Personal

• Date of Birth: 7 December 1953
• Marital Status: Married

Current Positions

• Minister of Science and Technology of the Republic of South Africa since 11 May 2009.
• Member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC) since 2002.
• Member of Parliament since 1994.

Academic Qualifications

• Matriculated from Gaborone Secondary School in Botswana (1972).
• BA degree and CCE, University of Botswana and Swaziland (1973 - 1977).
• Diploma in Education, University of London (1977 - 1978).
• MA in Education, University of London (1978 - 1979).
• Diploma in Higher Education, Administration and Leadership from Bryn Mawr Summer Programme (HERS) (1992).
• Diploma in Leadership in Development, Kennedy School of Government, University of Havard (1997).
• MA in General Linguistics, University of Stellenbosch (1997).

Career/Memberships/Positions/Other Activities

• School teacher in Ernest Bevin School, London (1980).
• School teacher in Gaberone, Botswana (1981 - 1984).
• Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education at the Taung College of Education (1984 - 1986).
• Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Bophuthatswana (1986 - 1989).
• Chair of the Union of Democratic Staff Associations at the University of Bophuthatswana, Mafikeng (1988 - 1990).
• Senior Lecturer in the Academic Support Programme at the University of Cape Town (1989 - 1994).
• Chair of Western Cape National Executive Committee (NEC) of the National Education Coordinating Committee (1991 - 1993).
• Member of ANC Western Cape Education Committee (1991 - 1995).
• ANC Chair for Athlone Central branch (1992 - 1994).
• Executive Chair of the Desmond Tutu Education Trust (1992 - 1994).
• Chair of the Western Cape School Building Trust (1992 - 1998).
• Deputy Chair of Tertiary Education Fund of South Africa (TEFSA) (1992 - 1995).
• Deputy Chair of Joint Education Trust Board of Trustees (1993 - 2001).
• As ANC MP,served on the Portfolio Committee on Education; convener of a sub-committee on higher education (1994).
• ANC Whip in the National Assembly (1994 - 1995).
• Chair of TEFSA (1995 - 1997).
• ANC Deputy Chief Whip in the National Assembly (1995 - 1998).
• Deputy Chairperson of the National Council Of Provinces (NCOP) (1998 - 1999).
• Chairperson of the NCOP (1999 - 2004).
• Member of the ANC NEC and member of sub-committees on Education, Communications, Archives and Political Education (2002).
• Chancellor of Cape Technikon (2002 - 2004).
• Member of the Council of the University of Fort Hare (2002 - 2004).
• Minister of Education of the Republic of South Africa (29 April 2004 - 10 May 2009).