National Literacy campaign on track, Pretoria

23 November 2007

Education Director General Duncan Hindle said today that he regretted the resignation of Professor Aitchison from his secondment to the Department of Education. Professor Aitchison had been seconded to the Department from the University of Kwazulu Natal to prepare for the launch of the R6.1 billion adult literacy campaign, Kha Ri Gudi, beginning in 2008.

The operational plan for the literacy campaign, as prepared by the Ministerial Committee (of which Professor Aitchison was a member), was presented to and approved by Cabinet.

A national secretariat for the campaign is being established as a separate branch of the Department. A CEO appointed at the level of a deputy director general will run the secretariat. The secretariat will be supported by an organisation that will provide financial, administrative and management support. This will enable Kha Ri Gudi to run as a campaign independently of the Department, while the new secretariat will be independent of the ABET directorate but still accountable to government.

"The campaign is on track, and will be implemented according to plan. The advertisement for the CEO has been published, and the tender for partners to assist us with the recruitment of some 40 000 tutors, the delivery of materials and other operational aspects has attracted much interest. Kha Ri Gude will be rolled out as a pilot in 2008, and will go to scale in 2009, as planned", Hindle said.

Issued by the Ministry of Education
Lunga Ngqengelele
Ministerial Spokesperson
012 312 5538
082 556 0446
ngqengelele.l@doe.gov.za