Department of Basic Education (South Africa)
Encyclopedia
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is one of the departments
of the South African government
. It oversees primary
and secondary
education
in South Africa
. It was created in 2009 after the election of President
Jacob Zuma
, when the former Department of Education was divided.
The political head of the department is the Minister of Basic Education
; this is Angie Motshekga
. The department is headquartered in Sol Plaatje House, named after the author Sol Plaatje
, in Pretoria
.
In the 2010 national budget, the department received an appropriation
of 6,166.2 million rand
, and had 730 employees.
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
of the South African government
Government of South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a constitutional democracy with a three-tier system of government and an independent judiciary, operating in a nearly unique system that combines aspects of parliamentary and presidential systems. Legislative authority is held by the Parliament of South Africa...
. It oversees primary
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
and secondary
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. It was created in 2009 after the election of President
President of South Africa
The President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
, when the former Department of Education was divided.
The political head of the department is the Minister of Basic Education
Minister of Basic Education (South Africa)
The Minister of Basic Education is a Minister in the Cabinet of South Africa, with the responsibility of overseeing the primary and secondary education components of the Department of Education...
; this is Angie Motshekga
Angie Motshekga
Angie Motshekga is a South African politician, appointed Minister of Basic Education in 2009.-External links:* at -References:...
. The department is headquartered in Sol Plaatje House, named after the author Sol Plaatje
Sol Plaatje
Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje was a South African intellectual, journalist, linguist, politician, translator, and writer. The Sol Plaatje Local Municipality, which includes the city of Kimberley, was named after him.-Early life:...
, in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
.
In the 2010 national budget, the department received an appropriation
Appropriation (law)
In law and government, appropriation is the act of setting apart something for its application to a particular usage, to the exclusion of all other uses....
of 6,166.2 million rand
South African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
, and had 730 employees.