Dated: 4 August 2010

Draft report of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Oral Hearings conducted on “The Delivery of Quality Education in South Africa and Challenges Pertaining Thereto” and the crucial issue of “Access to Education”; held on 12, 18, 19 and 25 May; as well as 27, 28 and 29 July 2010at Parliament.

1. Introduction

1.1 The Constitution of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996) protects the right to basic education for all. South Africa also subscribes to a number of international conventions that underwrite the right to basic education. 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.

1.2 Recognising that education is a matter of broader interest and that the success of our nation is dependent on the quality of our education system, the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education embarked on a national focus on the Delivery of Quality Education in South Africa and Challenges Pertaining Thereto and the critical issue of Access to Education.

1.3 The Portfolio Committee, in November 2009, issued a Press Statement calling for written submissions on the topics. By these submissions the Portfolio Committee intended to obtain first-hand information on the pressure points and to find mutual solutions that will make a positive contribution towards improving areas of concern within the basic education terrain – and elicit submissions from all stakeholders and in particular from teachers on their experiences.

1.4 Although the cut-off date for submission was 28 February 2010, the Committee continued to receive, accept and consider written submissions to date. It was always envisaged that the oral phase of the hearings would not be a once-off exercise, but an ongoing theme within the Portfolio Committee.

1.5 To date, the Portfolio Committee has received at least 230 written submissions and received oral submissions from at least 24 witnesses.

1.6 This part of the report focuses on the oral phase of the hearings which were held at Parliament as follows:

1.6.1 Wednesday, 12 May 20101.6.2 Tuesday, 18 May 20101.6.3 Wednesday, 19 May 20101.6.4 Tuesday, 25 May 20101.6.5 Tuesday, 27 July 20101.6.6 Wednesday, 28 July 20101.6.7 Thursday, 29 July 2010

Summary of the Hearings

The following main points were raised:

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Day 1: Tuesday, 11 May 2010

1. Cape Town Studies and Tours

Curriculum content

The submission highlighted gaps in content in certain subjects/learning areas, as follows:

Life Science

Practical work in grades 11 and 12 is difficult for learners to execute, in particular in reproduction and DNA application. This is largely due to the fact that majority of schools are under-resourced and do not have science laboratories and computer centres.

There is a lack of articulation in content between the Grade 11 and Grade 12 curriculum. The challenge is that when learners pass Grade 11, they are unable to perform basic experiments in Life Sciences in Grade 12.

Natural Science

The subject does not progress logically and lacks continuity. Grade 9 content does not adequately prepare learners for grade 10.

Some topics are too advanced for Grade 9 level, for example, excretion and respiration.

Some practical work is difficult to achieve at Grade 9, for example, genetics.

English

There is no model to follow in dealing with correcting spoken language. Teachers feel disempowered as a result.

Mathematics

The gap between grades 9 and 10 is vast. For example, too little time is allocated to algebra in grade 9.

Mathematics at FET level should include values. There is too much content in Mathematics in FET, rather do less work thoroughly than

more less efficiently. Questions the need for Paper 3 and to study hyperbolas and exponential graphs in

such depth.

Language Barriers

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Learners (second language speakers) sometimes understand the content but lack the vocabulary to put it in writing using English. This is supported by a study that indicated that in Grade 5 alone, learners are already in a shortfall of 4295 words. The challenge is that they are forced to express themselves in a variety of subjects through a second language that they are still learning to master.

Values

Discipline should follow immediately after the offence. In many instances the reaction time is delayed due to departmental routine procedures of handling transgressions. Parents should be held accountable for their children’s transgressions.

Learners in trouble with the law

Teachers are not taught to deal with learners who are in trouble with the law.

Recommendations

Cape Town Studies and Tours proposes the following recommendations:

Curriculum content

The department should consider the alignment of the syllabus between Grades 11 and 12 in Life Science and between Grades 9 and 10 in Natural Science and Mathematics.

More attention needs to be paid to algebra and problem-solving work in Mathematics in grade 9.

The benefits of rote learning must be taken into account. There is a need to incorporate Transformation Geometry into Functions in Mathematics

in the FET phase. Examinations should count for a higher percentage than is currently the case in

Mathematics Grade 9. This would motivate learners. There is a need for a policy/bridging course for foreign learners that would facilitate

their integration into South African culture.

Values

Educators should be inspired to have a passion for the subjects they teach. Learners should learn self-discipline and responsibility through meaningful and

relevant discipline. Discipline administered by teachers should be severe and applied immediately after the transgression.

Parents should carry out their responsibilities which include ensuring that homework is done, studying takes place and correct values are instilled.

Learners in trouble with the law

Learners in trouble with the law should be referred to Special Schools.

Homeless children and orphans

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Mobile schools (buses, trucks or discarded containers) should be used for homeless children and orphans where they have no direct access to a proper school.

Teacher development

Development programmes for first year educators should be held in the December holidays with an emphasis placed on work schedules.

2. Mr B Zondi (individual)

Mr Zondi raised the following issues:

Teacher development

Most educators lack the requisite skills to perform the range of functions that the new curriculum requires them to carry out. These include being assessors, possessing pastoral care roles and developing learning programmes.

Managerial capacity

Principals need constant training and exposure to modern management skills.

Academic Stream vs Vocational Stream

The current curriculum does not prepare learners for vocational skills. In addition, the FET colleges are largely academic. Few periods are allocated to practical work.

Values in education

The initiative to infuse values in education through the South African History Project could not materialise because many schools were in the process of phasing out history in their school curriculum. The marginalisation of history in the syllabus has resulted in educators and learners not recognising national symbols and important sites. Tolerance, race relations, human rights and nation building cannot be realised when the country does not share a common history and destiny.

Recommendations

Teacher Development

A residential Institute, in the absence of teacher training colleges for educators, should be established where educators can attend one week out of 41 teaching and learning weeks for upgrading, training, sharing as well as professional development in all aspects of their role as educators.

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Managerial Capacity at Schools

School managers should participate in a training/ mentorship programme on all aspects of management. Every principal should be given specific training in a three year cycle to allow time to evaluate their progress.

Orientating Schools towards Specialisation

Only schools with more than 720 learners should offer a choice of three packages. Schools with less than 350 learners should offer one package comprising the compulsory subjects (Home Language, First additional language and, Life Orientation) and a choice of either Mathematics or Mathematics Literacy. The remaining three subjects should be spread across the other learning fields with the school offering one subject from three selected fields: Life Sciences, Accounting and History. This will ensure that learners in small schools receive a “general”, balanced education.

Schools within one ward should be merged to ensure resources to be housed in one centre and establish quality by providing the centre with all necessary resources. If necessary, learners could be bussed to the centralised school. Educators should be provided with adequate accommodation.

Geographic Location

FET colleges should be brought as close to the community as possible, especially in rural areas. This can be achieved by merging small high schools in these areas to improve their infrastructure i.e. by locating resources for skills to be trained for motor mechanics, plumbing, electrical, welding, spray-painting etc. This would further strengthen the vision of the government to develop rural areas. The supply of water, sanitation and electricity will be achieved by the students in the practical component of their apprenticeship.

Language Barrier

Examination papers should be available in Afrikaans and English. With regard to African languages, each province should select the one that is spoken by the majority of learners and have papers available in English, Afrikaans and the identified African language. If the status quo remains that English and Afrikaans remain the dominant choice of language of learning and teaching (LOLT), then these languages should be supported through the provision of:

Appropriate text Plentiful, appropriate supplementary readers for all grades to enable that all learners

have daily access to reading for pleasure in private/ non teaching environments.

Homeless Children/Orphans

Farm schools and one teacher schools need to be centralised, placed at school with boarding facilities and the state provide free education. By so doing reasonable equal, free and quality education may be provided.

Values in Education

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History should occupy a significant place in the curriculum to facilitate the realisation of the much needed values of tolerance, human rights and nation building.

Monitoring of school attendance

The constitution of the country assures compulsory general education for learners up to grade 9. The department should consider appointing officers to monitor and supervise the compulsory attendance of learners in each designated community. This exercise would potentially impact on reducing crime in the future with the objective of creating a free and safe environment for all.

3. UkuFunda

UkuFunda outlined the support that they provide to educators and schools in holistic learner development. The organisation, which consists of a team of four educational professionals, has designed a web-based and CD-based programme that provides support in three key components:

• Academic support,• Emotional well-being and• Socio-Economic factors.

The main focus is to assist educators to be multi-skilled in working with learners with different kinds of difficulties. Many educators are trained to teach their specific learning areas and need to extend their skills. In every component the educator is assisted with step by step instructions to deal with various situations effectively. Assistance is given in areas such as:

subject choices for grade 10, inclusive education in the classroom, and trauma and welfare situations.

Educators can log on to the UkuFunda system and access guidelines and supportive structures in order to handle various challenges. If the educator is unable to find a solution to his/her specific problem the UkuFunda helpline can be called for further assistance from a relevant specialist.

UkuFunda provides basic training for educators to use their system as well as quarterly contact sessions in every participating province, where training on a specific issue is given.

4. Funda Afrika

Funda Afrika is a Section 21 non-governmental organisation (NGO) focusing on the management of school development and transformation programmes and working primarily in disadvantaged schools in rural areas and townships. The organisation (incorporating a

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separate submission by its partner, Ukuthula Projects which operate in Mpumalanga) made the following points:

Teacher Development

Cascaded training of subject advisors/curriculum implementers provided by the state has not been effective. This has been supported by the findings of the curriculum implementation review.

Inclusion

Public schools experience challenges with regard to the inclusion policy. Rural schools in particular are in great need of guidance and training in the approaches and methodologies required to successfully integrate the learning-challenged into their teaching practice.

School Location and Access

Township schools in many locations are severely under-enrolled since many younger couples with children move out of the schools’ feeder areas, while other areas lack the capacity of schools to cope with the influx of children of school-going age. This may lead to empty school buildings in one area while schools in more popular areas become entirely over-enrolled.

Effective schools draw learners from further afield because of the quality of teaching and learning in the institutions. Apart from the need for new schools and additional classrooms, the real challenge lies in empowering schools to provide the highest quality of service of which they are capable.

The case of Mpumalanga:

No-fee schools

Schools need access to government funding, often lacking due to inefficient governmental administration. The quintile system by which funds are allocated to public schools is ineffective. The schools receive the Government grant as per their quintile only after their books have been audited. In Mpumalanga, although many of the schools have already submitted their financial report to the Department of Basic Education (DoBE), to date (15 May 2010) no monies have been credited to their school accounts. Consequently, many of these schools are reportedly attempting to operate on a zero balance. In Shaga Primary farm school, under the Mashishing Circuit, the principal has already had to use about R10 000 of her own funds to keep the school operating.

Textbooks

Few schools in Mpumalanga receive textbooks each year and no school furniture was delivered despite the fact that they have made several such requests over a period of ten years. The textbooks delivered are not those requested by the educators. It appears that the Mpumalanga DoBE uses only one or two publishers. Educators complain that these textbooks are not user-friendly and that other titles are preferable. This begs the question of how, and within which parameters and criteria policy is being implemented.

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Infrastructure

There are many schools that are seriously in need of renovation and some that were placed on the priority list five years ago have still not been renovated. These schools are unsafe for learners and staff as ceilings are collapsing, roofs are leaking, and the toilets are in a shocking state.

Inclusive education

The academic results of South African schools are below standard because there are many learners with learning challenges who are not being catered for. According to the submission, there are only two diagnostic psychiatrists in Mpumalanga. Requests to assess learners are not met. There are some children who should be attending special needs schools. The submission gives illustrations of cases of a mentally challenged child in one school and a deaf child in another for whom educators are not equipped or trained to help. In most schools there are no teachers with remedial qualifications nor planned remedial programmes for learners after school. In many cases this is affected by the fact that learners have to catch scholar transport after the morning session. Existing teacher training does not equip educators to diagnose learners with problems such as dyslexia and autism.

Promotion policies

Many learners in the upper grades are unable to read though are condoned to the next grade, as required by existing policy of the department.

Reading period

The initiative of the Department to have a daily reading period in schools often fails at school level as the teachers don’t use it to work with the learners who are unable to read. Educators instruct children to go read a book, which they have not yet learnt how to, nor do they understand the meaning of the English words.

Lack of supervision from Heads of Departments

Heads of Departments (HODs) do not understand their roles as managers of curriculum delivery. It is understood that in the ubuntu style of leadership, managers do not like to offend fellow educators, therefore do not comply with holding educators accountable for inefficient performance. Most educators do not have pace-setter dates on their work-schedules and do not do daily lesson plans as a result. There is little work to show for quality teaching in learners’ books.

Impact of sudden transfer of educators

Redeployment and transfers of educators and especially HODs without giving a term’s notice creates problems in schools where re-deployed educators leave within a week’s notice and

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the school is left with a vacant post. The filling of advertised posts appears to take a long time.

Recommendations

Funda Afrika (and its partner, Ukuthula Projects) proposed the following recommendations:

Curriculum Content and Teacher Development

The organisation welcomes the department’s return to basics and the provision of workbooks and teacher guides but cautions that while providing the basics in terms of syllabi, teaching and learning materials should contain enough stimulation for the able and interested teachers and learners to explore, experiment with and extend their imagination.

The training of subject advisors/curriculum implementers should be centralised in a number of suitable centres, by the most experienced educator trainers available for a period of time, at least three weeks for each target group which would be sufficient for sustainable capacitation.

Inclusion

There are numbers of counsellors and psychologists in the private/independent sphere who would be willing to give of their time to either engage with schools directly or to train the departmental trainers.

School access (no-fee school policy)

State funds should be allocated to schools timeously on the basis of the financial capacity of learners’ families.

Ukuthula Projects’ recommendations:

Government grant

Schools should have the Government grant plus their paper budget deposited into their school accounts as soon as they submit their audited statements. Since schools have finance committees and their statements are audited successfully, they should be able to decide how their budget is spent. For example, besides being able to choose their own textbooks, it should also be possible for schools to decide on using their budget for making improvements in infrastructure or buying equipment such as computers. It is the opinion of this facilitator that the Department is not empowering schools to take responsibility for their own development and that this is reminiscent of the paternal attitude the Apartheid government showed to black communities. For schools that cannot manage their finances, the Department should train financial officers in basic school finance management through workshops. NGOs can be of assistance here as well.

Transfer of educators

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No educator should be re-deployed unless the post at their present school has been advertised and filled.

Role of Heads of Departments (HODs)

The DoE should also be training HOD’s in their roles as Middle Managers in monitoring the delivery of quality education. Educators should be held accountable for non-performance.

Monitoring of infrastructure delivery

Site visits should be carried out by the Department at schools prioritised for renovations to verify whether they are actually carried out in the year they were scheduled.Review of district structure Most of the challenges regarding school support appear to be at Regional level. Circuit managers pass on requests and problems from schools to regional offices but these are not responded to. It is recommended that regional offices be discontinued and that more circuit offices be set up to support the needs of fewer schools. At present one circuit manager has to manage 40 – 60 schools. If more circuit managers were appointed to manage between 15-20 schools, the circuit manager would have time to visit schools and monitor the situation on the ground. If circuit managers are not in a position to assist the schools directly, requests for support should go straight to a central office at provincial level where requests are less likely to go missing. In other words, the present structure is too cumbersome, with too many channels which are not effective.

Need for a vocational steam

According to the submission, there are only two technical colleges in Mpumalanga and these are far quite remote. Learners are forced to continue with an academic course even though their chances to pass matric are limited due to reading difficulties and other learning challenges. Ukuthula Projects submit that if there were more FET colleges offering trades such as plumbing, electrical work, carpentry and upholstery, schools could direct such learners to those colleges. They would then more likely become useful citizens with a sense of self-worth rather than unemployed adults without a matric with a tendency to consider themselves as failures.

5. North West University

Prof HJ Steyn introduced the concept of the Digital Book Disk (DBD) in Education to the Committee. The DBD-support-in-education was developed over the past ten years through research and was tested during the last three years through case studies. It was proven that the DBD-support-in-education managed to increase productivity in education by at least 20% (a 15% increase in education achievement and a 25% decrease in input cost).

The DBD is an e-book operating on a DVD basis and requiring a TV and DVD-player to access the programme. Thus, it is much more accessible than computer material. A finding of the Household Survey (2007) discovered that approximately 67% of South African households own a TV whilst a mere 15,7% have internet access. Their own calculations show that about 95% of all South African learners have direct access to a TV and DVD player. Prof Steyn is convinced that the DBD-support-in-education needs a pilot study of its implementation in a particular learning area or subject of a particular school phase to determine if this programme,

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a first in the world for South Africa, can provide an instrument to solve some of the problems experienced in South African education. Simultaneously the DBD-support-in-education could be implemented in other countries.

The DBD-support is based on the following contemporary theoretical perspectives of teaching and learning:

The teacher as facilitator: The “teaching” is being done through the DBD on the TV. This means that the teacher no longer occupies centre-stage (teacher centred) in the classroom, though the learning becomes the focal point of the learning activities (learner centred). Teacher participation is still of utmost importance in the support of individual learners to acquire the relevant competencies. It is important to note that learning is an independent activity and each learner should be supported to achieve maximum learning capacity according to his/her unique ability, aptitude and interest.

Individualisation: Because the ‘teaching’ is being conducted via television by experienced teachers, the class teacher/facilitator has the opportunity and time to move ‘amongst’ the learners and assist particular learners in executing the learning tasks.

Enrichment: Because the lessons are delivered through a DVD, other aspects enter into the classroom environment.

Repetition: One of the main aspects in any learning strategy employed by learners is ‘repetition’. In the eCindi programme this aspect is explicitly planned to support the learners, through repetition of work in order to ensure the maximum learning profit possible.

Dr Steyn submits that some of the advantages of the DBD-support include the following:

The DVD-in-education provides teachers with “…what to teach and how to

teach..” as well as why a particular subject is taught in this fashion.

Grade R: has the potential to reach the target for 2014. This results in strengthening the communities by strengthening its institutions.

The DBD can serve as a powerful instrument in teacher development since

educators obtain insight through their coaching and actual practice.

The provision for teaching learners in their home language as well as fostering the need for proficiency in English.

Increased productivity in education (an increase in educational achievement and a decrease in input cost).

6. John Knipe (Chairperson: SGB)

Mr Knipe identifies the following problem areas in the current state of education:

Teacher morale

Many good educators are demoralised as a result of poor pay (particularly young men), a lack of recognition for their efforts and learner indiscipline. The submission observes that small

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pockets of excellence battle with uncaring departmental officials who behave, in the main, in an officious manner and do not do their work or comply with the laws that apply to them.

Literacy and numeracy

Poorly educated learners emerge from the system (the submission refers to a current drop out rate of approximately 60% over a 12 year term).

Mother tongue education

To educate young children in a language other than their own is educationally unsound. The submission further appreciates that English (as an international language) should be learned as well and as early as possible to enable children to communicate effectively with other people elsewhere.

Recommendations

Mr Knipe offers the following recommendations:

Mother tongue education

Learners should be taught in mother tongue to the end of junior primary school (with English being taught in a good number of subjects per week). At the end of junior school and high schools, learners should be taught in English (or other language of choice) with an intensive transition year to support those young people whom may well not have been exposed to English in their early years.

Teach the basics

Literacy, numeracy and problem solving should be at the heart of most learning and need to be well and appropriately established early.

Allow excellence

Schools that offer high standards should be allowed to excel and be supported fully by the Department. Schools that do not do as well should be encouraged to learn from the top schools and strive to be equal if not better than the best schools. Support for dedicated and successful principals should be non-negotiable.

Breed quality teachers

Bursaries should be offered to talented pupils to pursue teaching. There is a need to instil a National pride in teaching. Difficult decisions need to be made in order to assess quality teachers and support them. Competent educators should be paid well and those who don’t perform, their remuneration should reflect their ability.

Punish poor performance

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Lazy incompetent educators should be fired. On the other hand, educators should be empowered to impose discipline in classrooms and in and around schools. Children who do not adjust and are disruptive to the learning process need to be disciplined and if that does not work, expelled. The Department must support and not undermine educators and schools in this regard.

Competent managers

Any system needs good managers and all teachers should be appraised on a regular basis. The Department of Education must be staffed by competent managers who understand education and who can make decisions quickly and correctly. They should be provided with the necessary autonomy to maintain and support excellence.

Special schools

The Department of Education should support fully special needs schools and institutions that cater specifically for ‘difficult’ children, e.g. schools of industry.

Day 2: Tuesday, 18 May 2010

1. Westcliff School of Skills Mr. J S Van Schalkwyk

The presentation focused on schools of skills. The schools cater for learners who normally cannot progress in mainstream schools, have a very low self esteem with no self-confidence – and are years behind their age group. The learners have limited interest in academics and were practically orientated. Many were cognitively mildly disabled with behavioral problems due to frustrations. They found the tempo at mainstream schools too fast and found routine essential. Many of the challenges faced by these learners included:

• Alcohol syndrome learners• Drug Abuse• ± 80% ADHD and ADD• Hard of hearing• Physically disabled• Epilepsy etc.• Broken homes• Emotionally neglected• Low socio-economic level (generally

The presentation highlighted the challenges presented by the current Curriculum to these kinds of learners. The NCS curriculum is mainly academic rather than vocational and this puts a barrier to learners who are more technical oriented or who are not academically at par due to their condition. FET colleges are not a solution to these learners because of their admission requirement which is academically oriented. The curriculum is 50% theory and 50% vocational.

Recommendations

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Schools of skills should be more vocational than theoretical. Vocational education should be introduced at mainstream schools as well with more vocational subjects and more practical work. The education system must make space for the vocational schools in the mainstream schooling because there are learners who don’t want to be academics while others need to quickly have skills, find work and fend for their families.

2. Western Cape Primary Science Programme Mascha Ainlie

The Western Cape Primary Science Programme (PSP) has been operating since 1985 and consisted of a teacher in-service education organization that aims to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the most under resourced disadvantaged primary schools in the Cape Town and Boland areas. Their submission touched on the following areas:

Curriculum Content

The National curriculum must be written in clear, simple language relevant to the South African context. It must be easily understood by speakers of languages other than English. It should be written by people who know the subjects and who are also aware of the reality teachers face in all areas, including rural and disadvantaged communities. The syllabus/work schedule should be specified per subject and per grade and provided by term. Flexibility should be built in as to the order or sequence in which the work can be done to take into account the different seasonal variations around the country. The curriculum should be checked by a team of appropriate people, consisting of subject specialists, teachers, curriculum specialists, as well as editors.

Teacher In-Service Training

Well-trained, professional, accountable, responsible and developed teachers, who are registered with SACE, are the key to quality education. Broad-based in-service teacher development should be mandatory, and should be run by organizations that are proven in their field and have a track record. Teachers should renew their licenses on a 5 yearly basis. Teachers should be assessed on their professionalism (time on task, ability to work with colleagues, classroom management, personal development, good communication, etc.). Teachers should also be assessed on their ability to teach their subject(s) and there should be unannounced visits to classrooms. Teacher in-service training should be coordinated by circuit managers; provided by experts such as reputable NGOs; and supported in the classroom by curriculum advisors who have been appropriately trained to do so.

Learning and Teaching Support Materials

The content of teaching and learning materials must be accurate, in line with the curriculum, logical and well written. Alternative materials additional to the textbooks must be made available to provide extra stimulation and interest for learners. A selection of good textbooks should be made available to teachers to choose from. Teachers should be encouraged to make use of a variety of textbooks when preparing their lessons.

Class Size

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Currently large class size is a major contributing factor to poor discipline poor teaching and poor learner performance. Where large classes are prevalent trained teacher assistants must be provided. Team teaching is also a potential solution. Class sizes should be reduced to 35 maximum where possible and 30 maximum in very poor schools. In oversubscribed schools, with large class sizes, we recommend that trained teacher assistants are provided.

Managerial Capacity at Schools

School managers need to be trained by service providers who are experts in their field. The training should be co-coordinated by circuit managers. HODs should also be trained in curriculum management techniques. It should be a requirement of all school managers that they identify teachers in need of in-service training, and arrange for the necessary training to take place.

Inclusive Education/Special Schools

Children with severe learning difficulties (for example children with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome) are intimidated by the work required by the curriculum. This leads to negative behavior, which in turn negatively affects any learning they can do. We believe that these children need proper care in special classrooms where they can flourish. Teachers, who work in classrooms where there are children with severe learning difficulties, need ongoing specialized support from experts, as well as appropriately trained teacher assistants. Frequent health checks should be conducted in all primary schools and appropriate treatment should be available. In rural areas where parents are very poor, the education department should provide easy access to psychologists, nurses, speech therapists etc.

Recommendations

This programme assists teachers when they battle with textbooks that are provided. Textbooks are based on the topics that are complicated and their background information is not relevant to the country’s context. New and difficult content and topics need teachers to prepare more through research and this is where this programme can assist.

3. Social Surveys Africa Dr. Sabine Strassburg

This submission presented findings from a nationally representative household study on access to education in South Africa, undertaken by Social Surveys and the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS). The fieldwork for this study was conducted in late 2007. The findings of the survey were presented to the Department of Basic Education in December 2009 and January 2010, and will be presented to the Minister of Basic Education in March 2010. Social Surveys Africa therefore collected data on:

The proportion of children who are not starting school at the right age; Enrolment rates; The proportion of children and youth who left school before completion of Matric; The proportion of children who miss school temporarily for extended periods of time;

and The proportion of children who repeat a grade.

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Although access to education is high it does not translate into high completion of Matric. Only 38.8% of 19 to 25 year olds have in fact completed Matric (2 343 112 learners), which is considered to be a vital requirement for entry into the formal job market. The most pressing issue is thus not getting learners into the system, but rather getting them through the system. The Social Surveys-CALS study shows that where children in the 7 to 15 age group are out of school it is the result of very localized, household or child specific experiences, primarily in the context of household poverty.

The survey clearly showed that school attendance for youth on commercial farms in the 16 to 18 age group is far lower than the other settlement types, followed by attendance for youth living in informal settlements. Coloured youth are far more vulnerable to being out of school than black, white or Indian youth: 21.4% of coloured youth were out of school in 2007, versus 4.2% white youth. Male coloured youth are more likely to be out of school in the 16 to 18 age group, than female coloured youth: 29% of coloured boys (aged 16 to 18) were out of school, versus 18% of coloured girls.

They suggest that vulnerabilities related to school drop out as a result of disability is an area we need to explore further, and research specifically dedicated to disabled children and access to education and a range of other services is urgently needed. Most common reasons for leaving school in the 7 to 18 age group based on our household survey were:

Household poverty and the cost of education; Teenage pregnancy (biggest problem facing female youth); Disengagement from / lack of interest in schooling; and Repetition and being older than most peers in the grade (see section on repetition

below).

Teenage pregnancy was mentioned as the number one reasons for girls to drop out of school. According to the Reproductive Health Research Unit (2003), the greatest jump in teenage (15-24 year olds) pregnancy and HIV infection is in fact associated with school-drop-out. While some girls get pregnant and leave school, most girls leave school (for various reasons – see above) and then fall pregnant. Dropping out of school not only increases risk of pregnancy, it also significantly increases risk of HIV.

It has also been found that repetition is high in Grade 1 and in senior grades; especially in Grade 11 (possibly due to pressure on schools to produce good Matric results). Our data suggests that every second learner in Matric in 2007 had repeated a year by the time they reached their final year of schooling. Studies have found that children residing in households where English was mentioned as one of the home languages were far less likely to repeat a grade than children who did not include English as a home language. Anecdotal evidence suggests that parents want their children to study in English rather than in their own home language. Possible reasons are:

to ensure a successful financial and social future parents may think it necessary for pupils to know an international language such as English;

parents may believe that the job market demands knowledge of English; studies can not be completed at secondary and tertiary level in African languages; schools where African languages are used as medium of instruction might not have the

same resources and expertise due to the injustices and policies of the past; and schools (formerly advantaged or disadvantaged) might not have the infrastructure or

even motivation to accommodate more languages

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Social Surveys will be conducting further research this year on over-age learners in secondary schools in South Africa.

Recommendations

The Department should check if the academic stream is not contributing to high drop rate because some learners may not be coping in such a stream. May be a way to go may be to introduce more schools of skills so that learners who are academically challenged can be accommodated. The education system should create ample choices in the type of education the children want to have.

4. Bergville Primary School Mrs. Green

The submission from Principal Green covered points that were a summary of input supplied by a number of staff members:

Curriculum Content

Subjects

The current curriculum needs some revision as it was too big a jump from three subjects in Grade 3 to nine in Grade 4. They suggest that EMS be introduced only in Grade 6 – it is a good valuable subject but the concepts are very difficult for Grade 4 and 5 learners. Technology could also be delayed until Grade 6 or 7 or even 8. Aspects of technology can always be introduced into Arts and Culture. They would not like to see Arts and Culture or Life Orientation removed from the Intermediate Phase as they are extremely valuable and important subjects.

Natural Science

The policy document is extremely difficult to implement because the curriculum content is not divided up into the different grades. One is given the four themes and then everything is listed all together and it is extremely difficult to know what areas must be covered in which grade.

Planning

They argue for a return to the old system of planning, with a work schedule of the year’s work, divided up into terms and a day book for each teacher. They are against lesson plans as they are far too time-consuming and unnecessary, especially for experienced teachers.

Teacher Development

If there are to be changes to the curriculum and the requirements of teachers, there must be adequate and competent training offered to teachers – beyond school hours.

Role and Function of the Offices of the Department of Education

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The Department offices should be there to support and enhance the work done in the schools – the opposite is true in practice. They make the functioning of the school problematic and difficult.

Officials do not respond to phone calls or letters; appointments and processing of resignations and retirements take an unacceptably long time.

There is virtually no support from Subject Advisers; in the last three years they have had ONE visit from ONE official to my school.

Departments, like the PGSS, are ineffectual and incompetent; when one requests an evaluation of a child with problems, it takes the official two or three months to come to one’s school. Children’s lives are being devastated because these people do not do their jobs properly. If their problem is understaffing, then they must be adequately staffed.

Dissemination of information from District or Head office is totally ineffective; I rely on information from the Teacher Unions rather than from Dept of Education offices. If we do receive circulars, they arrive often the day after or a week after the event or due date. Some schools receive information and others not

Forms submitted are lost and mislaid, somewhere in the chain and then the school is required to re-copy and re-submit; schools have to waste their precious money because of the inefficiency of the Departmental offices.

Admission Age

They are apposed to the admission of 5 year old learners to Grade 1 as they are not ready to start reading and writing - and so many have learning difficulties. Aged 6, turning 7, is a far more realistic and manageable age to start Grade 1. The ruling, too, that no child may repeat Grade R is also wrong - if a child completes Grade R and has not developed all the skills and competencies required, then he will not cope with Grade 1.

Recommendations

5. University of Free State Dr. E. Van Zyl

The submission dealt with the following areas:

School Readiness

Learners can be seen as school ready when they perform successfully when entering the formal school in Grade 1. Dr Van Zyl mentioned the qualifying criteria for successful school entry which included:

Cognitive skills that include language and literacy abilities Physical skills like perceptual and motor Adequate emotional development Social skills Self-regulation skills

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All the above mentioned skills will be influenced by demographic factors such as age, gender and socio-economic status.

School Performance

This refers to the progress children make in all aspects of their school career. Successful school performance are build upon cognitive, physical, emotional, social adjustment and self-regulating skills like distractibility, adaptability and paying attention, following instruction and inhibiting inappropriate actions. A learner’s school performance can be stymied by a lack of school readiness but school readiness requires much more than only academic skills.

The Effect of School Readiness on School Performance

Research showed an inter-correlation between school readiness and school performance - an empirical longitudinal, quantitative research has been conducted to study the effect of school readiness on school performance. A school readiness test was applied to one-hundred and fifty seven (157) Grade 1 learners. The learner’s dates of birth and their academic records (Home language and Maths) for the Grade 1 July examinations as well as their Grade 4 November examinations were recorded.

A Correlation between School Readiness and School Performance in Gr 1

All of the eight sub-tests of the school readiness test correlated highly significantly with the learner’s performance for home language in Grade 1. Six of the eight sub-tests of the school readiness test correlated highly significantly with the learner’s performance for Mathematics in Grade 1. Thus, all except two of the school readiness sub-tests correlate highly significantly with school performance in Home Language and Mathematics. This means that if the learner did not perform well on the school readiness test, he/she most probably will perform poorly in Home Language and Mathematics in Grade 1. If, on the other hand, he/she performs well on the school readiness test, he/she will most probably perform well in Grade 1.

A Correlation between School Readiness and School Performance in Gr 4

Two sub-tests of the school readiness test had a highly significant correlation with the learner’s performance in Home Language in Grade 4. Five of the sub-tests of the school readiness test had a significant correlation with the learner’s performance in Home Language in Grade 4.

Four of the sub-tests of the school readiness test had a highly significant correlation with the learner’s performance in Mathematics in Grade 4. Two of the sub-tests of the school readiness test had a significant correlation with the learner’s performance in Mathematics in Grade 4.

Out of the above mentioned it can be concluded that school readiness is a very relevant concept and children with learning problems or a specific backlog or underdeveloped learning skills can be identified with a school readiness test. An intervention programme can then be timeously implemented for children with learning difficulties.

The importance of a Screening Tool for School Readiness

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A lack of school readiness has a detrimental effect on the learner’s school performance throughout his/her life. Therefore it is imperative that in South Africa, as many learners as possible should go to school, ready for learning in the formal situation. If most of the learners that enter Grade 1 are ready for learning to read, write and do mathematics it will have a positive effect on education in the country as a whole.

Regarding the above mentioned, learners in Grade R should be screened for school readiness. To obtain this goal, teachers should be empowered to assess the school readiness of the learners in their class. This will have a twofold effect: not only will the teacher become aware of the level of school readiness of every learner, but she then can take timeous action and implement a programme to intercept the shortcomings and thus improve her own teaching by concentrating on areas that are not fully developed yet.

Recommendations

Formal education should be preceded by too much playing exercises. The education system should prepare children in totality. Take screening to the community. Train Grade R teachers with 4 years basic teachers training can be trained to use the screening tools.

Day 3: Wednesday, 19 May 2010

1. Marius Jooste (Senior Education Specialist, Intermediate Phase, Technology)

Mr Jooste submission supports the basic principles and characteristics of OBE. But argues that due to the structure of the NCS – what was intended was not achieved. The focus should be the adaptations to the structure and composition of the National Curriculum.

The submission identifies the following problem areas:

Curriculum approach

The introduction of OBE was characterised by top-down approaches which failed to relate change to what teachers knew and were trained in. This has left teachers confused and insecure. In most instances, there has been no fundamental change to teachers’ approach to learning and teaching but teachers failed to see this as they were bombarded with new terminology and concepts for what they were already doing. Another important factor was that most principals were the last to understand what was going on and failed to make sense of change.

Curriculum structure and design

Assessment standards: Assessment standards are a central curriculum organising devise for the curriculum which detail expected knowledge, skills and values/attitudes. The submission indicates that they are at times vague and limited in the extent to which they show scope, sequence, pace and progression. This varies from one learning area/subject to another. The manner in which knowledge, skills and values have been integrated, often within the same assessment

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standard, calls for a specific interpretation, often not envisaged by the teacher and therefore not easily interpreted into usable activities.

Consequently teachers continue teaching the content which they are used to teach prior to 1998 - teachers then randomly select assessment standards to match what they are teaching, often neglecting most of the assessment standards. Learners progress with many AS’s not done and not achieving those done, creating an accumulated backlog.

Content

The NCS has failed to effectively address content, especially the scope and sequence of the curriculum to be taught. Findings of the recent Ministerial Review of the NCS suggest that this problem is more evident in the GET phases than the FET Phase.

Language usage

The language used in the National Curriculum Statements, is not what teachers are used to and they find it difficult to identify the knowledge, skills and values within them which they are used to teaching their learners. You have to be proficient in English to interpret the correct meaning in each Outcome and Assessment Standard.

Too much expectations from the teachers

Generally far too much decision making of what to teach, in which order it must be taught and which skills are important before the next skill is taught, is left up to the teacher. Most teachers feel insecure about whether they are interpreting the assessment standards correctly and whether they are teaching the right knowledge, skills and values at the right time.

With only a NCS document in their hand, Guidelines for Learning Programmes and the National Protocol on Assessment (NPA), the three levels of planning expected from teachers, for most teachers, putting a Learning Programme together from scratch is not an easy task but takes a lot of preparation and research and careful reading and understanding of the Assessment Standards as a whole.

Recommendations

In order to make the Curriculum and Curriculum Statements work for teachers, there is a need a better structure of the Curriculum and the following seems to be some of the identified characteristics and seems to be the consensus amongst teachers:

The eight Learning Areas as currently taught in schools should remain. The presentation of the Learning Areas Assessment Standards, in its current integrated

format, should be and rewritten to clearly distinguish what knowledge, skills and values should be taught in each Learning Areas and each Grade.

2. SA Institute for Distance Education

The South African Institute for Distance Education (SAIDE) is a not-for-profit organisation with an overall mission to create equitable and meaningful access to knowledge, learning, and skills through the adoption of open learning principles and distance education methods.

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SAIDE believes that curriculum and schooling does not adequately meet the needs of the majority of learners in our country, the mainstream. SAIDE recommends the following:

(a) Rationalise and clarify the functions of the various kinds of support material for the implementation of the curriculum.

(b) Exploit the potential of Open Educational Resources in a coordinated approach to the provision of textbooks.

(c) Ensure that the practice of integration is retained while rationalising subjects/learning areas.

(d) Acknowledge the de facto situation in which Grade 7 is an extension of the intermediate phase rather than the first year of senior phase.

(e) Move to greater standardisation of initial teacher education and foreground the essentials of reading instruction methodology and teachers’ own language improvement.

(f) Conceptualise teacher development as a distributed responsibility across the system as a whole.

(g) Provide structured support for addressing socio-economic barriers to learning. (h) Create greater access to social support

3. Junior Achievement Enterprises

The purpose of Junior Achievement SA is to prepare young people for life after school by raising their awareness of economic issues, teaching them entrepreneurial and life skills, providing them with an understanding of the business world and enhancing their sense of personal responsibility through practical business experience. By contributing to their personal growth, they improve the employability and business capacity of young people.

It is proposed that the appropriate Junior Achievement SA programmes be included as a compulsory requirement of the life skills component of the school curriculum for each grade in high school.

All primary school programmes have been offered to schools for inclusion within the school day. All the programmes have been extremely successfully integrated into the curriculum and have been met with great enthusiasm by the educators. The flagship primary school programme, the Enterprise Dynamics Programme, comprises a series of four programmes that teach young people how the world of economics, and the world of business, works. It is proposed that the appropriate JASA programme be included in the school curriculum for all primary school learners from grades 4 to 7.

4. Izingane Zethu

The Izingane Zethu programme responds to problems affecting children and young people with a distinctive emphasis on children below the age of 6 years by continuously emphasising strong families, care and protection of children, access to services (health care, education, birth registration), awareness through advocacy and social mobilisation, community based responses and government structures that are protecting the most vulnerable children. The emphasis of this programme is preparation of children under 6 years for school readiness.

Schools are supposed to create and promote a healthy and safe environment for children; we see these strategies being implemented by the following:

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People from all the systems impacting on the schools system Ward and district management - DOE School management team All educators in school School governing bodies Learners

Community leadership system Traditional leaders – amakhosi and their traditional councils Municipality managers and other relevant persons Community Based Organisations Faith based organisations

Service systems Health Security Social support

The submission covered the following areas

Access

Govt should not assume and rely on the crèche and preschool system for developing school readiness of South Africa’s children. Children who are most in need for early childhood stimulation are those who do not have access to it. We urge government to formalise a holistic approach to the development of school readiness that is located outside of the formal crèche system to develop school readiness to system building for resilience and self esteem.

Teacher Development

Extremely holistic process including counselling, psycho social support strategies for mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS on children, as well as formal early childhood development education is necessary for a teacher to understand his/her learners.

Curriculum Content

The programme confirms that in grade 1, children who were part of family based ECD perform better than those from a centre based ECD programme. This is due to individual attention that is given to these children. Other contributory factors include improvement of quality of life of their families and intervention that is not only meant to enable them to count, but an intervention that is interested in their total being.

Managerial Capacity

School Governing Bodies (SGB’s) members need to be capacitated in bookkeeping and policies to avoid exploitation of power by principals. Capacity is needed for SGBs to be able to initiate and contribute to carry the vision of the school and be part of integrated school improvement plans. Governance issues need to be addressed clearly among SGBs so that they will better understand their roles in schools.

Specialisation

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There is limited and in some cases no capacity for schools to deal with children with disabilities in mainstream schools.

5. Lawyers for Human Rights + Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in SA (CoRMSA)

This joint submission dealt with the difficulties faced by foreign children in accessing education. Both Lawyers for Human Rights and CoRMSA have an interest in ensuring that all children have access to basic education in South Africa. The South African government is obliged to provide adequate primary schooling for all children. All asylum seeker and refugee children have a right to primary education and are entitled to the same access to schooling as any South African child. Furthermore, primary schooling is compulsory in South Africa.

If a child has been refused admission to a public school, the school principal must give a written explanation of why the learner was not admitted. In cases of foreign children, especially refugee and asylum seeker children, schools have not been willing to engage with parents/care givers. Certain school principals have been resistant to receiving learners/care givers, and are further refusing to advise them or refer to the Department of Education at the District level. The policy stipulates that the following documents are required to register a child at a public school:

1. Birth certificate

2. Immunization card

3. Transfer card / Last school report card

The policy makes provision for a child to be registered provisionally if these documents are not available and the parent/guardian may be given a reasonable time to produce these documents. It is found that schools are generally turning learners away if they are unable to produce any of these documents. There is no attempt to assist learners or to provisionally accept them, pending the availability of these documents.

Parents/care givers of refugee, asylum seeker and even undocumented children have great difficulty in accessing the forms for fee exemptions.

Recommendations

The Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa made recommendations around the issue of foreign children’s rights of access to education in its 2009 report. Lawyers for Human Rights & CoRMSA recommend the following:

The Department of Education needs to clarify the conflict between the South African Schools Act and the Immigration Act to ensure that children are not excluded from their right to basic education as a result of the ambiguous wording in section 39 of the Immigration Act.

Revise the Admission Policy for Ordinary Public Schools to reflect the right of children without South African birth certificates to access education.

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Remove the reference to the Aliens Control Act from the Admission Policy for Ordinary Public Schools, replacing it with reference to the Immigration Act of 2002.

Ensure that all schools are trained to recognise the various forms of refugee and asylum documentation and grant children access on the basis of these documents.

DoE needs to further find systematic ways (possibly through subsidies) of addressing the hidden costs of education like school uniforms, transport to schools and these should be extended to cover refugee/migrant children.

Enhance capacity-building and training of all school staff members to address issues of xenophobia and to improve different groups of foreigners’ access to education; there is therefore a need for the Race and Values Directorate within DoE to intensify its work.

The Department of Education (DoE) should issue a directive to all schools to ensure that their admission policies do not require study permits from children who did not enter the country under such a permit (for instance, asylum seeker/refugee children

The DoE should work together with the Department of Social Development to facilitate access for permanent and circular migrant children to schools and shelters.

DoE should work closely with other government departments (e.g. SAPS, Department of Labour) to ensure that the rights of refugee/migrant children are not violated and that they are not denied access to education. This is especially important in cases of child labour when children are supposed to be at school.

The DoE should intensify its engagement with the Department of Social Development to identify cases needing social work intervention before this has a negative effect on a learner. This is also important where refugee/migrant children need to be linked with programmes like Bana Pele. On the other hand, the Department of Social Development should increase the number of social workers who can assist unaccompanied minors and work closely with humanitarian agencies, including community‐based organisations. It should also support the development of in‐house training for social workers

Civil society and government should work to extend services for children to areas near the borders with Lesotho and Mozambique and this includes the right to education.

6. Education Support Services Trust (ESST)

The submission mainly dealt with the issues around Curriculum Content. Learners cannot be dependant on a teacher to learn. It is noteworthy that literature on the characteristics of a good teacher prioritises the teacher’s personal qualities; being interesting, dynamic, and having a sense of vocation or calling to teach, i.e. qualities which elicit enthusiasm and curiosity in learners. Nowhere does one read that a perfect mastery of content or even ability to disseminate content accurately is what makes a good teacher.

The vision behind the curriculum and the intentions need to be clearly articulated so that the teachers buy into it. Learners should be exposed to resources and activities which excite them and invite them to participate. Material used, rather than the teacher alone, becomes central to the flavour of the lesson. Some of the difficulties of this transition towards learner-centeredness have been because of the gap the transition left culturally for learners from non-middle class, non-Western cultures.

In order for a classroom to become learner centered it needs first to become learning centered. Otherwise the set of assumptions that require the success of learner centeredness will fail the attempt to implement learner centeredness in the classroom. A learning-centred

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classroom is characterised by learners learning in a variety of contexts – and developing a language for learning and a value for it – as well as for those cognitive skills learning requires. Learning-centredness implies a communicative element in the material to which learners (and teachers) are exposed. This brings the process of the deconstruction of content into effect.

The above suggestions need not replace an existing curriculum, but can be introduced alongside the existing (or some variation of the existing) curriculum. Instead of dividing the whole day into 40 minutes slots, we suggest a two hour period where there is more flexibility than the formal curriculum allows for. These two hours can be used to develop and deepen any aspect of the week’s learning.

Recommendations:

- The classroom needs to be defined as a place of learning, not of teaching.- Since the focus in a learning-centred classroom is on learning, class size

becomes of secondary importance. The material and methodology ensure that all learners are engaged in learning.

- Life skills, including values, are an integral part of a learning-centred classroom.

- Teacher salaries should be commensurate with the high trust we place in them.

- Local leaders from business, civil society and the academic world form think-tank committees that agree on how learners in particular grades can interact with the challenges that beset it according to their learning areas and grades.

- Curriculum development teams and specialists including teachers will then adapt these to the grade and unit standards.

- Problem solving should be taught in a values based way so that in considering the solution of any problem the values of justice, peace and compassion or ubuntu are considered as a baseline determinant of whether a solution is tenable.

Day 4: Tuesday, 25 May 2010

1. SA Media

Continuous coverage in the news media, statements and statistics from the Department of Basic Education and various other educational experts, confirm this crisis. It is recently reported that the OBE school curriculum be revised as a priority. One of the reasons for this poor standard of literacy is the lack of, or accessibility of libraries. Out of the + 26 700 public schools, only + 8% have functional libraries.

SA Media is developed over years as a one of a kind information service by the UFS and can be seen as a national asset that must be utilized to its fullest potential and in this case an effective school information service. (6, 4 million articles are available on our website, updated with + 120 000 annually). Articles are grouped into 23 categories, for example

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economics, health, education, African affairs, foreign affairs, transport, agriculture, sport, tourism, etc.

Articles are grouped into 23 categories, for example economics, health, education, African affairs, foreign affairs, transport, agriculture, sport, tourism, etc. A pre-requisite for schools are computer internet accessibility as with the implementation of the Gauteng Online project, most provincial schools have computer internet connectivity.

2. Pestalozzi Trust

The existence of and the right to non-institutional education is effectively recognised in Sec 4 and 51 of the South African Schools Act (84 of 1996 – “SASA”). However, at the level of subordinate legislation, policy and implementation, there has, especially over the past few years, been a trend to recognise only institutional education, thereby reducing access to education.

With the introduction of the new National Senior Certificate three years ago, access to a “matric” certificate was completely closed for those preferring or reliant on non-institutional education. The examination is now only available to candidates who have been registered with some kind of accredited institution for at least three years (which might soon become four years).

“Access to education”, means empowering everyone who has abilities and a willingness to share them to do so. It means that if a grandmother in a village is able to teach children to read and write at her kitchen table, she should be encouraged to do so. The drive to institutionalize all education arises, we believe, from an erroneous conflation of two different (and opposite) provisions of the Constitution – Sections 29(1) and 29(3). The right to education – Sec 29(1) is not limited to a right to receive the institutionalized education contemplated in Sec 29(3). And, conversely, the right to provide education in accordance with Sec 29(3) does not necessarily ensure access to education as contemplated in Sec 29(1).

Accordingly, we strongly recommend: While the necessary educational institutions must continue to be proved, access to

education should not be further reduced by forced institutionalization of all education.

Access to education should and can be improved very cost effectively by empowering individuals and organs of civil society to provide non-institutional education by sharing whatever knowledge, skills and values they possess and which are not being successfully (or cost effectively) taught in schools.

Access to education should be improved by providing recognition for education obtained through non-institutional means.

3. Mind Lab

Ms Charles is the sole owner of a small business, called Mind Lab, which was formed in response to the need for Cognitive Education in schools in South Africa. She came across the program while searching for something to assist her children develop the necessary thinking skills required in high school. She realized that such a program, needs to be implemented in primary school in order for it to be effective in high school and life thereafter.

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The critical success factors espoused by the OBE curriculum regarding thinking skills had very little or no material or tools that were provided to educators to teach children how to develop their critical, creative thinking skills. There was a need for creative and critical thinking abilities for effective problem-solving at home, school, at work and in life.

She believes that Cognitive Education should be a recognized part of the curriculum and not assumed will take place by default during all lessons. Despite belief until now, intelligence can be learned and therefore awareness of thinking and thinking patterns can be taught. There is a need for:

Teachers and adults to be aware of the attributes of `good thinking’ themselves, in order to be able to teach and model these to our students

To help children / people in the workplace, become autonomous thinkers and learners, i.e. people who are not dependent on someone else ( e.g. another adult, teacher or `boss’ ) to manage and dictate what and how they should learn

to develop in children/ people in the workplace a repertoire of creative and critical thinking skills and strategies to be able to draw on in any learning or problem situation

To teach children/people what it means, according to leaders in world research on the subject, about intelligent behaviour (e.g. to demonstrate flexibility /not rigidity in their thinking, empathy rather than ego-centricity, persistence, precision and accuracy and also ingenuity and creativity)

4. Textbook Development Institute

Mr Visser in his submission addresses only one of the issues impacting on the quality of teaching and learning – the textbook factor in quality teaching and learning

The quality of textbooks being used in schools is variable as a result of design flaws in C2005 and the unreliability of the evaluation process. These were a stumbling block in the achievement of academic knowledge, skill and attitudes. Some text books were written at a language level well above the ability of students to deal with. Language usage of textbooks often causes problems for 2nd language learners. Language problems manifest in the high matric failure rate. Textbooks were poorly structured, explanations confusing, new concepts and technical terms introduced without definitions, examples were irrelevant and content boring. Textbooks need to be written in a language and cultural context that 2 nd language learners can deal with.

The recommendations are as follows:

That the critical importance of quality textbooks as an essential requirement for quality teaching and learning be recognized and promoted by all educational authorities and stakeholders.

That the effective utilization of textbooks by teachers be considered an essential teaching practice in ensuring effective and quality teaching; this aspect has to be recognized, supported and included in the education and training of teachers.

Those relevant research institutions be encouraged to conduct coordinated research on the development of quality textbooks and the utilization of textbooks as part of effective teaching practice.

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That the National Department of Education formulates a strategy to support the development of quality textbooks as part of an Education Sector Plan to address systemic shortcoming in the governance and management of education and training in South Africa.

That an urgent review of the quality of textbooks used in the gateway subjects Maths, Science and Accounting be undertaken (this review to be undertaken by the Textbook Development Institute); further reviews to be undertaken on textbooks used for Mathematical Literacy, History, etc.

That the role of Umalusi in reviewing the utilization of quality textbooks as part of a quality assurance agenda for schools be addressed.

That the role and capacity of the DOE to guide the development of quality textbooks be reviewed , specifically with regards to . . .

o The tender processes that apply to textbook provisionso Applying quality assurance standards to textbook development o Promoting the utilization of textbooks at schools

That the approval of textbooks submitted by the publishing sector and used at all school levels be centralized within the National Department of Education.

That the role of subject advisory ‘bodies’ in enhancing the quality of subject specific textbooks be reviewed. (This recommendation assumes that Subject Advisory bodies/ committees are in place, at both National and Provincial levels, and that they provide an input to curriculum development, approval of textbooks, development of assessment criteria, evaluation of exam results, guiding subject advisors, reviewing subject specific teaching practices, etc.)

That it be recognized that the curriculum statements constitute the main guideline that influences the content requirements of textbooks; that clear and unambiguous curriculum statements will support and enhance the development of quality textbooks.

That the training of textbook writers and people involved in textbook evaluations and reviews be considered an important and essential intervention to enhance the development of quality textbooks.

That the involvement of the publishing industry in the provision of quality textbooks be considered essential, necessitating their participation in the development of quality criteria for quality textbooks and the training of textbooks writers.

That the initiative to establish a Textbook Development Institute to support and promote the development of quality textbooks be recognized and supported.

That it be recognized that a Textbook Development Institute be governed by a suitable constituted Advisory Body (body of experts) with representation by:

o The DOEo PASAo Higher Education – Education Facultieso Umalusio Relevant Interest groups from the private sector

That the main functions of a Textbook Development Institute be recognized to include:o Research on textbook developmento Identification of best practices in textbook developmento Evaluation of textbooks used in schoolso Promotion of the use of textbookso Training of textbook writerso Training teachers in the effective utilization of textbookso Training textbook evaluatorso Provide a forum to deal with textbook development issues

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o Arrange national/international conferences on the development of quality textbooks That South Africa host an International conference with a theme: “Developing quality

textbooks in support of quality teaching and learning”. This conference could possibly coincide with the International Book fair to be held in Cape Town in 2010.

5. Mental Health and Poverty Project (UCT)

Mental health is central to human development. The World Health Organization states that. “ a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community."

Ms Skeen mentioned the following statistics: 17% of children and adolescents in the Western Cape have mental disorders. 1 in 6 South Africans suffer from depression, anxiety or substance use disorders. Approximately 1 in 3 pregnant or post-partum mothers have depression in SA. Over 40% of people living with HIV in South Africa have a diagnosable mental disorder. Nearly three-quarters of affected South Africans are not accessing any form of mental

health care.Most mental disorders develop early in life. Poor mental health is linked to a range of other negative health outcomes, such as violence, risky sexual health practices, substance use and low educational attainment. A study of over 4000 adults in SA showed that post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and substance-related disorders were associated with increased odds of failing to complete secondary education.

Recommendations

• Development of school-based mental health promotion programmes.– Life skills– Whole school interventions e.g. WHO Health Promoting Schools Initiative– Prevention of school drop out e.g. Brazil

• Mental health and inclusive education– Ensuring supports for children with mental disorders are included– Successful example available e.g. Mauritius

• Preventing mental illness through early detection and referral– Training educators to recognise learners at risk and early signs– Setting up referral systems using available resources (e.g. using social mapping

at district level)• Development of employee assistance programmes for educators with work-related and

other mental health conditions.– Impact of ‘extended role’ for educators involved in HIV prevention, counselling

and support: increased stress– Added stress à quality of teaching, higher rates of educator absenteeism– Budgeting for outsourcing of psychosocial support services for teachers

• Integrating a mental health literacy component into the Life Orientation curriculum to increase awareness, healthy behaviours and decrease stigma.

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• Spearheaded by Ministry for Women, Children and PWD, collaboration with Health and other sectors for children and adolescents with mental and developmental disorders.

It was also important to collaborate with Health in respect of:• Identification and management guidelines for educators working with children and

adolescents with intellectual disability and mental and substance use disorders• Development of protocols for employee assistance programmes for educators with

work-related and other mental health conditions.• Development of a district based model for the management of mental health disorders

presenting in school-going children• Assessment and review of the need for specialised mental health expertise within the

school sector.

6. Equal Education

The recommendations put forward by Equal Education with regard to school infrastructure and school libraries are as follows:

(a) That both the draft National Policy for an Equitable Provision of an Enabling School Physical Teaching and Learning Environment, and the National Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure, as called for in S5A of the SA Schools Act, be finalised and signed into law by the Minister within the next two months.

(b) The Minister must determine a national policy on school libraries, backed up by an implementation plan. The policy should carry the force of law, to drive a national roll-out of school libraries on the basis on minimum norms and standards. This policy should provide for:

i. A library for every school;ii. Human resources – a trained librarian or library administrator working

full-time in each school library;iii. New and improved sites of training to staff the school library roll-out,

which must include university training for librarians and library administrators as both degree programmes and short courses;

iv. Books and equipment – expand QIDS-UP so as to provide shelving, computers and 3 books per learner in every public ordinary school library;

v. Operational funding – legislate that each school must allocate 10% of its Learning Teaching Support Materials (LTSM) funding for updating and maintaining the school library collection;

vi. Workshops for teachers, parents and SGB members concerning the role of libraries and their place in the school programme;

vii. A weekly library period built into the curriculum for every class in every school;

viii. Monitoring and evaluation of the school library roll-out in order to ensure its effective implementation, and measure its impact;

ix. Re-opening of the DOE’s School Libraries Unit which can in turn oversee the development of a national policy on school libraries as well as an implementation plan

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Secondary recommendations include the following:

(a) The DoBE should investigate the purchasing of books directly from publishers, rather than through book-sellers who significantly increase the price of their books before selling them on to government;

(b) The Minister of Finance should investigate whether a VAT exemption on books bought for school libraries would assist schools and provincial education departments without adversely harming government’s revenue;

(c) The Department of Trade and Industry should consider lowering import tariffs on books for school libraries.

Day 6: Tuesday, 27 July 2010

1. Leaders in LearningDr. JJ Swartz represented a group that is putting forward a proposal that seeks to address crucial problems of the levels of English proficiency of mother-tongue students in South African Schools and the awareness of HIV/Aids in terms of its causes and impact on individuals and society. The basis of their argument is that basic education is founded on literacy and numeracy and that language is the single most important factor on which successful learning depends. It further indicated that Youth educational programmes on HIV/AIDS prevention and responsible sexual behaviour are not succeeding. Given the crucial problem of language proficiency as the chief barrier to learning, an urgent need exists to supplement language curricula with structured interventions aimed at raising levels of English proficiency. Current language curricula focus more on outcomes to be achieved at each grade, rather than on content, and not at all on how language outcomes are to be achieved by teachers (i.e. teaching methodology). (It is assumed that qualified teachers have been trained to do this.) Many teachers of English in townships and rural areas are not qualified, and even those that have qualifications on paper, have limited or no access to suitable materials. In doing so:

(i) a great deal of time is wasted that should be better spent(ii) many errors are made in the dual copying process (iii) teachers generally are ill-equipped to explain what has been copied(iv) Learners are forced to repeat (“recite”) what has been copied, or they try to

memorise it, or the “notes” are never used.

They therefore propose a radical shift in education policy only with regard to the crucial area of English teaching. At the Intermediate, Senior and FET phases, existing English curricula have to be supplemented with prescriptive materials, provided by the Education Department, which comprise:

(i) a suitable language learning text, that is sufficiently comprehensive to cover essential language usage and appropriate vocabulary

(ii) precise, practical guidelines for English teachers regarding the optimal use of this text

(iii) Carefully structured activities for learners, based solely on the text, to ensure language acquisition and proficiency. These activities would culminate in examples of English usage in other subjects (e.g. mathematics, physical science, social sciences, etc.). At the Senior and FET phases, the activities would increasingly

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focus on the use of conceptual English to overcome the primary barrier to successful learning.

The texts and activities would need to be substantial enough to require 3-4 months’ intervention at each phase, and would serve as a practical and valuable basis for facilitating the outcomes contained in the existing curricula. The structured activities for the learners comprise practical ways of raising their levels of English proficiency, extending their vocabulary, and, crucially, of expanding this knowledge to the more formal and abstract use of English. To address the challenge of HIV/Aids our curriculum should use themes (and, in this context, one that is both interesting and relevant enough to hold the attention of learners at each phase), the story should involve contemporary characters, with whom learners can identify, facing the real threat of HIV/AIDS, its consequences, and impact on their lives. Such a text (which they have written and tested in practice) would have many advantages.

(i) It would address the issue of HIV/AIDS from a realistic and practical, rather than a clinical, perspective. Through their identification with the characters and the context of the story, learners become involved in and react emotionally to the text and its important message, while simultaneously being exposed to and required to use basic and more advanced English.

(ii) The explanations and guidelines for English teachers will empower them to understand English usage clearly and how to teach it, which, in turn, will equip them to cope more effectively with the English curricula as a whole.

2. GM South Africa FoundationMr. Matlock (the Director) and Mr. Forbes represented the Foundation. Mr. Matlock gave the background of the foundation which is funded entirely by the General Motors to run education related projects. The argument is based on decentralization of district offices in order to give schools get the required support right in the door step. They do this by introducing the concept of the circuit team which is very important innovation in the education system. Their worry is that the structures of the education system are mire of a hierarchy than service providers. They are so distant away from the classroom where the actual teaching is taking place and those structures are all working in silos. There is a very big gap between the school and the structures that are supposed to support them and there is no coordinated support. There is a need for a paradigm shift and the circuit model is an answer. The circuit team is meant to be next to teachers in classroom to give them the necessary support in all respects. These teams comprise of Subject specialists, Psychologists, Social Workers, etc.

The Department of Basic Education should establish the task team to investigate the how to implement this model because the circuit teams will bring service delivery closer to the school. Members raised questions around the challenge of personnel in order to implement this model: They were,

How would they implement their model in the challenge of shortage of personnel? How long is your project been running in PE? The model of circuits has been there how did they deal with the challenge of Human

Resources?

The model in PE as well in Western Cape is proving to be successful. The Western Cape has associated the model to the improvements they see in their school results. They believe that the DBE does not have a shortage of personnel; it is just that they are putting more people where they are not needed. He gave an example of the Eastern Cape where the provincial Department is sitting with excess personnel who are refusing to be redeployed to the districts office.

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3. Education Specialist: Mr. Shadrack HajaneMr. Hajane gave a presentation on the vulnerability of children in our society. He wanted to indicate how our education system can assist particularly inclusive education if it can be well implemented. He identified orphans, children in trouble with the law, etc. Inclusive education should assist in building up physical and psychical dimensions of orphans and education, recommendations and rehabilitation of orphans in order to overcome their learning barriers. The oral presentation took a different approach from the written submission. The chair requested Mr. Hajane to provide some empirical evidence on the issues he presented, but unfortunately he said due to protocol pressures he won’t be able to submit such empirical evidence.

4. Grahamstown Amasango Career SchoolMrs. Jane Bradshaw, who is the Principal of Grahamstown Amasango Career School, indicated that this school is a registered public special school established to meet the needs of learners with EXTRINSIC barriers to learning. She is the founder and principal of the school, and she began pioneering education for street children in the Eastern Cape Province in 1991. They are lucky to be supported by 29 international donors. Their school operates both at academic level and at a social development level. Their argument is that the provision of Basic Education needs to take cognizance of the fact that there are many thousands of broken, hurt, disturbed children out there who do not “fit” into mainstream education or any of the traditional special needs categories.

Many of these children are street children, others tell us they just sit at home, others live off city dumpsites and others are expected to act as shepherds and herdsmen. Others are prostitutes and drug runners. Yet these young people all have rights to appropriate care and education. The challenge is that there are only 4 government registered schools operating in South Africa to meet the specific primary needs of street children, drop outs and over-aged children entering the system late. These are the three “Amasango” schools in the Eastern Cape and “New Nation” School in Gauteng. Many N.G.O’s also run education programmes for street children.

Their recommendations are based on the proposition that the Department should plan schools for children with Extrinsic Barriers to Learning and it is essential that appropriate learning areas, counseling areas, workshops, and administrative facilities and sports facilities are provided. The right of these children to appropriate education which addresses their particular needs in a welcoming environment is no less than that of other special needs children.

5. Dr. Charmaine Uys: University of North West.Learners need to master language in order to learn effectively at school. Illiteracy is still a serious problem in South Africa. Because the basis of all reading and writing skills are laid in the Foundation Phase, it is necessary for drastic steps to be taken to ensure that learners are able to read with comprehension in their first years at school. The University research is aimed at proving the relationship between high frequency words and reading skills – and also to prove that the teaching of high frequency words can lead to improvement of reading and writing skills.

High frequency words are those words that appear often in text – and should be immediately recognised. When learners are able to visually identify high frequency words at a fast tempo, they will be able to read with greater ease. The university had done some research and testing – with three primary schools taking part. The study shows that there is a relationship between the identification of high frequency words and reading ability. The University recommends the following that in English and Afrikaans schools learners are taught:

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- Grade 1 – 80 high frequency words (1 – 80)- Grade 2 – 110 new high frequency words (81 – 190)- Grade 3 – 110 new high frequency words (191 – 300)

It is also recommended that:- The acknowledgement of high frequency words in the framework of the NCS Gr. R –

9, as is the case in Grade 1 and 2 also be included in Grade 3- Schools teaching Afrikaans also use the high frequency word-list- High frequency word lists be formulated for the other 9 languages- Teacher receive a framework of the specific frequency that high frequency words are

taught in the different grades and quarters of the school year

Day 7: Wednesday, 28 July 2010

1. Dr Yusuf Dadoo Primary School The submission raises the following issues:

Teacher development

Teachers should have content knowledge and the required qualifications in order to teach effectively.

Colleges of education should be re-established to provide suitable training in teaching methodology and curriculum content.

Subject inspection should be reintroduced and conducted by suitably qualified personnel.

Management capacity at schools

Handbooks for schools should be compiled to assist principals in the daily management of schools. Principals should sign performance contracts.

Computerisation (EDU SOL SAMS) of all schools should be speeded up and administration staff should be trained in the use of these systems.

Heads of Department should be trained annually in the management of the curriculum. The school learner roll should be manageable, for example, there should be a

maximum of 800 learners in a primary school. School maintenance

All schools should be allocated section 21 functions to maintain school buildings.

School safety

The department should appoint security guards to patrol schools at night.

School libraries

All schools should have a library and a qualified librarian. Classrooms can be used as libraries.

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Curriculum – Physical Education

All schools should offer Physical Education (PE) as a subject and have two PE educators (one male, one female) in the staff complement.

Promotion of literacy

Random oral testing for literacy and numeracy should be reintroduced. Learners in Grade One should be provided with a free library book to encourage them to read at home.

2. The Federation of Governing Bodies of South African Schools (FEDSAS)

FEDSAS identifies the following aspects as primarily responsible for the failure of the education system to provide quality education:

The teachers

Although there are thousands of dedicated and committed educators, FEDSAS observes that far too many teachers lack work ethic, discipline, dedication and expertise. FEDSAS is also concerned about the role of some teacher unions who appear to put their political agendas before the interests of the learners. In FEDSAS’ perspective, nothing is being done to prevent the unions’ actions.

The officials

FEDSAS’ observation is that officials at all levels of provincial departments of education show little accountability and lack a sense of ethics, knowledge and expertise required for their positions. Administrative and support systems are failing learners because the people employed to drive the systems are unqualified to do so.

FEDSAS is also concerned about officials’ interference and intrusion in the governance and management of functional and successful schools. The Federation argues that these officials ignore school policies and procedures which were determined in accordance with applicable laws.

The principals

Most principals lack the required managerial knowledge and skills to be effective managers and leaders simply because they have been trained to be teachers and not managers. Effective managers in the successful schools are often overburdened with administrative and unnecessary paperwork and red tape. They are also often undermined by some educators, teacher unions and officials.

The school governing bodies

Training of SGBs to enable them to play an important role in the provision of quality education is inadequate or non-existent. There is undue interference and intrusion in their affairs.

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Discipline and values

FEDSAS identifies the lack of discipline in schools as the single biggest threat to the quality of education. The Federation says that schools’ efforts to maintain discipline are actively undermined by, amongst others, many provincial departments of education who fail to deal with recommendations for the expulsion of learners timeously and in accordance with the law.

FEDSAS also expressed a concern that the perceived lack of universally accepted and acceptable ethical values amongst officials, parents, learners, teachers and other role players involved in educating children, discourages quality education.

Language in education

Opportunities for the majority of learners to complete their school careers in their mother tongue are not adequately addressed.

FEDSAS highlights other issues that impact on schools’ ability to provide quality education. These include the following:

The failure to make timeous or any transfer payments to schools; The current funding model does not adequately support parallel-medium schools that

require more teachers, than single-medium schools. The lack of delivery of learning and teaching support materials (LTSM), and in

particular the failure to comply with the Norms and Standards for School Funding; The failure to appoint teachers and to issue timeous or any post establishments for

provinces or schools; Teachers continue to be ordered to attend training and other workshops during school

hours; Insufficient non-teaching staff; The norm for the provisioning of educators (1:40 in primary schools, and 1:35 in

secondary schools) does not take into account the fact that some schools may have 11 or more languages and different language groupings to deal with.

Poor implementation of inclusive education.

Recommendations

FEDSAS proposes the following solutions to the aforementioned challenges:

The Federation is establishing a Development and Outreach Unit to assist communities who need assistance with the development of governance, management and leadership in their schools.

SGBs of successful schools should be given much more extensive powers such as managing the total budget of the school, including payment and appointment of educators and other staff, determining the curriculum of schools and school management.

The quintile system should be replaced with a per-learner funding model. The funding model should also address the issue of the increased cost of multilingual education.

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The National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (NEEDU) should, as a matter of urgency, focus on service delivery gaps in provincial departments of education, as well as on learning and teaching in the classroom.

3. Livingstone Primary School Curriculum content (Foundation and Intermediate Phases)

There is too much content, knowledge, skills and values in the curriculum. Insufficient time is allocated to develop and internalise concepts and skills. Most aspects are rushed and only the minimum is dealt with.

Concepts are introduced too early when the learners are developmentally unready particularly in Mathematics, Geography, History, EMS and Technology. In Mathematics, the division, fractional, measurement and time concepts are complex and are introduced too early. Learners try to rely on memory to tackle tasks without understanding and internalising concepts. Piaget’s stages of development which form the basis of learning and teaching these concepts is ignored. The learners are expected to function at a level of abstraction and generalisation long before they are ready, at a concrete operational stage.

There is too much content skimmed through hastily in Foundations for Learning (FFL) in Mathematics.

There is too much assessment and racing to teach what is required to be tested. Insufficient time is spent on consolidation and revision, for ensuring concepts and skills

are firmly established.

Recommendations

The existing content in Mathematics, Geography, History, Economic and Management Science (EMS) and Technology should be covered over a period of two years instead of one currently is the case.

Firm foundations need to be laid in the early years, developing flexibility of thought, understanding and internalising concepts and skills.

Learners are usually developmentally ready for abstraction and generalisation by Grade 5 level.

4. Thandulwazi Saturday School

Thandulwazi Saturday School is a programme of the Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy, operating out of St Stithians College, Johannesburg. The submission focussed on the Educator Development Programme and the Saturday School offered at the school. The Saturday School has over 1500 Grade 10 to 12 learners registered from over 100 schools in Gauteng. The Educator Development Programme has approximately 500 GETC teachers registered from selected Gauteng Education Districts as well as Limpopo Province. The Educator Development Programme has been running for five years and the Saturday School for 20 years.

The project is entirely funded by corporate donations and all learners are accepted, regardless of previous achievement.

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The Saturday School offers tuition in the sciences (Physical Science, Life Science and Physical Geography), Core Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy and Accounting. Formal lessons as well as small group and one-on-one tutorials are offered. The school has a staff complement of 18 professional teachers and 22 tutors (mostly skilled university students and retired teachers). In addition the school provides mentorship to learners through volunteers from the corporate environment.

Identified challenges and priorities:

Drawing on report backs from learners, educators and tutors and personal communication with many educators in different education contexts in South Africa, the school has made the following observations with regard to secondary education:

1. Scientific language proficiency and basic numeracy are by far the most important underlying causes of lack of achievement in public examinations. An estimate of learner errors by tutors shows that mistakes are more frequent in simple computation than in the actual concept that is being assessed.

2. The tendency to push learners towards Core Mathematics instead of Mathematical Literacy has done untold damage to the confidence and career opportunities of otherwise able students. Only a small proportion of society in even the most technologically advanced countries needs mathematics at the level demanded by Core Mathematics. Pass rates in both Core Mathematics and Mathematics Literacy should be close to 100% if this choice is being made correctly. The learner distribution at Thandulwazi has shifted from about 75 to 25 % Mathematics to Core Mathematics to closer to 50-50 in the last two years.

3. Educators lack confidence and are unwilling to admit to areas of weakness. The result is that large sections of the curriculum are omitted. In one school in 2008, no chemistry was taught in Physical Science to either Grade 11 or 12.

4. Grade 10 girls in particular do not feel safe in their classes. Male dominated gangs are disruptive and make it difficult for diligent learners at all levels. The majority (70%+) of the Saturday School compliment are girls, indicating that it is the girls who are most anxious to achieve.

5. In learner feedback surveys, many learners reported that they understand the lessons, but not the examinations. Lessons will frequently be conducted in a mixture of vernacular and English, allowing for the subtleties of English to be explained and bypassed. For example, a time – distance problem may ask ‘how long…’, referring to time, while a second language English speaker will often interpret this as ‘distance’. It is extremely difficult to set assessments to eliminate the bias of language. Simplification may well be more difficult to understand. For example: ‘traffic congestions’ is a well understood phrase, whereas the simpler and more colloquial ‘traffic jam’ is unknown.

6. Access to resources is in many cases a major challenge. Very few schools have functioning libraries. There are a number of reasons for this:

Librarians are seen as luxury appointments, rather than the single most important educator in a school.

Internet connectivity is as important as access to a good, well-managed reference library. Computer rooms, if present, are under-resourced in terms of maintenance and not integrated with the library service.

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In many schools, the management is so intimidated by the need to account for books, audio-visual equipment and computers that these are kept under lock and key, never being made accessible to either educators or learners to ensure a 100% audit at year end. A high proportion of schools do not issue text books to learners, despite the fact that the texts are issued to schools.

7. Related to the lack of resources is the impractical nature of many assignments, given the lack of resources and general scientific literacy. In a recent example in Grade 10 Geography, learners were asked to build a working weather instrument. For learners who may never have seen a thermometer, let alone an anemometer, hygrometer or barometer, this is an impossible task, resulting in cardboard cut-out models of instruments that have no functionality, but that do look similar to the illustration in their notes. This type of assignment serves no purpose whatsoever, but is the norm in many schools. It would be preferable to ensure that all schools have functioning weather instruments that the children can take daily measurements with than trying to get them to build something that is beyond their basic scientific understanding.

8. Access to hands-on laboratory work and meaningful field work is almost completely absent in most schools from which our learners originate. While there are many educators who produce well structured and up-to-date notes and work-sheets, the learners lack a practical ‘feel’ for the sciences. Many educators argue that there is insufficient time for such activities, but in so doing miss the point of motivating the learners to be interested in science. Many educators themselves have had little or no experience of hands-on laboratory work, so undermining their confidence of presenting in front of a class.

9. Learning and social support structures, such as learning circles, tutor groups, vertically integrated academic clubs and societies and mentoring systems are almost entirely absent in state schools whose history is embedded in the Apartheid structures of the past.

10 Related to the previous two points is the lack of parental involvement in most schools. Successful schools often have an active and supportive parent body. This can be extended to the local business community.

12. Very few learners have any understanding of the large variety of jobs available in the market place, most expressing the desire to be doctors or engineers, when clearly their Maths and Science marks do not apply to such careers.

Recommendations

The school proposes the following recommendations:

1. A massive national literacy and numeracy programme targeting all age groups from early learning to adult should be established.

2. Just as medical and other graduates are expected to do community service, all university students should be expected to mentor or tutor younger learners in Grades 10 to 12. Similarly, High School learners should be expected to mentor learners three or four years their junior. This has the added advantage of improving their own basic education. The Thandulwazi Saturday School operates on this basis and as the programme expands, so, anecdotally, it is achieving great success.

3. Mentoring is not just about tutoring in numeracy and literacy, it is also about safety and a sense of belonging. Schools that are divided vertically into functioning houses with structured tutor groups are universally successful with far less influence from gangs.

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Mentoring of this nature also supports those children who do not have the advantage of educated parents.

4. Cell phone and internet technology offers many opportunities if properly managed, providing it is understood that the possession or installation of the hardware is only 10% of the work.

5. Every school should be equipped with adequate, properly staffed libraries. In smaller communities, a single central library based in the local high school can serve surrounding primary and pre-primary schools as well as ABET initiatives, using mobile libraries and local library assistants, who may well be retired professionals. This includes a properly connected computer room. The ratio of learners to work stations should be of the order of not more than 10 to one.

6. In some instances where girl child safety is a major issue, the establishment of single sex middle-schools should be considered.

7. Education delivery should be structured around the idea of ‘Learning Communities’, based on a single high school and its surrounding feeder schools. Educational ‘buy-in’ by local politicians, parents, professional educator bodies and student representative councils would then create a motivated society that would not tolerate absenteeism by either students or educators, would expect achievement, making the whole community responsible for all the children in the community. This approach is being pioneered by the Penreach Programme in Mpumalanga, and while it is still early in the process, anecdotal reports are extremely encouraging.

8. Sport and cultural societies are just as important a part of school life as formal intra-mural activities and should be supported financially by central government through either the Department of Sport and Recreation or the Department of Education. The promotion of sport and culture will greatly stabilise the less advantaged segments of society, eliminating the fertile ground of boredom and underachievement in which gang culture thrives.

5. Maths Centre Incorporating Science

Maths Centre Incorporating Science (Maths Centre) is a section 18A non-governmental organisation supporting schools in Mathematics, Science, Technology, Economics, Business Studies, Accounting and EMS, through intensive classroom and workshop based programmes. Maths Centre specialises in the areas of curriculum content, teacher development, learner development, resources provision and training and whole school policy development on the management of the curriculum and assessment.

Maths Centre has observed that the deficits of performance in education run throughout the system and culminate in the poor performance of Black African learners. The most important reason for the deficits of performance is the cumulative gaps in teaching and learning and the lack of coverage of the curriculum.

The large majority of teachers are below the level of content knowledge that are being taught.

As an illustration, the Centre indicates that an item by item analysis in a major Maths project revealed gaps in every topic of Grade 1-10 mathematics. 15000 learners were tested in the Grade 10 curriculum at the end of Grade 10 in order to select 400 top learners for donor support.

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To address cumulative gaps, Maths Centre supports teaching and learning by:

o Exposition, Discussion and Reasoningo Mathematical and Scientific Drawings, Reading, Writing and Talko Developing Mathematical and Scientific thinkingo The use and application of Mathematics & Science

The purpose is this approach is to develop an extensive understanding of reasoning and proof, making connections, representation, communication and problem solving, within the discipline of mathematics, science and technology.

The Centre has also developed assessment tools that inform the planning of intervention at teacher level, learner level and whole school level, as follows:

1. Base Line assessment of a school to assist with school self evaluation2. Module tests: To check that content taught is learnt by the learners3. Pre-tests; Post tests: To track learner performance improvement4. Records of achievement: Learner’s own record of improvement5. Teacher diagnostics: Teacher’s own gaps in content and methodology 6. Workshop evaluations: Strict monitoring of teacher gains in units of work 7. Class visit “Transfer of Learning” Evaluations: Monitoring of transfer of learning 8. Charting Learner Progression: Monitoring Learner performance9. Charting Teacher Progression for curriculum coverage10. Monitoring of projects & productivity.

Detailed intensive intervention from the Maths Centre produced 92% pass and 103 distinctions in the 2009 matric examinations in Pure Mathematics and Physical Science across four provinces.

Day 8: Thursday, 29 July 2010

1. Faithway Christian SchoolFaithway Christian School is a small, privately run, non-profit making school in rural KwaZulu-Natal who has achieved 100% pass rate for the last 12 years. The total enrolment from Grade 1- 12 is just over 100 learners. The school has a few resources, a shortage of classrooms - classes often have to double up and teachers are paid less than half of what teachers at government schools receive. Teachers face an exceptionally high burden of administrative work as they lack the staff to take on these duties. Despite the difficulties they work under, they consistently excel academically.

Foundation Phase:

Curriculum ContentThe Curriculum content in the Foundation Phase should cover all the basic concepts required to empower children to cope with challenges they may face in the intermediate and senior phases.

Numeracy

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All basic concepts need to be taught thoroughly using methods and aids available. It is not supported by sufficient textbooks or materials to allow for practice and consolidation in an organized manner. Exercises jump from one aspect to another in a haphazard fashion. It seems that the knowledge base has been broadened with not enough time to perfect, revise and practice basic numeracy skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Language The focus should be on basic concepts in Grammar, Creative writing, Comprehension, Spelling, Phonics, Reading and hand eye co-ordination in working from the board. Many of the Assessment Standards in the Curriculum for English First Language are too advanced for children in the Foundation Phase. Many children are not from English speaking families, but their parents have chosen to have them educated in English, feeling that it is a better option for them. Assessment Standards should be adjusted according to the needs of the children. More time is needed for consolidation.

Life Orientation, Writing Skills, Physical education, posture and General Knowledge all need to be addressed. All subjects need to be integrated across the curriculum.

Teachers’ filesTeachers are overwhelmed by administration and paperwork which impacts on actual teaching in the classroom. Preparation should be short, concise and flexible. Preparation should be done weekly, as planning too far ahead can cause problems when dealing with very young children

TestingThere should be regular testing to ensure pupils have mastered the material. All tests should be done in test books so there is a continuous record of the pupils’ progress with a record of each pupil’s progress kept.

Class sizesIn Foundation Phase, class sizes need to be small. Learners need a great deal of individual attention to master the skills they will need to move on into the Senior Phase.

Challenges

Teacher developmentMany courses, workshops and even initial training are run by people who are not actually involved in hands-on teaching in the classroom and who are not required to put into practice what they are telling teachers to do. We need to more successful teachers to be involved in planning and leadership.

Managerial capacity at schoolsMany good teachers are promoted out of the job that they do best. They are then lost to the pupils who need their expertise and input. There should be promotional posts within the system where experienced teachers could benefit financially and the school could benefit from the expertise and experience of such teachers’ leadership.

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Social problemsMost of our learners arrive at school with little or no English – coming from abused backgrounds and demonstrate inappropriate behavior. They lack social skills and self-discipline.

Grade 4 – 7

Recommendations

1. All subjects should be taught using English as the medium of instruction so that learners can fully master the language before high school.

2. Homework must be emphasized and given daily. Parents/ guardians must check and sign. This will ensure good study habits are learnt.

3. Reading must be emphasized and book reviews done regularly.4. A spelling schedule must be introduced from grade1 and emphasized in all

Grades up to matric. Vocabulary must be improved.5. All lessons must be attended and teachers must follow their timetables.6. Marking should be regular and there should be thorough supervision from

HODs. Book checks and lesson observation should be carried out regularly7. Corrections should be done after every exercise8. When a topic has not been understood, remediation must be carried out Extension work should be given to those who excel.

High SchoolThe introduction of OBE has seen many learners arrive at High School lacking the firm foundations of rules and grammar needed for successful higher education. Emphasis on group work and discussion allows many malingerers to hide behind class mates who do the bulk of the work for them. When it comes to exams, the weak learners come horribly unstuck

Assessment standards seem to be erratic, with a huge leap in outcomes between grades 9 and 10. Textbooks are on ongoing problem. They are constantly changed and updated which proves costly to learners. Teachers are forced to supplement with photocopied notes as textbooks are still inadequate.

RecommendationsThe school is desperately under resourced - it would be encouraging if they could receive more support from the department.

2. Meredale Primary SchoolThe basic problem faced by Grade 1 educators was that children came to school with little or no basic concepts having been started at all at home. Children struggle when taught in a language that is not their home language. Children are immature and physically, mentally and socially young.

Mr Murray is of the view that the starting age needed to be revisited. The largest group of children who do not make the first grade are those who start school at five-and-a-half (those who do not turn 7 in Grade 1).Also, parents challenge teachers wisdom when they recommend that children should repeat the Grade.

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Other problems faced include:- Late enrolment: Impacts on management of the school- Interference from the Department i.r.o late enrolment (intervene on behalf of

parents)- Education policy to be combined into one manual to answer all questions – to

alleviate unnecessary meetings- Policies are not adhered to by all – district officials and higher authority seem to

be able to overrule policy- Inclusion disrupts other learners in the class – unfair for educators with 40

learners to devote all his/her time on one learner, to the detriment of all other learners

3. Siyahamba Foundation for Academic ExcellenceThe submission introduces a programme to teach our learners learning skills and life skills/personal development skills. The programme focuses on increasing the outcomes of learners’ personal and academic performance – to also increase the passing rate of learner’s through-out the grades. It provides a better equipped student for tertiary training institutions to improve the passing rate of students. Prof Higgins proposes that every learner could improve the outcomes of their personal and academic performance by internalizing the knowledge and developing the skills explained in the workbook.

4. Projects AbroadProjects Abroad interviewed principals and teachers from a range of primary and secondary schools in some of the most disadvantaged areas in Cape Town. Concerns raised and recommendations are as follows:

Funding: Funding and a lack of resources is a persistent concern raised by principals and educators in all schools. Funding should be spent more efficiently and effectively. Schools cite the following problems with the funding system:

Schools added to the no-fee list can suffer a significant drop in their level of funding.

Some schools with great financial need are in the same quintile for funding purposes as schools which are far wealthier and better resourced.

There is a perception that the better a school performs, the less funding it receives.

Many schools cannot afford to maintain the few facilities that they already have, let alone expand and improve on it.

Material resources: Schools are also very concerned about the limited material resources at their disposal – such as classroom, furniture, libraries, well-equipped science labs and technology.

Human Resources: Many educators point to a deficit in human capital as one of the most important factors affecting the quality of education. Every school reviewed suffers from teacher shortages. The problems arising from these teacher shortages are as follows:

Classes are overcrowded. Educators are teaching more classes each week. Subjects are taught for fewer hours each week.

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Principals must teach classes, sometimes even full time as well as run the school. This can affect the quality of the general administration of the school.

Educators are teaching subjects they are unqualified to teach. Some schools consider phasing out subjects such as science altogether because

they have no qualified science teachers

Schools desperately and urgently need psychologists or school counselors and qualified ELSEN educators to accommodate those with learning difficulties.

Background of learners

The personal and socio-economic backgrounds of learners have a significant influence over their ability to succeed academically. The external factors militating against academic success by some learners include the following:

Prevalence of ‘gangsterism’ and substance abuse. Problems arising from poverty including:

o Learners going to school hungryo Learners suffering from a lack of housing, or living in overcrowded

informal and low cost housing. o Lack of internet at home and access to libraries, museums, etc.

The relatively large numbers of learners with special needs due to conditions such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

Exposure to violence, crime, drugs, and alcohol in their home environment. Lack of educated parents or role models to encourage learners academically. Problems of teenage pregnancies and HIV/AIDS scares. The problem of ‘skollies’ attacking students on their way to and from school.

Learners struggle to learn when they can see gangs of robbers surrounding the school waiting for them to leave.

Forced promotions of learners

Schools are concerned that the National and Western Cape Education Departments pay more attention to the number of learners passing than the quality of the pass and the actual ability of the learner. Schools face strong resistance from WCED representatives to their informed decisions that a learner should repeat a grade.

Recommendations:

4.1 Include schools and educators in the decision-making process and consult with them on matters of importance within the education system

4.2 Improve the working relationship and communication between different levels of the education system

4.3 Replace the OBE system or revise it with a focus on its practical implementation in the unique conditions of South Africa

4.4 Provide educators with better professional development4.5 Address funding and resources problems in schools4.6 Revise education policies to focus more on the quality of the pass rather than the

fact of the pass in and of itself4.7 Revise the structure of the education system to make provision for learners who are

not academically inclined4.8 Reintroduce physical education and creative subjects into the curriculum, and

provide schools with the human and material resources to support this change

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4.9 Develop initiatives to assist learners from disadvantaged backgrounds4.10 Increase the value of School Governing Bodies4.11 Introduce an independent Schools Inspectorate with a focus on individual advice

and support for each school

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