| (1) | There is hereby established a council, called the Council of Education Ministers, consisting of— |
| (a) | the Minister, who shall be the chairperson; |
| (b) | the Deputy Minister of Education, if such Deputy Minister is appointed, who in the absence of the Minister shall be designated by the Minister as chairperson; and |
| (2) | The Director-General shall attend meetings of the Council in order to report on the proceedings of the Committee, and to advise on any other matter relating to the responsibilities of the Department. |
| (3) | The chairpersons of the Portfolio Committee on Education in the National Assembly and the Select Committee on Education in the Senate may attend meetings of the Council. |
| (4) | The functions of the Council shall be to— |
| (a) | promote a national education policy which takes full account of the policies of the government, the principles contained in section 4, the education interests and needs of the provinces, and the respective competence of Parliament and the provincial legislatures in terms of section 146 of the Constitution; |
[Section 9(4)(a) substituted by section 13 of Act No. 100 of 1997]
| (b) | share information and views on all aspects of education in the Republic; and |
| (c) | co-ordinate action on matters of mutual interest to the national and provincial governments. |
| (5) | The Council may draw up such rules regarding the convening of its meetings, the frequency of its meetings, the procedure at its meetings, including the quorum for its meetings, and any other matter it may deem necessary or expedient for the proper performance of its functions or the exercise of its powers. |
| (6) | The proceedings of the Council shall not be invalid merely by virtue of the fact that there is a vacancy in the Council. |
