Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Fatima Chohan, is appealing to the public to make written submissions on issues affecting quality outcomes in primary and secondary schools.

She explains that since 1994, "much has been done to achieve government's goal of access to education but there remain areas of concern, particularly with regard to equal access to quality education by all categories of learners and questionable levels of learning outcomes."

Chohan explains that recognising that education is a matter of wide interest and that the success of South Africa is intertwined with the quality of its education system, her committee will be embarking on a national focus on the delivery of quality education and challenges related to it. It will also focus on the crucial issue of access to education.

Members of the public are invited to make written submissions on:

• curriculum content

• teacher development

• class size

• managerial capacity at schools

• orientating schools towards specialisation

• values in education

Other submissions are invited on the issue of access to education:

• inclusive education

• homeless children/orphans

• geographic location of schools and infrastructure

• language barriers and

• children in trouble with the law and education in prisons.

She explains that from these submissions her committee intends to obtain first-hand information on the pressure points and to find mutual solutions.

The Committee invites all interested individuals and organisations to submit written comments on the above by 28 February 2010. Submissions should be addressed to Lewellyn Brown, Committee Secretary -- Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, National Assembly, P O Box 15 Cape Town , 8000 or email. lbrown@parliament.gov.za , Fax. (021) 403 2808. Tel : (021) 403 3764.