips ask and plead, but it does not help much. It is people like the hon the Minister who should use his influence with the persons and bodies who decide on these matters to ensure that sufficient time is given to make a proper and effective discussion of these important matters possible. The hon the Minister gave a long and complicated explanation of the steps that are being taken and of the negotiations and consultations with regard to salary increases for teachers. However, I want to state that over the years, over the past decades, there has been an inability on the part of the Government to reach consensus with the teachers’ associations and all the other persons and bodies involved on a generally acceptable policy and mechanism for the adjustment of salaries and the improvement of conditions of service. This is not acceptable and cannot continue any longer. It results in uncertainty among teachers. There is bitterness and there are resignations of qualified and experienced teachers. This causes disruption at schools and incalculable harm is done to the education of thousands of children. This can no longer be tolerated, and I want to appeal to the Hon the Minister now finally, in cooperation with all the teachers’ associations and all the other organizations involved and with regard to all the recommendations and representations made to the Government from numerous quarters, to arrive at a solution by creating a mechanism which can adjust salaries and conditions of service on an ongoing basis to ensure that these problems are not experienced again.

The next subject I want to discuss deals with the budget for this Vote. Perhaps the person who put the foreseeable problems in this regard in the best way, was Gus Adams of Rapport who had the following to say on 8 April about the budgeting problems under the new dispensation. I quote:

And this is not far from the truth, Mr Chairman—

Mr Chairman, this can cause endless confusion unless it is clearly laid down at this early stage how these things are going to be arranged. Those of us who have studied the budget to determine precisely what amounts are to be spent for certain purposes and for which group and where, have problems under the present dispensation. Under the new dispensation it can be even more difficult, and I want therefore to ask the hon the Minister to make use of this opportunity to announce the envisaged future budgeting methods and to give the assurance that future budgeting will provide a clear and detailed explanation of expenditure.

The next subject I want to discuss concerns the principle of equal education regardless of race or colour. In my view this is certainly the most important consideration at the moment among a very large number of people interested in education in South Africa. When one studies the Government’s White Paper published in reaction to the recommendations of the De Lange Committee, one sees that principle No 1 is spelt out in very clear terms, and I should like to quote it to the Committee. It reads as follows:

I think it is put very well here. However, the undertaking is not given that it will be done overnight or immediately, but that the State will pursue it purposefully, earnestly and with everything at its disposal. The present position is that the annual per capita expenditure on the education of the children of the various racial groups is as follows: Whites—R1 385; Indians—R871; Coloureds—R593; while the expenditure per Black child is a mere R192 per year. I am talking now about capital expenditure and all other costs, and this means that at this stage we are spending seven times more on the education and training of a White child than on a Black child. I just want to put one simple question to hon members who are now making so much noise: Name one other country in the whole world where children of a specific group are discriminated against in state schools in this manner. I should just like to say in passing in this regard, that in 1982 the annual per capita expenditure on sport in respect of White and Black children was as follows: Whites—R9,84 per child per year; Blacks—R0,41 per child per year. Twenty-four times more money is made available for school sport for a White child than for a Black child. The parents of Black children are not in a position to contribute to the same degree for sport and recreation as White parents are. This is an extreme form of discrimination. The Government distinguishes between so-called unnecessary and hurtful discrimination on the one hand and necessary discrimination on the other hand, but this absolutely indefensible form of discrimination can simply no longer be tolerated. We realize that the situation cannot be set right overnight or even within a year or three years, but we in South Africa dare not allow the finding and application of an effective and acceptable solution to this sensitive matter to be delayed any further. The hon the Minister should as soon as possible work out a program in co-operation with all concerned for the speedy narrowing and elimination of this expenditure gap. He should announce that program and we must see to it that we keep to that program. In other words, we must see to it that the achievement of the program is in accordance with the aims of the program. It is, furthermore, of vital importance that a period be fixed for the implementation of the program. We should, for example, say that it will take place over 10 or 15 years, or if it is at all possible, over five years. A strategy for this will have to be designed.

I should now like to talk about the new constitutional dispensation. The new constitutional dispensation is based firmly on the old apartheid ideology, and the new dispensation in education is subservient to the new constitutional dispensation. In future, education will therefore still be subject to the dictates of apartheid. This is an enormous tragedy for South Africa. It is a rejection of the most valuable recommendation of the De Lange Committee. Furthermore, it is a tremendous disappointment to thousands of teachers, parents and other interested parties of all groups in South Africa. It is a cruel setback to the process of reform in our country. Luckily the setback is only temporary. Apartheid must and will be excluded from educational processes and institutions in South Africa. Apartheid will not withstand the onslaught of the realities of the times and the momentum and compulsion of the process of reform. This is the good news I can give South Africa. The Minister and the Government have the following choice: They must either of their own volition and on their own initiative abolish apartheid while they are in control, or else they must bow to pressure and in so doing lose control over the process. The majority of all South Africans want an education system in South Africa which is not based on apartheid, and we will get it. The teachers of South Africa have recently clearly shown how they feel.

†Teacher organizations representing about 150 000 teachers in South Africa and Namibia joined in condemnation of apartheid this weekend and declared themselves in favour of the charter for teacher unity. This charter calls for one Ministry of Education and equal standards of education for all regardless of race, creed or sex. The meeting, held in Bellville, was representative of a large number of organizations. All these organizations, representative of Black, Coloured and Indian education and all the White English-speaking teachers’ associations of South Africa, unanimously decided that as far as they were concerned, they were opposed to a system of education based on apartheid and committed themselves firmly for one Ministry of Education and a single education system for South Africa.

Mr Chairman, I will come back a little later to some of the remarks made by the hon member for Bryanston. First of all, I want to join the hon the Minister in conveying a special word of thanks and congratulation to Dr Meyer and his staff for the excellent annual report which has again seen the light of day. I have said on a previous occasion that it contains an absolute wealth of knowledge, and we take pleasure in thanking the Director General and his staff for the exceptionally good work they are doing in this regard.

In addition, I want to associate this side of the House with what the hon the Minister has said in expressing a special word of thanks to Dr Meyer for the excellent service he has rendered in the department. I want to give him the assurance that we on this side of the House have, over the years, had an extremely high regard for the way in which he and his staff have assisted us when we put questions to them or wanted to obtain information. I want to wish Dr Meyer and his wife all the best in the years ahead because they deserve a rest. I want to thank him for what he has done for the department.

I want to extend my heartiest congratulations to Dr Meiring on his appointment as Deputy Director General and express the hope that his labours in the department will be enjoyable.

Once again, I would like to express our special thanks to statutory boards, the South African Teachers’ Council the federal council and the individual teachers’ associations for the conscientiousness with which they have done their work in the interests of education in South Africa. Time does not allow me to go into detail about the contribution made by each of these bodies, but I do want to say that we note it and that we appreciate it very much. I want to associate myself with the hon the Minister by expressing my personal disappointment at the step taken by the SA Teachers’ Association by issuing a press statement about the pressure that is being brought to bear for an announcement on improved salaries. I had the privilege of being the chairman of a certain teachers’ association, namely the OFSTA. I also had the privilege of serving on the federal council. Teachers’ associations in general and the federal council keep a jealous guard over their exceptionally close mutual co-operation. It is generally accepted that the federal council is the mouthpiece of all the various teachers’ associations. I think it is a pity that this particular teachers’ association has issued a statement in which it is alleged that the teaching profession will suffer incalculable and lasting harm if an announcement on improved salaries and post structures for teachers is postponed further. I ask myself whether it is a threat. What is behind it? If it is possibly a threat, I just want to say that it is not at all fitting for an organization of professional people and especially not for a teachers’ association. These threats will just damage relations. The status of the federal council as the official mouthpiece on affairs affecting the teaching profession in general should be jealously guarded.

I want to express a special word of thanks and appreciation for the work done by every teacher on a day-to-day basis, whether he is involved in provincial education or in national education. We could go into raptures over the exceptional contribution made by teachers over the years in South Africa. I also believe that this is the case in other countries of the world. In 1957, Dr Verwoerd said that the question of whether the Republic of South Africa would still be White at the end of the century, lay in the hands of the youth of South Africa. Equally we can say that whether the Coloureds will, at the end of the century, still be proud of their tradition, their culture and their own heritage, lies in the hands of the Coloured youth. One could also express this view in respect of the other population groups. The fact remains that the teacher should make a special contribution towards the development of the youth. It is true that education is the finest way of bringing about a change in the mental attitude and drive of a people. Because that is so, the State has a special responsibility towards these men and women. I am very grateful for the statement made by the hon the Minister this afternoon. With the increase in 1981, the salaries of teachers were brought into line with comparable posts in the Government sector. However, salaries in the Government sector have since increased with the result that education has fallen back to the position which obtained before 1981. I am aware of the fact that in pursuance of the statement of the hon the Minister the salaries of teachers are now regarded as the highest priority. However, I want in this regard to ask the Minister not just to give a salary adjustment equal to that in the Government sector but a salary adjustment which will put teachers in a privileged position. In view of the importance of the work done by teachers, I am convinced that this is a reasonable request. I am convinced that they deserve it. I also want to ask that an announcement in this regard be made soon. The hon the Minister has told us why this is not possible, and we accept it because these things must be done in a certain way. The necessary research has first to be completed. Nevertheless, I want to ask that an announcement in this regard he made as soon as possible even if the announcement simply indicates that the implementation of the new salary scales will only be from a date in the future. I therefore want to ask that an announcement be made so that teachers can have peace of mind with regard to what they can expect when the new scales come into effect. If there are sufficent funds, I will of course welcome it personally if the salary adjustments can be made as soon as possible.

I want to express my thanks to the Government for the changes in the conditions of service, especially of female staff. I can give the Committee the assurance that this is very highly appreciated.

With reference to what the hon member for Bryanston said, I want to reply briefly to two matters. The first matter raised by the hon member to which I want to refer, is the time that is being allowed for the discussion of this Vote. I want to say immediately to the hon member for Bryanston when he feels it is necessary that more time should be made available to discuss these matters that exactly the same need exists on this side of the Committee. We are convinced that as far as we are concerned, we can put the whole education situation, or national education in general, into better perspective if we had more time at our disposal. We would welcome having more time to react to all the arguments advanced by the Opposition because I believe that we have the answers to them. As far as I am concerned, a meaningful discussion has always been worthwhile, and I would like to support the hon member’s appeal. However, I want to add that if the hon member for Bryanston thinks that it is the Government that makes so little time available, he is not quite correct. The hon member can ask his Whips and they will tell him that the way in which the maximum time available for the measure should be allocated is an agreed arrangement among the Whips of the various parties. In this respect, the responsibility rests with the Chief Whip of the hon member’s party to negotiate for more time in conjunction with the Whips of the other parties. I just want to put it into perspective that it is not this side of the Committee that is responsible for the Official Opposition’s being allocated only 50 minutes to discuss this Vote.

I also want to refer to the aspect of equal education. We must see this whole matter of equal education in perspective. I thank the hon member for Bryanston for quoting the decision in this regard in the White Paper. The fact remains that we cannot merely advance the argument that the annual per capita expenditure per pupil between Whites and the other population groups is out of proportion. [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, I want firstly to express my sincere thanks to the Whip of the NP and the Chief Whip of the Official Opposition for giving me the opportunity to enter the debate now in view of the fact that I have to leave in 15 minute’s time. I should also like to thank the chairman of my party’s study group, the hon member for Koedoespoort, for the opportunity he has afforded me to take part in the debate before I leave. He will shortly deal in detail with the matters which have already been raised here.

I want to agree with the hon member for Virginia about the allocation of time on which he was attacked by the hon member for Bryanston. However, I want to ask him if he will support the CP and the PFP to prevent the introduction of legislation for the abolition of the Committee Stage in Parliament in terms of the new dispensation. We would very much like to have much more time made available so that we can debate such an important matter as education much longer. Perhaps the hon the Minister can tell us if we will have the privilege next year in the new Parliament of having a Committee Stage to discuss the activities of this very important department. It is important that the hon the Minister replies to us in this regard.

I have here an NP document which was issued before the 1982 election, entitled “Nou meer as ooit”. Among other things, it states the following:

I should like to say a few words on this matter, in view of the fact that almost the same is said in the election pamphlet of the NP in Rosettenville. Own residential areas, an own community life and own schools are indicated as non-negotiables by the NP. In this regard I want immediately to put the view of the CP very clearly. In terms of the standpoint of the CP, own community life includes own residential areas, own schools, own sport and recreation, own culture and an own local authority. From our point of view it is part of the community life of a people.

I should, however, also like to talk about school sport, because it is also spelt out as an own affair in the Constitution. Culture is also spelt out as an own affair. I have heard economists talking about creeping inflation, but today I want to prove to the Committee that although the NP says that it stands for own schools and for separate development, in what it is seeking to do it is engaged in nothing less than creeping integration. School sport is the best example of this. I have a number of newspaper cuttings here...

Like Jaap Marais.

I would rather follow the road of separate development and take a stand for the White man with Jaap Marais than follow the road of integration with that hon member that he is following at the moment. I want to quote from Die Burger of 16 December 1983, as follows:

It is history now that this young man was the first Coloured captain of a school cricket team in the Nuffield week. I quote further:

Order! I realize that this matter relates remotely to schools but it does not fall under this Vote.

Mr Chairman, in the Constitution school sport is seen as part of the education process. It is included in the Constitution under Education as an own affair. I should therefore like to discuss it and especially since it will be the last time...

I want to point out to the hon member that we are not yet functioning under the new Constitution. This Vote is being discussed in terms of the present Constitution.

Mr Chairman, I just want to point out that this budget which has now to be approved spills over into the new dispensation. Funds that are being made available now, will also be spent during the new dispensation. These things are happening in terms of the education policy of the NP, and I would very much like the hon the Minister to furnish us with replies in this regard because we seek answers to it.

On 2 April 1984 an article under the heading “Klein Andrew maak deurbraak” appeared in Die Burger. I quote the following from it:

This is outrageous. The Border school team goes and fetches a small Black athlete from Umtata in an independent state and includes him in the Border primary school team which came along to participate at Stellenbosch. Die Burger says that “history” is being made. Then there was also the case of the Craven Week rugby team which toured overseas. Dr Craven says that the school tour also worked wonders on another front, namely that it showed the rugby world that South Africa had already progressed far in the field of multiracialism in school rugby. It was the first time in history that three Brown schoolboys had played in a representative South African school rugby team overseas and it could be seen as an exceptional distinction.

I come now to the question of own facilities, which I hope the Department of National Education will be able to make available to our schools and universities so that our young sportsmen can make use of them. Potchefstroom University has published a report in which it is stated that Whites and people of colour have to make joint use of the facilities in certain towns. The MEC charged with local authorities in the Cape Province also had the following to say at the opening of such an inter-school sports meeting:

The Constitution provides that school sport is an own affair. After having referred to these various aspects, it must be clear that what we are dealing with here is nothing less than creeping integration. Our sons and daughters are being conditioned to take part in sport on an integrated basis. The hon member for Kimberley North, whom I have heard tell a different story in the past, defends this.

You people gossip too much.

What I want to tell that hon member I will tell him to his face. I will not gossip behind his back.

Another matter I should like to raise is the question of throwing university students’ residences open to all. Today I want to talk with great sorrow about the University of Stellenbosch. I had my first argument with former Minister Fanie Botha when we were both still members of the NP. When the University of Stellenbosch was made an open university, I told him—he was a member of the House then: “Oom Fanie, if you want to make the University of Stellenbosch an open university, you must make it open to all if you want to be honest.” I am not in favour of a completely open university. I said that we should make all the facilities needed by Coloureds available at the University of the Western Cape, because one could not make a Coloured a second-class student at the University of Stellenbosch. The NP then made Stellenbosch an open university. Now we read in Die Burger of 18 April 1984 that the student parliament of the University of Stellenbosch has asked its members to investigate the opening of residences to all and the full integration of people of colour in all student activities. The following report appeared in today’s edition of Die Burger:

I want to suggest that hon members read what Mr Nicolaas Myburgh, chairman of the student branch of the NP, has to say in this regard. [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, a colleague of mine will discuss matters relating to sport. With regard to sport I should like to tell the hon member for Kuruman that when the present sports policy was formulated the hon member for Kuruman was sitting on this side of the House. At the time he supported it fully. I just want to put that on record.

As regards the speech of the hon member for Bryanston, I just want to say briefly that his statement with regard to per capita spending is not completely correct because the contributions which are for example made by farmers in respect of Black schools on farms are not taken into account and are not reflected in the budget. This is the first respect in which the hon member is not completely correct. Secondly, the hon member must remember that the type of tuition given in White, Black, Coloured and Indian schools differs in the sense that the advanced grade of, for example, White education is completely different when one takes into account the number of high schools, technical colleges, technikons and universities and the number of students involved, and one makes a comparison at this level of tuition with the position of the other population groups. The hon member should know as well as I do that the more sophisticated the education is and the higher the level at which it takes place, the more expensive it is. It is therefore not as easy as simply taking the numbers and comparing them with the allocation for the various population groups and then coming to the conclusion that Blacks are getting a raw deal in this regard. The hon member for Bryanston made a recommendation in this regard. I want to ask him whether we should reduce the amount of money for Whites to achieve what the hon member wants. Should we deduct it from White education so that we can get greater parity among Whites, Coloureds, Indians and Blacks? Must we increase taxes so that we can achieve parity? Now the hon member says nothing.

It is obvious.

The hon Chief Whip now says “yes”. Must we now ask the Whites to pay more tax so that Black education can be on a par with White education? [Interjections.] Good, that is all I want to know.

The whole country must pay for it.

I want to leave it at that. I want now to describe a gathering. Present are Dr A P Treumicht, the leader of the CP, Jaap Marais, the leader of the HNP, Eugene Terre’ Blanche, the leader of the AWB, six armed guards who have to protect Mr Eugene Terre’ Blanche, politicians of the CP and the HNP, and Prof Carel Boshoff, chairman of Sabra—it is a known fact that Sabra has rejected the new Constitution—and also the leader of the Voortrekkers. What happened at this gathering? Various things were said. I should like to read a few of them. One remark was: “Geskiedenis word nie gemaak deur paaiers en verraaiers, vlugters en swigters nie.”

Hear, hear! *

It was also said: “Grou die wapens uit” and “Tree op teen verraaiers en wees gewaarsku teen die misdadigers in ons koerante.” Mr Jaap Marais said that the road of the Afrikaner nation did not run through the Carlton Conference, the Good Hope Conference, the American Department of Foreign Affairs and all sorts of constitutional concoctions. Mr Jaap Marais made the further remark that if a nation was prepared to make war and had the weapons, then a war was to be preferred to an invisible enemy.

Dr A P Treumicht said: “Ons het in die jongste tyd ’n soort bewerasie in sekere kringe gesien. Ons wil dié mense waarsku: Die nageslag sal nie monumente oprig vir verraaiers nie.”

At this gathering Prof S J van der Walt, who was also present, asked for the amalgamation of the HNP and the CP into one political party, namely the Herstigte Nasionale Konserwatiewe Party.

I now ask hon members whether, on the grounds of these quotations, they would think that it was a political meeting. I am convinced that any person in his right mind would say: “But of course, it must have been a political meeting.” However, he would be mistaken; it was the foundation meeting of a so-called cultural organization, namely the Afrikanervolkswag.

I now want to ask whether Prof Marius Swart, deputy chairman of the FAK and a person who, together with 200 academics from Port Elizabeth, signed a petition against the new Constitution prior to the referendum, would still accept the bona fides of the Afrikanervolkswag as a cultural body, as he stated last week to Rapport.

The congress of the FAK takes place in July. I understand that Prof Swart, presently deputy chairman of the executive of the FAK, will be a candidate for the chairmanship.

Are you people making counter-propaganda?

The FAK is a purely cultural organization with members from various political parties. I want to say immediately that those present at the foundation meeting of the AV are those who subscribe to the rejection of the present Constitution. They are welcome to it. Therefore, it does not only have to do with a cultural organization. I will, incidentally, come back to this shortly. My question now is where Prof Swart stands with the AV because he is deputy chairman of the FAK. He owes a reply to the numerous bodies affiliated to the FAK and to the people who hold the culture of the Afrikaner above party politics. If Prof Swart and other Afrikaners still have any doubts about the position occupied by the AV under the cloak of culture, with the emphasis moreover on the family, I want to remind them of a few other remarks.

According to a report in Die Vaderland of 20 February Mr Jaap Marais, during a visit to Prof Boshoff on 18 February 1984, said: “As die AV hom op politieke gebied gaan beweeg, sal dit onmiddellik sy einde beteken”. Ten days later, however, on 29 February, the same Mr Jaap Marais said that the envisaged far-right cultural organization of Prof Carel Boshoff could not be a cultural organization only and that it would of necessity also have to have a political flavour.

Dr A P Treurnicht said on 18 February 1984 that the new organization was a cultural organization and as such was not aimed at politics. However, on 27 March he said: “Ek verwelkom daardie organisasie. Die Nasionale Party...”—he now immediately wants to bring in a political party—“het nie ’n monopolie op Afrikaner-sentiment nie.”

On 18 February Prof Carel Boshoff said that the organization had no political aims, according to a report in Die Vaderland, but in an interview with Die Kerkbode the same Prof Boshoff said that while the prospective Afrikaans cultural organization, the AV, could have political implications it had no political program. He also said: “Met hierdie volksbeweging wil ons aan die Regering sê dat ’n groot aantal Afrikaners beswaar maak teen die koers wat hy ingeslaan het”. I ask now whether any person who is in his right mind can still accept that the AV is a cultural organization which places the cultural task first. Surely it is a foregone conclusion that the AV was founded to form on infrastructure and basis on which to propagate the political ideology of the CP and the HNP. I object to that. If they admit openly and honestly that they decided to establish the AV as an organization with political aims, it is their right to do so, but I ask them then not to engage in politics under the cloak of culture and not to try to mislead people in that manner. I maintain that we have enough cultural organizations within which everyone, notwithstanding their political affiliations, can make a cultural contribution. My question to the members of the AV, the CP, the HNP and to Prof Carel Boshoff is what they now want to do with the other cultural organizations. Do they want to split the other cultural organizations or do they want to stay in them and undermine them by way of dual membership of those organizations and the AV? I want the people of South Africa to know that we are dealing here with the misuse of existing good cultural organizations by a new organization which, under the cloak of politics, is seeking to cause a cultural rift in South Africa. [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, in the first instance I just want to congratulate Dr Meyer and his team of officials on the preparation and submission of this annual report. It is quite complete and we are grateful for it. We are also grateful for the fact that we received it timeously before the discussion of this Vote. On behalf of the NRP I want to wish Dr Meyer every success for the future, since he is to retire. I want to wish him good health, success and happiness. In our view, he looks much too young to retire now, but if this is what is stipulated by the regulations, one must accept it. We really want to wish him everything of the best on his retirement.

†I should like to tell the hon the Minister that we listened with great interest to what he had to say about teachers’ salary structures and the possibility of increases. Naturally the hon the Minister will not be surprised when I say that we have been terribly disappointed to hear today from him many reasons why he was unable to announce specific details of the teachers’ salary increases. We do appreciate what he said but can only express the hope that when they do come—and I hope they come shortly—that it will place the teaching fraternity, as the hon member for Virginia said, above competitive professions perhaps in and outside the State Administration, for the teaching profession in South Africa is one of the pillars of the perpetuation of our civilization and values in this world. We in this party have said before—and we will say it again—that we believe that the only legitimate human right which any individual can claim for himself is the right to full and complete education at the expense of his society. Having enjoyed the opportunity for full and complete education it is then dependent on the individual’s own personal motivation, integrity and character what he does with that education. We should like to see the educational systems of all population groups reach a position of maturity where it can truly be said that every single individual who has the intellectual ability can without impediment and financial constraint receive a full and complete education in South Africa up to this maximum potential. However, one must then also have due regard for economic and social structures when one attempts to bring about that parity. I may mention, for the edification of the hon members of the PFP, in particular the hon member for Pinetown, who was a member of the Buthelezi Commission’s education group, that free, compulsory education—and he will know this—is not yet acceptable to all population groups, despite the fact that we as Whites would think that that is the desirable thing. There are many reasons for it.

It would be nice if they were asked.

Certainly they were asked in the Buthelezi Commission. I think if the hon member goes back and reads the minutes of the plenary sessions of the Buthelezi Commission he will see that they were asked. The answer was that, for instance, the Zulu people are not yet prepared to enforce free, compulsory education. The hon member should know that as a member of that commission.

It is not true.

[Inaudible.]

When one discusses these matters with the PFP, one sees that they become more interested in playing politics with it than in the education of these people. I want to recommend to the hon member that he goes and reads the evidence that was given and then he will find out, educate himself and know what we are talking about instead of coming here with stupid questions and splitting hairs as to whether it is free or compulsory.

If you do not know the answer just say so.

I sometimes wonder what the hon member for Bryanston has learned in the university of life.

Let me say that the part I should like to contribute today is to discuss with the hon the Minister the question of determining long-term and medium-term priorities for education in South Africa. In this respect I do not lose sight of the fact that we have to look at salaries, infrastructures and in particular the appropriateness of our final matriculation year examinations and certificates. Is it still competent and adequate today to say that the JMB Certificate and the Senior Certificate do represent a preparedness for tertiary education and occupational readiness? Are our syllabi and the types of examinations which we are expecting our children to undertake adequate for the preparation for tertiary education and occupational readiness? I should like to make an appeal to the hon the Minister, because I do not see within the annual report, the HSRC Report and the report of the Committee of Heads of Education priority being given to a full investigation into the adequacy of our Matriculation Certificates and examinations. We have been perpetuating syllabi and a system for more than four decades and I believe that our present environment demands a full investigation into whether these qualifications and certificates are adequate in the present day. There has been considerable discussion on this topic outside of formal and educational circles and I believe the hon the Minister should take note of that. I should like to make a particular appeal to the hon the Minister to see that in terms of the determination of priorities a full investigation be undertaken in this respect. That investigation need not necessarily be a departmental one. It could, for instance, be given to an organization such as the HSRC or a similar organization which has the relevant scientists to undertake this type of investigation. One only has to look at the problems of first year failures at universities to realize that university preparedness at matriculation level probably also leaves a lot to be desired.

The third priority I believe is absolutely essential in terms of the department’s objectives for the near future concerns the use of modern technology in education. Once again let me say that I am disappointed to see in the annual report of the department and in the report of the Committee of Heads of Education what scant attention has been given to the utilization of modem technology such as, for instance, television, in the education of our population, whether this be at university, technikon or matriculation level and below. With the present shortage of teachers which we have, to which the hon the Minister referred when he spoke about the differentiation in the salaries in the sciences, I believe there is an urgent need to make use of that most sophisticated and effective medium, ie television, in the teaching of science and mathematical subjects. The hon the Minister himself will admit that there is nothing better to train the individual with than a television programme, where the individual can hear and see what the lecture is all about. The advantage of television is also that one can put a programme on a casette at a relatively low cost if a large number of copies are made. If those video casettes are made available to schools and to individuals I believe the quality of the teaching of mathematics and the sciences will improve by virtue of the fact that one can get the finest tutors in South Africa and, in fact, the Western World, to assist one. The infrastructure already exists for the use of video. There is hardly a White household in South Africa that does not have a television set or a video casette recorder. The infrastructure is therefore already there and it is not going to cost the family very much more to have it. Here is a wonderful opportunity to give the communications departments of universities and technikons the opportunity to actually participate in the preparation of these programmes. I need not tell hon member that geography, the languages and history also lend themselves admirably to the medium of video casettes. In particular I would like to suggest that the University of South Africa entertain and research the possibility of making their lectures available on video casettes as well. It is unquestionably a most powerful medium in communicating with people and as such our educational system should also make use of that most powerful medium.

I notice in this year’s report of the HSRC that they have investigated the effects of television on the White youth of South Africa, and it seems to me that from investigations done overseas as well, the object of research as far as television is concerned, is always to try to find out what the negative effects of television are. However, I believe that in addition to that we should be concentrating on investigating this all powerful medium for positive use in the education of our youth. I believe this is imperative and I want to appeal to the hon the Minister to see whether it is not possible to make such an investigation a top priority in our educational system today.

Mr Chairman, I want to thank the hon member for Durban North for his contribution. His contributions on education matters have always been rational and constructive, and I am sure that the hon the Minister will provide adequate answers to most of his questions.

Before I come to a very important matter, I should like to thank the hon the Minister for the answer which he has given to a matter which I raised under this Vote last year in connection with the monetary handling of the current D and F categories of teachers with equal degree and diploma training, but who are salaried differently. The answer I received from the CHE via the hon the Minister’s office did not satisfy me at all, and since we are now coming forward with a far-reaching approach towards salaries in education I sincerely hope that this matter will be resolved. If not, we will in future only experience greater problems among these two groups of teachers, and I do not want to see another dispute arising in education circles about this matter. I shall therefore be very grateful if the hon the Minister will again give his attention to this matter.

The matter that is important to me which I should like to raise is what one could call the stepchild of the Director General who is now going to retire from this important position. As a matter of fact, together with the Deputy Director General who has just been appointed, Dr Meiring, he dedicated almost his whole life to it, namely the education of the special child, or special education in South Africa. Act No 41 of 1967 defines the types of special education for which provision has to be made. Since that date 11 schools for 2 823 cerebral palsied children have been established; three schools for 705 epileptics; four schools for 762 physically handicapped pupils; and four schools for pupils with specific learning disabilities, at which at this stage there are 780 pupils.

Many of these pupils with specific learning disabilities are, however, today still primarily in schools for the cerebral palsied, and this is the child which the Murray Report in 1969 identified as the group C child with a learning disability. This is a very interesting but also tragic small group of children in our education history. How do we recognize them? They are intelligent, normal and above normal; ostensibly there is nothing wrong with them physically. They look like perfectly normal children but they have this one disability which one cannot notice and that is that they cannot read or spell and they cannot work with figures either. The tragedy of it all, however, is that these children can progress right through primary school without the fault being diagnosed. Today we say that these children with specific learning disabilities have an alarming backlog in respect of one or more of the following subjects, namely languages, reading, writing, spelling and arithmetic.

The learning disability manifests itself as a result of a psychoneurological disfunction, and the pupil should preferably not have shown a positive reaction towards auto-didactical assistance. Fourthly, the pupil should show an average or a higher intellectual potential on the individual scale, and a response pattern must be indicated. In the fifth instance, there must be neurological signs which are present in the pupil in one form or another.

The Murray Report shows that the alarming figure of 5 out of 1 000 pupils in normal education fall into this category, and the most recent research of Dr Meiring shows that this figure can in fact be exceeded. Such a child with whom there is seemingly nothing wrong, falls into a group of pupils who are seemingly normal and is therefore dealt with in the education process as if he were normal although he cannot interpret or manage reading or figure symbols. Can hon members imagine the terrible harm that can be done to the spirit of such a child by dealing with him at the same pace and using the same classical approach as in our normal education?

It is interesting to note that in general these children are affable and good-natured. Where we have to deal with these little people in education, we find that the teachers are very fond of them. They see these children as little people for whom they will sacrifice their lives, but the moment they are evaluated they get nought out of ten for spelling, or a pathetic mark for mathematics, and then they come under pressure and we start to harm them, but in the meantime we think we are right. Such a child is then told that he does not do enough study and the parents also put pressure on him while the teacher acts increasingly more strictly towards him. In the presence of the rest of the pupils he is urged to make a bigger contribution, but the moment he writes down what is in his little head, he meets with one adversity after the other. The teacher, totally unaware of this distressed child with learning disabilities, applies even greater pressure, becomes more reprimanding and pays more attention to him, but the child is still doing his best. Meanwhile he simply has this disability for which he is not responsible and, in our normal education we are breaking and possibly stifling a young spirit.

I am therefore very grateful that this report states that we are now going to give a great deal more attention to these children. It is important that their cases be diagnosed and evaluated correctly and at an early stage. As a matter of fact, it is absolutely essential that they be placed in an education environment as soon as possible where they can come into their own. What do their classrooms look like? There is now a teacher for every 10 to 12 children. Additional specialist services, depending on the community school in which they find themselves, are now available, inter alia psychological and remedial services and paramedical attention where necessary. Additional socio-pedagogics is now more freely available through the education media. Furthermore, all these services are free of charge, and day scholars are also transported free of charge. Depending on the area that will be served by the establishment of such a school there, hostel accommodation will also possibly be available. Ample provision is also being made for extramural and cultural activities. Free guidance is given to parents, while staff availability ensures individual attention, a multidisciplinary team approach and tempo differentiation for each pupil. Moreoever, there is a wonderful opportunity for bridging. If the child reacts to the educational program, he can again be admitted to a normal school.

This brings me to a further announcement which has been made this year, namely that two such schools are going to be further extended. One of these is the Protea School on the East Rand. I am greatly indebted to the department for this. Mr Van Hoven and Mrs Van Rooyen who head the effort to get the school running smoothly, both live in my constituency and I work closely with them. These are people who devote all their spare time to making a success of this matter so that justice can be done in the case of these children. A considerable amount of money has already been collected and they are just waiting for the school to be established. There is also a long waiting list at the school in Germiston and so everyone is keen that the Protea School be established as soon as possible.

My sincere thanks to the hon the Minister and the Director General and his staff for all that is being done in this regard. If we can provide for these children in this way at a faster pace, the contribution of education in South Africa will no doubt be far greater. If these children can receive the education they need in this way, it will enable them eventually to show a splendid end result in the society in which they live.

A last word to the small group of teachers who will work with these children. Can I quote them anything more beautiful than a poem by G A Watermeyer?:

Die jare wat jul dien, word ryp
in elke kind wat meer begryp.
Agter die koue kennisgrens
tas hy na maatstaf in die mens
die sekerheid wat vaders is
soek hy in jul gestaltenis.
Die liefde wat die moeder dra
word daagliks onbewus gevra.
Jul elke denke, elke daad
strek hom ten goede of ten kwaad.
Wat bot en bitter in jul broei
kan hom tot doringdissel groei.
Wat julle groot en suiwer sê
word helder in sy hart belê;
die jare wat jul dien, word ryp
in elke kind wat meer begryp.
En as julle oud is, oud en sterf
sal hoop wat jul gesaai het, swerf
en groei in die agtergrond
tot mirtes van ons môrestond.

[Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, I naturally have great appreciation for the concern which the hon member for Brentwood has shown for those specific children in our society, and I want to share the sentiments which he has expressed.

I also want to emphasize the hon member for Bryanston’s remark that the limited time in which we can debate this Vote is really a problem. It is a problem with which we are all faced, as the hon member rightly indicated, and I trust that in the future we will in one way or another find more time to discuss this really vital matter in more depth than time allows us to do now.

With reference to the hon member for Virginia’s reaction to the hon member for Bryanston’s remarks, I will concede that the hon member for Virginia is of course correct in that we know that in terms of the education structure it is actually self-evident that White education today requires a higher per capita expenditure than Black education. The hon member for Virginia will, however, readily admit that that in itself is a function of the discrimination of the past, and I need not repeat its history. I should like to know from the hon member for Virginia whether I misunderstood him to say that he does not contemplate parity.

I do contemplate parity.

Thank you. That is a positive remark, because if we contemplate parity we cannot do anything else but bring about parity. It would therefore appear to me that the attack on the hon member for Bryanston was somewhat unjustified because he did after all say that he realized that it could not be rectified immediately. However, he did ask whether we should not in accordance with the priorities of our state expenditure, come forward with a declaration of intent in which we say that it is our intention—irrespective of the period—to reach that parity in 5, 7 or 10 years’ time.

But that is in the White Paper.

Quite correct, but I was under the impression that the hon member objected to the hon member for Bryanston’s statement in this regard.

I agree wholeheartedly with the hon member for Durban North that the use of television in education should be on a far wider scale than at present. Television can play a very important role as far as the pre-primary and the primary school child, and especially the children living in the subculture of poverty, are concerned, such as we see for example in the USA with the “Sesame Street” programmes that are presented there.

Mr Chairman, I should also like to associate myself with the hon member for Virginia, particularly in regard to his remarks on the meeting about the Volkswag on Friday evening. I want to say that it is difficult for a thinking South African not to have been shocked at what one saw happening there. I am speaking now simply in terms of one’s reaction to what one saw in this regard on television. I say this in all sincerity and honesty. The thing that really worries me is the image that it creates of us as Afrikaners—the fact that those things are done and said and are tolerated. I leave the matter at that. I just want to say that I was extremely shocked.

Mr Chairman, I should also like to discuss some other matters. In the limited time available to me I should naturally like to say something about universities. Let me again—I think I did it last year when the Bill was passed—express our appreciation for the work done by the Universities’ Advisory Council which has now been replaced by the Advisory Council for Universities and Technikons. There is no doubt in my mind that that council has played an enormous role with regard to university training. When one looks at the most recent annual report of the council, one gets some idea of the importance of this body to the university movement and also for the future of our country. In this regard I should like in particular to refer to a few details which appear in the report. Firstly, there is the refined subsidy formula to which the hon the Minister referred last year. What is of particular importance to me in that formula is the emphasis that is placed upon post-graduate studies, especially doctoral studies. Emphasis is also placed on the pass rate at university, and the student/lecturer ratio of 13:1 in South African universities. I want to say that even if I were to admit that the ratio is still unfavourable in comparison with the ratio in America, England and other countries, I am not sure that when one take into account the total education picture as it must develop in this country, we should not think in terms of a higher ratio than 13:1. That is simply in relation to the realities with which we are faced. In other words, I am thinking more particularly of the demographic facts with which we are faced in South Africa. A further component is the number of research articles which lecturers publish annually. I am grateful that consideration is really being given to this important task of the universities in this indirect way, and that it will be taken into consideration in terms of subsidies. There are also the new particulars in connection with the replacement of equipment and library collections.

It is stated in the explanatory memorandum that the refined subsidy formula cannot be applied this year as a result of the difficult financial conditions. I should therefore like to know from the hon the Minister when he expects to apply that formula because I understand that there is in fact not full clarity among universities in regard to the position this year. There is naturally uncertainty, and it seems to me that this is one of the things which the universities are just unable to adapt to. That is when there is uncertainty about the financial grants. So many of those things depend upon that certainty. I want to make an urgent appeal to the hon the Minister to remove any uncertainty which may exist as soon as possible.

Mr Chairman, the second aspect of this report to which I want to refer is the study which has been undertaken by the council with a view to estimating the number of students of all race groups who will complete their studies annually in various fields in the Southern African constellation of states up to the year 2010. Those facts are vital to enable us to do proper long-term planning and to determine our long-term priorities. In the report mention is made of a number of important reports which have been published in this regard. Those reports are of the utmost importance, not only to this department but also to the total population and, I want to say, especially also to members of Parliament. I want to ask the hon the Minister whether steps should not be taken to make some of these reports available automatically to members of Parliament. Since my time is running out, I should also like to say immediately that it also applies to reports of the Human Sciences Research Council, because that seems to me equally important if one looks at what they have produced and what they have done. Sir, this can produce equally important inputs for you and for me, not only in terms of financial grants but also in terms of the planning that we have to do for our country and our people in the future. I feel that those particulars should not be available to us only by way of the library but that, if at all possible, they should also be made available automatically to members of Parliament. In this regard I am thinking, for example, in particular of the findings in report No 122 on the basis for planning purposes. It is stated there that the hon the Minister is still considering the recommendations contained in the report. Nevertheless, I will be grateful if the hon the Minister will give us an indication of the progress he has made in his consideration of that report. That is report SAPSE 122.

Mr Chairman, if possible, I should also like to have more particulars from the hon the Minister about the qualifications and study programmes of the universities in South Africa contained in report SANSO 115 which has also been submitted to the hon the Minister. [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, I do differ with the hon member for Virginia to a minor extent. To sum up, he claimed that the gathering in the Skilpad Hall during the past week had not been a cultural gathering. I am of the opinion that at least a touch of culture was involved when I think, for example, of the address of Col Jacobs about the Zulus: “Gryp jou roer, of jy is in jou...” what’s-its-name. [Interjections.] There was at least a wee bit of culture involved there.

Mr Chairman, the hon member Prof Olivier dealt particularly with the question of universities. We appreciate the questions which have been put to the hon the Minister. I think the hon the Minister will reply to the hon member on the application of the new financing formula etc. We ourselves are grateful that the formula will not necessarily be linked to the enrolment of students. We are also grateful for his remarks on students and lecturers.

I should like to refer back for a moment to the hon member for Durban North. He said that we should ask ourselves whether the matriculation demands in respect of candidates who pass and qualify for university training still meet modem requirements. That is a good question. I want to tell the hon member that the syllabuses are constantly being revised to keep pace with the demands of the times. It is, however, also a fact that one cannot introduce a new syllabus every year because textbooks must be provided on a regular basis. After all, a textbook cannot be written every year. The contents of the textbooks should therefore fit in with the syllabuses and the syllabuses should keep pace with the times. It is a somewhat difficult matter always to keep up to date. Syllabuses are revised on an ongoing basis. I am, however, of the opinion that he is correct in respect of certain matters.

Mr Chairman, the hon member for Bryanston talked about the premise of the Government in respect of the provision of equal education and equal opportunities. I should like to refer the hon member for Bryanston to the White Paper which is available here to all of us. On pages 27 and 28 of the White Paper we find the decisions of the Government, and these again confirm what appeared in the preliminary memorandum, the blue book. It must, however, be read carefully. It is stated there that the government sees it as its task to provide education of equal quality. That does not, however, exclude the community, parental involvement, from that duty. I quote:

In the following paragraph it is stated:

The community is therefore not relieved of its responsibility in its education involvement. I merely want to point that out.

Mr Chairman, the hon member for Bryanston also spoke about the elimination of apartheid from the whole education system. Among other things he referred to a conference that had been held in Bellville at which there had been a unanimous decision in this regard, if I understood him correctly. I want actually to come to the next component: He said that the English-speaking teachers supported that matter unanimously, if I understood him correctly. I should like to quote what a “Randburg English-speaking teacher” wrote in The Citizen of 4 May 1984:

The English-speaking teachers are not all that unanimous about this concept. Many teachers do not agree with that hon member in respect of that concept.

That is the mad fellow who establishes trade unions. He is an executive member of the NP. He is as mad as a hatter. [Interjections.]

Mr Chairman, I want to leave the hon member for Bryanston at that because I want to raise a specific matter. In our report we find a very fine summary of special education. I refer in particular to education in Children’s Act schools. I wonder whether this Committee would not agree with me that we should find a better expression than “Children’s Act schools”. That expression bothers me. There are definitely children in those schools in respect of whom one can say that they qualify to be called children who are committed to those schools in terms of the Act. I can, however, also tell the Committee that there are children there who need not necessarily have been committed in terms of that Act. I also think that all hon members in the Committee who are involved in education would like to see that every child has a good parent. If he does not have a good parent we want to provide him with a body to stand in for the parent. For that reason these schools with their staffs take the place of such parents. There are ten such schools in South Africa for girls and eight for boys. The total enrolment at the end of 1983 was 2 460 pupils and the total cost involved in the education of those children was R11 738 000. That gives us an average of R4 771 per child—that is expensive education. That does not include the capital investment or administrative costs. It is expensive education, but it is good education. It is a sound investment. I should like to see—this is in association with what was said by the hon member Prof Olivier—that we also do research on the progress of these children after they have left these schools. We know of significant successes and significant achievements.

However, I come now to my plea to the hon the Minister and to our department, namely that we should re-examine the remuneration package of the teachers who work with these children in this particular field. These people perform a special task, an ongoing task. Some of these children do not go home for a single holiday or a single day in the period of four years during which they are placed there. For some of them a home does not exist. That staff then is on duty on an ongoing basis, and the remuneration of that staff doing duty in the hostel—we say they are doing duty, but it is actually a much bigger task—is unsatisfactory. There must be ongoing educational involvement. One needs only to go and see how they do it, how they go about it. We ask that the whole situation of those teachers be re-examined. I make this plea to the hon the Minister. There are not thousands of people involved, and I think we have every right to do it because the public outside sometimes attach a special label to those children. That is not necessary. These children are part of our total national heritage. They should be absorbed into our normal daily activities. These children perform well in that practical field. Where we have involved them in the normal, competitive sphere of sport with our other academic schools, things are going well and their achievements are fine. We ask that the remuneration package of these special teachers be re-examined.

Mr Chairman, allow me right at the outset to associate myself with the words of thanks expressed by the hon the Minister and other hon members, firstly to Mr Visagie, who has already left the service, for the good work rendered by him over the years, and also to Dr Meyer, who is now also about to leave the service. I want to thank Dr Meyer very much indeed for services rendered, and I want to wish him—if I may refer to it as such—a long, blessed pension day in the hope that with the health and strength he still has he will do much on that “day”. Furthermore, I should like to congratulate Dr Meiring most heartily on his promotion to the post he holds at present. I became acquainted with Dr Meiring in the days when he was still head of the Pretoria Technikon. We were acquaintances then and I trust that in his new capacity he will also perform a fruitful and important task in the interests of education.

I readily associate myself with what the hon member for Standerton said in connection with schools established in terms of the Children’s Act. I do agree with him that we should find another appropriate designation. Perhaps we ought to give some consideration to this matter. I would also welcome a new designation for these schools. I also want to agree with the statement that the children in those schools are part of our national heritage. We cannot allow part of our national heritage to be wasted or to come to harm along the road. Therefore, as regards teachers’ remuneration—and in this respect I also associate myself with him—we should see to it that those teachers who work with these children receive special attention as well because those teachers are performing an extremely important educational and in some instances—one says this with some degree of trepidation—rehabilitative task in relation to children committed to those schools.

I have only one problem in this regard—I speak with some degree of experience—and that concerns the question of the after-care which one must devote to children who have been in some institution or other or in one of these schools established in terms of the Children’s Act and who are subsequently discharged. This type of after-care always causes a problem because in most instances it is the social worker who has to perform this service. Upon their discharge these children feel that they have completed a phase of their lives and that they no longer want to be supervised, as it were. This gives rise to problems, while that after-care service is of very great importance indeed to these children.

Furthermore, I should like to associate myself with three other hon members, namely the hon members for Bryanston, Durban North and Virginia, regarding the salary adjustments in respect of teachers. We all agree that as a result of the policy of occupational differentiation, Which has been in operation since April 1981, White teachers have built up a salary backlog in contrast to the rest of the Government sector. This has now become a reality and generally accepted factual situation. Another matter in connection with which unanimity evidently exists, is that this backlog is likely to be in the vicinity of 30% or slightly less. Now I as well as other hon members have a very great problem in this regard. Together with the hon member for Durban North I wish to state that I personally regret the fact that the hon the Minister is not in a position this afternoon—or tomorrow at least—to make an announcement in this respect to enable this matter to be disposed of. Despite the fact that during the months that have gone by the hon the Minister has held talks at the highest level with teachers’ associations and with the federal council with regard to these matters, one still finds from time to time, and even to this day, that remarks such as the following are made in newspapers: “Teachers uneasy about increases”. It is being said then that salary increases are presently responsible for the creation of a negative climate. The publication Mondstuk also expresses its confidence that teachers will show the necessary patience and that they will not be disappointed. So we can go on. The result of such a backlog is that key manpower goes to waste, and the negative influence which stems from this can have catastrophic results for the country as a whole. Then there are also headings such as “Onderwys maan oor salarisstryd”, “Klein vossies in die skolewingerd verniel lelik”, “Teachers warned Viljoen over salary hike delay”. Remarks of this nature which are made despite the fact that the hon the Minister has negotiated at the highest level with teachers’ associations and with the federal council, prove only one thing and that is that the teacher in the practical environment of school life is no longer content with promises. Irrespective of how wide-ranging such promises may be, there is only one conclusion to be drawn from the fact that Mondstuk comes to light repeatedly with arguments and viewpoints of this nature namely that the promises are not satisfactory. It may perhaps be that teachers have in the past suffered because of promises. They may possibly have suffered so much that as a result nicknames have come to be used regarding the question of promises to teachers. Therefore I wish to state that promises made to these people, if they are not fulfilled—if they are not rapidly fulfilled—can become dangerous to us on the road ahead. We cannot make excuses for this delay. It causes teachers to despair. It creates restlessness and an atmosphere of negativity. Irrespective of whatever we say in this connection or whatever promises we make to those people, irrespective of whatever guarantees we may give them, we are faced with the singular fact that a teacher with despair in his heart, who feels restless, who feels negative in relation to these matters, has an image which he as teacher has to portray of education to the outside world. This image suffers. It also has an influence on the fulfilment of his duties. I do not think one is exaggerating in advancing this point of view because this inherent feeling which the teacher must experience must find expression in one way or another, and also in the carrying out of his duties. This image of the teacher and of the teaching profession is very important to me. Some time ago an article appeared that had been written by Prof W A Landman of the University of Pretoria, and I should like to state in this Committee today that I believe Prof Landman to be one of the best educationists in South Africa. People may disagree with me on this. Personally I know him very well, and I have the highest regard for this gentleman’s educational qualifications and for his academic achievements and his knowledge. It so happens that he says that teachers themselves should hold their vocation in high esteem, that they should in other words build an image of their vocation themselves. They themselves should build up the status of their vocation. It should not be built up for them artificially from outside; they should do it themselves. If the teachers in this country have to struggle with a backlog of 30% in contrast to the other sections of the Government sector—this matter has been dragging on now since September and it is already May, and they still do not receive those things—I want to say that it is difficult for them in the midst of such circumstances to project and to maintain a decent image. We have to remember though—just as I said in the House last Friday—that the public servant has to build up a good image of the public service. The teacher is also a human being who has to live. He must also eat and drink, live well and dress well. He also has a family for which he has to care. Therefore it is so important to my mind that we should not allow too long a delay in the payment of a proper remuneration to teachers. This backlog has to be eliminated in order to enable them to build that image which they have to build for themselves, and also to build up the status of their vocation, and to do so with pride. On another occasion another important educationist, Mr Terblanche of the Transvaal Education Department... [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, I shall return later to what the hon member for Koedoespoort has said, and I shall do so more specifically in pursuance of a certain report that he caused to be published in a newspaper. I just want to associate myself with him now in respect of education as a whole. On a previous occasion during the discussion of this Vote, I referred to the three partners in the education process, firstly the school, or the teacher if you like, secondly the parent, and thirdly the child. In previous discussions I addressed myself particularly to the teacher who is certainly the most active partner in the educational set-up. Education forms an integral and very important infrastructure in this whole process, in which the role of the teacher should also not be underestimated. Where the parent lays the foundation with the child in respect of his education, and where the teacher has to build upon it and place that education on a sound basis, the child, who is the building-brick, should be dealt with sympathetically and with care. Consequently, we as parents want to pay tribute today to all those teachers who do not only see their task as a classroom task but who also knead and mould the clay in their hands, the clay placed at their disposal, even outside of the classroom, and who view their assignment absolutely as an educational and training task.

This brings me then to the extramural activities involving the teacher and the child. Just as the classroom lends itself to training and education so extramural activities lend themselves to getting through to the total child. Because this is so, the teacher is always available unselfishly to lend a hand with extramural activities too. This is a facet of the teaching profession which is certainly not always given its proper due. We think for instance of the coaching of rugby, basketball, netball, tennis, athletics and other types of sport which the teacher undertakes with the greatest devotion and affection. In most instances this is done at great personal sacrifice, and sometimes to the inconvenience of the teacher’s own family. It is in this intimate environment that the teacher and the child meet on a different footing and have a different association to that in the classroom situation. It is here that such an essential supplementary educational task is performed. It is here that the child can put himself completely in the hands of the teacher. It is here that the child is completely prepared to accept what he is being offered. The teacher who is worth his salt is aware of this and can make use of the opportunity of helping the child to become a complete and whole person. It is also true that the demand for extramural activities has become so heavy and so exacting that parents and other interested parties have been obliged to become more involved in assisting with this educational task.

This was what happened in the case of one of these movements, the Voortrekkers. Initially, the Voortrekker movement was an extramural activity. It used to operate under the supervision of the school. Because the activities of the Voortrekkers became more specialized and more extensive over the years, it became more and more necessary to involve the parents as well as other interested parties in assisting as officers. The teacher is trained to handle and maintain the sound balance between teaching and education with acute perception. Parents and outsiders who make themselves available to help with the Voortrekkers will have to make doubly sure that they maintain this balance. I want to refer briefly to the Voortrekkers as such.

The Voortrekker movement was born out of a need to give the youth, and more particularly the Afrikaner youth, an opportunity of working in the sphere of youth culture. This is clearly enunciated in the statement of intent. Hand in hand with this goes the need of the modern child to acquaint himself with nature. This is a need which must be met by means of such activities. In simple terms, it means that as Voortrekkers, the children must be guided in such a way that as Afrikaner boys and girls they will be able to feel at home in the cultural sphere. The aim is to assist them to become fully-fledged Afrikaners in an Afrikaner set-up in which they will be able to hold their own once they have reached adulthood. I want to appeal to Voortrekker leaders not to do anything that will cause our Voortrekkers to become confused by certain clichés and points of view. I have a letter here written by the hon member for Koedoespoort which appeared in Die Transvaler of 9 April 1984. It refers to the Voortrekkers as such. He attacked Die Transvaler because in an editorial the newspaper in question had requested Prof Carel Boshoff to resign as head of the Voortrekker movement. He went further and tried to draw a parallel between Prof Boshoff and Dr N J van der Merwe, the founder and greatly revered former leader of the Voortrekker movement. He charged Dr van der Merwe with also being an active politician and MP and with being a leading light in the National Party while he was still the head of the Voortrekker movement. Furthermore, he charged him with being a very prominent figure in the political struggle which surrounded the question of coalition and fusion. I want to repeat it. I quote:

The hon member for Koedoespoort then came to the conclusion that if Dr Boshoff had remained a member of the National Party, pressure would not have been brought to bear on him to resign as leader of the Voortrekkers. That is correct. It is evident that that would have been so. Then, however, he would not have been a controversial figure.

Is the National Party not controversial?

No. I want to tell you why I say this. Prof Boshoff resigned from the National Party. He took his leave of the National Party. He said farewell to what had been his own. Dr N J van der Merwe did not resign from the National Party. As far as I am concerned, therefore, Dr Boshoff has become controversial in the current political milieu. Dr N J van der Merwe practised reconciliation politics. He kept the National Party intact and uncommitted. He was not a fusionist. He did not switch political parties. He did not run away from the National Party. Prof Boshoff ran to the Skilpad Hall. He founded a Volkswag. He brought the hon member for Waterberg and Jaap Marais... [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, I should merely like to react to an earlier part of the hon member for Gezina’s speech by saying that I fully agree with him on the contribution of teachers to the extracurricular activities which are tremendously important and which, certainly, we in this House should never forget.

With reference to the initial statement of the hon the Minister at the beginning of the debate on this Vote, I should like to say that I am obviously gravely disappointed that he has had nothing concrete to say regarding teachers’ salaries. I am prepared to predict that thousands of teachers tonight or tomorrow will ask the question once again: When are we going to get salary increases? It does not interest teachers whether there is a conflict between the Federal Council and the Committee of University Principals over who is going to get 18% or 19% or 20% or 25% or 28% or 30%. Teachers want an increase and they want it soon. The hon the Minister is now aware of that. I request that the hon the Minister at the earliest opportunity make a clear sign at to whether he believes that the backlog reflected in the Press—“Teachers likely to get 25% pay hike”—is the correct one or not. If it is not, the teachers are going to be gravely disappointed. They should be told so at the earliest opportunity.

Secondly, I should like to make reference to the attacks by the hon the Minister and by the hon member for Virginia on the South African Teachers’ Association and their Press statement issued regarding the salary dispute. I find it interesting that everything that the South African Teachers’ Association said, has been reiterated in this House. Teachers are frustrated. Teachers are concerned. The South African Teachers’ Association is an independent organization as are all the teachers’ associations in this country, coming together in a federation. They have the perfect right to make any Press statement they wish regarding any issue they wish.

Thirdly, I should like to just offer a word to the very snide comments of the hon member for Durban North regarding the Buthelezi Commission. I quote from the report of the Buthelezi Commission. The Buthelezi Commission recommends:

1. 1. The provision of compulsory basic schooling of at least seven years’ duration.
2. 2. Three years of compulsory post basic schooling as a goal.

I remember very explicitly that the plenary session of the Buthelezi Commission agreed with this. That was the session at which the representatives of the Black, Coloured and Indian political parties laughed to scorn the three, or was it four, five or seven ring circus, constitutional proposals of the NRP.

One of the significant areas financed under this Vote is the promotion of cultural affairs. Funds are allocated “to preserve, develop and promote the culture of the White population of the Republic of South Africa”. Funds go to such extremely worthy and hardworking organizations as the National Monuments Council, various museums, art galleries, libraries and other cultural bodies not named. That is not enough, possibly. In our climate today, I think the hon the Minister should make an explicit declaration that no State monies whatsoever will be channelled into the supremacist, racially divisive cultural body which came into existence over the weekend. All South Africa saw a strong hint of Nuremberg rallies, of flags and flames, of swastikas and guns, of talk of war and blood. Let there be no doubt that if we in South Africa are going to see a face-off between the Afrikaanse Volkswag and that other racially structured body, the National Forum, a Black consciousness organization, then we are going to be precipitated into anarchy and chaos. We in these benches feel very strongly that the cultural ethos of the diversity of peoples in South Africa does need to be recognized and fostered, but never, never derogating any other person’s culture nor creating a climate of racial divisiveness, especially not in the security forces of this country.

I should like to turn to education. On Friday I referred at some length to the grievous backlog that has developed for teachers in this country. Let me urge the hon the Minister: Do talk more about education, both here and outside the House. I realize only too well that in this field vests not only the future of South Africa, but it is also one of the minefields of political debate in this country. The far right is pulling one way and the vast majority of South Africans another. The hon the Minister must talk about conditions of service, he must talk about the differences in the educational perspectives of English- and Afrikaans-speaking South Africans, he must talk about the financing of education. None of us want a silent Minister of Education. We want a dynamic leader in this field, a person who is prepared to challenge the shibboleths of the past. He must be a person who is prepared to reject them for what they are. He must be a Minister who can obtain that which his ministry needs in both financial and manpower terms—a person to cut through bureaucratic tangle.

The hostel saga is a case in point. In 1982 I chaired the committee investigating the diversity of payments of allowances to hostel staff which developed in South Africa after the issuing of the supposedly uniform document on hostel allowances from the Department of National Education. What do we find: Four provinces and the National Education Department have five different ways of paying those allowances. In the Cape principals and rectors are paid no allowance, but they are in other provinces. In Natal all allowances are cut by 25%. In the Orange Free State no additional allowances were paid for a year. Where was that money spent that was allocated by Treasury? So I could go on. The key is that we are in 1984, two years later, and nothing has actually been done. Sure, the Minister is going to tell me, an interdepartmental committee has been created. Try and tell that to hostel staff. Tell that to principals who find it difficult to staff their hostels. These people are sick to death of the prevarication, of the hesitancy, shown by that kind of answer.

Does the hon member want me to eliminate the provincial system?

As I have indicated to the hon the Minister, all we want him to do is to cut through the bureacratic tangle, bungle which covers this up. We must get to the bottom of this. Another major area in which the hon the Minister will have to be far more explicit is that of direct parental contributions to the funding of the education of their children. We are perfectly aware of what has been covered briefly in the White Paper, namely that the Government has given instructions that an interdepartmental investigation will be conducted into the question of direct financial support by parents to the education of their children. However, parents are asking—and they want answers before this matter is discussed in provincial councils—whether schools will collect the levy; who will set the figure for this levy; will there be a compulsory collection of the levy? In this regard the hon the Minister must be aware of the tremendously strong feeling of those paying the voluntary school funds at the moment against those who refuse to pay it. How is compulsion to be enforced? Here I need hardly say that a pupil should not be punished for the default of his parents. One of the MECs in Transvaal said that this matter was to be passed through the provincial councils for implementation in 1986. Can the hon the Minister tell us if this is correct and supply more details about it? This area of parental financing is one of concern to all of us in South Africa. If the privileged schools are allowed to carry on setting higher and higher fees, the gap between them and schools in less privileged areas of any race will increase. It is precisely this gap which should be closed. The hon the Minister should provide more information so that all parents know what to expect in coming years.

As I come to the end of my speech, I want to add briefly that I sincerely regret that the Second Report on the Quality of the Working Life of the White Educator in the Republic of South Africa is taking so long to appear. One of the major issues which this report will cover, will be the degree of autonomy which should be allowed professionals in the teaching profession. I want to link this to recruitment, since I consider that this area should enjoy equality with regard to remuneration when one considers that White persons are not attracted to teaching. I want to make a direct appeal to more English-speaking people, particularly males, to join the teaching profession. The scarcity of men in this regard is startling.

Finally, parity between salaries of men and women has to be achieved in Post Level 1 where 84% of all teachers work. The hon the Minister must remember that fine principles do not pay bills and that parity of voting power does exist between men and women. The previous silence of women in schools must not be treated as indifference. This is an issue which will not disappear quietly for the hon the Minister.

The hon the Minister’s recent announcement of changes in the quota system for men and women was welcomed in many provinces. However, the situation in Natal is different and I hope the hon the Minister will make provision for the quota system to be applied on a centrally structured basis rather than school by school.

Mr Chairman, I shall in due course come back to what was referred to by the hon member for Pinetown in the debate.

In the first place I want to associate myself with the hon member for Gezina. The hon member emphasized the importance of a youth movement like the Voortrekkers, and in particular the contribution made by the teaching profession towards that movement, and I want to subscribe heartily to what he said. I want particularly to emphasize the necessity—the hon member also emphasized this—that particularly at this time and more than ever before, we have to guard against the politicizing of important cultural organizations such as the Voortrekkers. Not only the evil itself but also any sign of that evil has to be removed from that situation. This can be done, inter alia, by excluding people who are a source of public contention in the present political conflict situation. Their presence and their prominent role in a movement like the Voortrekkers must be made low-key so that it is not in conflict with the effectiveness of the cultural function of such a movement also to serve as a binding element in times of dissension.

Does the hon the Minister support the point of view that Prof Carel Boshoff should resign as chairman of the Voortrekkers?

I am convinced that the Voortrekker movement itself will be able to deal with this matter. However, Prof Carel Boshoff has occupied such a contentious position in public life that he ought to take a sound and sensible decision in this connection by using his good judgment in the interests of the Voortrekkers and not in his own interests and those of the political points of view he espouses. [Interjections.]

What is your attitude?

My attitude is obviously that he will be promoting the cause of the Voortrekkers if he withdraws from this movement under the present circumstances. [Interjections.] However, this is a matter with which the Voortrekkers will be able to deal well enough themselves.

I want to refer now to the remarks of the hon member for Virginia. He referred to the disturbing occurrence that took place over the weekend and which was held to be a cultural meeting, but which was rather a case of the misuse of culture for party political purposes without equal and without precedent in the history of the Afrikaner. The blatant political format of and motivation for the meeting which led to the establishment of the Afrikanervolkswag is a fact of which cognizance must be taken. It will undoubtedly be asked—as in fact hon members have already asked—how the Government deals with organizations of this nature in regard to the question of its financial support of cultural organizations. I want to state clearly and unequivocally that an organization that is so far removed from culture in its conceptional phase will certainly not be able to expect in its later post-natal phase to receive support as a cultural organization.

The blatant political element is apparent from the unusual fact that political leaders played a prominent role in the establishment of this so-called cultural organization. In the second place there was also a very clear demonstration of the fact that the actions of these politicians emanated from one sector of the political spectrum, namely the far right. A prominent leader in education informed me as early as at the end of January that he had been invited by Prof Carel Boshoff on the occasion of his founding such an organization with, as Prof Boshoff told him, the sensation of having three leading figures on the platform with him, namely Mr Jaap Marais, Dr Andries Treurnicht and Mr Eugene Terre’ Blanche, in order, by means of the establishment of such an organization, to help promote the unity which these three people were not able to demonstrate on the political front. [Interjections.]

The motivation for the establishment of this organization lies clearly in the inability of the far right political leaders to demonstrate sufficient magnanimity to rise above their personal conflicts and ambitions for the sake of their own political unity, and accordingly, in relation to the need identified by people from those political quarters, to bolster that selfish shortcoming of their leaders by means of a so-called cultural remedial action.

In the third place I want to point out that the whole run-up to and establishment of this organization was dominated by the sound of the rejection of the political policy specifically of the National Party. I shall refer to this again later.

I want to point out further that no case at all has been made out by anyone in respect of the existence of an acknowledged cultural need for a further cultural organization in the Afrikaner community. In fact, for some time now there have been indications in organized cultural life that more motivation and devotion was required to enable existing Afrikaner cultural organizations to come in to their own properly. Instead of mustering forces in order to strengthen and increase the efficacy of what we already have in the cultural sphere, cultural forces are being fragmented and weakened by this action.

I want to refer to the “call” for the establishment of this organization. In this “call”, points of view, aims and methods were set out. When these aims and methods in respect of the cultural matters that are mentioned in this document are examined, not one can be found in regard to which agreement cannot be reached within the Afrikaner community. Hardly one single cultural aim is included that is not already subscribed to by all existing Afrikaans cultural organizations, except for one political phrase that appears there. It states among other things that the aims include the right to strive for the right of the Afrikaner to be free and White in Africa and to govern himself in his own territory. This is a political matter and is the only one in this pamphlet in regard to which there can be mutual differences of opinion. There is therefore no motivation in one single word of any of these aims and motivations for the necessity for the establishment of a new cultural organization. This proves that the establishment of this new organization is blatantly irresponsible.

One has to look at the driving force behind the establishment of this organization. In the “call” there are three words that once again give it a political colour. The three words appear after various nice sounding phrases with which one can agree. Then it is said:

The whole orientation of this matter therefore turns on the implied accusation implicit in the words “oorgee”, “padgee” and “toe-gee”. Once again this is a political accusation. At the end of the pamphlet we find the following:

In other words, they are guarding against duplication, conflict and division of forces with a political national front. However, they show no respect for the Afrikaans culture by also guarding against unnecessary overlapping and duplication of cultural organizations. It is a shocking thing when one considers the blatant nature of this foundation. There is no indication of any additional support for this organization over and above the support that has already been mustered under far right political colours. There is no mention of the fact that new teams will be found to pull the cultural wagon of the Afrikaner but there is merely the re-recruitment of the old well-known political rebels of 1969 and 1982. Instead of having political rebels in the team, a specialist team consisting of only political rebels has now been recruited.

One is also struck by the unbelievably cynical and shameless political opportunism in the actual change of stance that has taken place because of the Conservative Party’s total hijacking of HNP policy at this time. Instead of the quasi-theological and quasi-cultural leadership of Dr A P Treumicht, Mr Jaap Marais has now become the consistent and effective political ideologist of this movement. That is the only asset and achievement of the establishment of the Afrikanervolkswag, namely a movement of the CP towards the political situation of the HNP. One cannot but have some measure of respect for the intellectual battering-ram ability of Mr Jaap Marais which has pounded the CP into such a state that drunkenly and groggily they are bending the knee in acceptance of HNP policy.

Since the same CP, which originally welcomed the Nkomati Accord with appreciation, now contends that further peace treaties with South Africa’s neighbours will result in debacles, one asks oneself how the leader of the CP is accordingly going to move in order to adjust to the battle hymn sung by Mr Jaap Marais on the occasion of the founding of this organization. In contrast to this, the hon member for Waterberg comes across as the most amazing political weathercock and political chameleon. He is a leader who is powerless to maintain a point of view or policy and to stick to it consistently.

I want to issue a warning against the reckless, irresponsible and, for the Afrikaner, potentially self-destructive action on the part of the far rightists to absolutize political division and carry through that political division into every sphere of life, even into the church, religion, culture, education and the business life. It is nothing less than an uncalvinistic repudiation of the approach which various and even sovereign own circles in the community acknowledge.

There is an urgent need for diligent and effective opposition to this politically inspired obsession with the hijacking and politicizing of extra-political spheres of life. The far rightists are so obsessed politically that for the sake of some imaginary political advantage they are prepared to weaken and paralyse the Afrikaner in all the other spheres of life by encouraging and expanding dissension, conflict and bitterness. The far rightist cultural front has proved that in principle it rejects any reconciliatory and bridging role which non-political spheres such as culture could play. They are making an intense effort to sacrifice broader Afrikaner interests for the sake of narrower party political interests. The attitude they adopt requires that people of other political persuasions should basically and in principle and in all spheres of life including the theological and the religious be treated as heretics and made out to be contemptible and untouchable.

Are you saying that Prof Boshoff is a heretic.

No, I did not say that. Listen to what I am saying. They want to make us out to be heretics. [Interjections.] Listen man, if you cannot understand what I am saying, then do not interject.

I lay claim to the fact that I can speak with some measure of seriousness and authority in respect of this matter because I have personally devoted a great deal of time and energy to the cultural life of the Afrikaner. I want to warn the Afrikaner people to oppose with vigour and determination this reckless, cunning and planned effort to politicize their whole cultural life.

I should like to revert now to the remarks made by hon members in regard to the whole question of teachers’ salaries. I dealt with this matter in detail at the start of my contribution to this debate. I do not wish to revert to it. I do not believe that hon members have raised any new points but I do want to express my appreciation to the hon members for Bryanston, Virginia, Durban North, Koedoespoort and Pinetown, all of whom dealt with this matter, for their support for the point of view that a meaningful salary improvement is necessary as far as the education profession is concerned and for the fact that they all in various ways stressed the importance of this profession. I do not wish to deal any further with this matter; I have already dealt with it.

I should like now to make certain remarks in regard to contributions during the debate on the question of the decision of the Government, by the acceptance of the first principle in the De Lange Report, of the need to strive positively for the establishment of equal opportunities and equal standards in education for all the people of South Africa. The hon member for Bryanston relied strongly upon calculating the amount spent on the education of the various population groups on a per capita basis. I should like to point out as has already been done by the hon members for Virginia and Standerton that to calculate the financial expenditure in respect of the various population groups on a per capita basis is an oversimplification of the position and is also misleading. There are various inherent differential factors that exist at present, variable factors, in the education systems of the various population groups that contribute to the fact that different amounts have to be spent when it is reduced to a per capita spending. Inasmuch as teachers’ salaries make up nearly 80% of the budget, it is a fact that as far as some population groups are concerned the percentage of teachers who are still underqualified and whose earning capacity is still therefore limited, is an extremely important contributory factor. Furthermore, the flow of pupils from the primary to the secondary phase and the percentage of pupils who are in the secondary phase in the various education systems also play a part because the secondary pupil is a very much more expensive pupil to the State per capita than a primary pupil is. There are also other factors that play a part in this respect. That is why it is the aim of the Government through the medium of the composition of formulae for the financing of education to find ways and means that are not based on the simplistic per capita basis but which take account of all the variables in every education system such as the qualifications of the teachers and the percentage of the pupils at the various levels of advancement. An hon member referred correctly—I think it was the hon member for Virginia—to the fact that the sophisticated nature and developmental state of an education system was also a contributory factor. Other contributory factors are the density of population in specific areas and the fact that smaller White schools have to be maintained in certain districts at a relatively high cost. Not only is this in the interests of the Whites but it is also necessary to have the developmental leadership there which can also create economic and job opportunities for members of other population groups in the districts concerned. There is also the question of the movement of population. I believe that inasmuch as my Department in cooperation with the other education departments is presently engaged in trying to find a formula that can be applied to the education of all population groups, and inasmuch as the variables that are built into the formulae gradually reach a higher level because of development, one can move naturally closer towards a more equal expenditure and also in terms of per capita expenditure. However, it would be quite senseless to make the per capita expenditure the point of departure of education. I want to agree with the hon member for Bryanston’s formulation that the present inequality and gap that exists in respect of the provision of education for the various population groups cannot be rectified overnight, and that there is need for a programme in terms of which the Government has made its intention known to move positively in the direction of equal opportunities for everyone; in other words, the elimination or the narrowing of the gap. I want to assure the hon member that as far as the drawing up of formulae is concerned, it is the particular aim of the Government that they should be more realistic and deal more with the actual variables within the education services of the various departments. We are working on formulae for the standardization of space and expenditure norms in respect of the provision of physical facilities at school level. This work has already been completed at university, college and technikon levels, and it can now also be done at school level in the same way. Therefore, in spite of the fact that the new dispensation has not yet been introduced, we have for some time now been working hard on the provision of financial formulae for solving these problems in a sensible and gradual way and, as the Government has stated, also with a view to the financial capacity of the country.

I also want to say something in regard to this last point. Concern is sometimes expressed in regard to the question whether the country can afford and really succeed in the practical implementation of the aim which the Government has set itself in its education policy, namely the pursuit of equal education opportunities and standards for all. The Government wants once again—I am doing so on behalf of the Government—just as was set out in the provisional memorandum on the De Lange Report at the time and repeated in the White Paper on education, to emphasize the fact, which is also apparent from the large increases in the budgetary provisions for the education departments dealing with the education of non-White population groups, that it is in fact moving positively in the direction of equal opportunities in education. Although that is the aim of the Government, there are also certain restrictions that have to be borne in mind.

†While the Government is making concerted efforts to bring the education systems for the respective population groups to the same standards in the shortest possible time, it has emphasized that it will not allow the standard that has already been achieved in the more advanced education systems to be lowered in the process. This would not be in the interest of anybody in South Africa.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the education systems for the Blacks and the Coloureds in particular have certain historically developed backlogs, both in terms of scope and quality. Efforts to achieve equality and to bridge the gaps in the provision of education services are also seriously hampered by such factors as the high population growth-rate of these population groups and also by the shortage of well-trained educationists.

It is also hampered by the fact that heavy financial demands are also made by other sectors of the State because education cannot develop by itself. Attention must also be given to such matters as health, welfare and housing. I also want to emphasize that, while the Government has set the creation of equal educational opportunities as a goal, it will depend on each community, as the hon member for Standerton said earlier, to what extent education of truly equal quality is really built upon the basis of these equal opportunities and equal standards that are made available for them. It is also necessary to emphasize again that the availability of adequate numbers of competent teachers in the educational systems that have not yet achieved the same level of development as the Whites, is of critical importance. It is therefore very gratifying to be able to state that since the beginning of last year the minimum requirement for acceptance of candidate teachers to be trained is the same for all population groups, namely at least a Std X certificate. The minimum training period in respect of all population groups has since the beginning of last year been raised to at least a three year post-standard ten degree or certificate. At the same time it is realized that these newly trained teachers will only become available in the course of time and therefore considerable spending of funds should take place in order to upgrade the qualifications of those teachers who are already performing this function and whose qualifications are not up to the minimum standard.

I would like to pay tribute to the education departments that are dealing with the interests of the different Black population groups, the Coloureds and the Asians for the very important work they are doing through in-service teacher training courses and also express my appreciation for the contribution which the private sector is making to increasing opportunities in this respect. One should also warn that, in the final instance, investment in education should be seen as a long-term investment. Education and training is a process that takes time to bear real fruit and spectacular results cannot be achieved overnight. I would also like to emphasize the importance of the teaching profession responsible for teaching the population groups whose systems are not yet so far advanced. They should do their utmost, too, to make use of the opportunities available for upgrading their qualifications and thereby for improving the quality of the teaching process. Having mentioned these limitations and restrictions, I would like to emphasize again that this is not to underestimate the importance of the concerted movement towards equal opportunities for all population groups in respect of education, but that it is simply to call for the necessary realism on the part of everybody concerned.

*One hears the doubt expressed from time to time as to whether the State will be able to undertake the financing of the process by means of which we are moving towards equal education opportunities for all the population groups, within its financial ability, or, with the expansion of education opportunities, whether we will really be able, as indicated in the White Paper is the intention of the State, to maintain the education standards already achieved in the case of the more advanced education systems, and not jeopardize them. I just want to mention a few considerations as to why in my opinion even a considerable increase in the provision of education requirements for all population groups need not necessarily lead to an impossible financial outlay.

In the first place, I want to refer to the fact that with the broadening of our tax base by the introduction of general sales tax, a more direct contribution is being made by the members of all population groups towards their education as well. We have to acknowledge this fact. While it was often said in the past that it was mainly the White taxpayer who paid for the expansion of education for the Blacks or the Coloureds, that is no longer the case, because tax experts consider that the amount contributed to the exchequer particularly by Blacks in respect of general sales tax is considerably higher than the total education budget for Black education at all levels. In the second instance, economists and educationists emphasize the fact that increased financial spending on education, provided that is done in a responsible way, will eventually pay for itself because, if one acts responsibly in increasing the amount spent on education, it leads to higher productivity because of the higher scholastic level of more people. Therefore, it leads to an increase in their personal earning capacity, in their income, and therefore also in respect of their ability to pay income tax. Increased productivity which is the result of improved education also contributes towards the prospect of increased profitability on the part of the various companies paying company tax. Because of this, provided the increased spending on education takes place responsibly, it generates new prosperity and higher productivity which eventually pays for itself.

In the third place, as indicated by the Government by way of legislation adopted by the House and also by way of the policy set out in the White Paper, it is well known that the Government feels that we should move away from the totally free provision of education services and that, apart from the financial contribution by the State which is necessary for a properly functional education service, it should also be possible to have direct financial contributions on the part of the parents by way of levies, provision for which has also been made in the Constitution for the new dispensation. As the hon member for Pinetown has asked me for precise details in regard to the way in which such education levies can be collected from the parents, I want to tell him that I acknowledge the validity of all his questions, namely precisely how the levy is going to be collected, whether it is going to be collected at the schools or whether it is going to be collected elsewhere, whether the levy is going to be made available to the schools directly or whether it is going to be available on a regional basis, and what the effect of the levy is going to be upon voluntary contributions and so forth. These are all valid questions that have to be studied carefully at this stage. Before there can be any talk of legislation in this regard, the Government has decided that as far as White education is concerned, the matter will have to be thrashed out properly among the various provincial departments, and that a proper and clear attitude will have to be adopted for the information of the public. The matter is still under consideration and, at this stage, I am as yet unable to give definite details. However, I can give an assurance that the Government considers the introduction of direct contributions by parents through the medium of levies as being so important and far-reaching that it will inform the public clearly and timeously of the details in this regard before introducing legislation into the House and eventually the provincial councils.

There is a fourth factor affecting the affordability of the expansion of education services. This is a factor that was emphasized very strongly in the De Lange Report, namely that there is no point in the expansion of education services if they are not productive and the expenditure cannot be justified. The De Lange Report advocates the rationalization of education services as well as the increased efficacy of education services in various respects. Here I want to mention three important aspects identified in the De Lange Report and clearly accepted by the Government in the White Paper. Firstly, it is a matter of the highest priority that the school preparedness of children, particularly Coloured and Black children, be increased because the drop-out rate of about 50% of Black and Coloured children after only three years at school eventually leads to completely unproductive expenditure because, after three years’ schooling, one can hardly retain even one of the “three R’s”. There is no retention in that respect. That is why the Government has also accepted the fact that remedial programmes for improving school preparedness must receive the highest priority, and attention is being given to this matter particularly in respect of Coloured and Black education.

In the second place the De Lange Report pointed out that to apply the White standard of ten years compulsory schooling to the other population groups, was not economically viable. There is insufficient manpower for it and many pupils will also probably not really be able to experience useful schooling for ten years. That is why the Government has the alternative of compulsory study for nine years of which only the first six years include compulsory attendance at school, and that the requirement of the remaining three years can be met either by way of compulsory attendance at school or by way of compulsory study in an informal teaching situation. In the third place, the De Lange Report pointed out that rationalization was necessary by placing great emphasis, as I have already stated, on the training of teachers. As the present education is ineffective and as the incompetence of teachers possibly contributes to the low return on education and a high drop-out figure, an increase in the standards of teacher training and the employment of existing teachers must make an important contribution towards the rationalization of education. If factors such as these are taken into account and given priority, the increased expenditure on further education services will be justified and will also lead to higher productivity. I want to content myself with those few remarks at this stage and will reply in greater detail to hon members’ contributions at a later stage.

Mr Chairman, we on this side of the Committee are proud to have such a Minister of National Education who has again this afternoon clearly outlined the guidelines laid down by this side of the Committee.

Earlier this afternoon the hon member for Durban North referred to the use of radio and television as educational aids. I want further to associate myself with what he said by elaborating on what he had to say. Flowing from the report of the HSRC’s main committee of inquiry into education in the RSA, the HSRC was requested in 1982 to undertake further research into, inter alia, the following theme:

I should like to confine myself to the latter part of these terms of reference, namely the employment of radio and television as educational aids. We are aware of the fact that the working committee, under the chairmanship of Prof Van Zyl, has completed its investigation into the utilization of the media.

To begin with, allow me to express a word of thanks to the SABC which has over many years by way of youth programmes on radio and television made a very important educational contribution on behalf of our youth, for it is also the task of the SABC to entertain and to educate. We think for instance of a programme such as Brandkluis presented by Marinus Wijnbeeck, which was of an entertaining but also educational nature. He explained science and physics to the most youthful but also to adults, and he did so in a graphic and easy manner. In a number of developed and developing countries, educational radio and educational television programmes have for some time now been used with great success. The question therefore is no longer whether radio and television in South Africa should be utilized or not, but rather how and for what it should be utilized and how much of it should be employed in order to satisfy specific educational needs. The potential contribution that radio and television can make to the filling of identifiable voids in teaching and training in Southern Africa cannot be overemphasized. One is justified in asking now who is going to render these services. In view of the fact that the SABC already has at its disposal the necessary facilities, broadcasting know-how and infrastructure, this centre should be sited at the SABC in order to allow for this to be done under its auspices. Mechanisms should be created by way of which the users of educational radio and television programmes can become meaningfully involved.

The BBC has been used in this manner since 1922. The BBC is used as a medium and education is involved in the process. In so far as financing is concerned, the SABC should be held partly responsible because it is its duty to entertain and to educate. The financial burden should also be borne partly by the users of educational radio and television programmes, namely the various departments of education and organizations which offer training. From time to time other sources can be found which can become involved in training. The cost of such a service is estimated to be approximately R77 million per year. However, when one looks at the benefits to be derived from it, it is worthwhile. It would appear from the experience gained in various countries that no doubt exists as to the potential of the broadcasting media to make a positive contribution to education and training as well as to social development in a country. Briefly, the following positive things can be said about the utilization of educational TV programmes. Television as a medium of education makes it possible to reach a great number of students simultaneously and repeatedly. Research and investigations have indicated that programmes can be used and re-used for as long as eight years. I think the hon member for Durban North also referred to the use of cassettes. We think in particular of students who are not so quick on the uptake who can then record the programmes on cassettes and play them back at home in their own time.

Secondly, changes in syllabus and the resultant in-service training of teachers can be handled very rapidly, thus saving a great deal of time and money. It can also contribute to all students being given high quality training, and also in technical spheres still manned by insufficiently trained teachers and trainers. We accept that television is an acceptable medium of training and that it is simultaneously of an entertaining nature. I also think that children in the lower grades easily accept it as medium. By utilizing television, material, demonstrations and experiments that can normally not be offered in the classroom by the best teacher can be brought into a television studio. Students in rural areas will moreover be getting the same facilities as their counterparts in the cities. It is time we in South Africa underwent a change of heart in relation to technical professions and technical education because there is a clear imbalance between the predominantly academically-oriented education in the RSA and the manpower needs of the country. It has become necessary, as has been pointed out on various occasions, that in order to meet the needs of the country, a greater canalization to technical education should be effected. In this process radio and television can play an important role in cultivating that disposition on the part of the parent and the child. A parent should send his children to a technikon with the same degree of pride with which he would send them to a university. There are a few countries in which radio and television have already been used for a considerable time, for instance in Britain, where they have been actively used in the field of formal and informal education since 1922. In 1969 the BBC even went so far as to establish the Open University which mainly offers courses to adults and others doing post-graduate studies in courses such as the arts, educational studies, social science, general science, technology and mathematics. When we see what the Open University has already accomplished, it is interesting to note that in 1982 it already had 90 000 registered students, and that since 1971 more than 50 000 degrees had been awarded. The Open University has a staff of only 500. In Germany, the same method is also being employed, and the existing radio and TV stations are being utilized. In Holland and Japan the same procedures are being followed. In Israel we find a separate broadcasting service which shares the activities of the Department of Education and Culture. In Asia and India this is being financed by Air-Unesco. Countries in Africa employ radio and television as educational aids as well. In view of the fact that educational radio and television programmes have been utilized successfully elsewhere in the world in order to meet specific study needs, it is recommended that educational radio and television programmes should be introduced into South Africa in a co-ordinated fashion as soon as possible.

Mr Chairman, we read in Die Transvaler of 11 April 1984 of a new charter for married women in education—benefits such as pension schemes, housing and so forth—that had been approved by the hon the Minister. On the same day a report also appeared in Die Vaderland in regard to a better dispensation for married women in education. We are very pleased about these matters, and it is high time that they were attended to. When a shortage of male teachers arose in education as a result of the fact that male teachers were leaving education because they were being better remunerated elsewhere, it was the married women who stepped into the breach. As wife and mother, a married woman understands the child very well. Besides being mother to her own children, she has still to give her mother love and interest to the neglected child, the abused child and the child from a broken home. The female practices the profession just as well as the male does and also does the same work as the male does. That is why she is in actual fact entitled to an equal salary and to the privileges referred to in the two aforementioned newspaper reports. The promise given by the hon the Minister as reflected in the newspaper report is in my opinion one of the finest promises that he has ever made, and we hope that he will implement that promise as soon as possible in order to satisfy this section of the teaching profession. The same report also states that pregnant women will be able to retain their permanent posts. We also welcome this but we still want to ask that it should be made possible particularly for the young wife not to be worse off financially if she takes confinement leave. We have also to remember that if education invests in the woman, it receives a number of things simultaneously namely a mother to her own children, a mother to the children of other people, and also a good wife to her husband. Because she is a more mature and more responsible person with an awareness of her calling, the married woman in education is absolutely irreplaceable by anybody else. She also means a very great deal indeed to those children who have not had the privileges and opportunities offered by a safe home together with their parents, and who have been neglected. It is so important to remember that these children, like the handicapped child and all other children, are part of our people and that they must not be neglected. A better deal for men and women in education is absolutely essential. In fact, it is one of the matters that should be given priority, because if the education profession or, as we call it, the mother profession, does not function as it should, all the other spheres of life are going to suffer accordingly.

I want to refer now to another sphere. Education should not simply be knowledge-oriented. It should not simply be aimed at how much knowledge one can cram into a child’s head. It must also not simply be aimed at occupational training. It must also deal with the authentic human being. The child’s inborn characteristics must be awakened. We have to develop the child’s inborn characteristics in education in the best interests of the community as a whole and also of a people. Within the context of an own ethnic and cultural outlook and view of life it must be possible to enable the child to live within his own cultural environment. That is why we believe that the teacher, the parent and the church have a very important role to play in regard to the education of a child.

Another matter of importance is family culture, because in the family the parent can practise that culture together with his child. All the places of culture that we have such as museums, libraries and places of historical interest must be visited. The family must live out its love for art, acting and music. The child will become culturally aware far sooner and far more thoroughly when he practises that culture together with this parents. The true meaning of education is the attendance of the adult on the child—in this case the parent and the teacher—through to adulthood. This means that culture must be revealed to him by way of specific norms and specific values. When one assimilates those norms and values, one can lead a meaningful life. The culture of a people consists of an ownness in respect of religion, language, eating habits, dress, social conduct, ethics and traditions—just name them. One’s way of life is one’s culture. Every group represents its own unique way of life and its own personal attributes. In education, account must be taken of the existence of different peoples, cultures and outlooks on life, and therefore education has to differ from people to people so that it can comply with the needs of the various ethnic groups. Just as one cannot mix peoples, so one cannot mix different cultures. Not to recognize separate cultures and separate peoples is to do a terrible injustice to the different cultures and peoples. Education and training are therefore also connected culturally. There is at present a great need for a family cultural association in which parents and children can be together, in which all strata of a people can find a home, so that the improvement and expansion of the culture of every person as well as the practice of it will be available to the individual and also to the whole family so that every person whether he is educated or not, whether he is rich or poor, whether he is gifted or not, can participate. After all, a people has a commitment in respect of everyone belonging to that people so that they can serve their own people and assist in the establishment of other ethnic groups around them.

Because this is so important to us, it is also important that one of the components responsible for this culture, namely the teachers, should be happy and satisfied people. They should be so strong financially that they need not be concerned about money when they have to educate the children of a people. We will therefore be very happy indeed if we know that there is going to be a better dispensation for the teachers which will enable them to live a more carefree life. I am thinking particularly of the married woman and I should like to see her also being able to share in a housing subsidy scheme. In Transvaal there is a pension scheme for married women. In my day, I also received a small pension when I resigned. However, in the other provinces, it is absolutely necessary that married women come into their own in education. It is not that we feel that the man is not up to his task as far as education is concerned but, because women today comprise more than 54% of the people, it is necessary for a woman teacher to know that when she walks into a classroom at the beginning of the year, she will be able to conduct that class for at least a few years. If she has that assurance, she will be able to apply herself better. She will also be more motivated if she has that permanence than she would be in helping out a little every now and again. I think that we are wasting a great deal of useful energy. We have to make better use of this valuable asset of ours. The woman can in fact play her role in education without neglecting her own family. [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, I listened with great interest to the contribution of the hon member for Germiston District.

In the time at my disposal I want in the first instance to dwell briefly on technical education with special reference to technical colleges. As far as the question of the possible overemphasizing of academically-oriented school education is concerned the Government accepted the recommendation of the De Lange report that it was necessary to move closer towards a balance between generally formative preparatory academic education and generally formative occupationally-oriented education in order to supply the manpower requirements of the country. Apart from the phenomenal progress made by technikons, particularly since the hon the Minister wisely decided on 28 February 1977 that technikons should develop vertically alongside universities as parallel education institutions without any ceiling being placed on the level of advanced qualifications, the development of technical colleges has also played an important role in the achievement of the aforementioned necessary balance.

With the inclusion of the newly established Technical College of South Africa for correspondence courses in Johannesburg, a development which is greatly to be admired in a country like South Africa, the Department of National Education has at present 63 State-aided technical colleges under its control which have been established in terms of the provisions of the Technical Colleges Act, 1981 (Act No 104 of 1981). The fulltime equivalent student enrolment exceeded 100 000 in 1983.

A new subsidy formula which is based largely on the same basis as the subsidy formula for technikons has also been developed and approved for State-aided technical colleges, and is being implemented gradually from 1984. Not only will this formula bring about a saving in work but it is also more justifiable and will bring about greater economy and management independence as far as the colleges are concerned.

A further important development in respect of technical colleges is also the founding of the Association of Technical Colleges in terms of the Technical Colleges Act. This is really a milestone that has been reached in the process of raising the status of these colleges and also has the effect of demarcating for and ensuring for these institutions their own particular place in the education system at post-school level.

Technical colleges offer a variety of pre-tertiary and tertiary technical, commercial, domestic, language and personal and community development courses for the professional training of operators, apprentices, artisans, foremen, supervisors, diploma engineers (that is to say artisans who have acquired the certificate of competency) and other lower and medium level staff for commerce and industry, according to Dr D H Meiring of the Department of National Education. He goes on to say quite correctly—and I should like to conclude my remarks on technical colleges with these words:

In the second place I should like to express certain thoughts in regard to the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. At the same time I think it is also fitting to pay tribute to and express appreciation for the great work that has been done over three quarters of a century.

De Zuid-Afrikaanse Akademie voor Taal, Letteren en Kunst was founded in Bloemfontein in 1909 with the aim of promoting Dutch and Afrikaans. Among the founders were men like President M T Steyn, General J B M Hertzog, Onze Jan Hofmeyr, Dr D F Malan, Jan F E Cilliers, Gustav Preller and Adv E G Jansen.

The Akademie became a body corporate by Private Act No 23 of Parliament, and is functioning at present in terms of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns Act, Act No 54 of 1959, with the following aims: The preservation and promotion of the Afrikaans language, literature and culture and of the Dutch language and literature, and the promotion of South African history, art, science and technics. The Akademie is divided into two faculties, namely a faculty of Kuns en Geestes-wetenskappe and a faculty of Natuurweten-skappe en Tegniek. Its members consist of full members of the Akademie, the number of whom is limited to 400, 200 for every faculty, and assessor members or faculty members whose numbers are unlimited.

When one reviews the activities of the Akademie over the years, one cannot but state that the substantial amount spent annually by the Department of National Education in the interests of the Akademie is certainly paying dividends. In an article that appeared in SA Panorama of April 1983, the most important activities of the Akademie are epitomized as follows:

The Akademie also publishes a series of Afrikaans scientific periodicals. Furthermore, particular attention is given to the youth through the medium of, for example, the Mathematics Olympiad of the Akademie for pupils of all population groups. Between 3 000 and 4 000 pupils from all over the country participate annually in this competition. The new project of making Afrikaans text-books available to Afrikaans universities also certainly merits mention. Seven such text-books have already appeared. With this a long cherished ideal has been realized. Preparatory work was done as early as in 1975 when the Akademie instituted a scientific investigation to determine what the position of Afrikaans text-books at Afrikaans universities was. This investigation brought to light the fact that there was a great need for suitable Afrikaans text-books, particularly at first-year level. Since then various universities have been co-operating under the guidance and co-ordination of the Akademie in the publication of such books. The Akademie is also the patron of the Afrikaans Olympiad in which scholars of all population groups participate, and also arranges get-togethers for high school pupils.

The SA Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns has meant a very great deal indeed to the Afrikaner’s culture, the totality of what is peculiar to him, and particularly his language which according to Langenhoven is the expressed soul of a people, not in the sense of the absolutizing of everything Afrikaans but in an expansionist sense to ensure an element of safety and security through the medium of which co-operation with other population groups can be encouraged and promoted. In fact the Akademie also takes the initiative in making available all that is fine and good about the Afrikaner and the Afrikaans language for the enrichment of other peoples and population groups. We congratulate this fine body which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and we express our best wishes for its annual meeting from 27 to 29 June 1984 in Bloemfontein. [Time expired.]

Mr Chairman, I am pleased to be able to follow upon my friend, the hon member Dr Pieterse, who made a well-balanced speech, particularly towards the end of the speech when he dealt with a subject about which we are all in agreement. We also want to associate ourselves with the congratulations that he extended to the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns. I should like to deal with various aspects regarding universities.

It is a pity that the new improved subsidy formula for universities cannot be applied this year. However, one can understand that this cannot be done. The difficult economic phase being experienced by the country has made it advisable to delay its implementation for a while. In the circumstances, however, I still think it will be as well to point out that notwithstanding the fact that it has not yet been possible to apply the new formula, the total amount budgeted for universities rose by 12,41% this year, and the amount for subsidies in respect of recurring expenditure by 16,02%. This testifies to one thing. It testifies to a Government that is keenly aware of the necessity for the training of higher level manpower. The South Africa of the future will need many of these people. That is why it is a good thing, even in times of temporary as well as serious financial recession, that these training processes should not be permitted to become too disrupted. We are also grateful to the Government for not having permitted this to happen.

The fact that the application of the new subsidy formula has to stand over has in any case given us the opportunity to consider it in greater depth. I must say that one is generally impressed by the thoroughness of its formulation. There are, however, certain factors flowing from the formula that I should like to discuss briefly.

The formula implies a basis for subsidization which consists of the inputs as well as the outputs of universities. The number of enrolled students is no longer going to play such an important role. Academic efficiency also becomes an integral factor now. For example, in the future when the new subsidy formula is implemented, universities will only receive a half unit in subsidy for every student who fails. I think that is a correct approach. I do not think that it can be denied any longer that universities ought only to be rewarded with subsidies if they produce results. After all, the justification for a subsidy from public funds exists in the advantages to be gained by the community from the eventual intellectual and other contributions of the graduate in order to promote the welfare and prosperity of the community. On the other hand, the students ought only to be assisted by means of public funds if they make proper use of the resources of the universities. I want to express the hope that this new and sound approach will encourage our universities to be even more careful than they are at present in their selection of students.

University education involves primarily the fundamental principles of the various academic disciplines and the development of the intellect. It is intended solely for those people who have the mental ability and aptitude for it. Other prospective students who do not comply with this requirement will have to be canalized to other post-secondary education institutions. It is absolutely necessary in the national interest that the individual and unique mental and intellectual ability and aptitude of every person should be utilized to the fullest extent. I hope, too, that the new approach will encourage prospective students to be realistic about their academic ability. Parents too must be realistic about the academic ability of their children. All too often students are enrolled at universities because it is a good thing for the image of the parent and because the father can pay for it. All too often people forget that the State contributes 78% on average of the recognized cost of education per university student. It is all too often forgotten that the State in turn simply obtains its funds from the man in the street, and that the man in the street is struggling. From my own experience I can fortunately bear witness to the fact today that generally speaking our students work very hard. However, I must also admit that there are notable exceptions. It is true that it is within the discretion of our universities to ask students who failed in the previous year to pay higher fees. I want now to make an appeal to universities to consider the responsible and possibly selective introduction of such a system so that students who have failed and been readmitted in the following year will pay higher fees. This will have the advantage that the university will be able to recover a portion of the subsidy that it lost in the previous year. It will also encourage the students to give more careful attention to their aptitudes and their choices before they go to university. It will also encourage the parents to ensure that their children make the right choices. Once the student is at university, such a system will give him an additional reason to study more zealously.

Another aspect of the new subsidy formula which pleases me particularly is the aspect that was also mentioned by the hon member Prof Olivier. That is in connection with research. As the representative of the community the State expects the universities to produce academic work of high quality. In fact, now more than ever before, the community is looking to the universities to assist with its problems over a wide spectrum. The times in which we live require research to be done that will produce results. That is why it is a good thing that provision is now being made so that an additional subsidy can be obtained for research purposes.

The number of research results published by the staff and students of the university in recognized technical publications in South Africa and also abroad is used as a basis for this. Unfortunately, I have one or two problems in regard to this basis. Let me mention an example. It is sometimes necessary for a researcher to be prepared in the national interest and even sometimes too in the interests of the science he is serving, to do research which runs a very great risk of not producing any result. That is certainly the position. I am afraid that researchers will now become discouraged from doing this sort of pioneering work. I am afraid that they will do less useful work simply with a view to publication. That would be a pity. That is why I believe that we will still be able to have fruitful discussions in the future in regard to further methods of determining the value of research results more satisfactorily. I hope that we shall have that opportunity. Our universities deserve to be assisted in the sphere of research. At present, 20% of the total amount spent on research is spent by them. With this they produce 54% of all research publications.

I want now to refer briefly to a more general university matter. It cannot be denied today that a certain measure of depression exists among the staff of our universities for a variety of reasons. Salary is one reason. The fact that at the beginning of the year there was a long uncertainty in regard to the subsidy formula in terms of which they would be financed, and the fact that the money that had been made available to them in terms of the old formula was to be cut by 2,4%, are factors that contributed towards this state of affairs. However, these things are all of a transitory nature. I do not think that they are sufficiently important for us to devote too much attention to them. When we gather here again next year, these things will all have been forgotten. However, rightly or wrongly, a measure of uncertainty does exist in regard to the position that the university is going to occupy in the broad tertiary education sphere in South Africa in future. For example, there is also concern in regard to future capital works. Money for this purpose has to be negotiated as part of the total programme of the Government. The chances of appreciable grants being made to universities from this source over the next few years appear to be slim. One merely has to look at the physical backlog of the technikons to realize that particularly in the medium term, capital expenditure in respect of facilities at the technikons will have to be given precedence. I do not think there is anything else we can do. These are the things that are creating a measure of uncertainty on the part of the universities and are causing them to experience rather a difficult time.

I want to say this afternoon that I do not doubt the value of universities for one moment. I believe that in the future development of our country they are going to play an even greater role than the role that they have played up to the present, but then they will have to consider certain things very carefully. I think that universities will have to start specializing so that they will no longer be universities for everything and everyone. They will have to get together and specialize. University education will have to be rationalized. It will be in the interests of South Africa. If they use these difficult times that they are now experiencing to give consideration to these matters, it will be to their advantage and also to the advantage of the whole country.