communication and collaboration for better education Capitec Bank’s corporate social investment (CSI) programme focuses on providing high school learners with numeracy skills to equip them for the future. Our goal is for South African learners to study further and meet the needs of the workplace, creating a better future for themselves and their families. Our strategy places Capitec Bank as part of the national education community through partnerships with the Department of Education, universities, further education colleges, schools and specialist education institutions to provide much needed support to the education system. However, partnerships that are often overlooked – and that we would like to see strengthened – are those between parents and learners, and parents and the school. The South African Schools Act (SASA), Act 108 of 1996, granted parents of learners in South African public schools a crucial role in school governance. In effect these schools belong to the parents – and they are expected to guide the schools and help
their communities, ensuring that the schools have an interactive relationship with their community. Parents serving in school governance not only help to uphold South Africa’s constitutional values and a learner’s right to education – they help to secure the future of their children and help principals steer schools towards success. However, at many South African schools parents are not yet performing this role. Parents need to be encouraged to do so, and school managers need to be proactive and devise strategies to get parents actively involved in their schools. Regular communication between parents and schools as well as clearly communicated community expectations of the schools is important. Parents must be encouraged, and given every opportunity, to get to know their children’s teachers. They must also be challenged to attend parent-teacher meetings, one-on-one meetings, and to become members of the school’s governing body.
The parents’ role does not end here. Parents are best placed to notice what’s going on in their children’s lives. Parents play a vital role in keeping their children focused on schoolwork and the value of education. This is a daunting task for parents whose encouragement and motivation is incredibly important to the child. Parents should not send their children to school without considering future career options that their children will be faced with. Children need to be encouraged to aim for whatever career they want if they work hard and are focused. I often meet learners who are demotivated and confused because their parents want them to enter a career path different from what they want. Parents are the vital scaffolding that supports children, and must be encouraged (and, if necessary, taught) how to do so effectively. These are all part of the solution to our schooling problems in South Africa. There also needs to be collaboration across the board – between non-governmental organisations (NGOs), businesses, teachers, parents and schools – so that we can work together and maximise the impact of our efforts, as opposed to working individually. I challenge all education professionals to make a concerted effort to work together. For example, each NGO has something unique and different to offer, but no single model is going to solve a problem – we need to put many together to achieve success. Positive collaboration between all of the stakeholders involved in schooling in South Africa will positively impact on our learners’ achievements. It is our hope that all of the stakeholders involved in the work outlined in this handbook will continue to find and share innovative and sustainable solutions to help achieve quality education for all in South Africa.
“I challenge all education professionals to make a concerted effort to work together” Sbusiso Kumalo, Head: Corporate Affairs at Capitec Bank
FOREWORD
TAKING THE LEAD IN CREATING OUR FUTURE
“
To make meaningful, sustained progress in reducing poverty and inequality over the next two decades, South Africa needs to write a new story. At the core of this is a new development paradigm that seeks to involve communities, youth, workers, unemployed and business in partnership with each other, and with a more capable state.
Published by Argo
EDUCATION LEADERS
info@argo.org.za
IN SOUTH AFRICA
”
– National Development Plan, 2012.
A DEDICATION TO THE
www.argo.org.za, Tel 021 865 2813 or
Order copies of Education Handbook from www.ed.org.za
Published in Stellenbosch, South Africa, since July 2009.
the
As leaders, we need to start
“I cannot recall a time in the history
“It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how
problems we face in South Africa
telling a different story – one of
of our democracy when there
the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have
is
to
possibility and a future, to build
has been such broad agreement
done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually
Tel: 021 865 2813, info@argo.org.za,
achieve our potential. Dwelling
confidence in our ability as a
among political parties and social
in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood,
www.argo.org.za
on the problems will not result in
nation to create a better future
partners about the work that
who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and
achieving quality education for all.
for all. We need to inspire South
needs to be done to build our
Africans, so that we regain our
future”. Cyril Ramaphosa.
The
constant undermining
focus our
on ability
again... who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best,
Alex O’Donoghue (Assistant Editor)
- T Rooseveldt.
Production Manager: Jeanne de Wet
brings with it employment and
We
on our experience of hosting the
reduces poverty, crime and other
leaders
2010 game, to realise that we
social issues that undermine our
addressing the challenges, and
can achieve daunting challenges
confidence in our nation.
we have developed the Education
Together, we can achieve quality education – a basic right for
Handbook to support the work
every child in South Africa.
beyond what we imagine possible.
are
committed
to
Editorial team: Jeanne de Wet; Reagoikanya Molopyana;
draws close, we need to draw
education
Managing Editor: Sue Fontannaz
at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly.”
energy to create growth, which that
South Africa.
knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who
As the next soccer world cup
believe
By Argo, Devon Valley Road, Stellenbosch,
Design and Layout: Limbik (www.limbik.co.za) Printing: Paarl Media
Disclaimer: While every effort has been
“Leaders think and talk about
they
“We will begin to write
the solutions. Followers think
effort and dedication involved in
Thank you to the team at Argo and to those of you that have
a new story about South
and talk about the problems”.
transforming education.
shared your leadership insights it is an example of working
and complete, Argo cannot accept any
Brian Tracey
together to make a real difference.
legal responsibility for action taken on the
do,
and
recognise
the
Africa – the story of how, working together, we
contained in this publication is accurate
information given or the opinions expressed
Allocating blame and criticising
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have
others
lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives
drove back unemployment
results.
and reduced economic
result
inequality and poverty.
taken to ensure that the information
will
not
achieve
the
alone
will
disillusionment
and
Working in
burn-out,
as
are daunting.
the
challenges
of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead…” Nelson Mandela
on this information. E & 0.E.
All rights reserved. The material in this publication may not be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the
We need to find
It is beginning to look
copyright holder. Any information from the
others who want to create a new
Education Handbook used in other sources
possible. We must not lose
story of hope and possibility, to
must accurately reference the publisher
this momentum”
create momentum focused on
and the title of the Handbook. Copyright of
achieving quality education.
photographs resides with the photographers.
State of the Nation Address, 2012
Sue Fontannaz CEO, Argo www.twitter.com/SF1912
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
President Zuma,
ISBN: 978-0-620-56562-8 4th edition of the Education Handbook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE
CHAPTER 6 THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP . . . . . . . . . 133
EDUCATION SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01
WHY COMPANIES OUGHT TO INVEST IN EDUCATION . . . . . . . . . . 135
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 03
THE BRIGHT SIDE OF EDUCATION BY CHRIS MOERDYK . . . . . . . . 137
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 05
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE – CLARENCE TSHITEREKE (HEAD OF OLD MUTUAL FOUNDATION) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS . . . . . . 07 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2013 BUDGET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE – JOHN GILMOUR (FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEAP SCIENCE AND
THE DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
MATHS SCHOOLS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE – MAMOKGETHI REA MOLOPYANE . . 43
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE – JOE SAMUELS (CEO OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY (SAQA)) . . 142
CHAPTER 2 THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION . . . 49
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE – THEMBA MASONDO (SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENTS
FUTURE STARS AWARDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
CONGRESS (SASCO)) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
THE NATIONAL DIAGNOSTIC REPORT ON LEARNER PERFORMANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE – MATSELISO DIPHOLO
PROGRESSION IN THE FURTHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING BAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69
(CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR EDUCATORS (SACE)) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144
THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION: CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
THE DYNAMICS OF VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
CHAPTER 7 TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE . . . . . . . . . . 153 CHAPTER 3 TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT . . . 83
THE POST SCHOOL SYSTEM (2011) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
THE SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR EDUCATORS (SACE) . . . . . . 85
2013: THE YEAR OF THE ARTISAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
STARS IN EDUCATION AWARDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
DEVELOPMENT OF THE FET SECTOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE – JOHN MALULEKE (SECRETARY GENERAL OF SADTU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
THE EXPANSION OF FET COLLEGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159 FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE – STEVEN NGUBENI
CHAPTER 4 EDUCATION RESOURCES AND THE ROLE OF ICT
(CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH
IN EDUCATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NYDA)) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
ICT’S IN BASIC EDUCATION BY BARBARA DALE-JONES . . . . . . . . 105 TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION BY COLIN NORTHMORE . . . . . . . . .106
CHAPTER 5 WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . 115
CHAPTER 8 INVESTING IN THE FUTURE: THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND UNIVERSITIES OF TECHNOLOGY . . . . 167 NATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SCHEME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 THE CENTRAL APPLICATIONS SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
THE A+ SCHOOL CAMPAIGN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 REVIEW OF SCHOOL PERFORMANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
REASONS FOR THE HIGH DROPOUT RATE OF FIRST YEAR STUDENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
SA PERFORMANCE IMPROVING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE – TIM GORDON (NATIONAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE GOVERNING BODY FOUNDATION) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 9 CONNECTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE . . . . . . 185 EMERGING RESEARCH FROM THE QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION WORKSHOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER ONE
01 A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET, THE KEY CHALLENGES FACING THE SECTOR AND THE PROGRESS TOWARDS THE ACTION PLAN 2014 AND SCHOOLING 2025.
LET’S WORK TOGETHER AS ONE TO ACHIEVE QUALITY EDUCATION
Connect with the education leaders on www.ed.org.za or contact Argo on +27 (0)21 865 2813 or info@argo.org.za to be part of the Education Roundtables.
CHAPTER ONE
A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
Education is complex and requires the perspective of an eagle – the ability to look at the whole country and system, while also honing in on the parts. Too often we get blinded by the detail and forget that education is embedded in a socio-economic context that has inherent inequalities. THE ONE CAMPAIGN
FROM THE CRADLE
The One Campaign for quality
TO THE GRAVE
education
by
Argo
offers
a
systemic view, to enable leaders
There is also the tendency to view
to
sectors.
education as either “school” or
The framework places the child
“university”, but learning happens
at the centre of the education
from the cradle to the grave
system, supported by the teacher,
and our progress through the
who is in turn supported by the
early levels of education, often
whole school context, including
determines our success at higher
parents. Schools are embedded in
education. This section includes
communities and are influenced
an overview of the Government’s
by government policy, the media
vision, as detailed in the National
and private sector investment.
Development Plan. Highlights from
integrate
different
the State of the Nation Address (2013 SONA), an overview of school realities, the budget, an overview of the education system by the Minister of Basic Education are all included, to describe the key challenges facing the sector and to profile the progress towards the Action Plan 2014 and Schooling 2025.
ONE CAMPAIGN FOR ACHIEVING QUALITY EDUCATION
3
CHAPTER 1 | A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
A VISION OF CRITICAL SUGGESTIONS FROM THE
THE FUTURE The ANC has adopted the National Development Plan (NDP) as the overarching programme that outlines the vision for South Africa for the next 20 years. The NDP is a crucial policy-making tool that will help South Africa develop and determine the direction the country takes. The emphasis is on uniting South Africans around a common vision: it proposes a social compact to reduce poverty and inequality, and raise employment and investment, recognising that progress towards a more equal society requires shared efforts across the public and private sectors. It offers a blueprint for eliminating poverty and reducing inequality in South Africa by 2030. It seeks to do this by drawing on the energies of South African citizens, growing an inclusive economy, enhancing the capacity of the state, and promoting leadership and partnerships throughout society.
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO PROMOTE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT The NDP sets out 10 “critical actions” on which government policy can proceed in partnership with the private sector, trade unions and civil society:
nn A social compact to reduce poverty and inequality, and raise employment and investment;
nn A
strategy to address poverty and its effects by broadening
access to employment, strengthening the social wage, improving public transport and raising rural incomes;
n n Steps
by
the
state
to
professionalise
the
public
service, strengthen accountability, improve coordination and stamp out corruption;
n n Boost
private
investment
in
labour-intensive
areas,
competitiveness and exports, with adjustments to lower the risk of hiring younger workers;
nn An education accountability chain, with lines of responsibility from state to classroom;
Cyril Ramaphosa confirms that the NDP “offers us an opportunity where we can work together and realise the goals and objectives we have for this country.” The plan is widely seen as a pragmatic and realistic blueprint for boosting economic growth and creating jobs.
nn Phase in national health insurance, with a focus on upgrading
“Unless we attend to the needs of our people, whatever progress we have made is vulnerable and fleeting. Our sense of community should be deeply offended by a society where islands of wealth are surrounded by a sea of poverty — it is not tolerable and not sustainable.” - ANC Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa.
n n Interventions
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
public health facilities, producing more health professionals and reducing the relative cost of private health care;
nn Public infrastructure investment to reach 10 percent of GDP, financed through tariffs, public-private partnerships, taxes and loans and focused on transport, energy and water; to ensure environmental sustainability and
resilience to future shocks;
nn New spatial norms and standards – densifying cities, improving transport, locating jobs closer to where people live, upgrading informal settlements and fixing housing market gaps;
nn Reduce crime by strengthening criminal justice and improving community environments.
CHAPTER 1 | A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
4
CHAPTER ONE
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN: EDUCATION RECOMMENDATIONS •
Improving and extending early childhood development programmes;
•
Introducing school inspectors;
•
Addressing deployment of excess teachers;
•
Securing internship placement for further education and training graduates.
9 KEY CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED BY THE
A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
OF THESE ELEMENTS, THE NATIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION BELIEVES THAT TWO ARE CRITICAL & INTERRELATED:
01
NATIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
Too few people work.
01.
02
Too few people work.
02.
The standard of education for most black learners is of poor quality.
03.
Infrastructure is poorly located, under-maintained and insufficient to foster higher growth.
04.
Spatial patterns exclude the poor from the fruits of development.
05.
The economy is overly and unsustainably resource intensive.
06.
A widespread disease burden is compounded by a failing public health system.
07.
Public services are uneven and often of poor quality.
08.
Corruption is widespread.
09.
South Africa remains a divided society.
Get a quick overview of the challenges we face in education and the rationale for the National Planning Commission. Visit: w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ? v = p I i R s F Y s R c g or www.npconline.co.za for more information on the National Planning Commission and the work that is being done.
5
CHAPTER 1 | A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
The quality of education available to the majority is poor. Increasing employment and improving the quality of education must be the highest priorities. Both require community involvement, better public service delivery and a higher degree of social cohesion that promotes co-operation between all sectors to support economic growth and job creation. Failure to address these challenges is likely to result in economic decline, falling living standards, rising competition for resources and social tension. Persistently high levels of poverty will prompt social instability, leading to a rise in populist politics and demands for short-term measures that lead to further tension and decline. South Africa must avoid such a destructive cycle.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 1 | A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
6
CHAPTER ONE
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS
A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
“
We declared education as an apex priority in 2009. We want
to see everyone in the country realising that education is an essential
NUMBER OF LEARNERS, EDUCATORS AND SCHOOLS IN THE ORDINARY SCHOOL SECTOR, BY PROVINCE, 2012
service for our nation. By saying education is an essential service we are not taking away the Constitutional rights of teachers as workers such as the right to strike. It means we want the education sector
PUBLIC
INDEPENDENT
PROVINCE
and society as a whole to take education more seriously than is
Learners
Educators
Schools
Learners
Educators
Schools
Eastern Cape
1,886,982
64,809
5,558
64,541
3,127
196
Free State
646,093
23,854
1,351
15,881
974
68
Gauteng
1,858,745
59,175
2,045
216,642
14,785
566
KwaZulu-Natal
2,812,844
90,251
5,955
65,125
4,681
221
Limpopo
1,665,013
55,277
3,935
50,765
2,393
143
Mpumalanga
1,027,851
33,059
1,807
26,932
1,605
113
Northern Cape
274,189
8,632
560
3,305
232
20
North West
760,272
24,881
1,591
14,870
1,043
54
Western Cape
991,685
32,439
1,453
46,334
3,950
190
South Africa
11,923,674
392,377
24,255
504,395
32,790
1,571
happening currently.
PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA 14 FEBRUARY 2013
All successful societies have one thing in common – they invested in education. Decent salaries and conditions of service will play an important role in attracting, motivating and retaining skilled teachers. In this regard, we will establish a Presidential Remuneration Commission which will investigate the appropriateness of the remuneration and conditions of service provided by the State to all its employees. I have directed that the first priority should be teachers. The Commission will also assess the return on investment. In elevating education to its rightful place, we want to see an improvement in the quality of learning and teaching and the management of schools. We want to see an improvement in attitudes, posture and outcomes. Working with educators, parents, the community and various stakeholders, we will be able to turn our
”
schools into centres of excellence.
PUBLIC AND INDEPENDENT PROVINCE Learners
As % of National Total
Educators
As % of National Total
Schools
As % of National Total
Eastern Cape
1,951,523
15.70%
67,936
16.00%
5,754
22.30%
Free State
661,974
5.30%
24,828
5.80%
1,419
5.50%
Gauteng
2,075,387
16.70%
73,960
17.40%
2,611
10.10%
KwaZulu-Natal
2,877,969
23.20%
94,932
22.30%
6,176
23.90%
Limpopo
1,715,778
13.80%
57,670
13.60%
4,078
15.80%
Mpumalanga
1,054,783
8.50%
34,664
8.20%
1,920
7.40%
Northern Cape
277,494
2.20%
8,864
2.10%
580
2.20%
North West
775,142
6.20%
25,924
6.10%
1,645
6.40%
Western Cape
1,038,019
8.40%
36,389
8.60%
1,643
6.40%
South Africa
12,428,069
100.00%
425,167
100.00%
25,826
100.00%
President Zuma said the National Planning Commission had set the ambitious target of creating 11 million jobs by 2030, which will require teamwork to get the economy growing at a rate of more than five percent annually.
OVERVIEW OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM 12 428 069 | 425 167 25 826
| |
learners in ordinary & independent schools
teachers
schools Source: School Realities. Published September 2012 on www.education.gov.za
nn President Jacob Zuma
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 1 | A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
8
TAKING ACTION TO CREATE IMPACT
Made possible by the generous and ongoing sponsorship of such companies as Capitec Bank, NYDA, TSB Sugar, Mindset TV, and Metro FM, these well-known and sustaining brands lend even further credibility to the initiative. By aligning with this campaign and working together, sponsors have shown their genuine commitment to a better future and have built brand affinity, making a real impact on the education landscape.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only
Inspiring school improvement
thing that ever has”
The recent ANA results inspired us to develop the Box of Stars campaign and the A+ school improvement campaign, designed to inspire school leaders, teachers and learners to achieve the results they are capable of. The campaign is sponsored by Argo and other leaders, including the Department of Basic Education and reaches the top 2000, under resourced performing high schools in South Africa.
– Margaret Mead
Encouraging skills development for the youth and teachers We have partnered with the leading higher education institutions to produce the leading range of student diaries (Q-One student diary). These diaries have now been developed to include an e-learning option which is freely available to over 350 000 learners and students and to 260 000 teachers. We also publish the ACE Matric Guide and host the most comprehensive study portal, www.SAstudy.co.za, which profiled over 1 million page views in 2012.
While others dismissed teachers during the 2007 strike action, we took action and launched the Stars in Education awards, to recognise those teachers who were taking the lead in their communities. We believe in teachers and also believe that teachers need recognition in society. Our partners include TSB, SACE, Mindset TV, Metro FM and other leaders, to positively influence society’s view of teachers, as leaders in our communities.
Inspiring the youth to believe in the power of education The recent youth unrest around the world has inspired us to take action and launch the Future Stars awards, designed to inspire the youth to believe in the power of education to change their world. Our partnership with Supersport and the leading higher education institutions has created awareness to over two million viewers and over 350 000 learners and students. Made possible by the generous and ongoing sponsorship of such companies as Capitec Bank, NYDA, TSB Sugar, Mindset TV, and Metro FM, these well-known and sustaining brands lend even further credibility to the initiative. By aligning with this campaign and working together, sponsors have shown their genuine commitment to a better future and have built brand affinity, making a real impact on the education landscape.
Supporting education leaders
STARSIN EDUCATION
Our research shows that we need to support our education leaders, as they face the daunting challenge of improving our education system. The Education Roundtable offered a forum for education leaders to engage and share resources, and we are building the momentum with the Education Handbook and www.ED.org.za, to encourage collaboration. We have also launched the ONE campaign, designed to inspire confidence in education, by profiling the projects that are getting results – so that we can work as one, to achieving one goal: quality education for every child in South Africa.
THE THIRD ANNUAL
EDUCATION the PoWer oF oNe HANDBOOK After having read trevor Manuel and the NPC’s Strategic Plan the first thought that springs to mind is “here I am, use me.”
WWW. E D. O R G . Z A
In the face of massive problems and challenges it is easy to withdraw from the enormity of the task, it is even understandable to want to bury your head in the sand or find greener pastures. But there is a part of me that rises to the challenge, a part of me that stares these problems in the face and says “bring it on!”
The leading education por tal profiling achievements in education – the leading projects, the latest collaborations, to build energy and inspire others to take the lead in achieving quality education.
T H E E D U CAT I ON H A N D BO O K The leading annual publication profiling development in education and the reference guide for 5 000 leaders across government and private sectors.
THE EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE EVENTS where the thought leaders in education engage to build momentum as we work together as one.
We all love to read stories of valour and courage, where the heroes face insurmountable odds, where they face their darkest moments but always prevail. there is a reason stories and movies like Lord of the rings and the Chronicles of Narnia stir our blood and capture our imagination. For that moment we are immersed in their world, their pain is ours; we share their fears and celebrate their victories. Well right here and right now we have the opportunity to write our own story. We have the privilege of choosing to stand up and make a difference, to choose not to be cowed into submission or apathy by our circumstances but instead to raise our fists in defiance. We can choose to be a part of the solution, to join hands with our fellow south Africans and work towards building this beautiful country. I see a country united again. this time not to fight against an unjust system to gain freedom for her people, but to ensure that every person shares in the benefits of a free and democratic south Africa. this time we do not work to dismantle an evil regime, we work to build powerful and meaningful education systems, life-saving healthcare havens, efficient and productive municipalities and government departments, a vibrant economy, an environment in which empowered and liberated citizens are able to participate meaningfully at all levels of society. this time we work to build the south Africa we dreamt of when we voted on 27 April 1994.
We believe in connecting the leaders to achieve quality education. Take the lead and call us now to invest in the future. 021 865 2813 | info@argo.org.za | www.argo.org.za
We also partner with the leading education NGOs to profile their work to teachers, the youth and education leaders, across a range of multimedia platforms.
but thoroughly used up, with every last drop squeezed out. What better way to do this than to leave a legacy which blesses generations to come. We have two decades, 20 years, to make this happen. there’s no time to waste, let’s get busy. read through the document carefully with an awareness of which parts resonate deeply with you for that will be where your gifts, abilities and passion want to contribute. Then find concrete and practical ways you can begin to play your part. reach out to your networks, share your plans with others and rally them to your cause.
OvErvIEw Of 2011-2012 frOM THE DEpArTMENT Of BAsIC EDUCATION
The achievement of quality education for all learners in south Africa is the number on priority of the Depar tment of Basic Education. Education remains government’s apex priority as reflected in the president’s state of the Nation Address in februar y 2012. T Depar tment’s goal is to build a credible education system that will provide learners w a high quality education, regardless of their economic circumstances. The eradication o inequality is the most impor tant priority across all of government’s endeavours and is cer tainly a key priority in education.
The Delivery Agreement with the target of Outcome 1: Improved quality of basic education remains t DBE’s goal. Since 2010-11, the Department has prioritised the following four overarching outputs:
“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration; I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or dehumanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming”
•
Improve the quality of teaching and learning
•
Undertake regular assessments to track progress
•
Improve early childhood development and
•
Ensure a credible outcomes-focused planning and accountability system.
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Source: Insight kindly provided by Angela Lang.
I want to come to the end of my life not ONE GOal: wORKINg TOgETHER TO ACHIEvE qUALITy EDUCATION safe, sheltered, comfortable or complacent
11
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2012
We have also developed an open source leadership development e-learning programme: The Achiever Programme, which is available on www.SAstudy.co.za and which is promoted to the majority of students and teachers in South Africa. Our team’s commitment to making a difference in South Africa is recognised in our level 2 BBBEE score (social investment, enterprise development, preferential procurement and skills development).
Connect with us to make a difference and influence our future: Tel +27 (0)21 865 2813 | Fax +27 (0)21 865 2166 | Email info@argo.org.za www.argo.org.za
CHApTEr 1 ADVertorIAL / CAse stUDY
CHApTEr 1 the PoWer oF oNe
CONNECT WITH THE lEaDERS WHO INFlUENCE OUR #1 SOCIal PRIORITY: EDUCATION
2012 EDITION
We have grown from a small start up in 1997, producing diaries for students and teachers, to becoming a dynamic multi-media publisher, focused on achieving a better future for all. We are action orientated and develop campaigns and practical solutions for key education challenges:
Recognising the central role that teachers play in our communities
ONE gOAL: wORKINg TOgETHER TO ACHIEvE qUALITy EDUCATION
Education has the power to change our world and while the challenges in education are daunting, we believe that action gets results and creates impact. We also believe that it’s all about collaboration. In fact, we believe our 16 year track record is a great example of how a small group of achievers can develop partnerships to make a difference in South Africa.
ONE gOAl: wOrKINg TOgETHEr TO ACHIEvE qUAlITy EDUCATION
CONNECT ON www.ED.Org.zA AND sHArE yOUr INsIgHTs
EDUCATION HANDB
CHAPTER ONE
A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
HIGHLIGHTS
Hope
FROM THE 2013 BUDGET 27 FEBRUARY 2013
and
confidence
come
incentive, which takes into account the concerns of
provided by existing labour legislation, combined
from energetic involvement and
organised labour, will help young people enter the
with oversight by the South African Revenue
a willingness to make a direct
labour market, gain valuable experience and access
Service and the Department of Labour, will limit
contribution
The
career opportunities. The administratively simple
any displacement that might arise. A similar tax
imperatives of change are not
incentive will create a graduated tax incentive at
incentive will be made available to eligible workers of all ages within special economic zones.
to
change.
just challenges to government;
the entry-level wage, falling to zero when earnings
The 2013 Budget is about national development and fiscal
they confront all of society. A
reach the personal income tax threshold. Protection
sustainability. It is the first budget in which government’s plans to
new framework for development
implement the National Development Plan (NDP) are beginning to
is an opportunity to unite around
take shape. The plan expresses the central priorities of public policy
an inclusive vision and join hands
with the focus on liminating poverty and reducing inequality, lowering
in constructing a shared future.
the costs of living and doing business, increasing exports, creating more jobs and making economic growth more inclusive.
Working together we all know that we can do better. All of
Government departments will increasingly align planning and
us - citizens, taxpayers, public
expenditure to meet the objectives of the NDP. At the same time,
servants,
teachers,
managers,
workers
dialogue between government, the private sector, trade unions and civil society is needed to make the plan a reality.
have
shared plan to make it work. Batswana
“Sedikwa
immediate contribution to the goals of the NDP. Capital investments in economic and social infrastructure will relieve serious constraints
working together we can do
the next three years.
Spending on education, sport and culture will amount to R233 billion in 2013/14. Over the period ahead, the basic education sector will focus on improving numeracy and literacy, expanding enrolment in grade R and reducing school infrastructure backlogs.
Together with the broader education infrastructure grant, R23.9 billion is available to provincial education departments for infrastructure over the next three years.
R700 million has been allocated over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework period for the technical secondary schools recapitalisation grant.
259 & 1 500
R24.6 billion
990 000
shared future, and we have a
ke ntšwa pedi ga se thata” -
Africans. A total of R827 billion is budgeted for infrastructure over
R700 million
a
The
for improved economic growth and quality of life for all South
R23.9 billion
activists, –
The Infrastructure Delivery Improvement Programme is the most
around electricity, transport, liquid fuels, water and housing, allowing
R233 billion
say,
more! Let’s join forces and make South Africa work. Government’s existing approach to
supporting
employment
growth focuses on training, skills development,
labour
market
activation and short-term public employment. support include
of
Programmes these
sector
training
in
objectives
education
authorities,
and
further
education and training colleges, small
enterprise
Industrial the
support,
Policy
expanded
Action public
the Plan,
works
This will finance construction and refurbishment of 259 workshops and training of over 1 500 technology teachers.
programme and the community
Transfers to higher education institutions increase from R20.4 billion in 2012/13 to R24.6 billion in 2015/16.
The total number of students enrolled in higher education institutions is expected to increase from 910 000 currently to 990 000 in 2015. Funding has been allocated for the construction of new universities in the Northern Cape & Mpumalanga to commence in 2013.
work programme. To complement these, a tax incentive aimed at encouraging
firms
to
employ
young work seekers will be tabled for consideration by Parliament. The
11
CHAPTER 1 | A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
introduction
of
this
tax
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Source: http://www.treasur y.gov.za/documents/national%20budget/2013/review/FullReview.pdf
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 1 | A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
12
The Department of Basic Education The role of the Department of Basic Education is anchored on the National Development Plan (NDP), which notes that “attention should be given to the continuing development of teachers and the promotion of professional standards. Moreover, it emphasises that teachers must have a good knowledge of the subjects they teach and cognitive competence in the language in which they are required to teach”. To respond to the call made by the NDP for inter-sectoral cooperation to improve educational outcomes, working with various partners the DBE have put in place an Education Collaboration Framework (ECF). It follows a multi-stakeholder Education Dialogue convened in December 2012, wherein business played a key role. Central to all interventions and strategies has been a focus on mobilising the entire system to work towards improving learner performance based on the Basic Education Delivery Agreement and the Action Plan to 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025. In 2013, our priority will be on improving attendance and accountability for appropriate use of time in school by teachers and other officials at school and district level, particularly in classrooms. For this reason a recruitment database for professionally qualified educators has been developed to ensure the deployment of appropriately qualified educators who are qualified to teach and have teaching experience, and on the various activities we are involved in to ensure continuing professional teacher development. We also focus on multi-grade teaching – providing access to education for millions of learners in rural and farm areas. Furthermore we look at interventions for the National Senior Certificate Examinations (NSC) in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape that ensured the success rate of the matric Class of 2012 in these two provinces. The Funza Lushaka Bursary programme is a dedicated scheme for students wanting to become teachers in nationally defined priority areas. English First Additional Language (EFAL) has been prioritised in CAPS as one of the means to improve learner performance in the schooling system.
The Education White Paper 5 on ECD (2001) defines Early Childhood Development (ECD) as “a comprehensive approach to policies and programmes for children from birth to 9 years of age with the active participation of their parents and care givers”. Its purpose is to protect the child’s rights to develop his or her full potential on cognitive, emotional, social and physical levels. ECD prepares the child for school, while improving his or her capacity to develop and to learn. The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers. Three educators are interviewed to discuss their passion for the profession and dispel some of the perceptions around this noble calling to shift negative perceptions. The Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) is a programme to eradicate schools built from inappropriate structures from the landscape and to implement basic safety norms and standards, in infrastructure, for schools. The DBE is committed to ensure that schools are safe spaces for learners to receive quality public education as fear and violence is detrimental to the holistic development of learners. Gender-based violence requires a concerted and integrated response from all sectors of society, government, civil society and business. Millions of learners all over the country pledged their support for the campaign, which aims at raising rape awareness and educate the 10, 2 million learners in South African schools. A pledge based on the Bill of Responsibilities, which includes a statement on violence and rape, was circulated and educators and learners are urged to adopt it at assemblies. Alcohol and drug use is well recognised as a significant barrier to both teaching and learning. Over the past two years, the DBE has developed a National Strategy for the Prevention and Management of Alcohol and Drug Use amongst Learners in Schools. Notwithstanding a number of challenges faced by the basic education sector, the Department remains optimistic that it is making a difference in the entire schooling sector.
Recruitment database for professionally qualified educators The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is dedicated to ensuring the deployment of appropriately qualified teachers to schools on time. One of the measures employed by DBE to improve education quality and efficiency is the maintenance of a national database of professionally qualified educators seeking employment in public schools. The recruitment database is a concise version of an educator’s Curriculum Vitae (CV). All the information is electronically captured onto a single spreadsheet and sorted by province, thus enabling easy search and filter options. The details captured include personal details, qualifications, subjects which the educator is qualified to teach and teaching experience. All professionally qualified persons are invited to register to be added to the database. Interested parties are encouraged to download the form, which is available on the DBE’s website (www.education.gov.za); complete it, attach certified copies of their qualification(s) and academic record(s) and post or hand deliver it to the DBE. Once the form and all the necessary documents have been received, the details of the educator is verified, captured onto the database and published on the website. The database is therefore easily accessible from anywhere in the country. Principals and School Governing Bodies (SGBs) are able to quickly identify appropriately qualified educators who meet the criteria for the post they intend to fill. Updated versions of the database are uploaded to the website on a monthly basis in order to ensure that candidates who have found employment are removed and new candidates are added. The database of qualified educators has been very favourably received by both prospective teachers and principals. It is envisaged that this new DBE initiative will contribute towards positively reducing the vacancy rate while improving the quality of teachers and teaching.
Multi-grade teaching Providing access to education for millions of learners in rural and farm schools Multi-grade teaching or multi-level teaching refers to the teaching of learners of different grades in the same classroom setting. The existence of multigrade classes is a world-wide phenomenon. The Report on the 2008 and 2009 Annual Surveys for Ordinary Schools, indicates that, in South Africa, there’s approximately 6 619 public schools that are multi-grade schools. 22,6% of these schools (1 497) are combined schools, 74,5% are primary schools (4 924) and 2,9% are secondary schools (184). Multi-grade schools are beset by a number of challenges, such as, for instance: ·
·
Very little or no specific training and support of multi-grade teaching, with the training of subject specialists confined to support processes and mechanisms for mono-grade schools; and Very little or no resources, and where there is resourcing provided, it remains inappropriately used by the teacher.
The Department has embarked on a drive to support multi-grade schools through a number of strategies whose aims are to improve rural schooling and learner performance with improved performance in Numeracy and Literacy Grades 3, 6 and 9 in public schools. The following initiatives are undertaken in support of multi-grade schools. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS): Teachers will all receive training on the
revised curriculum, which emphasises progression and articulation between grades and phases and also provide the scope and depth of content and skills to be addressed each year in all subjects. The CAPS documents are organised in a user-friendly and practical manner to accommodate all teachers in the system.
The Integrated Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (Lit Num Strategy) and the Learner Attainment Improvement Strategy (LAIS) aim at improving and reforming the performance of schools, especially learner performance in Literacy and Numeracy. The improvement of basic skills and competencies in reading, writing and calculating and the effective application of these skills across other subjects, are emphasised by these two strategies. The effectiveness of this strategy and the support provided by all levels of the Department has been revealed in the improvement in the Annual National Assessment. More intensified support e.g. curriculum coverage, monitoring and support will be provided to all schools to improve learner attainment. The National Annual Assessment (ANA): The Department aims to improve learner performance in the basic skills of Literacy and Numeracy as these are the foundational skills for academic success. In order to measure learners’ progress, learners will write the ANA to determine the levels at which they are performing each year. Teachers will use the individual results to inform their lessons and to give them a clear picture of where each individual child needs more attention - helping to build a more solid foundation for future learning. The Annual National Assessments (ANA) revealed an improvement in learner performance with regard to Literacy and Numeracy.
Textbooks and workbooks: Graded learning guides
or workbooks for each grade which are compliant to the CAPs documents are provided to all multigrade schools. These resources are self-directed, interactive learning guides or workbooks, which will allow learners to work through systematically, pace their own learning by working sequentially through the modules, be guided step-by-step through each activity, and be assessed as they go through the activity-based tasks.
Deployment of ICT Solutions: By using existing technology
and
social
networking
platforms
Information and Communication Technology can
transform the operations of rural and multi-grade schools and promote quality teaching and learning. Different and appropriate ICT solutions have been / will be provided to multi-schools. The solutions will be used, by and large, to: ·
Mediate teaching and learning in multi-grade classrooms e.g. using ICT to do multimedia ‘presentations’ in a multi-grade classroom to enhance learning by stimulating multiple sensory organs simultaneously.
Teacher Training in multi-grade teaching: Since most teachers at multi-grade schools have been only trained in mono-grade teaching approaches, they need to be equipped with the skills and knowledge required to teach effectively in multi-grade schools. Teachers and subject advisors are currently being trained in multi-grade pedagogy and it is envisaged that all teachers who serve in multi-grade schools will, in due course, be trained and equipped with the inherent skills and competencies essential for multigrade classes. The Department will continue to support all multigrade schools because it is a means to provide access to education in sparsely populated areas,
utilising scarce education resources, such as trained teachers, classrooms, and materials.
Motshekga said all nine provinces had managed to achieve 60% and above, which translated to a national pass rate of 73.9% up from 70.2% in 2011.
This is an increase of 13.3% since the 60% pass rate of 2009.
Interventions bear fruit as Limpopo and Northern Cape score big in NSC 2012
Limpopo Province turned out to be the biggest winner in the National Senior Certificate examinations as they produced more than half of the country’s top achievers. The province’s matric Class of 2012 have since come under the spotlight following their performance in the results released in January 2013. 15 of the country’s 27 top achievers came from Limpopo. The province achieved 66.9% in 2012, up from 63.9% in 2011, which represents an improvement of 3.0%. Limpopo had received negative attention during 2012 due to the challenges related to the delivery of textbooks. The delays in the arrival of textbooks in some schools did not directly affect Grade 12. However, many people did not expect this improvement or a performance of this level from learners in this province.
Northern Cape, which also experienced challenges following the disruptions in learning and teaching, achieved 74.6%, up from 68.8% in 2011, representing the largest improvement of 5.9% by a province.
Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga,
officially announced the 2012 NSC results on January 2, which was broadcast live from the SABC studios in Johannesburg.
The top achievers walked away with various items that included Samsung tablets, iPads, certificates, bursaries and many more gifts from sponsors such as Vodacom, SABC, SA Express, the National Education and Economic Trust, Mango Airlines, the Telkom Foundation, Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre. Motshekga said the improvement of the results was the outcome of the department’s interventions, the involvement of parents as well as assistance from DBE partners who invested resources to support learning and teaching in schools. “There is stability in the sector. In 2012, the teaching and learning environment was relatively stable. The exception was the Northern Cape where schooling was severely disrupted by service delivery protests in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District,” she said. “The provincial department was decisive in settingup a study camp for learners. They wrote their exams in the camp. Learners who couldn’t write would take supplementary exams next month,” explained the Minister. Motshekga also indicated that although the Eastern Cape and Limpopo were under administration, the learners’ performance was better than expected. “Both provinces received priority support from the national Department,” added Minister Motshekga. “Between the national and provincial education departments, we have apologised profusely. What
happened was that the delays in the delivery of textbooks affected Grades 1-3 and 10 learners where the National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) were implemented for the first time.
“Contrary to concerns raised that there was no
“At times, one should compromise leisure time if he/
curriculum did not change everything in the syllabi.
always believe in themselves and they need to work hard in order to be successful,” said Kamogelo. Kamogelo has enrolled for Medicine at the University of Cape Town.
teaching in Limpopo for these grades, the new CAPS
In some subjects there were no changes at all. Where there were changes, these did not exceed 5% and could be accommodated within the available time,” Minister Motshekga said. “More importantly, books from previous years could be used and were used. Now to say for 7 months there was no teaching in Limpopo schools was an exaggeration to the extreme. Following the concerns raised in the media, I convened a number of meetings with principals and in all meetings it was confirmed that the delays in the delivery of textbooks did not result in 7 months of no teaching,” said Motshekga.
The Minister said the Department was ready for the 2013 school year. “Improving learner performance is the fundamental objective of the Action Plan and this has been the glue tying together the interventions we have undertaken. In 2013, we will continue to focus on strategic priorities; encompassing CAPS, ANA, Workbooks and infrastructure,” said the Minister. Minister Motshekga also stated that the Department would continue to focus on the 3Ts namely, Teaching, Texts and Time on task. According to the Minister, these priorities necessitate accountability, coupled with improved and targeted curriculum management by principals and school management.
The Minister encouraged the districts to intensify monitoring, management and support of intervention programmes at schools. “We plan to improve learning outcomes by attracting young, talented and appropriately trained teachers and paying attention to improving and enhancing teaching skills and content knowledge of those already in the profession” she said. This would also necessitate collaboration with our sister department of higher education and training to recruit appropriately and raise the quality of teacher education. Mamashela Kamogelo, a learner from Pax College in Limpopo, said that what made him a top achiever was the fact that he started studying at the beginning of the year.
she wants to become a top achiever. Learners must
Meanwhile Minister Motshekga said: “I assure all South Africans that the education and future of their children is in good, hardworking and caring hands. We will do everything in our power not to fail them.” This augers very well for further improvements in the NSC results for the Class of 2013!
FUNZA LUSHAKA BURSARY PROGRAMME What is Funza Lushaka and what does it entail? “The Funza Lushaka Bursary programme is a dedicated scheme for students wanting to become teachers in nationally defined priority areas. It is a merit bursary meaning high-performing students aged 30 and below who are passionate about teaching and nurturing young minds with a variety of vital lifelong skills can qualify. Full-cost bursaries are available to enable eligible students to complete a full teaching qualification, a four-year Bachelor of Education degree (B.Ed.); a three-or fouryear Bachelor’s degree, followed by a one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). The programme is available to students studying at any of the 22 public universities that presently offer initial teacher education studies. Applications for the bursary are made on-line at www.funzalushaka. doe.gov.za. Applications are open from 1 October to the first week of January in the following year. It is important that the student applies for admission at a University, obtain provisional acceptance and subsequently apply for the Funza Lushaka bursary.” Q: “When was this bursary scheme initiated?” A: “The programme was introduced in 2007 to ensure the basic education sector meets the supply and demand needs for high quality teachers.” Q: “Who qualifies for this bursary and how does one apply?” A: “The programme funds students who specialise in nationally identified priority areas, such as: ҉ Foundation Phase (i.e. Grades R-3): Foundation Phase specialisation: specialization in an African Language. ҉ Intermediate and Senior Phase (i.e. Grades 4-6 and 7-9 respectively): You follow a teaching major in one of the following: African languages; English; Mathematics; Natural Sciences; and Technology.
҉ FET phase (i.e. Grades 10-12): You follow a teaching major in one of the following: Accounting; African languages; Economics; English; Geography; Mathematics; Mathematical Literacy; Agricultural Sciences; Life Sciences; Physical Sciences; Agricultural Technology; Civil Technology; Electrical Technology; Mechanical Technology; Information Technology; Computer Applications Technology; as well as Engineering Graphics and Design.”
҉ Applications must only be made once students who have been allocated a valid student number have been accepted/provisionally accepted at their Higher Education Institution of choice.
Q: “How is the bursary awarded?”
҉ After the application has been completed online, the applicant will be prompted to make a printout. This will serve as proof of application. The applicant
A: “The bursary is awarded on merit. The following minimum academic criteria are applicable when selections are made: ҉ An exemption, an endorsement or an “admission to Bachelor’s degree studies” pass at matric/ Grade 12 level. ҉ At least a Level 4 pass or a 60% pass in Standard Grade or 50% in Higher Grade at matric level in the subject, which leads to the priority area/subject in which the applicant will specialise to teach. ҉ For students who wish to specialise in the Foundation Phase, a pass in Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at Grade 12 level is required. In addition, a Level 4 pass or a 60% pass in Standard Grade or 50% in the Higher Grade in a Home Language is required. If a student completed matric prior to 2008, when
Mathematics was not a compulsory subject, such student may still be considered, based on overall good performance (an average of at least 50%). ҉ Students who wish to specialise in the teaching of Technology subjects, including Computer Applications Technology (CAT), and who did not study these subjects at matric level, must have a pass in Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy.” Q: “What is the application procedure?” A: “All students who will be using the usual Funza Lushaka application route must follow the following application procedure:
҉ All applications must be made online at www. funzalushaka.doe.gov.za. Applicants are to take careful notice of the closing date for applications. No applications will be entertained after the closing date.
must keep a copy for him/herself, and submit a copy to the Higher Education Institution where he/ she has been accepted and will be registering in 2013. The copy submitted to the Higher Education Institution must be accompanied by a copy of the applicant’s ID, a copy of the applicant’s academic results. For 1st year students emerging from Grade 12, this will be a copy of the Grade 12 result notification or Grade 12 certificate. For students already at a Higher Education Institution, this will be a copy of the applicant’s academic transcript, which must include results for 2012 or the applicant’s last year of study at a Higher Education Institution. Applications will only be considered if all the required documents described above are submitted.
҉ On accepting documentation from applicants, institutions must check the website to ensure that the student’s information is captured accurately on the website.”
Q: “If one receives a bursary does it mean one will automatically be employed?” A: “Recipients of these bursaries will be required to teach at a public school for the same number of years that they receive the bursary. Qualified recipients of the bursary must request placement in a province of their choice. The Provincial Education Department (PED) concerned will determine whether there is a suitable post available. If there is not, the applicant
may be placed in a PED where suitable vacancies exist. Bursars cannot choose the school in which they would like to be placed. Q: “What are the rules and terms regarding the bursary?” A: “It is important that the student does not switch from the initial specialisation to subjects that are not priority areas as this will make it difficult for a province to find a suitable post. Should the student not meet the following minimum requirements, the bursary will not be re-awarded: ҉ The student must have passed 2/3 of the modules studied in 2012 or the last year of study at the university. ҉ The student must have passed 2/3 of the priority area modules studied in 2012 or the last year of study at the Higher Education Institution. ҉ The student must be progressing to the next level/ year of study. ҉ At least 50% average across all modules.
Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme of South
Africa (NSFAS) administers the programme. The student signs a new contract with NSFAS in each
year that the bursary is awarded. Should the qualified recipient fail to honour the agreement of serving in a public school as per contractual obligation, NSFAS will convert the bursary into a loan and undertake the recovery from defaulters of the loan principal and interest in terms of this agreement. It is of great importance that loans are repaid as soon as possible. A rate of interest is charged which is sufficient to preserve the value of the loan funds, with due regard to inflation.
Q: “Many South African learners and students are not well informed about the bursary. Do you have an advocacy campaign to ensure that learners are aware of the bursary and/or how do you market the bursary scheme?” A: “Information is provided on the website: www. funzalushaka.doe.gov.za. An Information Guide on Initial Teacher Education is available at the Department of Basic Education and was distributed to provinces, districts and schools. Advocacy campaigns will run, beginning in 2013, on radio, television and print media, including key national events such as the National Teacher Awards. A district-based recruitment campaign was introduced in 2012 in collaboration with provincial education departments, districts, schools and higher education institutions. The campaign targets learners from rural and poor communities with the aim of attracting well-qualified teachers to teach in rural and remote schools. The bursary is awarded for one academic year at a time and, upon proof of academic success, the bursary may be renewed each year until the recipient of the bursary has qualified as a teacher. The bursary holder will be required to reapply by the end of October each year for the following year. To apply, and for further information, visit the website: www.funzalushaka.doe.gov.za
Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) through various activities.
•
Supporting and monitoring teacher development in Inclusive Education and Special Needs Schools.
•
Provision of appropriate courses for development and qualifications for Grade R teachers.
•
English First Additional Language for FP teachers through the DBE - British Council CiPelt.
•
Programmes offered on targeted priorities through the Teacher Union Collaboration; (Certificate in Primary English Language Teaching). This is targeted at all 100 000 teachers in the Foundation Phase.
•
Development and implementation of a strategy for effective teacher communities of practice.
•
Teacher participation in the National Teaching Awards and World Teachers’ Day celebrations.
•
Enhancing support to teachers and access to professional development opportunities at local level by:
Comprehensive plans are in place to ensure teacher development takes place to strengthen the education system. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) 2013 plans for teacher development are underpinned by provisions in the National Development Plan, Action Plan to 2014: Towards the realisation of Schooling 2025, and the Integrated Strategic Planning Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa, 2011 2025. The plans are based on the importance of utilisation of the learner workbooks and other learning and teaching support materials, which have been distributed on a wide scale to public schools, the use of Annual National Assessments (ANA)/ National Senior Certificate (NSC) and other results which provide clear and concrete information of learner performance, developing subject knowledge and teaching skills, provision of more targeted Professional Development (PD) opportunities, increase ICT competence of teachers, and the more effective involvement of professional associations and teacher communities of practice.
Programmes for the Schools of the Blind will take place in July and in the 3rd quarter of the calendar year.
♦
Strengthening the support capacity of existing Teacher Centres (TCs) so that they are able to provide support to teachers with information on content knowledge, pedagogy and the effective implementation of the CAPS,
♦
Linking of the 112 existing TCs to the 9 existing VODACOM Teacher Resource Centre ICT network. Implementation of this plan will enable the 112 Teacher Centres to be linked to the Digital Classroom (“ICT Cloud”) and give teachers the opportunity to download teacher support materials such as lesson plans, information on content subjects and teacher support guides,
♦
Exploring of creative ways through which the 112 existing TCs could be connected/linked to 20 schools that are linked to the existing VODACOM Teacher Resource Centre ICT network can be increased,
♦
Working towards adding a further 20 schools in the country on the VODACOM Teacher Resource Centre ICT network,
♦
Collaborating with UNISA which plans to equip about 30 TCs with up to date and modern ICT systems/ infrastructure and linking such Centres to nearby schools, and
♦
Digitising existing information on teacher development so that it becomes readily available to the teachers. Working collaboratively with the ICT and Innovation Directorate to procure 9 electronic devices which will be used to store digital content on school subjects. This will strengthen opportunities
The Teacher Development Framework sets out priority areas for professional development of teachers in a targeted way for the short, medium and long-term.
The 2013/14 Teacher Development Plan gives expression to the above by prioritizing the following: •
•
Supporting teachers in the use of ANA/NSC assessment to improve learner performance. This includes availability and use of ANA and NSC Diagnostic Reports as well as Mind the Gap documents. These will be distributed to all schools by end March 2013 and a support programmes will be implemented by districts and schools in the form of workshops, use of Provincial Education Department (PED), Higher Education Institution (HEI) and Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) courses. Completion of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) orientation in Senior Phase (+_ 100 000 teachers) and Grade 12 (+_ 50 000 teachers) from April to December 2013 and on-going support for FP and IP phase and Grades 10 and 11 teachers in CAPS implementation. Details can be obtained from the teacher development sections in the provincial and district offices.
•
Support for workbook utilization through teacher guides and training support; each teacher in the relevant Grade will be receiving a teacher guide on the utilisation of the workbooks and training programmes will follow.
for teachers to access information that strengthens delivery of the curriculum. •
The Department of Basic Education has developed a magazine for Teachers, called ‘What’s up Teach?’. It is a fresh, new way to communicate critical information to teachers in a friendly and interactive way and to ensure that all our interventions have a positive impact in the classroom to improve learner performance. It is also aimed at starting a vibrant conversation among teachers, the DBE and key education stakeholders. The magazine will be distributed to all schools and will be produced quarterly.
Details of all courses and programmes can be obtained at PED head offices and District offices whose contact details are to be found on PED and Teacher Union websites.
A practical, hands-on approach is used to take participants through activities that will emulate what
happens in the classroom. Many of the activities also
show how language is used and can be taught in all other subjects. Assessment tasks fashion how assessment can be managed on a daily basis, and to indicate to teachers where learners need more support. The programme was presented to 130 FP Subject Advisors from all provinces and 20 HEI specialists, and union representatives. It will be rolled out to FP teachers during 2013 and further work will be followed up with IP subject advisors and specialists and teachers. A course aimed at Senior Phase and FET levels, Certificate in Secondary English Language Teaching (CiSelt)
PROMOTING ENGLISH FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TO SUPPORT THE QUALITY OF BASIC EDUCATION
E
nglish First Additional Language (EFAL) has been prioritised in CAPS as one of the means to improve learner performance in the schooling system. One of the major challenges in the system is that the majority of learners in our system do not have strong backgrounds in English, but most of the texts, assessments and exams are conducted in English and the presence of English in official communications, in the media, the working world and cross-cultural, cross continental and international communication is very high. Acquisition of English is thus important for the present and future needs of learners and teachers. In 2012, the DBE partnered with the British Council (BC) to develop the Certificate in Primary English Language Teaching (CiPELT) for the Foundation Phase (FP) and Intermediate Phase.
is also being developed for Subject Advisors and teachers in those phases.
The Certificate programme, upon completion, will strengthen teachers in the following ways. They will be better at: • Equipping learners with the key skills of reading, writing, listening and writing the English language which becomes the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) starting from Grade 4, • Supporting learners’ development,
emergent
literacy
• For the higher levels/grades, provision of opportunities for the consolidation of the high level application of English language skills such as speaking, reading with understanding and writing, and • Strengthening opportunities for the implementation of the Language in Education Policy and thus encouraging multilingualism in the country. Although the course strengthens the teaching of
English, the methodology employed can be modelled for all other language teaching at a First Additional Language (FAL) level.
The project is likely to take teacher development and support processes to a further level in the quality chain because it will offer a short course certificate with competencies required by CAPS requirements.
Requirements for teaching Grade R Evaluations of well-conceived programmes designed to foster early development demonstrate that children
who participate in these programs tend to be more successful in school, are more competent socially and emotionally, and show better verbal, intellectual and physical development during early childhood than children who are not enrolled in high quality programmes. The minimum requirement for teaching a grade R class is an ECD (NQF) level 4 qualification. Practitioners are however encouraged to study further to meet the minimum requirements for teaching in the Foundation Phase. The Department is planning to improve the conditions of employment of grade R practitioners as part of the Higher Education Qualification Framework Policy and the Continuing Professional Teacher Development Plan. To manage a Grade R programme, a practitioner must understand the programme, plan individual programmes and equip the classroom to expose learners to a variety of stimulating resources (literacy, creative, fantasy, science, music and movement, construction and out-door equipment). Furthermore a daily programme should be followed to ensure that learners are provided with a variety of experiences and techniques. Assessments should be done and attention should be paid to barriers to learning, while maintaining communication with parents, SGBs and the community.
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEvELOPMENT GIvING YOUR CHILD A FAIR ADvANTAGE
T
he Education White Paper 5 on ECD (2001) defines Early Childhood Development (ECD) as “a comprehensive approach to policies and programmes for children from birth to 9 years of age with the active participation of their parents and care givers”. Its purpose is to protect the child’s rights to develop his or her full potential on cognitive, emotional, social and physical levels. Why is ECD important? ECD prepares the child for school, while improving his or her capacity to develop and to learn. It is easier for children to engage in team work and problem solving and to develop confidence and basic life skills. According to statistics children who have access to quality ECD programmes have a smaller chance of dropping out of school and a better chance in life to advance. The three ECD components are: birth to 4 years, Grade R (Reception year) and Foundation Phase. Who is responsible for the ECD of your child? The 0-4 programme is the responsibility of the Department of Social Development. DBE is responsible for training and the development and management of the curriculum.
A vast body of research has demonstrated that ECD programmes improve the parent-child relationship and benefit families and communities. These children achieve a greater adult productivity rate and higher levels of social and emotional functioning later in life: strengthening society as a whole by ensuring that individuals live up to their full potential. Table 1: Number of Grade 1 learners who have attended Grade R per province, from 2009 – 2011. Province
2009
2010
2011
Eastern Cape
151 697
149 923
153 044
Free State
23 704
17 406
19 833
Gauteng
129 137
107 172
139 108
KwaZulu-Natal
180 925
169 072
192 801
Limpopo
108 795
90 827
87 825
Mpumalanga
65 973
52 623
69 150
Northern Cape
15 365
16 125
14 613
The DBE is responsible for the Foundation Phase (1-3) as part of compulsory schooling as well as the phasing in of grade R started in 2001 with a vision of offering 80% in public ordinary schools and 20% in community and independent schools/sites. The aim is to offer universal access by 2014.
North West
41 972
18 261
21 378
Western Cape
68 318
77 471
72 241
Age of Admission
National
785 886
698 880
769 993
The age of admission to grade R is 4, turning 5 by June of the year of admission. Children younger than that should be enrolled at an ECD centre registered by the Department of Social Development.
Source: Annual School Survey 2009 – 2011
G N I T F S HI
S N O I T P E C R E P
T
eachers are the cornerstone of Government’s commitment to providing quality learning and teaching to all learners at South African public schools. The Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, has repeatedly stated that the quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has consistently shown its commitment to ensuring that the teachers tasked with shaping the minds of South Africa’s future leaders are of the highest calibre. It is our teachers who carry the responsibility of shaping the children and future children of this country so that they can become the kind of citizens South Africa needs and wants: citizens who have the skills to contribute to the country’s economic well being, and to the fabric of life in their communities. The profession has, however, in recent years not been as attractive as in the past. With all the career avenues available to young people in this modern world, teaching is often overlooked for careers that sound more glamorous.
The Teaching Student Mzwandile Ngwenya is following in his father’s footsteps and pursuing a career in teaching. The 21-year-old is the recipient of the Funza Lushaka bursary scheme, which was established by the DBE to attract young people to the profession and ensure the education system has capable teachers in the core subject areas. “My father was a teacher. I felt inspired to follow in his footsteps and to honour his legacy by becoming a teacher when he passed on,” explained Ngwenya. “Where I am from, Mpumalanga, there is a need for good teachers as they have the potential to change the lives of young people.” Ngwenya, now in his third year of studies, hopes to return to his hometown and teach Mathematics, Geography and English to high school learners. While he is concerned about the earning potential of teachers, he is confident that the secondary benefits will outweigh the negatives associated with the profession. “I feel I am now on the correct path; this is my
What’s Up Teach? spoke to three teachers – a long- calling. My fellow students and I will one day have serving teacher, a teaching student and a former teacher – to discuss their passion for the profession and dispel some of the negative perceptions around this noble calling.
the opportunity to change a young person’s life and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The Veteran
“I enjoyed transferring knowledge that will open doors
Rosaline Makan was an teacher for 47 years, before
light up when they suddenly understood something new and were able to apply their newly found skills,” she explained.
her retirement at the end of 2011. Makan embodies the characteristics often associated with teachers, but she was more than just a teacher. So much so that she became a living legend in the communities where she taught. “After my marriage in 1970 I joined my husband at Ganskraal Primary School where he was a school principal, with the intention of staying for not longer than 3 years,” recalled Makan. “With responsibilities increasing, like in any other rural area, I became so rooted into the farming community that the 3 years extended to 23 years!” Makan was deeply involved in community work, ranging from staging plays, organising church bazaars and cultural events, campaigning for the Cancer Association of South Africa, and participating in municipal and community activities. Like many of her peers, Makan was limited in the career options available to her, but she has no regrets about committing her life to educating and assisting others.
for children. It was fulfilling to see the eyes of learners
The Former Teacher For Teacher A, who wishes to remain anonymous, the decision to leave the teaching profession was not an easy choice to make. After spending 14 years at a small school in the Northern Cape eventually working his way up to become principal of the school, his exit from the profession was for family reasons. “My wife relocated to Johannesburg and reluctantly I had to seek alternative employment. Fortunately for me I was able to secure a position with the DBE so I could continue to contribute to education in South Africa,” said Teacher A. “It was never my intention to leave the classroom, but it just worked out that way. For me, my years as a teacher were the best years for me professionally.” Teacher A explained that he grew up in a period where teachers had a special status within the community as respectable, upstanding professionals.
“We had to make a choice between two professions that were available at the time, namely teaching and nursing. I chose teaching as a career. I never stopped studying and through correspondence courses I obtained a Matric Certificate, a Diploma in Education (SP)(DE111) in 2004 and an Advanced Certificate
“It was regarded as a very respectable career path; a teacher was someone that the rest of the community could look up to. Teaching is not, and never should
Makan’s dedication to the profession was recognised at the 2011 National Teaching Awards – a DBE initiative – where she was a finalist in the Lifetime Achievement category.
with strong leadership and continuous professional development, the profession will be restored to its
in Education (ACE) in Mathematics, Languages and Curriculum Leadership through the University of Cape Town in 2010, explained Makan.”
Makan is adamant that the idea of quitting teaching never crossed her mind, even when teachers were being offered generous severance packages.
be, just about money. If I can be honest, I think a bit of passion and love for the profession has been lost, but in my work I constantly come into contact with professionals who have the right energy for the job.” Teacher A believes that improved teacher development is one way to attract the right calibre of young people to the profession. He feels, that
deserved status in no time.
Source: What’s Up Teach? Teacher magazine
T
he eradication of mud schools and the provision of basic services such as water, electricity and
sanitation in South African schools remains one of the
fundamental approaches to fighting inequality in the schooling system. The DBE has recently launched the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI), which is designed to address the backlog in schools infrastructure. The countrywide project is currently underway. Most challenges are being experienced in the Eastern Cape. According to the Department 510 schools that were built with inappropriate structures are being replaced with brand new schools to meet the standards of basic functionality, 939 schools that previously did not have any access to sanitation will be supplied with a basic level of sanitation, 932 schools will acquire electricity for the first time and 1145 schools will be provided with basic water supplies.
Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative
In 2012, the Department set ASIDI targets for 2011/2012 and 2012 /2013. So far, the Department has managed to complete 10 out of 49 schools in the Eastern Cape, with 4 of them officially being handed over to the province. It is pleasing to note that 107 of 168 schools have been electrified. Furthermore, the Department ensured that 144 of 214 schools are provided with sanitation, The Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative continues to make headway in its programme to eradicate schools built from inappropriate
structures from the landscape. ASIDI is funded from
the Schools Infrastructure Backlog Grant (SIBG) and is following a targeted plan to fulfil its mandate.
The table below shows progress made towards achieving ASIDI’s 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 targets.
Period
Replacement of inappropriate schools
Electricity connection
Provision of sanitation facilities
Access to water
As at December 2012
10/49
107/190
144/237
102/173
As at March 2013
17/49
134/190
190/237
116/173
followed by 102 of 161 schools being provided with water.
It is heartening to see that a lot of progress has been made, but according to members of the project team, it is natural that there are challenges with a programme of this nature. Delays arise due to inclement weather, underperforming contractors and repairs to defective work. The team is, however, determined to meet its targets. “There is a lot that has been achieved by the DBE and every team member should be rightfully proud,” said Ms Tsholofelo Diale, the Project Manager.
Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative
Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative
Kwezilethu Junior Secondary School Before
Kwezilethu Junior Secondary School After
ECD Class at Welese Junior Secondary School
Minister Motshekga opening Welese Junior Secondary School
Mphatiswa Senior Primary School Before
President Zuma and Minister Motshekga opening Mphatiswa Senior Primary School
Welese Junior Secondary School After
Aerial View of the newly constructed Welese Junior Secondary School
Celebrations at the opening of Mphatiswa Senior Primary School
Mphatiswa Senior Primary School After
Aerial View of the newly constructed Tabata Senior Primary School
Learners playing at new Dakhile Junior Secondary School
DEPARTMENT OF BASIC EDUCATION’S RESPONSE TO GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
1. OvERvIEW The Department of Basic Education is committed to ensure that schools are safe spaces for learners to receive quality public education. Schools are the microcosms of the broader society and the high levels of sexual abuse, violence and rape in our society is a cause for great concern for the department of basic education. The horrible and violent rape of the young teenager in Bredasdorp in the Western Cape
by people she knows is a strong wake up call for us as a nation. All is not well in our society when young babies and old grandmothers are violently raped and abused. Gender-based violence is a scourge in our homes and it requires a concerted and integrated response from all sectors of society, government, civil society and business. The department acknowledges that the creation of an overall culture of safe, healthy, caring and child friendly schools are paramount for the well being of learners and teachers, and essential for rendering quality teaching and learning. Hence the Department has undertaken to take reasonable steps through Provincial Education Departments to establish and maintain an environment that is free of violence, including gender-based violence in our schools.
To this end the Department has implemented the following: •
Included a subsection on Gender, including the prevention and management of Gender Based Violence in the schools in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) of the school curriculum
•
Developed and trained teachers on the guidelines for the prevention and management of sexual violence and harassment in public schools
•
Developed and distributed to learners the resource “Speak Out! A handbook for learners on how to prevent sexual abuse in public schools”
•
Created a learner focused website to help young people with understanding, preventing and reporting sexual abuse. The website address is www.speakoutfreely.co.za and went live in 2011. The website will further be used to highlight other issues of concern with regards to young people, including drug and alcohol abuse and school safety in general.
•
Through the social cohesion platform, trained
2. CONCLUSION
that includes a key session on gender and sexual
The Department of Basic Education acknowledges
SGBs, RCLs and teachers on Values in Action violence and harassment in schools
•
Developed an educators training manual “Opening your eyes-Addressing Gender-based violence in South African schools”
•
Trained teachers and learners on the Bill of Responsibilities that is premised on the Bill of Rights in the Constitution of the country
•
Conducted youth dialogues across the provinces that focused on gender based violence
•
Through the Girls Education Movement and Boys Education Movement (GEMBEM) the department teaches skills on prevention and management of gender-based violence via GEMBEM Jamborees and the interactive GEMBEM-DBE Facebook page
•
Participate in the 16 days of No violence against women and children and distribute materials to schools and communities
•
The Department has a National School Safety Framework which includes a partnership Protocol with the South African Police Services to promote safer schools. This framework includes linking all schools to local police stations, establishment of School Safety Committees and training for parents, School governing body members, teachers, learners and district officials on issues of violence, from bullying to sexual violence.
•
Partnership with Childline to support victims of gender based violence and violence in schools
•
Discussions with MIXIT to make available a “Stop Rape! “ function for learners and teachers with the support of Childline during the 1st March 2013 to 8th March 2013
•
Work with our partners in the NGO sector to provide support to schools e.g. MiET, Soul City, Love Life, Sonke Gender Justice, Gender Links, Tshwaranang, Film and Publication Board, Childline, Camp I am etc.
the right of all school community members to feel safe at school and therefore has developed policies, programmes and processes to create and nurture a safe, healthy, caring and child friendly environment. However, we recognise that the responsibility of safety in school is not limited to the school alone, rather it is the responsibility of all members of the school community. In many instances, parents, educators and peers are the first point of detection. Hence, we appeal to parents and educators to stay vigilant and to look out for warning signs and address genderbased violence and violence in general immediately so that it doesn’t deteriorate into tragedy.
In the past communities believed that it took a village to raise a child and assumed collective responsibility for the safety of our children. As a society we must reclaim our role in protecting our children from harm. As members of a community, we should not be quiet when we witness taverns selling liquor to minors, or young girls being sexually harassed by adult men on their way home from school. As parents we must instill values in our children that protect their dignity and that of others. How many mothers have turned away when their sons passed derogatory comments about women. What message are we sending to our children if as fathers we abuse their mothers without
impunity. As a nation we have to take collective responsibility for the tragedy of violence we inflict on vulnerable women and children. We are in this mess because some of us are perpetrators ourselves in the privacy of our homes while most of us are guilty of turning a blind eye to such behavior. Changing the level of gender based violence has to start with each one of us taking responsibility to act at any sign of disrespect to women and children. We have live the Bill of Responsibilities every day.
Setswana
Sesotho sa Leboa
Ke ikana
Ke ikana
- Go tshegetsa Molaotheo wa Rephaboliki ya Aforika Borwa
- Go obamela Molaotheo wa Repabliki ya Afrika Borwa
- Go obamela melao ya naga
- Go obamela melao ya naga
- Go tlotla ditshwanelo tsa ba bangwe go sa kgathalasege dingwaga tsa bone, lotso lwa bone, bong jwa bone kgotsa kgatlhegelo ya bone mo bong jo bongwe
- Go hlompha ditokelo tša ba bangwe go sa lebelwe mengwaga, morafe, bong goba kgahlego go tša bong
- Go se betelele kgotsa go se dire tiro epe ya go bogisana ka thobalano, ya tshotlothobalano kgotsa ya dikgoka - Go begela bothati ka tiro ya mofuta mongwe le mongwe e e seng mo molaong - Go tlotla maikarabelo a a tlang le ditshwanelo tseno le go nna moagi yo o siameng
Pledge in the following languages:
- Morena Boloka Aforika Sesotho sa Leboa
English
Tshivenda
I pledge -
Ndi ita muano wa u -
- To uphold the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa
- tikedza Ndayotewa ya Riphabuḽiki ya Afurika Tshipembe
- Go obamela Molaotheo wa Repabliki ya Afrika Borwa
- To abide by the laws of the country
- tevhedzela milayo ya shango
- Go obamela melao ya naga
- To respect the rights of others irrespective of age, race, sex or sexual orientation
- ṱhonifha pfanelo dza vhaṅwe hu songo sedzwa miṅwaha, murafho, mbeu kana u ḓinangela kha zwa vhudzekani
- Go hlompha ditokelo tša ba bangwe go sa lebelwe mengwaga, morafe, bong goba kgahlego go tša bong
- sa tzhipa kana u ita zwiito zwiṅwe na zwiṅwe zwa u tambudza lwa vhudzekani, u tambudza kana khakhathi
- Go se kate goba go dira tiro efe goba efe ya tlaišo ka thobalano, tshotlo goba dikgaruru
- Not to rape or commit any form of sexual harassment, abuse or violence - To report any form of wrongdoing to authorities - To honour the responsibilities that comes with these rights and to be a good citizen - Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika
- vhiga zwiito zwoṱhe zwo khakheaho kha vhavhusi - hulisa vhuḓifhinduleli vhu ḓaho na pfanelo idzi na u vha mudzulapo wavhuḓi. - Khotsi Shudufhadza Afurika
Afrikaans
Xitsonga
Ek belowe om -
Ndzi hlambanya ku -
- die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika te handhaaf
- tlakusa Vumbiwa ra Riphabuliki ra Afrika-Dzonga
- die wette van die land na te kom - die regte van ander te respekteer, ongeag hul ouderdom, ras, geslag of seksuele oriëntasie - niemand te verkrag of enige vorm van seksuele teistering, mishandeling of geweld te pleeg nie - alle misdrywe by die owerheid aan te meld - die verantwoordelikhede wat met hierdie regte gepaardgaan na te kom en ’n goeie landsburger te wees. - God Seën Afrika
- landzelela milawu ya tiko - Ku xixima timfanelo ta vanhu van’wana ku nga yi hi vukhale, rixaka, rimbewu kumbe ku tihlawulela swa masangu - nga pfinyi kumbe ku endla muxaka wihi kumbe wihi wa ku xanisa hi swa masangu, ku xanisa kumbe dzolonga - Ku mangala muxaka wihi kumbe wihi wa maendlelo yo biha eka va mfumo - hlonipha vutihlamuleri lebyi taka na timfanelo leti na ku va muakatiko wa kahle. - Hosi Katekisa Afrika
Ke ikana
- Go bega tiro efe goba efe ya go se dumelelwe go ba taolo - Go hlompha maikarabelo ao a sepelago le ditokelo tše le go ba modudi yo mokaone - Morena Boloka Afrika
- Go se kate goba go dira tiro efe goba efe ya tlaišo ka thobalano, tshotlo goba dikgaruru - Go bega tiro efe goba efe ya go se dumelelwe go ba taolo - Go hlompha maikarabelo ao a sepelago le ditokelo tše le go ba modudi yo mokaone - Morena Boloka Afrika
Shared responsibility - making
the fight against alcohol and drug use in schools a community issue Alcohol and drug use have a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of South Africa, and is well recognised as a significant barrier to both teaching and learning. It has been linked to academic difficulties, absenteeism, and drop-out from schooling thus impacting negatively on the attainment of quality basic education. It is also associated with a host of high risk behaviours including unprotected sex, crime and violence, traffic accidents, and mental and physical health problems. The South African government has consistently identified education as its number one priority as it is central in addressing the country’s development challenges of unemployment, inequality and poverty (Human Development Strategy, 2009 and National Planning Commission, 2011). However, education is negatively impacted by a range of factors such as crime and violence, HIV and alcohol and drug use.
The National Strategy for the Prevention and Management of Alcohol and Drug Use amongst Learners
in
Schools
provides
comprehensive
guidance to the basic education sector with regards to the prevention and management of alcohol and drug use in schools. The Strategy was developed in-line with the Education Delivery Agreement aimed at improving the quality of basic education, as well as The Action Plan to 2014: Towards the realisation of Schooling 2025 whose major goals are the improvement in learning outcomes and improved access to, and retention in schools. The Strategy is embedded within the overarching Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) Programme whose goal is to realize the education rights of all children, including the most vulnerable, through schools becoming inclusive centres of learning, care and support. The main goals of the strategy are to retain learners in school and to create a safe learning environment that contributes towards quality education.
It is for these reasons that in 2010, government established an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to combat alcohol and drug abuse in South Africa. The IMC aims to strengthen government’s strategy to combat alcohol and drug abuse in the country and to mobilise individuals, groups and community structures to actively participate and support government in its efforts to do so.
The main objectives of the strategy are to ensure that schools are drug free zones increase knowledge, life skills and confidence amongst learners so that they are less likely to engage in problematic alcohol and other drug use and effectively manage alcohol and other drug use related problems amongst learners
Over the past two years, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has developed a National Strategy
In line with the public health approach, the four pillars of the Strategy are an enabling environment, primary prevention, early detection and treatment, care and support. The pillars allow schools to align their activities to ensure that interventions address the most important aspects related to the challenge of alcohol and drug abuse among learners in school.
for the Prevention and Management of Alcohol and Drug Use amongst Learners in Schools. The Strategy focuses largely on the prevention of alcohol and drug use. However, it also creates an enabling environment for those learners who have become addicted to alcohol and drugs to access treatment, care and support services. The Strategy has been consulted with provinces and their ongoing support and that of our districts and schools, together with our partners to fully achieve its goals and objectives of strengthening partnerships with various stakeholders in communities and ensuring that education is recognised as a societal issue.
in order to enhance learning outcomes and learner retention.
Through this strategy the Department strives to address barriers to learning that contribute to poor national and international performance in the schooling sector. These include the National Senior Certificate results and the Annual National Assessments for Grades 3, 6 and 9.
For the past years, South Africa has been
commemorating the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June to recognise the
country’s efforts in combating alcohol and drug use. The UNODC theme for the World Drug Day is “Global action for healthy communities without drugs”. The DBE also played its role in the commemoration by creating awareness of alcohol and drug abuse in all provinces through the PEDs and respective schools. Aligned to the International theme, DBE centred its activities on promoting the concept of Shared Responsibility - Making the Fight against Alcohol and Drug Use in Schools a Community Issue. The DBE, through schools promoted learner based interventions together with school communitywide activities, joined forces to raise awareness on the impact of alcohol and drug abuse on schools. The target group was secondary schools within hotspots for alcohol and drug abuse in communities. The focus was placed on learners in grades 8-10 because of their heightened vulnerability to alcohol and drug abuse during the transition from primary to secondary school and coinciding with the onset of puberty where developmentally experimentation with risk behaviour increase due to, amongst others, peer pressure. With respect to alcohol and drug use, societal factors such as popular public culture and advertising continue to normalise drinking and experimentation with drugs, which also contribute to young learners debuting early with these substances. This builds on the call that education is made a societal issue and that the school is a microcosm of local communities where local challenges such as high rates of alcohol and drug abuse in communities are reflected in schools and ultimately impact negatively on the achievement of quality basic education to implement activities in accordance with the four pillars of the strategy (enabling environment, primary prevention, early detection and treatment, care and support); and to encourage holistic management of alcohol and drug abuse in schools in partnership with communities and other stakeholders.
CHAPTER ONE
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE
A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
MAMOKGETHI REA MOLOPYANE
Key networks are crucial as they will help to circulate knowledge and encourage the creative and often under-resourced teacher, the eager learner and engaged parent. South Africa will do well if it can foster education collaborative networks that will enable all thought leaders in the industry to look at projects that address the unique South African education crisis. It is time for all to work together to start solving our education problems and stop ignoring stumbling blocks. In their Global Competitiveness Report for 2012-2013, the World Economic Forum ranked South Africa’s quality of education system 140th out of 144 worldwide. This ranks us lower than Lesotho and Swaziland in the world. If South Africa is to improve “these rankings” it must overhaul its research, education and training systems. Education is the most effective way to fight poverty, create wealth and reduce inequality. By failing to deliver quality education (particularly by failing to produce maths and science exemption graduates), our government is condemning young people to a lifetime of poverty, unemployment or at best low-level employment. The South African education system has lost ground in implementing solutions to the current crisis, because of poor relations between affected government departments, the private sector and the non-government organisations (NGOs). Now more than ever, collaborative networks are crucial to improve the state of the South African education system. Collaborative cultures are characterised by an ability to deal with change and overcome the failures and pitfalls associated with the process of change. A solution is always reached when two parties meet each other halfway without a winner. These collaborations should aim to bring together diverse expertise from multiple institutions and organisations. Their combined knowledge could contribute to building research and human resource capacity. This would result in a common pursuit of implementable solutions that would address our failed education system. The education crisis is not a bone to be fought over by competing education NGOs in order to look good in front of the Department of Basic Education and potential funders. This should be seen as an opportunity to foster working relationships and sustain them.
43
POWER OF
25%
692%
CREATIVE VOODOO (PTY) LTD Mamokgethi Rea Molopyane is the sole owner of Creative Voodoo.
Giving an unskilled labourer (a domestic labourer or garment worker) a job will – at best – guarantee a 25 percent increase in their lifetime income, assuming that they’ll live to the recently updated SA average of 60 years.
Give the same person a Matric certificate – or better yet, make them learn and earn it – and you’ll at least give them access to the formal employment sector, with a 692 percent increase in their lifetime income potential.
Creative Voodoo is a consulting company that provides comprehensive communications, public relations, government relations, labour analysis and research services to private companies and government departments. It is our long-term goal to become the preferred 100% black female owned labour analysis and research service provider. The company offers a reliable, high-quality alternative insight with regards to the South African trade union movement, economics, social and labour issues. Clients that utilise our services include government departments, municipalities, private companies and trade unions. SERVICES OFFERED: Research • Writing • Consulting Photography • Transcription Social media services
985%
1 847%
Invest in them to the point where they obtain technical skills and you’ll increase their income by 985 percent.
Invest to the point of them earning a Bachelor’s degree and you’ll increase their lifetime income by 1 847 percent.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
The lifetime (40 years) income of someone living on social grants.
R1 995 008
The lifetime (40 years) income of someone earning the Department of Labour minimum wage for a domestic worker.
R2 180 049
The lifetime (40 years) income of someone earning the Department of Labour minimum wage for a farm worker.
R4 083 032
The lifetime (40 years) income of someone earning the National Bargaining Council for Clothing Workers minimum wage for a garment manufacturer.
R15 543 391
The lifetime (40 years) income of someone earning the national average of R5 000 per month within the “formal employment sector”.
R18 881 863
The lifetime (40 years) income of someone earning the national average of R6 074 per month within the “civil engineering sector” (Source: Stats SA).
R33 870 604
The lifetime (40 years) income of someone with a Bachelor’s degree (Source: Stats SA).
Source: Michael H. Rea. Why companies ought to invest in education. The Managing Partner of Integrated Reporting & Assurance Ser vices (www.iras.co.za) and the Founding Trustee and Program Director of the Soweto Marimba Youth League (SMYLe) Trust (www.smyle.co.za).
CONTACT DETAILS: reamol@mobileemail.vodafonesa.co.za 082 395 0907
CHAPTER 1 | A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
LIFETIME
R1 739 517
AN EDUCATION
Unless the public and private sectors as well as NGOs are encouraged to work together to solve the numerous and time-consuming difficulties that beset our education system, the result will be poorer education, higher unemployment and lower economic growth. It is therefore time for us to turn the current situation around and through collaboration and networking improve the quality, productivity, capability and knowledge work that will transform our societies through an improved education system.
INCOME
THE ECONOMIC
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 1 | A REVIEW OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
44
It takes a considerable amount of effort to identify people and organisations that exhibit deep thinking, impeccable integrity and the resilience to stay the course in the face of the grinding pace of social development.
S
tandard Bank’s long history of investing in education reflects the company’s attitude towards finding solutions to the deepening crisis in education. Whether working alone or partnering with government, the NPO sector or other corporate institutions, the bank consistently looks for innovative and results-focused interventions. During 2012 we invested over R42-million in education, reaching approximately 150 000 beneficiaries.
From the bottom up There are chronic skills shortages in South Africa, and the current education system does not speak to the human capital required to catalyse and support sustained national growth. Overcoming outdated education systems and instilling robust change requires organisations and government to develop effective partnerships, so that the education system can benefit from the key competencies and knowledge inherent in businesses. For a number of years Standard Bank has partnered with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to support the Dinaledi Schools Programme, an intervention that aims to give participating schools the opportunity to become centres of excellence in mathematics and science, and to improve the number of learners passing these subjects in Grade 12. Before embarking on the programme, extensive baselines studies were conducted by the bank on each school to understand their key challenges.
A Systemic Transformation Framework Standard Bank’s Adopt A School Programme entails finding succinct ways of addressing the systemic challenges identified by both our baseline research and subsequent learner surveys. We are developing a framework to facilitate systemic transformation and test new tactics to alleviate pressures on the system. This framework includes: Evidence-based curriculum delivery monitoring and evaluation – the Department of Education’s Education Management Information System (EMIS) is intended to collect, process and interpret data in order to evaluate performance, efficiency and resource distribution. Standard Bank has implemented its own parallel learner performance database and is exploring how to make such information result in useful and meaningful data in real time. Modelling the correlation between social determinants and educational outcomes – Programmes that address socio-economic challenges are often designed and implemented in isolation from education outcomes. By modelling correlations between social determinants and education, we can develop tools to use this information to improve education outcomes. Integrating key nodal points in the system – Standard Bank seeks to address the weak integration between schools and structures of the Department of (Basic) Education and between schools and School Management Teams, School Governing Bodies and Learner Representative Councils.
aledi Schools Through the Din have adopted Programme we nces. ss all nine provi ro ac ls o o h sc 5 1 1 hools receive an Each of these sc . tion of R50 000 annual contribu gramme brings ro p e th , n io it d In ad rove eholders to imp ak st y ke r e th e tog the and planning in ce an rn ve o g e th eir n resources to th schools, and alig me ns. The program development pla entifying and works towards id dels ic gaps, and mo m e st sy g in ss re add ale. n be taken to sc ca at th s n o ti lu so e Standard Bank th , 2 1 0 2 g n ri u D sted Programme inve Adopt a School R 20 750 000.
CONTACT DETAILS Dr Wendy Orr Head: Group Inclusion 5 Simmonds Street Johannesburg • 2001 wendy.orr@standardbank.co.za +27 11 636 9111
Chillibush9481TSB
Growing fertile minds for tomorrow TSB recognises that making an effective impact in the development of our young and fertile minds requires
In addition, TSB offers 10 TSB study bursaries in tertiary education annually to students in the region.
a coordinated and sustained effort to provide each student with the skills and knowledge to lead the future
TSB has also launched the TSB Career Expo initiative as a platform to inform students on the career
growth and prosperity of the region and its communities.
opportunities available in the sugar industry and related industries.
That is why for the past 10 years, TSB has dedicated more than 50% of its CSI budget to running successful
TSB. Dedicated to growing the fertile minds of our youth.
Maths and Science projects for Grade 10, 11 and 12 students in the Nkomazi region of Mpumalanga.
For further information please call 013 791 1154 or visit www.tsb.co.za
Growing the Future
CHAPTER TWO
02 THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
THE CHALLENGES OF TRANSFORMING OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM ARE AT TIMES OVERWHELMING, WHICH CAN DISTRACT US FROM THE CENTRAL FOCUS: THE CHILD WHO BENEFITS FROM EDUCATION. IT IS THROUGH EDUCATION THAT A CHILD CAN BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULFIL THEIR POTENTIAL, INDEPENDENTLY OF THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES INTO WHICH THEY WERE BORN.
Donique de Figueiredo | Group CSI Executive 011 456 1587 | 086 662 6003 donique.defigueiredo@murrob.com
Murray & Roberts, as the leading engineering, contracting and construction services company recognises the inextricable link between business sustainability and the sustainable functioning of its social surroundings. As a business and corporate citizen, Murray & Roberts is committed to the national agenda of South Africa, including the pursuit of employment equity throughout our organisation, the economic empowerment of all sectors of society and facilitating growth for direct investment into the economy.
CHAPTER TWO
We often get so fixated with the challenges facing us in education and on the statistics, that we forget there is a child at the centre of everything. Many children walk far to get to school, often on empty stomachs, only to arrive at schools that may not have electricity and running water, or internet connection. Some of these children are supporting families and do not have the traditional support of parents to motivate them to achieve at school. These realities often get forgotten when we are chasing improvements in performance. Performance is not just about our ability to learn. It reflects the social dynamics that form the performance foundation which supports learning and development. For children to perform, we need to have the fundamentals in place and strong support from parents, teachers and broader society. We also need to inspire confidence by showcasing the schools that are achieving results, despite the social challenges that these schools face. Performance is not limited to our well-resourced schools.
51
BELIEVING IN OUR FUTURE STARS Entitlement is a word that is often used in conversations. There seems to be a lack of belief in our youth which is fundamental if we are to work towards a better future. This cynicism needs to be contrasted with stories of five kilometre queues for university registration, which shows us that our youth have a hunger for education and a better future. The Future Stars Awards was launched to address the high drop-out rate, particularly amongst male learners, between Grades 10 to 12. The first winners of the Future Stars awards are inspiring in their commitment to build a better future, for both themselves and their families.
CHAPTER 2 | THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
STER-KINEKOR, CINEMA PARK EDUTAINMENT JOURNEY An interview with Rhae Shawn Kabantu Cinema Park Channel Manager at Ster-Kinekor about the company’s socio-economic development initiative. Written by Mamokgethi Rea Molopyane
It seems unlikely that an entertainment company like the PRIMEDIA Group owned Ster-Kinekor would be involved in education. However, in the interview with Kabantu it transpired that, as part of their socio-economic development (SED) initiatives, Ster-Kinekor has partnered with Cinema Park Network and they intend to use the cinema platform to present positive educational messages to South African learners on how to deal with social problems.
Would you drive a car after drinking 2 beers or its alcohol equivalent? 80.0% 80.0%
70.0% 80.0% 80.0% 60.0 % 70.0% Before After 46.9% 50.0 % 60.0 % 40.0 % Before After 46.9% 50.0 %29.5% 30.0 % 40.0 % 20.0 % 29.5% 8.3% 7.6% 5.9% 30.0 % 4.5% 10.0% 1.7% 20.0 % 0.0% 8.3% 7.6% 5.9% 4.5% 10.0% Yes Probably Yes 1.7%Probably No No
0.0% Yes
Probably Yes
Probably No
No
Has your attitude towards drugs changed today?
It is clear that through their Cinema Park experiences, Ster-Kinekor action goes beyond the interests of just making profits. Theirs is a contribution to sustainable development to meet the needs of the present and future generations.
7%
Kabantu pointed out that “It is about extending the immediate interest from ourselves as business and acting with respect for the future generation in tackling the many challenges facing our society”. Business can implement their version of SED initiatives through community involvement in a variety of ways. Ster-Kinekor Cinema Park focuses on education.
7% 25%
58%
58%
THEIR THREE CORE AREAS ARE:
25%
Not Really A Little Not Really Yes A Little
Yes
1. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION 2. ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION 3. YOUNG DRIVER SAFETY PROGRAMMES
Kabantu is obviously passionate about these initiatives and she explained, “Our objective is to bring life changing, multi-sensory and interactive education experiences to the big screen. Our innovative pilot programme launched in 2012 included screenings of “Addicted to Life” on alcohol and substance abuse prevention at The Zone in Rosebank, Johannesburg. Ster-Kinekor did a survey of more than 290 Gauteng Grade 6-10 learners who viewed the ‘Addicted to Life’ programme. It is interesting to note that results from the survey showed that when learners are exposed to such programmes, they want to change their attitudes and behaviour regarding
SUCCESS STORY Cinema Park is a state-of-the-art system that brings entertainment-style educational programmes to students in an exciting and unforgettable way. There are 550 cinematic educational, entertainment projects set up throughout the world inspiring over 100 000
children in countries like Mexico, Greece, Taiwan, Poland, Israel, the US and the UK. These include nature, science, history, drug and alcohol-abuse prevention, recycling and natural disasters.
Ster-Kinekor plans to bring to South Africa other life-changing programmes of Cinema Park, such as: The Good Life (promoting balanced nutrition, an active lifestyle and coping with childhood obesity); Living Together (stopping youth violence and bullying); Planet Home (environmental protection); and Being a Good Citizen (citizenship).
Teens and young adults of today incorporate technology and digital media into their lives at a faster rate
various social and moral issues they face on a daily basis.
than any other generation. Ster-Kinekor has found a way to appeal to this generation by making education fun.
This is illustrated in the following graphs:
Kabantu at rhae-shawn@sterkinekor.com. The benefits of this for our teens and young adults are obvious!
Corporations who are interested in sponsoring learners as a part of your SED programmes, kindly email
INSPIRING SOUTH AFRICA’S FUTURE STARS TO DREAM BIG! MOTIVATING ASPIRATIONAL YOUTH TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND IN EDUCATION’S POWER TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS.
FUTURE STARS – OUR WINNERS CELEBRATED The future lies in the hands of the youth. The brilliant young minds who take charge today will be the pioneers of a brighter and better tomorrow. Sadly, of the 1.2 million children who start school every year, only 5% will complete a university degree. That’s why Argo is trying to inspire talented young minds to become Future Stars. As a multi-media communications company, Argo is passionate about supporting achievers and bringing lasting change through education and youth media. They’ve launched many educationfocused magazines and handbooks and, living up to their brand values, Argo informs, involves and inspires more than 1-million top achieving pupils, students and the people who influence them. Future Stars is Argo’s latest initiative targeted at aspirational youth under the age of 21, to motivate them to believe in themselves and in education’s power to help them achieve their dreams. With the massive 6 year success of Stars in Education, through which Argo recognises the most inspirational and dedicated teachers in the country, they decided to launch a campaign for the aspirational youth. Motivated teachers can only really make a difference when they deal with pupils who are inspired to learn.
Having someone who believes in you is a powerful motivator that gives you the support you need to realise your full potential.
FUTURE STARS IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
But so many of our young people don’t have the power of this support that keeps them working hard to build a better future, and sometimes it’s easy for them to give up. That’s why Future Stars is recognising that the future stars out there – those learners willing to stand in lines that go on for kilometres in the blistering sun for the hope of a university education. By recognising their desire for a brighter future and believing in them – Future Stars is inspiring these learners to believe in themselves and how the power of education can help them reach their dreams. Made possible by the generous and ongoing sponsorship of such companies as Capitec Bank, NYDA, TSB Sugar, Mindset TV, and Metro FM, these well-known and sustaining brands lend even further credibility to the initiative. By aligning with this campaign and working together, sponsors have shown their genuine commitment to a better future and have built brand affinity, making a real impact on the education landscape. General Manager, Corporate Affairs at TSB Sugar, Vusi Khoza comments, “We are extremely excited to be a part of the Stars in Education and Future Stars projects - both of these incredible initiatives speak directly to our ethos - ‘growing the future’ and our commitment to education and enterprise development and offer inspiration and hope for the future of our beautiful country.” The sentiment is echoed by Capitec Bank’s Chief Marketing Officer Sbusiso Kumalo who adds, “Capitec Bank is proud to be associated with Future Stars - with a major focus on community development, we believe in actively playing a part in the
Growing the Future www.tsb.co.za
improving the lives and opportunities of our customers, the Future Stars initiative gives us the platform to do this.” “The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is a proud sponsor of The Future Stars Campaign, an initiative that highlights the importance of education and how it can unlock doors for young people. Education and Skills Development is one of the NYDA’s Key Performance Areas, we therefore promote access to quality education and skills to in-school as well as out-of-school youth,” says Linda Dlova, NYDA Executive Manager for Communications. According to Dlova, by inspiring young people to believe in themselves, The Future Stars Campaign is also aligned with the NYDA’s Limitless Campaign which is a call-to-action for young people to have a ‘get up and go attitude’ by accessing the youthorientated programmes and services that are accessible either via the NYDA or via the private sector, public sector and/or civil society. “I am limitless is a message with a sentiment that says: youth of South Africa, you have no limits, no one can stop you if you really want it, this is your time, there are limitless opportunities, grab them with both hands.Your current circumstances don’t have to define your future as your potential far outweighs your limitations,” Dlova indicates. METRO FM is a proudly South African leading brand. The station is rooted in its heritage and has always been a leader in ensuring that we empower the previously disadvantaged as well as recognising and acknowledging leaders who stand out because they are authentic, courageous, purposeful people with integrity. These leaders have displayed willingness to give more than to receive in their communities.
Mindset is proud to be associated with the Future Stars campaign. As an organization, we strive for the personal, social, cultural and economic development of all young people in Africa through education. Campaigns such as the Future Stars Awards are initiatives we aspire to associate ourselves with as these highlight the importance of investing in the Future of our youth and finding ways to uplift and provide opportunities for a bright future.
THE CAMPAIGN IS IN THE SECOND YEAR AND IS SHOWING STRONG GROWTH: •
Future Stars is a campaign that nurtures the brilliant young minds of today who will become the bright stars of tomorrow. Building leaders Future Stars!
starts
with
•
MORE OBJECTIVES OF THE CAMPAIGN: 1.
Inform them of study options. This is achieved by hosting the campaign on the leading study portal www.sastudy. co.za to encourage them to access this vital resource for further study.
2.
Involve their peers in voting for them, to provide vital role models for our youth. The campaign receives substantial media support to encourage entries and voting and finalists are profiled across a range of multi-media platforms to reach both urban and rural youth.
3.
Growth in entries – Amount of entries received in 2012 totalled 216. In 2013 the amount of entries received totalled 318 with 273 qualifying according to set criteria. (Main reason for disqualification was age). In the 2013 campaign we also introduced the online voting platform to streamline the short listing process. We received a total number of 15 147 votes (of which the top 10 campaigned to accumulate a total of 11 120 votes). Growth in media support. For the 2013 campaign we welcomed on board Mindset TV, Supersport and Metro FM. Through these 3 media partners, we delivered great media coverage. All schedules will be forwarded to sponsors.
(2013 winners to be announced during Youth Month – June 2013)
1
2
3
We have also received national support via our partnership with NYDA who promoted the awards online and also via certain national branches. •
Growth in sponsorship support. The 2012/2013 campaign has seen a phenomenal growth in sponsor support as more brands realize what a crucial role a campaign like this plays in inspiring the youth.
4
5
Provide support to our youth who may not have strong parental or teacher support to believe in them and offer them advice on their future development.
FUTURE STARS IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
2012 WINNERS
Growing the Future www.tsb.co.za
These five entrants received the most votes from the public on www.sastudy.co.za and, by sharing their ambition, each received R10 000 to help make their dreams become a reality. Armed with her film degree and eagerness to learn, Kimberly Roos dreams of becoming a successful actress and of owning her own production company. As the first person in his family to ever finish school and attend university and be employed, English teacher Bright Khumalo dreams of starting a school where he can inspire the young children who look up to him to make a better future for themselves. Combining his love for soccer with his degree in education that he’s working towards at Wits University, Mpfunzeni Makhanya has already started having soccer practice sessions with the kids in his community of Shakadza. He hopes to become a soccer coach and mentor young players of the future. Petrus Raltou from Pretoria is driven by his ambition to become a successful entrepreneur. He’s currently studying accounting at Varsity College, attending workshops at a small enterprise development agency and spending his spare time doing further research into the field. Young Vredenburg High School student and passionate family man in the making, Dean Dart is working hard to finish school so that he can go on to study political science and economics.
INTERVIEW WITH TWO OF OUR 2012 FUTURE STARS WINNERS
IT’S TIME TO TAKE THE LEAD Invest in our future leaders, who hold the power to shape our future.
KIMBERLY ROOS
The youth of today are powerful influencers of each other, their parents and the government, as almost 50% of our population is under the age of 18. But they need support and leaders to believe in them.
BRIGHT KHUMALO
INTRODUCING THE FUTURE STARS CAMPAIGN The Future Stars campaign is designed to inspire our youth to believe in themselves and in education’s power to help them achieve their dreams.
What does being a Future Star mean to you? How has having a corporate, like Argo, that believes in you, helped you along your journey? To me, being a future star means following your passion with perpetual commitment, a strong will to work as hard as is necessary and most importantly believing in the end goal and the idea that you can achieve it, no matter who you are or where you are from. Corporates like Argo, who support such young ambition help build that essential self belief, which is the platform to making something of yourself. Having someone else believe in you besides you makes one realize that anyone else out there can have that belief in you too.
How has the Future Stars Award assisted you in pursuing and continuing with your dream? As a young film maker, work in the industry is scarce. This prize has allowed me to focus purely on my first passions, Producing and Performing, instead of having to turn to other jobs for a source of income. It has given me a kick start and opportunity to start young and work my way into the industry. I am currently interning at a film and music production company called iNet-Media in order to gain experience. Without this prize, I would not be able to be here on a volunteer basis every day of the week.
FUTURE STARS IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
What advice would you give to the youth? What attitude do they need to have? Positivity is key. Dream big and believe in yourself and the manifestation of your dreams. And lastly – DO! Don’t let the fear of failure hold you back. We all fail and we all get told by someone that we are not good enough at some point, but with a positive mindset, this should act as your fuel to drive you further and prove yourself.
What are your goals and dreams? I believe that in order to achieve a goal, you have to be able to envision it clearly and what I envision for myself someday – hopefully soon – is being well connected and busily involved within the film industry, because although it is all very well to follow your passion, as a creative, I naturally yearn for freedom, so to me it is also important to have financial stability in order to give me the freedom to be creative.
What does being a Future Star mean to you? How has having a corporate, like Argo, that believes in you, helped you along your journey? Being a Future Star has helped me realize that sticking to what you believe in pays off. Argo has not only played a huge role in my academics financially, but it has also been my mentor, keeping me motivated to
What advice would you give to the youth? What attitude do they need to have? All I can tell the youth is that to succeed they need to apply what I call “The Asthma Concept”. When Asthma attacks its patients, all they want to do is breath. So what the youth needs to do is to imagine life is an Asthma Attack and success is the Oxygen they need to survive.
chase my dreams faster than I used to.
What are your goals and dreams? How has the Future Stars Award assisted you in pursuing and continuing with your dream?
I have quite a number of goals, but
With the award I managed to pay
school that specializes in English
off outstanding fees at my previous
proficiency to help the youth from
institution and purchase a new
underprivileged areas to master
laptop, with which I tackle my
this medium of communication for
assignments and knock them down.
future purposes.
I will mention my biggest goal. My major goal is starting a language
To enter they simply need to log onto SAstudy.co.za and tell us how as a Future Star they will: realise their dream.
5 GREAT REASONS WHY SUPPORTING FUTURE STARS OFFERS GREAT ROI By investing traditional advertising spend in inspiring our key influencers – aspirational youth, you are positioning your brand at the heart of society – EDUCATION. Education has the power to create a better future for all and position your brand as the leader in society. FACT: A research survey conducted across 10 of the world’s largest countries by GDP revealed that 93 per cent of consumers say they would buy a product because of its association with a good cause (The Telegraph, November 2011). Making multiplication simple Take the frustration out of working out what media works for engaging the youth. Partner with Argo to create a multimedia campaign, which informs, involves and inspires our youth and the friends and family that they influence. By investing in a 6 month campaign, you build a relationship that goes beyond a one night stand. Great ROI by partnering with non-competing brand leaders, your budget goes further and you are in line with the global trend of co-sponsorship (consumers no longer believe in “owned” campaigns). There is also no wastage as the campaign focuses on the key trend setters, who influence everyone else. Credible and relevant Argo’s ongoing research into national policy and education research and our strategic partnerships with youth organisations and the social leaders ensures that the campaign is grounded in reality and relevant to nation building. Building a better future Our youth represent our future and they need all the support they can get to build a better future for all of us.
CREATE STRATEGIC IMPACT = INFORM, INVOLVE AND INSPIRE THE KEY INFLUENCERS TO SUPPORT YOUR BRAND AND THEIR FUTURE.
Growing the Future www.tsb.co.za
FUTURE STARS IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
Growing the Future www.tsb.co.za
CHAPTER TWO
THE NATIONAL
THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
DIAGNOSTIC REPORT ON
gradual consistent improvement in the pass rate in each of the subjects analysed, both at the 30 percent and 40 percent achievement levels.
LEARNER PERFORMANCE
Some key areas of concern are:
2012: HIGHLIGHTS
nn
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS A. Districts
and schools should continue to guide learners in making the right subject choices and combinations. It is important to note that certain subject combinations work to strengthen learners’ performances as a whole. For example, acquired competencies in Mathematics can strengthen learners’ thinking skills, understanding and performance in Physical Sciences and other subjects like Agricultural Sciences, Accounting and Economics.
A lack of linguistic skills required to communicate in simple and proper paragraphs was evident in
RELEASED IN JANUARY 2013 Public examinations are a valuable tool in measuring learner achievements and providing diagnostic information which serves as feedback on teaching, learning and the assessment processes. The Subject Report on Learner Performance is the first step in providing teachers, as well as subject advisors and other support officials, with information that could assist in planning the teaching and learning practices for 2013.
the responses of candidates across all subjects. Candidates displayed inadequacies in the skills of reading, comprehension analysing, evaluating and applying information to both making decisions or
B.
It is recommended that subject advisors convene special workshops with teachers, where reports like these should be thoroughly discussed and mediated and problem areas addressed with teachers. It is expected that these reports will culminate in district, circuit and school level intervention plans among teachers of each of these subjects.
C.
It is also recommended that content coverage should be closely monitored.
solving problems.
nn
Basic number operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division), which include working with fractions, equations, ratios, tables and graphs, analysis and synthesis of information (texts and
The eleven enrolment subjects covered in the report include: Accounting, Agricultural Science, Business Studies, Economics, English First Additional Language, Geography, History, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Physical Sciences. Each subject report presents learner performance trends from 2009 to 2012, providing a general overview of performance in each subject for the 2012 NSC examination as well as a diagnostic per question analysis. During the monitoring of schools, the Department of Basic Education (DBE), working together with the provinces, will assess and evaluate the utilisation of these reports in schools. The expectation is that the problems experienced in the 2012 examinations will be considerably reduced in the 2013 examinations. Teachers and subject advisors are requested to provide input on the usefulness of these reports and how they could be improved in future years. An opportunity to provide input will be given to teachers and subject advisors during the monitoring of curriculum implementation and support. Much improvement has been observed in the quality of responses of candidates in most subjects. Pockets of excellence were identified in the quality of answers that learners provided, which reflects a significant improvement over the years in the subjects covered in this report. There was also a
59
numerals) are lacking in Mathematics and in all other subjects where numerical skills are required.
nn
Inadequacies
were
observed
in
regards
D. There
should be focused interventions targeting areas of weakness highlighted in the report, combined with general systemic interventions.
to
foundational knowledge and skills and basic concepts and principles. For example, candidates could not define terminology and concepts, were
Source: http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=p1ewHfivdcI%3D&tabid=358&mid=1325
unable to display adequate understanding of the concepts and were therefore unable to answer questions assessing higher order thinking skills such as application, problem solving, critical thinking, analysis and evaluation.
nn
Inadequate preparation to master content was evident in the poor quality of answers provided by some candidates as well as the nature of the errors observed in the responses.
A general observation in Accounting and Physical Sciences was that questions which required mathematical skills were generally better answered in the 2012 National Senior Certificate examination compared to 2011. It can be assumed that the increase in the number of candidates taking the combination of Mathematics and Accounting, and Mathematics and Physical Sciences (as opposed to Mathematical Literacy) has provided learners with the mathematical background knowledge required for these subjects.
CHAPTER 2 | THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 2 | THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
60
CHAPTER TWO
THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
PROGRESS IN PASS RATES The improvement in the Matric pass rate (73.9% in 2012 from 70.2% in 2011) is positive and we are slowly beginning to see the combined effects of moving away from Outcomes Based Education, the introduction of workbooks, (somewhat) improved textbooks access (Limpopo notwithstanding), a marginally more motivated teacher body and an increasingly active citizenry and civil society. However, many ‘born frees’ are getting lost along the way. NUMBER WRITING MATHS
YEAR
NUMBER PASSING MATHS AT 30%
PASS-RATE AT 30%
2009
290,407
133,505
46%
2010
263,034
124,749
47.4%
2011
224,635
104,033
46.3%
2012
225,870
121,970
54%
Mathematics is crucial for individual freedom and economic development; it is a gateway to science, medicine, commerce, engineering and other vital sectors of the economy. The number of Maths passes has improved, up from 2010 levels. Although the total number of matriculants rose in 2012 compared to 2011, the number of students writing Maths remains low. At the same time, enrolment in Maths Literacy (with a much higher pass-rate of 87.4%) unsurprisingly continues to rise, with up to 291,341 students recorded, an increase of over 15,000 from 2011. The pass rate at 40 percent has also gone up from 30.1 percent of students in 2011 to 35.7 percent of students in 2012. This shows that the quality of passes has improved slightly.
THE CHALLENGE OF SCHOOL DROP-OUTS Equal education confirms that only 32.9 percent of those who started school passed matric. Huge numbers (51%) drop out between Grade 10 and NSC exams. Certain realities need to be considered:
LEARNER RETENTION Cohort in Grade 1
Cohort in Grade 10
Cohort in matric, writing exams
Number that passed matric
Official Pass-rate
“True” Pass-rate of original cohort
% Drop-out from Grade 10 to Matric
2010 Matric class
1,318,932
1,076,527
579,384
392,822
67.8%
29.8%
46%
2011 Matric class
1,055,397
987,680
496,090
348,255
70.2%
33%
50%
2012 Matric class
1,150,637
1,039,762
551,837
378,466
73.9%
32.9%
51%
Learner retention remains poor and may even have worsened slightly. This undermines the improvement in pass-rates because it begs the question: 73.9 percent of what?
61
CHAPTER 2 | THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
The 2012 matric class started Grade 1 in 2001 as a group of 1,150,637 learners. It dropped only slightly to 1,039,762 by Grade 10, and then dramatically down to 551,837 in matric. Less than half of those present on day one of Grade 10 wrote matric exams.
GRADE ONE
GRADE TEN
GRADE TWELVE
2001
2010
2010
1,150,637 learners
1,039,762 learners
551,837 learners
This is a crisis of monumental proportions. The 73.9 percent pass rate needs to be considered against the number of learners who did not make it through the schooling system. These young people now face the task of finding employment to survive. These drop-out figures can be accounted for in a number of ways. Some schools resort to ‘gaming’ the system by pushing poor performing learners out of the system in order to protect their school’s pass rate. Learners may also be moved from full-time candidates to part-time candidates. There will also be a large number of learners who drop out of the system because their families are no longer able to afford schooling or they have lost faith and hope in the promise of education. For many learners poor quality education means they do not get that sublime feeling of accomplishment, the joy of learning or the daily sense of progress. Therefore they abandon their studies.
INEQUALITY In quintiles 1 and 2 (South Africa’s poorest schools) 95 schools achieved pass rates of less than 20 percent, compared to quintiles 4 and 5 (wealthier public schools) where only five schools achieved a pass rate of less than 20 percent. This shows that results continue to be linked to resources. Such an analysis is critical to evaluate what impacts performance. Various major impediments exist for poor schools:
nn
Only eight percent of schools have functioning libraries. Over 3,600 schools lack electricity and 2,400 lack running water.
nn
In the Eastern Cape over 300 ‘mud schools’ still remain. These dangerous structures are not conducive to learning and impact negatively on learners and teachers.
nn
Due to shortages of qualified teachers, inadequate salaries and a lack of incentives to attract teachers into poor communities, the schools often have large classes. In Khayelitsha, in the Western Cape, it is common for class sizes to range between 50 and 60 learners.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
An analysis of the matric results based on class and race inequality is crucial, and should be a centrepiece of the government’s engagement with the results. However, it is largely missing from published information. There are 3 documents that the DBE has made available:
1.
The Technical Report
2. The School Subject Report 3. The School Performance Report
The Technical Report breaks the overall passes down by province and district. The School Subject Report and School Performance Report both provide data at a school level. All of this is good, but does not provide any analysis of patterns of inequality. The only tiny piece of data provided is on page 58 of the Technical Report which shows pass intervals according to school quintiles. What is needed is an analysis comparing rural to urban, township to suburb, former model-C to former DET, schools with libraries to schools without, and so on. A serious Technical Report would provide that kind of information.
Source: Isaacs, D. Equal Education, 3 January 2013. http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/ politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=348778&sn=De tail&pid=71616
CHAPTER 2 | THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
62
MURRAY & ROBERTS – BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES!
Murray & Roberts has a rich tradition of advancing societal and development objectives in South Africa. Partnerships with organizations spearheading the development agenda has been commonplace since the early 1950’s.
sought to identify those components within the education system that require support. We have engaged in partnerships with numerous organizations, in
an effort to make tangible and meaningful contributions to education reform
in South Africa. Through our partnership with Technology Research Activity Centre (TRAC) South Africa, we have influenced new thinking in terms of
The earliest evidence of community engagement and support dates back to the 1950’s, prompted by the late Dr. Andrew
science and technology education in rural schools. Massive investments in
with Child Welfare South Africa. These engagements culminated in the establishment of the Murray & Roberts Child
interest in science and engineering.
Roberts. Perturbed by the growing number of children living in despair and poverty, Dr. Roberts initiated engagements Welfare Fund in 1956.
Community engagement within Murray & Roberts has evolved into a group-wide, strategic business imperative. Significant
societal shifts since the 1950’s necessitated a shift in the role of and expectation from business in society. Murray & Roberts
has been responsive to progressive thinking and adopted appropriate community development strategies that would assist in redressing social injustices and facilitate sustainable development. Today, community development within Murray & Roberts
is encompassed in 3 three strategic programmes, namely Murray & Roberts Corporate Social Investment (CSI); the Letsema Sizwe Community Development Trust and the Murray & Roberts Child Welfare Fund. The respective programmes are aligned
with the overall business strategy, focusing on development in the core areas of mathematics, science and technology education; numeracy and literacy development in early childhood and environment education. Priority is also placed on
women’s empowerment, youth development, supporting people living with disabilities and orphans and vulnerable children.
Financial contributions in excess of R100 000 000, as well as innumerable human resources have been invested into these development interventions over the last 50 years. Community development in the history of Murray & Roberts has always been characterised by partnerships. Addressing past
and present day socio-economic issues calls for partnerships with the relevant stakeholders. Without meaningful and strategic partnerships, promoting redress and sustainable development would have been an unattainable feat. The spirit of ‘partnerships for development’ which was pioneered almost 6 decades ago still thrives within Murray & Roberts today. We remain committed to establishing partnerships with employees, local communities, schools, civil society organisations and government departments.
Throughout our history, Murray & Roberts has partnered a myriad of organisations and institutions including universities, business
coalitions, education departments, community based organisations and other private sector companies. Numerous highlights
detailing the impact of these partnerships exist in archives. Sponsorships of research Chairs at several universities resulted in ground breaking innovations in engineering and environmental sustainability programmes. Similarly, seed funding from Murray
& Roberts supported the establishment of business coalitions such as the National Business Initiative, which are regarded as a necessary mechanism in terms of influencing, informing and monitoring the role of business in society.
Millions of secondary school learners across the country have been reached through strategic investments into education over
several years. Over the last 10 years, the Murray & Roberts CSI strategy has been firmly rooted within education. Recognizing that education is the starting point for the country’s talent pool and a sustainable development foundation, we have consistently
fixed and mobile laboratories have resulted in increased performance and
The Letsema Sizwe Community Development Trust, the newest member of the community development strategy, was established as one of four vehicles
that would help Murray & Roberts to broaden its economic base. In December 2005, Murray & Roberts invested R494 million to extend its black economic
empowerment ownership to a broad base and has already impacted the lives of close to a million women, children, youth and people living with disabilities.
Through partnerships with reputable development organizations, individuals
and communities have been empowered around issues of financial literacy, HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention, food security and leadership. The Trust also supports the development of sport among able bodied and disabled people, through the annual Jack Cheetham and Letsema Sports Award.
The Murray & Roberts Child Welfare Fund has evolved into a well established programme that is financed through voluntary employee payroll giving contributions and the proceeds from annual fundraising events. Donations from the Child Welfare Fund cover basic needs such as food, clothing, educational resources and shelter. Since the inception of the programme an average of 30 organizations has been supported and over a 100 donation requests are received annually.
We are proud of our heritage of ‘caring’ and look forward to even greater
partnerships
with
our
employees,
communities
and
development partners in the pursuit of sustainable society for all.
CSI CASE STUDY: TAKING SCIENCE WHERE IT’S NEEDED MOST Once a week, a car pulling a trailer winds its way to the Mazwe High School in Seleka, Limpopo.
The school is set in a deeply rural area where jobs are few and poverty is endemic, but the mobile science laboratory packed inside the trailer could represent the ticket out of
poverty that many of Mazwe’s learners desperately need.
CSI STRATEGY
The laboratory is managed by a qualified science teacher who visits Mazwe – and seven other high schools in the
region – to give Grade 10, 11 and 12 learners practical Murray & Roberts recognizes education as the key driver in addressing issues of poverty, unemployment and more specifically the shortage of critical skills needed in the engineering and construction industry. As such CSI within Murray
& Roberts is embedded as a core business function needed to redress inequalities of the past and to simultaneously influence the development of quality engineering professionals needed to sustain infrastructure development and economic growth in the future.
A targeted CSI strategy has enabled Murray & Roberts to invest almost exclusively in education. This investment is divided
between three areas of education: mathematics, science and technology education; numeracy and literacy in early childhood
development and environmental education. Each of these focus areas are closely aligned with the Group’s core business. I) Mathematics, Science And Technology Education: An investment in mathematics, science and technology education helps to ensure a ready pipeline of talent to meet Murray & Roberts’ own business needs and furthers the interests of the engineering and construction sector in general.
hands-on science training. The mobile lab contains a
fully-equipped laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment which is used by learners to capture, analyze and discuss scientific data.
laboratories run by a non-profit organization called Research
Activity
Centre
(“TRAC”).
Twenty-four of the laboratories, like the one that serves Limpopo, are mobile, while seven are at fixed locations, mostly in urban areas.
TRAC works with education departments to identify schools where the need is greatest – and where there
is the commitment to actively support its work. It also liaises with relevant department officials to ensure that
Numeracy and literacy education in early childhood helps to develop sound numerical foundations in very young children.
schools have laboratories, TRAC brings the equipment
the tuition offered is aligned with the curriculum. Where
This improves their chances of excelling in mathematics at primary and secondary school, which in turn paves the way for
they almost always lack. Where there is no laboratory,
a range of mathematically oriented careers, many of which serve the engineering and construction industry.
TRAC will bring that too.
Iii) Environmental Education:
Not only do almost 300 000 learners get the first-
Environmental education is closely aligned to Murray & Roberts’ commitment to sustainability, of which responsible
physical science concepts but hundreds of their teachers
generations to the importance of environmental conservation is critical for the sustainable success of ‘green’ objectives.
learners who show particular promise to pursue tertiary
BUDGET EXPENDITURE
finding them bursaries.
class hands-on training that is so essential to grasping
get in-service training at the same time. TRAC assists education in science, engineering and technology, often
Murray & Roberts is deeply invested in the transformation of the education sector and dedicates the greater share of its annual
Murray & Roberts is a proud TRAC sponsor, each year
R15, 5 million), including CSI overheads and salaries. A total of 77% (R11 million) of this budget was allocated to education
fixed laboratories. The fixed laboratories are in Port
National Business Initiative and other pertinent membership organizations and 15% was allocated to departmental overheads.
The
A further breakdown of the budget allocated to education projects indicates that 57% of the funds were allocated to
Delmas as well as northern KwaZulu-Natal. Between
CSI budget to education projects. The total budget expenditure for the 2012 financial year was R14, 4 million (2011: projects, 8% was allocated to discretionary projects which include strategic relationships with Business Against Crime, the
mathematics, science and technology education at secondary schools, 31% was committed to universities and 6% to numeracy and literacy in early childhood development and environmental education.
paying for the operation of three mobile and three
Elizabeth, northern KwaZulu-Natal and Johannesburg. mobile
CSI project. “Since 2007 our CSI strategy has focused more deliberately on education,” she explains. Murray &
Roberts wants to invest in the youth of our country and it also wants to cultivate technical and engineering skills.
Hopefully those who emerge from the education system with the best engineering skills will come to work for
us. By bringing top-class science education to schools around Medupi and Kusile we are doing our bit to invest in the future of communities where we work.”
TRAC is making a difference, proven by statistics from all over the country. In just one year the matric science
laboratories
pass rate at the schools served by the Murray & Roberts
sponsored Lephalale mobile laboratory increased from 11% to 32%.
Donique says the Group’s relationship with TRAC has
grown over the past six years, as has the organization’s impact. “TRAC gives learners great science education
Ii) Numeracy And Literacy Development In Early Childhood:
management of environmental impact is a significant component. Murray & Roberts recognizes that sensitizing future
says the TRAC sponsorship is the Group’s flagship
pass rate at Mazwe rose from 4% to 52% and the overall
The mobile lab visiting Mazwe High is just one of 31 Technology
Donique de Figueiredo, Murray & Roberts CSI manager
serve
communities
near
the Medupi power station in Lephalale and Kusile in them, the Murray & Roberts sponsored laboratories reached more than 7 700 learners.
and also emphasizes relationships and mentoring. Despite interacting with thousands of children, each lab manager quickly recalls anecdotes from specific schools and can recite individual results for individual learners.
“Our TRAC sponsorship costs Murray & Roberts millions
of Rands each year,” she says, “but it is impossible to put a price tag on the life-changing value of education.”
LETSEMA SIZWE COMMUNITY TRUST
CSI CASE STUDY: 2012 JACK CHEETHAM & LETSEMA SPORTS AWARDS
The Letsema Sizwe Community Trust is a component of Murray & Roberts’
Broad-Based
Black
Economic
Empowerment
(BBBEE)
programme. In December 2005 Murray & Roberts invested R494 million into four Trusts to extend its black economic empowerment ownership
TRIUMPH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT The annual Murray & Roberts sports development awards highlight the triumph of humanity over adversity.
to a broad base including staff and community organizations.
The 2012 Murray & Roberts Jack Cheetham Memorial Award for able-bodied sports development projects was won
Through the Letsema Sizwe Trust, dividend income is diverted to several
went to Shumbashaba – Horses Helping People.
partner organizations, selected for their ability to contribute to the broadening of the base of the economy and addressing key socio-economic
by the Paarl Canoe Club Development Programme, while the 2012 Letsema Sports Award for people with disabilities
Both projects have won R500 000 payable over five years.
development issues facing South Africa. Since the inception of this Trust in 2005, Murray & Roberts has provided funding to several partner NGOs to carry out work with women, orphans and vulnerable children, youth, people with disabilities and other marginalized groups. The Trust also supports the development of sporting talent among able bodied and disabled people, through the annual Jack Cheetham and Letsema Sports Award.
PAARL CANOE CLUB DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME The Paarl Canoe Club Development Programme has for many years been encouraging and enabling kayaking as a
sport among previously disadvantaged youth in the Western Cape. The programme focuses on both development and high performance and has achieved significant results, dominating the South African National School sprints in recent years and producing domestic and international gold medal winners, including Luke Stowman who has been identified as a leading prospect for the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. Coach Wayne August, an early beneficiary
Jack Cheetham and Letsema Sports Awards:
of the programme, has trained many of South Africa’s national sprint and marathon champions and is a powerful role model to his younger protégées.
JACK CHEETHAM MEMORIAL AWARD
SHUMBASHABA – HORSES HELPING PEOPLE
The Jack Cheetham Memorial Award was initiated by Murray & Roberts 31 years ago in recognition of
For more than ten years, this project has offered disadvantaged people from the township of Diepsloot access to the
of the South African cricket team in the 1950s that was able to instill in young people the belief that they
severe disabilities and equine assisted growth and learning to heal and empower hundreds of South African children
the potential to be champions. It is presented annually to projects that the selection panel believes have
daily. Shumbashaba also sponsors the riding tuition of disadvantaged children, providing them with the opportunity to
the special qualities of Jack Cheetham, a former director of the company and the inspirational captain
therapeutic power of horses. Shumbashaba’s community outreach programmes offer therapeutic riding for people with
could win. The award recognizes and rewards development projects with individuals or teams that have
who struggle with poverty, limited education and unemployment and face crime, violence and drug and alcohol abuse
contributed most to development in their sporting codes in South Africa and that represent the qualities of
participate in equestrian competitions for riders with disabilities.
leadership, excellence, benefit to disadvantaged communities and sustainability.
LETSEMA SPORTS AWARD The Letsema Sports Award was initiated in 2009 following the outstanding performance of athlete Hilton Langenhoven who captured the attention of the world at the 2008 Paralympics in Athens. The Letsema
Award was launched with the aim of recognizing development projects for sports people with disabilities. It
is presented annually to projects that represent the qualities of leadership, excellence and benefit to sports people with disabilities.
Murray & Roberts undertakes the awards in partnership with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).
CHAPTER TWO
PROGRESSION IN THE FURTHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING (FET) BAND Regulations state that a learner should not be retained for longer than four years in the phase, which includes Grades 10, 11 and 12. This implies that a learner can only fail one of these grades and if a learner fails a grade in the phase for the second time, he must be progressed to the next grade. However, the learner will not be awarded the National Senior Certificate if he does not pass the Grade 12 examination. The rationale behind this decision is that the curriculum for the FET band is a three year curriculum and the learning outcomes for each of these grades (although they need to be obtained at the end of each grade), are finally assessed at the end of Grade 12 in the National Senior Certificate examination. Learners may therefore be allowed to progress from Grade 10 to Grade 11 or from Grade 11 to Grade 12, without meeting the required performance level of that grade, but finally the learner must satisfy the requirements of the NSC examination that is taken at the end of the phase. A National Senior Certificate is only issued if the learner achieves the standards or qualifications registered on the National
69
THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
Qualifications Framework (NQF) i.e. the candidate complies with the three-year programme and promotion requirements of the National Senior Certificate as stipulated in policy and regulations. The school has a responsibility towards a learner that fails to meet the grade requirements and is retained in the grade for the second year. It has to provide the learner with additional support to assist him to meet the grade requirements in the second year. A Gazette published in October 2012 focuses on establishing a National Senior Certificate task team to look at the general standard of the National Senior Certificate. Particular focus will be on:
nn
the quality of the pass mark,
nn
if life orientation should be an examinable subject,
nn
enrolments in mathematics and science,
nn
publication of results in newspapers, and
nn
a roundtable meeting will be held. Its objectives will be to strengthen the national mathematics, science and technology plan which will improve the participation and success rate of female learners and provide a revised plan for all the private public partnerships to channel resources to schools.
THE GRADE 12 NATIONAL SCHOOL EXIT QUALIFICATION In 2008, government introduced a new school leaving certificate. This Grade 12 national school exit qualification is written by all provinces with the same curricula and assessments. It is also the first examination reflecting exposure to some compulsory mathematical elements up to Grade 12 exit level and the first compulsory school system exposure to Life Orientation, which assists with the development of useful life skills and exposes schools to an externally assessed set of requirements.
ON MATRIC PASS RATES During a recent site visit to a mining company supported high school in a township just south of Witbank, the matric pass rate improvement from 24 percent in 2009 to 51 percent in 2011 was interrogated. What was found was not dissimilar to most township schools: the maths was being fudged. In 2009, the school matriculated 38 of its 158 Grade 12 learners, or roughly 24 percent. In 2011, the school matriculated 40 of its 79 Grade 12 learners, or roughly 51 percent. Rather than fix the problem of under-achievement at the matric level, the school successfully deployed a system of getting rid of learners prior to them being enrolled in Grade 12. Whereas the school has a Grade 8 cohort population of 273 learners (263 at the Grade 10 level), they had managed to reduce the ‘Class of 2011’ cohort to a paltry sum of 79 learners. What’s worse is the fact that by Grade 12, the school had reduced the number of “Pure Maths” learners to 23 learners, or less than ten percent of the total number of learners entering high school in Grade 8. Bear in mind that this is standard practice at almost ALL secondary schools in South Africa, and most certainly within the elite private schools purporting 100 percent matric pass rates (although to a lesser degree within better equipped private and urban schools). And all schools tend to argue that the system encourages these practices. In fairness to high school principals, there are two problems that perpetuate this. The first is that learners in Grades R through 7 are taught in their home language, but in English as soon as they enter Grade 8. This, by default, ill-prepares learners with an adequate command of the language in which they are tested from Grade 8. The second problem is that learners are deluded into believing they are doing better than they are because of the way in which their marks are assessed in Grades 8 and 9, versus Grades 10 through 12. In the earlier years, a learner’s mark is based primarily on a “continuous assessment system” (CAS, or in-class testing and performance evaluation), with as much as 70 percent of the learner’s mark derived from CAS, and 30 percent derived from examinations. From Grade 10 this shifts to the point where as much as 70 percent is based on exams: the very exams that the learners don’t understand due to a diminished capacity to understand the language of testing (i.e. English). An assessment of the schools in which I regularly operate has determined that there are two periods of cohort reduction in high schools:
the drop-out rates.
In the State of the Nation Address, the President announced that a Ministerial Team has been set up to investigate the reasons why performance of maths and science is poor in schools. The team is chaired by Professor Bradley from WITS University and members include provincial maths and science coordinators, experts from the NGO sector and a reference team. Thereafter,
CHAPTER 2 | THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF FOCUSING
nn
from Grade 9 to Grade 10, when learners are streamed out of ‘academics’ and into ‘technical schools’ (where such alternatives exist); and,
nn
in Grades 10 and 11, when learners realise they have been under-prepared to succeed at the matric level (or when schools cull the cohort to improve their next year’s matric pass rate).
Source: Michael H. Rea is the Managing Partner of Integrated Reporting & Assurance Ser vices (www.iras.co.za) and the Founding Trustee and Program Director of the Soweto Marimba Youth League (SMYLe) Trust (www.smyle.co.za).
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 2 | THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
70
CHAPTER TWO
THE DYNAMICS OF VIOLENCE IN SCHOOLS: IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY MAKERS IN SOUTH AFRICAN EDUCATION There is an oft-repeated argument by many social commentators that our streets, schools and roads are unbearably violent. As we continually witness events unfolding in several spheres of our society, be it in the mines, in our education system, or political arena, the question of using violence to communicate perpetually rears its ugly head. The question we should be asking ourselves, if we are convinced that we are a violent society, is to what extent is violence prevalent in our schools and how does it contribute to the shaping of the young mind? In a normal sequence of events, the learners we have in our classrooms today are the leaders of tomorrow. Allow me to immediately draw the reader’s attention to a research project titled ‘The dynamics of violence in schools: Implications for policy makers in South African Education’. This instructive study was conducted by a team of researchers from Unisa’s College of Education in six of South Africa’s provinces: Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, North West and the Western Cape. The research explored the nature and extent of violence in South African
71
THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
schools by focussing mainly on the types of violence, the underlying causes of violence and initiatives for its prevention. This was a qualitative study that used interviews, participant observations and documents. It also employed a questionnaire.
Findings suggest that violence is a serious problem in many South African schools. Some types of violence affecting schools, such as gangsterism, clearly originate outside the school, as do the use of illegal drugs (which facilitate violence). Findings further suggest that the evidence of direct forms of violence originate within the school itself. Some teachers are verbally, physically and psychologically violent towards learners, including using corporal punishment, illegal in the current dispensation. Such direct forms of violent behaviour by teachers demonstrate a serious problem of lack of professionalism, compounded by teacher behaviour which also indirectly contributes to violence – teacher absenteeism and lateness are among some. Furthermore, findings suggest that schools are failing to take into account the individual needs of young people by trying to control them in a ‘one size fits all’ manner, which in itself can result in violent rebelliousness. In addition, some ‘external’ threats are also partly internal. Findings suggest that the failure of the school to recognise learners as individuals or provide self-esteem promotes their use of drugs.
CHAPTER 2 | THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
Other forms of violent behaviour such as bullying and male learners sexually harassing female learners may well be learned in families and communities beyond the school. However, this does not mean that there is nothing that schools can do about such external violence or that such violence is completely external anyway. Clearly, a well-organised, inclusive and well-run school can do much to reduce the incidents and impact of external violence because learners and teachers are part of a community with a sense of purpose – there is something that people feel they belong to and that is worth protecting. Such a well-organised school may well have a safety and security committee that makes sure that there are proper fences or locks, but its main strength is that loyalty and commitment to the school will reduce internal collaboration with violent external individuals and groups. Compared to a dysfunctional or laissez-faire school, such external threats will be more readily noticed and acted upon in a cohesive way. Furthermore, as this report shows, some “external” threats are also partly internal. Some learner respondents report that the failure of the school to recognise them as individuals or to boost their self-esteem promotes their use of drugs. More obviously, schools are failing to deal with cases of bullying or sexual harassment even when they are reported to teachers. This is a case of violence by omission where schools know that there is a problem of violence, as the evidence in this
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
study clearly suggests they do, but they do little or nothing to try to prevent the problem. One teacher even noted that the broader education system itself was partly to blame as many bullies are those who the system has failed. As the report shows, these forms of violence in schools could have serious educational, medical, social, and economic consequences for learners. However, ultimately it is the school management – the principal, school management teams (SMTs) and school governing bodies (SGB)s – that are responsible for the day to day prevention of violence in schools, and there is considerable evidence in this report that schools are not being managed well and in an appropriate manner to reduce violence. The study also suggests that the role of the police in helping with violence in schools can be positive but it is haphazard and inconsistent – and in some cases nonexistent. This raises the interesting question of what role models some police provide in relation to violence. However, a key question that policy makers and educationists have to ask themselves in terms of reducing violence in schools is, do they want to continue to go down a path which emphasises punishment, control and surveillance of learners (and staff) or a path of increasing the effectiveness of school organisation and culture? The report provides the following recommendations:
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
1.
Current efforts aimed at increasing basic levels of good management, school effectiveness and teacher professionalism in South African schools need to be supported and enhanced as this will also have a beneficial effect in reducing school violence. A well-ordered school is also a less violent school.
2. Efforts
must increasingly be made to realise this within the post-apartheid educational framework of education for democracy and peaceful conflict resolution – an effective school must be a more democratic school; good management is more democratic management and a professional teacher operates in a more democratic manner. The more learners, parents and staff that are involved in school policy and decision making, the more there will be a genuine community, and the more the school can resist violence.
3. Initial
teacher education needs to be more rigorous in order to produce professional teachers.
4. Schools
that experience problems of violence need an active safety and security committee that monitors violence, recommends violence prevention measures, and oversees the implementation of such measures. This committee would need to advise on the necessity for, appropriateness and consequences of, any searches for drugs and weapons among learners.
5. Many
teachers still need training on why corporal punishment is ineffective educationally and has negative consequences, as well as what constructive alternatives to corporal punishment exist.
6. Bullying must be recognised as a problem and acted upon in schools by staff. Each school should have a clear anti-bullying policy.
7. The
nature and causes of violence in society and in schools need to be examined and discussed in schools and teacher education.
8. The
social construct of masculinity and alternatives to aggressive and violent masculinity, need to be examined and discussed in schools and in teacher education.
9. Race and racism also need to be examined and discussed in schools and teacher education.
10. There is a need to reconsider the place, nature, and content of teaching about society in South African schools. For this the following questions need to be answered: Does Life Orientation provide a suitable vehicle? Is a new approach required? Are teachers equipped to teach controversial issues in the classroom?
Source: Professor Vusi S Mncube, is an NRF-rated researcher, Chair of Department for Educational Management and Leadership at Unisa’s College of Education and Head of Dynamics of Violence in Schools Research Project
CHAPTER 2 | THE LEARNER AT THE CENTRE OF EDUCATION
72
capitec bank’s corporate social investment
Sbusiso Kumalo, head of Corporate Affairs at Capitec Bank, strongly believes that every learner in South Africa has the ability to pass maths, and the bank’s corporate social investment (CSI) strategy focuses on this core skill. Maths develops the ability to solve complex problems, regardless of what the problem is, and is a vital life skill.
High school education Education support Says Kumalo: “We believe in the great potential of South Africa’s youth. We need to encourage lower performing learners to become top performers. From the learners this only takes one thing – commitment. Currently we focus much of our CSI spend on bursaries because we believe high school education with maths helps to increase numeracy levels. Enhanced opportunities for Grade 10 – 12 learners in public schools will lead to an improved matriculant pass rate, and in turn, job creation and economic growth.”
Bursaries Our bursary fund, which targets Grade 10 – 12 learners with maths as a matric subject, covers the learner’s school fees for one year. We award bursaries to maths learners who are steady performers despite financial difficulties, who stand out from the crowd and who will excel with support.
Key objectives are to encourage the mastering of maths to increase numeracy levels; promote awareness of the benefits of technology and entrepreneurial skills; and build relationships with exceptional learners and teachers to inspire other learners. In 2012, 180 bursaries were awarded to Grade 10 learners from 48 schools. For 2013, we awarded 341 bursaries to Grade 10 (255) and Grade 11 (86) learners.
IkamvaYouth We support IkamvaYouth, an innovative township-based volunteer-driven and youth-led non-governmental organisation (NGO). IkamvaYouth helps to equip learners from disadvantaged communities with the necessary skills and resources to access tertiary education and/or employment opportunities once they matriculate.
Post Graduate Diploma in Management Practice In partnership with the Graduate School of Business (GSB) at the University of Cape Town and The Principal’s Academy, we support the new Post Graduate Diploma in Management Practice, using teaching strategies modelled on the GSB business courses. This action-based leadership programme aims to improve the management, leadership skills and business acumen of school principals, sustaining an environment where school management, governing bodies, parents and local communities can interact to create centres of excellence.
Financial literacy Financial life skills programmes We contract Seta-accredited Avocado Vision and the NGO You and Your Money to present financial life skills programmes to targeted consumers. We aim to empower consumers to make better financial decisions and understand the consequences of bad debt and not honouring loan repayments.
Donations We are committed to community initiatives and the wellbeing of communities where our branches are located. We specifically support organisations and institutions that actively contribute to the care and safe refuge of children who have been abused, neglected, abandoned and orphaned; and support women who have been victims of abuse.
Building a better world by educating a new generation in Science and Mathematics. Sangari Institute is a national NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO) that designs, manufactures, assembles and supplies mobile laboratories, classroom ICT tools - including mobile computer labs and Engineering Simulators - to Technical High Schools and FET Colleges in marginalised communities of South Africa. Our mission is to provide structured support programmes for both teachers and learners with the aim of improving the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics output of the schooling system in South Africa.
To achieve this, Sangari Institute will: • Collaborate with other institutions, organisations and professional bodies pursuing the same objectives as ourselves. • Initiate, implement, facilitate and coordinate both learner and teacher development programmes in MST. • Heavily invest in Research & Development drives and practices that will keep both our methodologies
The unpalatable truth about education in South Africa
SCIENCE CLUBS
is that the majority of South African children will not
In partnership with Science Centres, Sangari
emerge from the education system with the skills,
Institute runs Science Clubs. This exciting
expertise, or competence necessary to thrive in South
programme engages learners during after school.
Africa’s increasingly tertiary economy.
Learners are exposed to exciting lessons on
Those students who make it to university often lack the
scientific activities that have a commercial benefit.
necessary numeracy and literacy skills required to cope
Making Science meaningful to their lives and also
with the rigours of tertiary education. For those who
getting them to have fun by doing both non-
drop out of the schooling system, a bleak future awaits.
curriculum and curriculum inclined experiments.
Our Programme Delivery Model
COMPETITIONS F1 in schools continues to be Sangari Institute
SMART TEACHERS Programme
Flagship project. The aim of the F1 in schools
Through this programme, Sangari Institute provides ICT
competition is to arouse the interest of learners to
based curriculum and administrative tools for schools and
the world on engineering and entrepreneurship.
equips educators with appropriate ICT skills to give them
Through this programme learners get to appreciate
a foothold in the classroom, enabling them to exploit the
the beauty of Mechanical Engineering and the
benefits that ICT brings into the teaching space.
Science that gets into designing and manufacturing
We also offer content based training workshops for
of cars. Learners also acquire soft skills like
Maths and Science teachers to deepen their knowledge
presentation and entrepreneurial skills. They learn to
of their subjects. These workshops are coupled with
work in teams.
classroom based support, which includes team/core teaching exciting.
How you can help
CLEVER KIDS Programme Through this programme, Sangari Institute provides a Maths, Science, Engineering and Technology education supplementary tuition programme to leaners. The programme is aimed at supporting the project learners to assist them to improve their performance in these subjects.
and materials in line with sound educational
The following are the elements of the programme:
developments in MST.
• Saturdays School conducted over 25-30 Saturdays
• Mobilise time, effort, physical, human and financial resources optimally in order to impact positively all those who are exposed to our interventions.
• Vacation School Programme
Sangari Institute is offering you the opportunity to embed your social initiatives strategically into your core business planning, with the goal of creating synergy between financial and social returns. Please contact us to see how you can make a contribution to the upliftment of the youth of South Africa.
• Vacation Camp Programme • Work Experience Placement Programme
• Strengthen quality assurance functions to support implementation of high standards. • Improve organisational performance through effective, efficient and cost conscious management.
Sangari Institute
www.sangariinstitute.org.za
Chillibush9481TSB
TSB sows the seeds of economic prosperity with the launch of TSB Career Expo Education lies very close to the heart of TSB
The first TSB Career Expo
Education and training are key pillars of TSB’s CSI and core value system. As a key player in South Africa’s sugar industry, TSB dedicates more than 50% of its CSI budget to education-related initiatives that directly and indirectly benefit the sugar growing areas in which TSB operates.
The inaugural TSB Career Expo will coincide with the start of the third school semester when learners would have received their mid-year results and matriculants ramp up their search for placement in the country’s many tertiary institutions.
For close to 10 years the company has run highly successful Maths and Science projects for Grade 10, 11 and 12 students in the Nkomazi region of Mpumalanga Province. TSB also offers study bursaries in tertiary education benefiting the communities in which it has operations and offers experiential training opportunities for young graduates.
Bridging the gap To extend its stake in bridging the gap between education and employment, TSB will this year launch the TSB Career Expo, an initiative aimed at presenting a muchneeded platform to inform learners about the career opportunities available in the sugar industry and to bring learners one step closer to the industry. The array of stimulating and highly informative activities to be experienced during TSB Career Expo include guided tours of the TSB sugar mill facilities, sugar industry-related career opportunity workshops, Alumni Presentations and TSB Bursary Holder’s feedback and interactions.TSB Bursary representations will also be given and visitors to the Expo will have the opportunity to apply for 10 TSB Bursaries.
The main benefactors of the TSB Career Expo will be Grade 9, 10, 11 and 12 learners from the Nkomazi area in Mpumalanga. However, the Expo will also be open to circuit managers, school heads and teachers, National and Provincial Departments of Education and tertiary educational institutions.
Sustainability TSB recognises that making an effective impact in development requires a coordinated and sustained effort. The company is also cognisant of the fact that there is a dynamic inter-dependence between itself and its host communities. The longevity and sustainability of the TSB Career Expo initiative is therefore important to both TSB and its host communities. TSB has thus constituted the Expo as an annual event to ensure that its benefits continue filtering back into the communities well beyond the duration of the individual Expo events. While the TSB Career Expo will have an immediately noticeable impact on the individual learners who attend the events, their acquired skills will have a spillover effect on the greater community, leading to a growth in demand for products and services, which in turn leads to job creation in an area where unemployment is a major social ill.
For further information please call 013 791 1154 or visit www.tsb.co.za
Growing the Future
IKAMVAYOUTH IS 10!
As IkamvaYouth turns ten, the ikamvanites have taken the opportunity to look forward to the coming decades. We’ve thought about what it is that we want to achieve in our lifetimes, and what future success looks like. IkamvaYouth’s achievements to date are a collective effort. The many municipalities, schools and Government departments; Businesses; Higher Education Institutions; partner NGOs and individuals that provide venues, funds and expertise enable us to do what we do. And we know that together we can do so much more. And so, the ikamvanites have set the following goals to reach, together with our current and future collaborators, by 2030:
becOMe An IKAMVAnITe
l Every child that enrolls in grade 1 will make it through to
matric (currently only around half of the 1000 000 learners who enroll in school make it all the way to grade 12) l Every learner will pass matric or the equivalent l Every learner will access a post-school opportunity that will set them on the path to earning a dignified living within four years of matriculating.
This year, ikamvanites are celebrating a decade of enabling disadvantaged youth to pull themselves and each other out of poverty through education. What began as a small group of young volunteers and learners at a school in Khayelitsha in 2003 has become a national organisation operating in five provinces in nine communities, and fast-expanding to more. Yet while the reach and impact have grown dramatically, the core objectives and values that brought that first group of people together have remained the same. All programme delivery is still done by volunteers; many of whom were previously learners in the programme. This year, ikamvanites will be providing over 12 million rands’ worth of tutoring and mentoring. These amazing volunteers enable not only a cost-effective and thus replicable support service to learners, but produce remarkable results. Over the last ten years, the ikamvanites have: l Had over 3000 learners achieving more than 75% attendance at all afternoon, Saturday morning and winter school sessions l Achieved an 88% matric pass rate l Ensured that 69% of matriculants have accessed tertiary institutions l Ensured that overall, 78% of ikamvanites have accessed tertiary institutions, learnerships or jobs within 2.5 months of matriculating
We cAn OnlY AcHIeVe THAT WHIcH We cAn IMAgIne. eVerYOne needS SOMeOne WHO belIeVeS THAT THeY cAn dO IT. IKAMVAYOUTH cAllS On YOU TO jOIn THe edUcATIOn reVOlUTIOn, And Help THe leArnerS ArOUnd YOU TO be THeIr beST SelVeS And AcHIeVe THeIr dreAMS. To get involved, connected and access the information and resources you need: ikamvayouth.org will tell you more about IkamvaYouth and link you with your local IY branch
IKAMVAnITeS you have shown that the impossible is possible and every day that you spend tutoring at your local IY branch, you are inspiring and leading our nation. We thank you and salute you!
ikamvanitezone.org features all the tools, resources, how-to-guides and information you need to tutor, mentor or set up a tutoring programme in your community IkamvaYouthSA and IkamvaYouth feed national news and resources, while you can get your locally relevant tweets or updates via:
WC
KZN
EC
Gauteng
NW
IKAMVA lISezAndlenI zeTHU THe FUTUre IS In OUr HAndS!
CHAPTER THREE
03 TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
“TEACHERS
ARE
CENTRAL
TO
EDUCATION
AND
TEACHING SHOULD BE A HIGHLY VALUED PROFESSION. TEACHERS
MUST
HAVE
A
GOOD
KNOWLEDGE
OF
THE SUBJECTS THEY TEACH. IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT THAT THERE ARE HIGH QUALITY TEACHERS OF MATHS AND SCIENCE. WE SHOULD ASPIRE TO A FUTURE WHERE TEACHERS ARE RECOGNISED FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND PROFESSIONALISM.” National Development Plan
STARSIN EDUCATION TEACHERS
Honouring teachers that go the extra mile on an extra-curricular basis. www.ed.org.za
CHAPTER THREE
TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
Teachers are central to quality education, as they motivate and encourage our children to learn and grow. However, they tend to be in the firing line when we get frustrated with the challenges of transforming the education system. Questions are raised about teacher morale, absenteeism and lack of regard for the profession, while little cognisance is taken of the rate and scale of change teachers have undergone in the past two decades. Teachers are expected to develop their skills and move with the times, but our research confirms that there is little clarity on what courses are available for continuing professional development. Before we jump to conclusions about the commitment of teachers and focus on systems to address absenteeism and performance management, it could be more beneficial to take a step back and look at the amount of support that teachers get in the form of recognition and encouragement. We can all remember the teacher who made a difference in our lives, yet so many of us never took the time to recognise the teacher who inspired us. Learners are afraid to be seen as the teacher’s pet, parents aren’t sure how to show appreciation and principals are often exhausted by the challenges of running the school, all of which results in the teacher feeling forgotten or abandoned. This is worsened when the media breaks stories about bad teachers, which reflect on all teachers.
85
The Stars In Education Awards was originally launched in 2007 in response to the national teacher strike, to recognise those teachers who go beyond the classroom, and act as role models in inspiring their learners and communities.
THE SOUTH AFRICAN
TEACHING ACHIEVEMENTS
THE CHALLENGES AHEAD
Registration backlogs have been cleared and applications for teacher registration are
being
processed
speedily.
The
validation and update of the register is underway. Compilation of separate registers for different types of registration is also being finalised.
completed for roll out of the system. SACE is preparing to approve providers, endorse and
SACE HAS DEVELOPED:
development
activities
and
unions, needs to devise and undertake an
intensive,
campaign
sustained,
nation-wide
promote
Continuing
to
Professional Development. The unions and other stakeholders deserve appreciation for their inputs and for promotion of professionalism.
The CPTD-S implementation plan has been
professional
SACE, together with departments and
programmes
allocate
points
to
them. Teachers will then be able to earn professional development points.
The time has come to raise standards in the profession by strengthening entry requirements and the introduction of professional designations. SACE will have to redouble its efforts to work with its partners to ensure provision of appropriate professional
development
programmes
that are accessible.
COUNCIL FOR EDUCATORS (SACE) The South African Council for Educators (SACE) is committed to developing the teaching profession and is a strategic partner of the Stars in Education Awards. They are currently focusing on developing a database of registered teachers and promoting professional development of educators by managing a Continuing Professional Teacher Development System (CPTD-S). Their role is to safeguard ethics in the teaching profession by the implementation of a dynamic code of ethics.
CHAPTER 3 | TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
èè A Research Unit to provide a basis for enhancing professionalism gleaned from appropriate and balanced research;
Ethics cases are being resolved within a
SACE must do more to promote ethics
six month period. A noticeable level of
in the profession. The SACE volunteers,
heightened ethical awareness amongst
who have been trained as ambassadors
teachers
and panelists will be of great assistance
and
school
communities
is
developing.
in this mission.
èè An Advocacy, Outreach and Communications Unit to disseminate information regarding teacher professionalism widely as well as to assist teachers;
The SACE register needs a complete Research output is now informing SACE’s
overhaul. Verification and an update strategy
strategic objectives, plans and operations.
must be developed and implemented so that authenticity of the register is assured.
èè A Corporate Business Unit to establish and manage the physical and human resources to deliver on their mandate of teacher professionalism.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Source: Overview by Rej Brijraj, Chief Executive Officer, South African Council for Educators, Annual Report, July, 2012.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 3 | TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
86
STARSIN
STARS IN EDUCATION 2012 – OUR WINNERS CELEBRATED
EDUCATION A+SCHOOLS
With World Teachers Day falling in October, it is the month where we celebrate teachers, acknowledging and honouring them for the crucial role that they play in the lives of young learners as well as for the excellent contribution that they make to society as a whole. The Stars in Education project, now in its sixth year, rewards teachers for their contribution in their community and celebrates ‘bright spots’ and success stories in the education landscape where teachers go above and beyond the call of duty.
STARSIN EDUCATION PARTNERS
Stars in Education is the brainchild of Argo, a multi-media solutions provider focusing on the Education Sector, that realised that teachers were not being recognised enough for the invaluable role they played within their communities in projects outside the classroom. Staying true to its brand values “to inform, involve and inspire”, Argo decided to start the Stars in Education project in 2008. Made possible by the generous and ongoing sponsorship of such companies as TSB Sugar, Mindset, Metro FM and SACE, these wellknown and sustaining brands lend even further credibility to the initiative. By aligning with this campaign and working together, sponsors have shown their genuine commitment to a better future and have built brand
STARS IN EDUCATION IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
affinity, making a real impact on the education landscape with a project that is founded on real stories of hope and inspiration. General Manager, Corporate Affairs at TSB Sugar, Vusi Khoza comments, “We are extremely excited to be a part of the Stars in Education Campaign. This incredible initiative speak directly to our ethos - ‘growing the future’ and our commitment to education and enterprise development and offer inspiration and hope for the future of our beautiful country.” “Mindset has always been a reliable supporter of teachers in South Africa, we produce relevant content in multi-media format in order to assist
Growing the Future www.tsb.co.za
teachers to explain difficult concepts in their classrooms. We are excited to be the broadcast partner of Stars in Education, the project that recognises the important role that teachers play in developing communities. Through this partnership, we shall create awareness of teachers’ hard work and dedication in educating the nation”. Mr Roith Rajpal, Mindset CEO. METRO FM has been involved with the Stars in Education Awards since inception. METRO FM is a proudly South African leading brand. The station is rooted in its heritage and has always been a leader in ensuring that we empower the previously disadvantaged as well as recognising and acknowledging leaders who stand out because they
are authentic, courageous, purposeful people with integrity. These leaders have displayed willingness to give more than to receive in their communities.
expect them to be Professionals beyond the call of duty and not do anything that will bring the profession into disrepute.”
Matseliso Dipholo, Chief Operations Officer at SACE comments, “We took an interest in the Stars in Education competition because it was not only focusing on what the teacher is doing in the classroom but outside , this is very important to SACE as our mandate is not only limited to the behaviour of teachers during school hours. We
In 2012, the Stars in Education project has received a large amount of nominations in projects addressing a vast range of community needs. Entries were received from all over South Africa and ranged from the creation of local orphanages and old age care facilities to inspiring young achievers, Water Education and
Food Gardening to Early Childhood Development projects, Parent and School interaction projects to Culturebased extracurricular programmes, Brass Bands to Aerobic Instruction. The scope of projects put forward is inspiring and showcases just how many teachers are often going above and beyond the call of duty and influencing their communities.
PILLAR IN HER COMMUNITY THABO MOTAUNG In 2012, the extremely high standard of entries made judging difficult, but in the end, it was Ms. Thabo Motaung who won top honours with the Thari Mmelegi Orphanage that she created out of the need for children’s care born out of the loss of parents in their community to HIV/AIDS. Mamokgethi Ruth Molopyane sat down with her to find out more about her approach to successfully running a project, which has positively impacted local community and enhanced the quality of life among its citizens. When her student, Tebogo Motsuenyane nominated her Motaung had no idea that months later she would be the national winner of the 2012 Stars in Education Award. Her journey to become a teacher was inspired by her aunt who was a teacher and a nun at the Catholic School Xavarian School, in Evarton back in the early 60s. “I admired how she loved her students. What stood out the most was how she responded when there was a crisis with one of the students. How she prepared her lessons
STARS IN EDUCATION IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
and how she delivered them, she
Today, thanks to her efforts, the community
always strived to ensure that the
of Sondela in Paardekraal boasts a well
learners understood what she was
functioning safe haven for many orphaned
communicating to them. She went
children. She is also actively involved in
an extra mile when students had a
other community programmes, has been
problem at home or even with their
instrumental in establishing projects that
school work.
I became a teacher
create employment and uplift the youth.
because I had my aunt and teacher
Motaung’s role in this orphanage is an all
as role model in my family. And in
encompassing one, from securing funding
my own school experience, I’ve had
to acquiring sponsors and developing
fantastic teachers who showed me
structures. She has been running the
the wonder and awe of teaching a
project for the past five years.
classroom.” Motaung remembers. When Motaung started the orphanage The
of
she did so because she wanted to help
resulted
the community in tackling the many
Mmelegi
challenges they are facing. She says
Orphanage. It was created out of
since winning the Stars in Education
the need for children’s care due to
award her profile and status as a teacher
the loss of parents in her community
and leader has been raised among the
because of HIV/AIDS. She boasts
community, and in so doing, raised the
some remarkable achievements, but
profile of teachers in society.
the in
unwavering 56-year-old creating
the
commitment teacher Thari
one that stands out is her work in the community that is battling with the
Motaung is a real pillar in her community
effects of HIV/AIDS. The Award paid
and is commended for her role in this
tribute to her contribution, which
small Rustenberg town. Her enormous
included raising funds and single-
contribution
handedly establishing an orphanage.
her community as a teacher and as
It
outstanding
the founder of the Thari Mmelegi
demonstrating
Orphanage resonates with her motto
selfless devotion for the prosperity
that ‘Education provides possibility and
of the community.
hope for the future of society.’
also
recognised
volunteerism
Growing the Future www.tsb.co.za
in
to
the
education
of
Education is our torchbearer, showing us the true path of our lives.
WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE
NOMONDE NTSUNDWANE
MARY SETSHEDI
Mamokgethi Ruth Molopyane caught up with Nomonde Ntsundwana, an
curricula. Tanks have also been set in place to harvest rainwater.
is also the first runner-up of the 2012 Stars in Education competition for her Food gardening project. She started her project in 2005 when she, with the help of the Agricultural Resource Council in Pretoria, transformed the dry schoolyard of Canzibe Primary, a township school in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth, into a sustainable food garden. Canzibe registered as an Eco-School in 2006. This programme is facilitated by WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society
of
South
Africa).
They
helped the school on lesson plans development and how to integrate the garden into the maths, language, economics
and
natural
science
to do through my projects is to create a new generation of leaders for our
extraordinary teacher at the Seyise Primary School in Port Elizabeth. She
churches. “One of the things I’m trying
Little did she know that, what started in the schoolyard would soon be a community project that changes lives? Many barriers and challenges exist in all communities, particularly in poor communities, when implementing a school-wide vision for effective inclusive education and whole schooling practices. Such barriers exist both in the school itself and the community of which the school is a part. Like most educators, Nomonde is determined to create an environment in which each student reaches his or her full potential.
communities and for a sustainable
A maths teacher with agricultural training, to date she has now rolled out her project to maintain gardens in ten schools, two NGO’s and two
morally. Teaching without learning
food system. We work with everyone in the community, the young and old. We grow food for residents in and around the community,” she adds Having
made
community
a
success
empowering
of
her
projects,
Ntsundwana has no plans to leave the teaching profession that she started her career 23 years ago. “Teachers play an important role in facilitating the growth of individuals and the formation of a good community, in which the members behave democratically and is a monologue in which no change or growth happens, and it cannot be considered teaching.”
At the heartbeat of any successful community project there is often a very hardworking team of individuals. While the relationship between women and humanity has always been a strong one, it has not necessarily been highly visible. This has begun to change, and women’s influence and desire to promote the welfare of others cannot be ignored. The second runner-up of the 2012 Stars in Education competition was Ms. Mary Weshi Setshedi, Principal of the Mmatsheko Primary School in Temba for her Turo Centre for the Aged. She shared her insight, knowledge, determination and spirit with Mamokgethi Ruth Molopyane about her passion for the people. She loves the privilege of working very closely with people to encourage and inspire them to realise their potential to be the best they
can be. There is no question that caring for the elders can be a challenge and adds to the already full responsibilities that we all have in our lives. “But the satisfaction of knowing that you are providing the best care that you can far outweighs any downside.” The Turo Centre for the Aged was started in 2001 to provide care for the abused and neglected. Mary gave up her own home as the facility for this project to protect and care for as many senior citizens in her community as possible. When asked what prompted her to start the project, Mary spoke of her own personal experience with her Mother who lived in a community in the rural North-West. Due to distance, Mary was unaware that her Mother was not being cared for by the community in which she lived, and despite having
some of her Grandchildren nearby, was neglected. After losing her Mother, she made a decision to try and supply care and protection for as many elderly people as possible. She has more than delivered on her promise and is an inspiration.
STARSIN EDUCATION TEACHERS
GREAT PARTNERSHIPS CREATE IMPACT These inspirational stories of ordinary teachers doing extraordinary work and taking the lead in making a difference in their communities have encouraged industry leaders to get involved in supporting the Stars in Education awards, as it continues to recognise how teachers inspire others. While getting to know our current and previous winners, we have realised that these dedicated teachers are frequently under-supported, over-invested and facing burn-out. Like all teachers, these heroes face daily challenges and express the need for extra support. We would like to develop the impact of the Stars in Education awards, by offering coaching support, links to other support organisations and encouragement to these teachers leading projects. We’d also like to launch a Star Teachers Club where the previous Stars in Education winners can offer support and encouragement to other teachers.
If you would like to take the lead in recognising teachers, principals who encourage teachers to develop or in recognising the vital work of the NGO community, please contact us on +27 21 865 2813 or visit www.ED.org.za to
STARSIN EDUCATION A+SCHOOLS
partner on inspiring our teachers to take the lead in inspiring learners and their communities.
We also have noted how the work of certain NGOs has cropped up again and again in the Stars in Education entry reports. Eco Schools and Soul Buddyz have done excellent work in encouraging projects linked to schools and run by teachers. We look forward to developing a category to honour NGOs who are crucial in supporting the work of teachers in the projects they run.
STARSIN STARS IN EDUCATION IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
Growing the Future www.tsb.co.za
STARS IN EDUCATION IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
EDUCATION
Growing the Future www.tsb.co.za
PARTNERS
TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER THREE
JOHN MALULEKE
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE
“If you want to help workers,” his mother said, “you first need to help yourself by getting an education.”
JOHN MALULEKE SECRETARY GENERAL OF SADTU
Mugwena John Maluleke tells a “making it against all odds” story. He is a peripatetic travelling man, as are all dedicated trade union
Mugwenya Maluleke took the wisdom of his mother’s counsel, and has been implementing this in his leadership in the labour movement ever since. “Unions must strive to uplift everybody in their pursuit of fair treatment for workers, as they did in building the world’s strongest middle class, and as they must once again by leveling the playing field and restoring job growth and prosperity for working people.” he says. For Maluleke, the life of a trade unionist is one driven by a passion to serve the people and work for the creation of a better society that treat its workers fairly.
leaders. Mamokgethi Molopyane caught up with him at his SADTU office at seven am. Many people do not know that Mugwena John Maluleke started his work experience as a child labourer in the farms of Giyani. At the age of eight, he got up at five am to join his parents in the field. As a farm worker he had to be up very early, work long hours and regularly work on weekends while being paid very little. One evening he remembers sitting with his mother after a long day in the field, and complaining bitterly about how badly farm workers were being treated. It was the 1960s, the height of apartheid. “What do you plan to do about it?” his mother asked. She went on to tell him the only way he or anyone can change things for them is by getting an education. The education of that time was the famed Bantu Education. Maluleke recalls her saying “You can only begin to see the mud on your feet once you leave the field. To help others, you must help yourself first.” His mother, a long-time farm worker, added something that has stuck with Maluleke ever since.
91
Like many of his generation living in his community, the prospects of coming out of school were “continuing to be a farm worker, looking for a job in Johannesburg as a miner or working in the factories.” That was not to be as he ended up studying to be a teacher. He chose teaching because of the influence his mother had on him. Maluleke Joined SADTU at its inception in 1990, as a member of the Soshanguve Branch, in Gauteng. Before becoming the General Secretary he was the National Treasurer for 10 years. In 2009 he was elected as the Deputy Secretary General under the leadership of Thulas Nxesi, a position he didn’t hold for long as Thulas Nxesi was deployed to parliament leaving Maluleke to be the acting Secretary General. It was during the SADTU National Congress in 2010 that he was officially elected as the Secretary General of the biggest teacher’s union in the country with more than 255 000 members. Maluleke was the principal at Rodney Mokoena Junior Secondary School in Soshanguve where he taught mathematics. He described his priorities as “uniting the organisation and ensuring that every member understands his/her role in transforming society with and for the working class”. He is a member of Education International, the world’s largest federation of unions, representing thirty million education employees
CHAPTER 3 | TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
WRITTEN BY MAMOKGETHI REA MOLOPYANE
in four hundred organisations through 171 countries and territories across the globe. Education International unites all teachers and education employees. As an Executive Board member, Maluleke was instrumental in advocating for adequate and equitable long term funding investment in public school systems of at least 6% of GDP and promoting the expansion of fiscal space through the generation of additional revenue rather than austerity policies. Throughout his long educational career, which has taken him from teaching maths in school classrooms to being part of the executive leaders of an international education body, Maluleke has been doing everything he can to keep education uppermost in the minds of SADTU’s trade union members and society at large. He recently wrote a newspaper opinion piece about the trade union involvement in the broader sociopolitical discourse of South Africa. Detailing how unions must get involved in the daily community struggles of the society. He adds “It is widely accepted that the school environment is a microcosm of the community and teachers will be the first to tell you that, more often than not, they are confronted with pupil issues that have their origins outside of the classroom. It would be shortsighted for Sadtu not to use its organisational capabilities to positively influence the communities within which it works.’
Maluleke believes that further improvements are required, particularly in tertiary education. Furthermore, secondary education and adult education have considerably more potential than is being realised at present. Improving the education system is a high priority of the government’s economic growth strategy. Maluleke acknowledges that the South African education system is a complex one and although the legislative framework in comparable to the best in developed countries, the translation of its policies into effective practice remains a major challenge. He is well aware that shrugging off the remnants of an apartheid education system fragmented along racial ethnic lines, and proving to be a drawn out process, and one taking longer than expected.
“Many reforms have been introduced to improve the South Africa beyond the apartheid workplace where blacks were struggling to make a living through informal work on the margins of a formal economy. The majority of the workplace is still marked by the persistence and reconfiguration of the apartheid legacy. Introducing these reforms has often endeavoured to meet the needs of a country still battling deepening inequality and poverty.”
Mungwena Maluleke has learned enduring lessons through collaborating with others in tackling the problems in the South African education system. “If these collaborations showed one thing, it is that we need each other. You work in common. There are good people who are willing, indeed calling out to do something. Many belong to education institutions or organisations. The atmosphere has often been electric. Working for the common good of our country and children we are not waiting for things to happen we are making them happen.
He is of the view that the only way South Africa can tackle poverty and the widening gap of inequality is through education. “It is worth remembering that progress in fighting poverty is inextricably linked with progress in achieving education for all. Although there have been improvements in addressing poverty, it remains a crucial barrier to reaching the goal of universal primary education,” he explains.
The married father of seven admits that working alongside people like Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training, Thulas Nxesi, Minister of Public Works Barbara Creecy and Tate Mekgwe Gauteng and Free State Education MEC gave him a thrill. “They are some of the people SADTU works with in making sure that the education system wheels keeps turning.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 3 | TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
92
CHAPTER THREE
TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE (CONTINUED)
Diverse though his trade union credentials are, Maluleke is probably better known for his no nonsense approach and passion for education He speaks with authority and erudition - more like a university professor than a trade unionist. He is also known for taking a firm moral stance on issues he cares about, an approach that has often left those he works with in shock. “South Africa spends more money on education as a percentage of GDP than any other country in the world, but we face enormous historical and quality challenges within our education system. This can be seen in the disconnection between our resources and implementing effective solutions. We still have four-walled schools where children are kept like cattle. Eighteen years after democracy we still have an infrastructure backlog resulting in our children learning in mud school and under trees. Yet the national government has allocated funds for schools construction” He feels improving education service delivery requires a comprehensive approach that engages the many stakeholders involve. Communities affected often possess integral knowledge of specific needs and workable solutions for them, as well as an ability to implement such.
“We believe that the well-documented challenges that has tainted the sector can be effectively mitigated through well-coordinated, inclusive strategies. That is why SADTU welcome and strongly encourage community involvement in our schools.”
There are relative aspects to the economic gains South Africa can make from an educated labour force because competition for jobs and international competition between firms and countries are influenced by relative productivity.” He is also committed to teacher unions’ role in the restoration of teacher professionalism and the culture of learning and teaching. “As SADTU leadership we are constantly educating our members about the fact that South Africa, with the world, is becoming a knowledge-based society. In a very real sense, we are entering a new age, an age of knowledge, in which the key strategic resource necessary for prosperity has become knowledge itself, educated people and their ideas. Unlike natural resources that have driven earlier economic transformations, knowledge is inexhaustible. The more it is used, the more it multiplies and expands. Knowledge can be created, absorbed, and applied and will play an increasingly important role as our societies change. It is only through the activities of discovery, shaping, achieving, transmitting, and applying knowledge can our education be improved This means trade unions must adapt their roles if they are to remain relevant.” His involvement with trade unionism came as a reaction to injustice: as far as he was concerned organised trade unionism was the best way of fighting it. He recalls, “The trade unions in South Africa played a dual role of fighting for improved working conditions for workers whilst at the same time fighting for the liberation of the country against the apartheid regime alongside the African National Congress. Now more than ever trade unions need to expand their role beyond collective bargaining. They have to include controlling the supply of labour and
Maluleke’s vision for SADTU is laid bare in the organisation’s 2030 plan. He tries to show that “better education can translate into sustained growth which can reduce poverty drastically.
93
facilitating
skills
development.
The
main focus should be on influencing macroeconomic
policies
and
facilitating
skills
development as compared to being involved
The national project of education transformation is multi-faceted and complex requiring systemic transformation at all levels and in all sectors. It takes account of widely disparate conditions, characterised by differing degrees of capacity, poverty, inequality and privilege. It must go beyond mechanisms of delivery seeking to mobilize educators, young people, and communities to celebrate learning: as a celebration of human nature and as a means to personal and social development, employment, and opportunities for a better quality life. It is clear that SADTU is pleased with the government strategy of restructuring the education system on principles of equity, human rights, democracy and sustainable development. Changes included a unified, national education system, more democratic system of school governance, new standards and qualifications authority, redistribution of financial and human resources, higher education reforms and the re-orientation to outcomes-based education.
“The challenges encountered by the education department cannot be resolved overnight. It starts with parents guiding their children throughout their educational career from pre-primary school until they complete their higher education and become responsible citizens that could add value to society.” - John Maluleke
in direct job creation.”
CHAPTER 3 | TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
Maluleke is philosophical about the vagaries of running teacher’s union. “I am investing my time in something that is really long term here, and has an impact on the future of South Africa.” He believes that without greater and sustained attention to improving teacher education and aspects of the teaching career, the prospects for success of the educational reform agenda are limited.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 3 | TEACHERS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT
94
get easy banking
One solution to money management 24hr Client Care Centre on 0860 10 20 43 or visit capitecbank.co.za A registered credit provider. NCR Reg. No.: NCRCP13 Capitec Bank Limited Reg. No.: 1980/003695/06
10007479JB/E
The cente-quadragenerian university
Leader in training and developing teachers Unisa, the longest standing dedicated distance education university in the world, celebrates 140 years of shaping futures. The cente-quadra-generian university takes pride in having the largest teacher education footprints in South Africa. The institution produces 55 per cent of all teachers in the country. Unisa has always been at the forefront of training and development in the education sector and newly established College of Education is spearheading the mission of reimagining the teaching and learning of education as a discipline. As a pathfinder in teacher education the college is focusing on the training of teachers in the fields of: • Mathematics Education • Science and Technology Education • Environmental Education • Inclusive Education • Adult Education and Youth Development • Language, Arts and Culture Education • Early Childhood Development • Management and Educational Leadership • Curriculum and Instructional Studies • Educational Psychology • Educational Foundations
Innovation in teaching
Learn without limits.
Vhembe schools project According to Umalusi reports (2009-2012), many secondary schools in the Limpopo province in general and in particular, the Vhembe district performed dismally in the gateway subjects (Maths & Science). This is a matter of grave concern to teachers and policymakers involved with the Limpopo Department of Education and the National Department of Basic Education. It is imperative to understand the factors that cause such dismal failure in order to reduce the number of school dropouts without matriculation certificates. Such learners may end up unemployed for the rest of their lives. This Multidisciplinary Research (MIT) project is focusing on developing strategies to increase learner performance in National Senior Certificate Examinations: A Case Study of Mathematics and Physical Science in Limpopo Schools. The objectives of Vhembe Schools Project: • To explore factors contributing to the low pass rate of Grade 12 students in M&S in the Vhembe district; • To investigate the challenges faced by M&S teachers in the district; • To determine the current status of training M&S teachers in the district and how it may impact on the quality of teaching and learning; and • To formulate strategies that will increase learner performance in M&S in secondary schools.
500 schools research project There has been much controversy surrounding the perceived low standards in South Africa’s education system. Now Unisa is spearheading an initiative that will explore the scope of challenges, with an intention of generating targeted solutions. The 500 schools research project is a flagship of the College of Education, which boasts the largest footprint in teacher education in South Africa. Currently, a team of researchers is involved in this 3-year project, which will investigate the underlying causes of underperformance in Grades 3 and 6 and thereafter develop an intervention approach to assist the sample of schools in five South African provinces: Free State, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape. The main focus is on home language, first additional language, Natural Science and Mathematics, with the purpose of developing guidelines that may be useful in address this problem.
Collaboration and partnerships Improving maths teacher development programmes Unisa’s department of Mathematics Education has partnered with leading global thought leaders in the field to improve mathematics teacher professional development programmes. The Project is titled: Analyses of Mathematics Teacher Professional Development Programmes in Selected Developed and Developing Countries: Insights for Quality Mathematics Instruction in Sub-Saharan African Countries. (Math-TPDP) Objectives of the collaborative study are to: • Examine Mathematics Teacher Professional Development Programmes of countries in international systemic assessments and professional development programmes • Learn from exemplary practices of Mathematics Teacher Professional Development Programmes in use (from countries in the sample) in efforts to improve Mathematics Teacher Professional Development Programmes in these countries • Propose a systemic and nationwide improvement of Mathematics Teacher Professional Development Programmes for South Africa and other participating countries • Facilitate sharing of research skills and output, networking and forming of partnerships
Commonwealth conference, towards the professionalisation of youth work The Government of the Republic of South Africa, represented by The Presidency in partnership with the Commonwealth Africa Regional Centre, University of South Africa (Unisa) and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) hosted an international conference on Education and Training of Youth Workers on 18-20 March 2013. The aim of the conference was to share experiences, lessons learnt as well as advance the professionalisation agenda across the Commonwealth member states and beyond. The conference was attended by government officials, researchers in youth development, youth practitioners and students. Trend of CEDU registered students from 2009-2011.
64 790 Students
The dawn of the World Wide Web and new media technology has brought about new challenges for the classroom. In an effort to prepare current and future teachers to address the emerging dynamics of teaching in the 21st century, Unisa is offering an online signature module with an objective to equip teachers with the ability to use ICTs in the classroom. The module “Being a Professional Teacher” is designed for students registering for the first time for an undergraduate degree in education. After registration, students are given a digi-band, which is a 2 gigabyte device loaded with learning materials. The digi-band enables students who do not have Internet access to work offline and online on the personal computers. For assessment purposes, students submit their thoughts on discussion forums and through written assignments. All these assignments are marked online by teaching assistants e-tutors and marks are fed onto the grade-book regularly into the student system. This initiative is a great milestone for Unisa and goes a long way to empower prospective teachers.
Educational research – focus on the schools
49 393 43 323 2009
2010 Year
2011
WALK FOR FREEDOM on June 16th from Morris Isaacson to Phefeni at Vilakazi Street, about 10 000 people attended the walk.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION In 1974 the Department of Education issued its decree that Afrikaans MEN IN THE MAKING, is a national day for recognizing young men which is
was to become a language of instruction at school. The decree was
endorsed by the minister of basic education. It was launched on 25 March 2013.
resented deeply by blacks as Afrikaans was widely viewed, in the
METRO FM and Tracker launched Men in the making campaign five years ago, seeking to offer our boys and young men the chance to interact with Role models across society. The campaign is supported by the Department of Basic Education, Shout SA. On the 25th of April, school boys from Grades 10 to 12 were introduced to companies and gained work experience. This project is more than just a career day; its aim is to help teenage boys understand the value of their education, to challenge them to overcome their obstacles and to work towards
words of Desmond Tutu, then Dean of Johannesburg as “the language of the oppressor”. The resentment grew until April 30, 1976, when children at Phefeni Junior Secondary School in Soweto went on strike, refusing to go to school. Their rebellion then spread to many other schools in Soweto. A student from Morris Isaacson High School, Teboho ‘Tsietsi’ Mashinini,
becoming productive adult citizens of our country. At the broadest level, Men
proposed a meeting on June 13, 1976, to discuss what should be done.
in the Making is a practical intervention designed to create a practical bridge
Students formed an Action Committee (later known as the Soweto
between South Africa’s social aspirations and its very challenging daily reality.
Students’ Representative Council) that organized a mass rally for June 16 to make themselves heard. An estimated 20 000 students from numerous Sowetan schools began to protest; about 176 people were killed when police open fire on the crown. The 16th of June is now a public holiday, Youth Day, in remembrance of the events in 1976.
In May, METRO FM visited the Female Section at the JHB Prison to highlight the plight of CHILDREN BORN BEHIND BARS and to support the launch of children facilities. METRO FM in partnership with the department of correctional services hosted
METRO FM commemorated “JUNE 16” through this event which aimed to remind our listeners and today’s youth about where we come from. On June 16 we staged the walk for freedom from Morris
a family day at the Johannesburg Correctional services. This initiative was
Isaackson High School to Phefeni Junior Secondary School in Vilakazi
aimed at spreading the message and call upon our communities to help
Street where the march will end. Through this campaign we wanted
promote values of human solidarity. Through their intervention, METRO
to honor all the young people who lost their lives in the struggle
FM identified a need to amongst other things; to educate the nation about
against Apartheid and Bantu Education. The proposed “WALK FOR
the plight of the unfortunate kids who are born to female inmates who are
FREEDOM” gave the listeners an opportunity to retrace the steps
serving time for different crimes. We believe that as a people we need to
of those heroes who resuscitated the fight for democracy as well as
take collective responsibility to parent these children and most of all, to say we have not forgotten about them and that they are loved. The only life they know is confined space and the prison walls and it then becomes our respon-
giving the youth of today an opportunity to experience what their predecessors went through.
sibility to tell these children one way or another that there is another world out there as opposed to what they know. This entails converting existing cells into suitable mother-and-child units. The aim is to make these units more stimulating for children and more comfortable for incarcerated mothers who must focus on the developmental needs of the children while serving their sentences.
WWW.METROFM.CO.ZA | STUDIO NO. 089 110 3377 | SMS 34764
Edcon Logo - New 4/14/08 3:44 PM Page 1 C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY CMY
K
»
2013 EDCON CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT
Adopt-a-Station Another initiatives that forms part on Edcon’s support for public safety and public security is the adoption of police stations where station facilities, specifically the Victim Empowerment Centres at Police Stations are upgraded. Edcon has upgraded the Victim Empowerment Centre at Johannesburg Central Police Station, one of the country’s largest police stations. The centre was redesigned and refurbished to accommodate and meet the needs of victims of crime and to act as a safe transitional centre.
Composite
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Edcon’s corporate social investment (CSI) strategy is an integral component of the Group’s overall transformation strategy. The Group believes it has a responsibility towards the development and upliftment of its communities and is committed to contributing towards making a sustainable difference. Our CSI key focus areas are:
EDUCATION
PUBLIC SAFETY
»
SAPS Prestige Awards Edcon also sponsors the annual National and Provincial SAPS Prestige Awards, hosted by SAPS to recognise police bravery, achievements and excellence. These include the Gauteng SAPS Provincial Prestige Awards, Johannesburg Central SAPS Cluster Prestige Awards and the Eastern Cape SAPS Star of the Year Awards.
MERCHANDISE DONASIONS 3. DISABILITY
DISABILITY
EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERISM
Edcon is the principal sponsor of the annual National Casual Day, a flagship fundraising initiative of the National Council for Persons with Physical
1. EDUCATION
Disabilities in South Africa (NCPPDSA) which is aimed at improving
Supporting education is integral to Edcon. The Group has been actively involved in supporting education through its ‘Adopt-a School’
disabilities. The company has supported Casual Day for over 5 years as
initiative. This involves a school development approach that seeks to support schools that model excellence through improved
retail seller of the Casual Day stickers and has now committed itself to a
teacher and learner performance, as well as developing pathways for youth skills development. Projects include Hlakaniphani
three-year sponsorship of the Casual Day campaign.
education, inclusivity, accessibility and social integration for persons with
Primary School, Lilydale Higher Primary School and the Kliptown Youth Project, all based in Soweto, Johannesburg. Edcon introduced systematic upgrades at Hlakaniphani Primary School, which included the donation of 20 computers for the Information Technology classroom, setting up an Active Learning Toy Library to support integrated teaching and to improve the quality of learning including training educators on setting up classrooms and using curriculum-based educational resources available from the toy library. The company also funded new kitchen facilities and a food garden to supply the school kitchen and upgraded the school play areas and security facilities, among other initiatives.” Adopted in 2012, Lillydale Primary School has to date received funding towards setting up a new science laboratory and security facilities.
4. MERCHANDISE DONATIONS Edcon stores annually donate merchandise to organisations working with disadvantaged communities across South Africa. The beneficiary organisations work with orphaned and vulnerable children, the unemployed, children’s homes, as well as persons with disabilities. Major beneficiary organisations of our merchandise donations include, among others, the National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities in South Africa, The Clothing Bank, Red Cross Society South Africa, Ubuntu Community Trust, Child Welfare South Africa, SOS Children’s Villages, Community Chest and the Salvation Army.
2. PUBLIC SAFETY & PUBLIC SECURITY Public Safety is focused on establishing concrete partnerships with government in support of crime prevention efforts through visible policing and awareness initiatives. Edcon’s CSI investment in public safety is underpinned by its partnership with the South African Police Service (SAPS) through support of the SAPS Visible Policing initiatives in three areas;
5. EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERISM: I CHOOSE TO GIVE Employee volunteerism is integral to Edcon’s Corporate Social Investment strategy. The company employee giving programme called, ‘I Choose to Give’ encourages social consciousness and a culture
»
SAPS Trailer Project To date Edcon has donated 24 mobile trailers to the SAPS National Office, which have been deployed throughout
of volunteerism among its employees. Employees are encouraged to
the country at various Police Stations. These trailers are being used for police visibility at crime hot spots, to support
working with disadvantaged communities. Edcon CSI provides matching
SAPS community safety awareness programmes, as well as being used at major entertainment and sporting events
funding to the value of the goods donated and/or fund raised by
and busy city centres. The trailers allow for policing services to be taken to the communities, thereby increasing
employees to a maximum of R25 000.
police visibility and deterring crime.
volunteer their time, expertise and resources in support of organisations
CHAPTER FOUR
04 EDUCATION RESOURCES & THE ROLE OF ICT IN EDUCATION
INFORMATION
AND
COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGIES
(ICTS) HAVE LONG BEEN SEEN AS VITAL IN IMPROVING ACCESS TO EDUCATION, BUT THE ICTS IN THE BASIC EDUCATION SPACE IS A HIGHLY-CONTESTED ONE. IT IS HISTORICALLY ONE THAT HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY THE MARKET-DRIVEN
REALITIES
OF
THE
HARDWARE,
SOFTWARE AND TELECOM INDUSTRIES.
Want to connect with more than 285 000 university students, high school learners, parents and opinion leaders in South African education annually? Visit www.sastudy.co.za
CHAPTER THREE
FEATURED ARTICLE
EDUCATION RESOURCES AND THE ROLE OF ICT IN EDUCATION
WRITTEN BY BARBARA DALE-JONES CEO: BRIDGE
ICT S IN BASIC EDUCATION
This, combined with an education department largely unprepared for the rapid development of technology and fragmented into provincial departments with separate agendas, has contributed to several years of IT interventions at school level that have been market-driven, sometimes unrealistic and very often detrimental to our school communities. We have seen very little progress in the integration of appropriate technology into education for the benefit of children. As a result, it is important to look for stories of success and possibilities for scaling, and it is in the collective experience of a community of practitioners where valuable learnings for education can be found. With this in mind, the CoZa Cares Foundation commissioned Bridge during 2012 to carry out research into ICTs in Basic Education. Bridge links innovators in education, including representatives from civil society, government, funders, practitioners, teachers, learners, principals, parents, research organisations and unions. It connects them together in communities of practice that promote the sharing of good and effective educational practices so that there can be an increase in trust, a
105
HEAD OF SACRED HEART COLLEGE (MARIST OBSERVATORY)
TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION There is a think-tank in Texas1 that looks into the crystal ball, throws the bones and reads Nostradamus to try and determine how technology is going to impact on education in the future. (they use some impressive research and partner with some very smart people to achieve this). In their 2012 report, they pointed out that “Institutions must consider the unique value that each adds to a world in which information is everywhere. In such a world, sense-making and the ability to assess the credibility of information are paramount. Mentoring and preparing students for the world in which they will live is again at the forefront.”
Barbara Dale-Jones is Chief Operations Officer of Bridge. She has widespread experience in e-learning, publishing and education as well as expertise in materials development and designing learning environments. She has an in-depth knowledge of the South African education and skills development landscape.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have long been seen as vital in improving access to education, but the ICTs in the Basic Education space is a highly-contested one. It is historically one that has been driven by the market-driven realities of the hardware, software and telecom industries.
WRITTEN BY COLIN NORTHMORE
FEATURED ARTICLE
reduction in duplication, a maximising of resources, and an impact on policy so that the education system as a whole can benefit. Several stakeholders were interviewed by Bridge, including representatives of government (national and provincial), researchers, funders, innovators, corporates, civil society, service providers, etc. Interview reports were written up and collated and a consolidated “Conversation Starter” report was compiled which drew out key themes. On 6 November 2012, Bridge, the CoZa Cares Foundation and the Department of Basic Education hosted an ICTs in Basic Education Community meeting at RMB in Johannesburg, to share research results, invite collaboration on taking forward the research, establish a community of practice, define focus areas, identify funding opportunities, present a roadmap process and outline of the DBE’s ICT Implementation Plan, and encourage wide and inclusive participation by practitioners and policy-makers. At this meeting, stakeholders were asked to indicate their commitment to the idea of a community of practice in this field, including their proposed focus areas and themes. They were also asked to state the value of the research to them, what could be added, how to take forward findings, others who should be included in the community, and so on. All attendees and interested stakeholders received a DVD of the report, with interview summaries, links to all presentations and an invitation to comment on the DBE’s ICT Implementation Plan, a “Storify” summary of tweets, and a link to an online version of the report, with an invitation to add to it, amend, elaborate and amplify. Stakeholders also filled in a questionnaire about the proposed ICTs in Basic Education community. There was a resounding commitment to the idea of such a community both nationally and provincially, and respondents indicated their specific areas of focus. 2013 will see this work taken forward.
CHAPTER 4 | EDUCATION RESOURCES AND THE ROLE OF ICT IN EDUCATION
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
The problem is that teachers do not have a clear idea of how to use technology as a part of a systematic, cumulative learning process. Inevitably the technology becomes the centre of attention and time spend with technology in class is spend learning to use technology or, more often, troubleshooting the technology because it is not working as advertised. The result is that the actual learning takes a secondary role and the curriculum goals get diluted or lost. “Making digital devices available and becoming sophisticated in their use is not necessarily learning. The scariest part of the new technologies is that it gives people (and those that observe them) a false sense that they are learning something just by using an elegant machine.”2 This is where the question of leading the implementation of ICT in schools becomes critical. In schools (as in most organisations) we have three groups; the ‘can-I-have-it-first’, the ‘I-can-be-convinced’ and the ‘you-can-pluckmy-worksheets-from-my-cold,-dead-hands’ teachers. The only way technology is going to have a meaningful impact in education is if the school leader can create conditions where it is:
nn
Ubiquitous and present in sufficient numbers to become part of the background noise of the school and not a novelty item.
nn
Robust, so that our students have to spend their time using it, not trying to get it to work.
nn
Integrated, so the teacher has to start with ‘what do I want the children to learn?’ and only then ask the question ‘can I use technology to change how the children engage with their learning?’
nn
Sensible, with no silver bullet thinking. Learning has to be grounded in real life problem solving and technology is not always the best way for children to engage with relevant learning.
As a school principal, I have had to learn that the logistical processes must be solved first. If you want to use iPads in class for example, you have to first answer the question of who is going to charge them, install the necessary apps and keep them updated. You have to ask how the children are going to share files between themselves and the teacher. If you expect the children to do online research you have to ensure that you have a robust wireless network and sufficient internet bandwidth. There are many advantages to using technology. The perfect storm of pedagogy, technology and change management can result in some of the most spectacular learning environments for children where they acquire twenty first century skills and display impressive higher order thinking abilities. The two most important points for school leaders to remember is that firstly, people are far more likely to follow where you lead. You cannot just push them ahead of you. Secondly, change is slow. In educational contexts it moves at a snail’s pace. You have to be patient. In the words of Michael Fullan “It is time to take the lid off learning. It is all there to be assembled. We know that the right combination already resonates with frustrated learners and frustrated teachers. It is time, to put it in a dramatically exciting way, to meet each other in the stratosphere where we get twice the learning for half the price. Instead of paying for technology that sits on the shelf, let’s change the game.”
1. Johnson, L., Adams, S., and Haywood, K., (2011). The NMC Horizon Repor t: 2011 K-12 Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consor tium. 2. Fullan,M. 2013. Stratosphere. Pearson. Totonto. pp99
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
COLIN NORTHMORE
CHAPTER 4 | EDUCATION RESOURCES AND THE ROLE OF ICT IN EDUCATION
106
WESTERN CAPE BRIDGE PROJECT The past few months have been an energising time for Bridge in the Western Cape. In October 2012, Bridge held a rally with Dr Mamphela Ramphele and her Education lead Eugene Daniels. The idea behind the rally was to reignite the members’ commitment to collaboration and to structure a framework for 2013 Bridge sessions. There was an overwhelming response, with over 140 members networking and brainstorming about how Bridge can facilitate collaborations more effectively. Dr Ramphele gave an energising ‘call to action’, encouraging members to work together even harder to overcome the education crisis. The groups then discussed major themes in the education crisis and agreed on nine focus areas in which they wished to work. These groups are now organised as Communities of Practice in the province. The Communities of Practice include School Leadership and Management,Teacher Development, Early Childhood Development, Maths &Science, Literacy & Numeracy, ICT in schools, Caring Schools, Post-School Opportunities and Extra Curricular Activities & Tutoring. They meet every six weeks and are multi stakeholder, made up of: funders, academics, NPOs, principals, policy-makers and Western Cape Education Department officials. At these sessions, new research, policies and innovations are discussed and the groups work through how they might integrate this into their practice. There have been around 415 participants in these sessions since October 2013 and, with a network of over 850 education practitioners, there is significant reach for the sharing of best practice. This year, WC Bridge has also been collaborating with important stakeholders. The Western Cape Education Department has championed Bridge’s mission by teaming up on a new database that will map the impact of civil society in schools. The project aims to create transparency about the various interventions in schools. In turn, this will assist the WCED in strategic planning about the support needed in these schools. The database map will also reduce the duplication of interventions and will illustrate reach, identifying areas that may require more support. This is a noteworthy example of bridging civil society and government. The database is a communication tool that can facilitate a stronger working relationship across the sectors.
simplify your banking
Bridge has also partnered with UCT Business School’s Bertha Centre (Social Innovation) on a project developed by the Results for Development organisation, with funding from the UK government, to set up Centre for Education Innovation. The aim of this project is to improve access to quality education for disadvantaged communities by identifying, analysing and connecting non-state education innovations. This will be an online platform and Bridge’s role is to help identify the South African innovative education interventions to showcase on this website. This project will encourage collaboration and innovation globally.
One solution to money management Western Cape Community of Practice
Teachers upfront
24hr Client Care Centre on 0860 10 20 43 or visit capitecbank.co.za A registered credit provider. NCR Reg. No.: NCRCP13 Capitec Bank Limited Reg. No.: 1980/003695/06
AVBOB. TAKING OUT INSURANCE AGAINST ILLITERACY. At AVBOB, everything we do is summed up when we say we’re here for you. We apply our philosophy of caring in communities where people can only dream of the things that some of us take for granted; things like books that are vital for education. So, in partnership with Touch Africa and The Bright Kid Foundation, we donated a mobile library with 2000 books to Shukumani Primary School in Thembisa.
Be the woman who makes it happen Be healthy. Be strong. Live well.
Nobody can dispute the fact that education is the key to a brighter, more prosperous future. That’s why we’re not stopping at one container filled with books. Over a 3 year period we will provide 30 fully equipped mobile libraries stocked with books for primary schools from Grade R to Grade 7. It’s an initiative that will serve as a springboard for a better life and for limitless opportunities. It’s already a terrific success story that has nothing to do with profits. It is merely a case of giving from the heart, and one that we’re extremely proud of. We’re also pleased to play a pivotal role in projects such as the development of classrooms and ablution facilities for The Mgcawezulu Junior Secondary School in the foothills of the former Transkei. We have helped to develop suitable facilities for the Centurion Council for the Aged to enable this organisation to continue to provide HIV/AIDS counselling and income generating initiatives. Over and above these worthy causes there is also the heart-warming story of Gogo Nkosi, a 95 year old, destitute grandmother who had been living in atrocious conditions, for whom we have built and furnished a home, in Mpumalanga. These are just a few examples of how we have invested in communities all over South Africa. We are committed to ensure that each and every person within the AVBOB group plays a role in being part of the solution but more importantly it is how we live up to our promise of being here for you.
For more information on our extensive community participation, please visit www.avbob.co.za
SINCE 1918 AVBOB Mutual Assurance Society is an authorised financial services provider.
With the help of organisations such as the Distell Foundation, FARR (the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research) diagnoses and researches Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FARR also runs awareness programmes that try to prevent FASD.
Encourage those you know to give their unborn babies the best chance in life by avoiding alcohol and maintaining a balanced diet when pregnant and breast-feeding. FASD is caused by drinking during pregnancy. It impedes children in their learning and their socialisation as it affects their intellectual and behavioural development. It can also affect their organs. FASD is preventable but irreversible. The child who has FASD has his/ her growth stunted for life.
As a woman you have the power to help prevent FASD. Use your power! Persuade every pregnant women to not drink alcohol while pregnant. The Distell Foundation so a proud supporter of FARR, a world-leader in its field. See www.farrsa.co.za.
A MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR SAVINGS & INVESTMENT SA
F O U N D A T I O N
FARR adv A4 2013.indd 1
5/31/13 4:15 PM
In 1953 Nelson Mandela said: “...you must make every home, every shack, every rickety structure a centre of learning for our children.”
MINDSET - Supporting education by providing excellent teaching and learning resources.
Learn Xtra Learn Xtra provides additional support for learners. More than 600 hours of Learn Xtra video is currently available with another 600 planned for 2013. Learn Xtra Live: • Live TV shows from 4 - 7pm Monday - Thursday for grade 10 - 12 Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Natural Sciences and Maths Literacy, Business Studies and Accounting learners.
Mindset, a South African based non-profit organisation, launched in 2003 by Nelson Mandela, was created to do just what Mr Mandela asked for. Mindset Learn develops and distributes high quality, contextually relevant educational content for schools in video, print and computer-based multimedia formats
Learn Xtra Lessons: • Learners can join in weekend school from 9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday, for gr 10 - 12 Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Natural Sciences and Maths Literacy, Geography and Accounting. • Supporting worksheets available for free download from www.learnxtra.co.za • Revision kits available for schools, community organisations or individuals.
.TEACHING RESOURCES Mindset Learn has developed more than 300 hours of video content for use by teachers in the classroom. • Grade 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12 Mathematics • Grade 4 and 5 Natural Sciences and Technology • Grade 10, 11 and 12 Physical Sciences • Grade 10, 11 and 12 English First Additional Language • Grade 10, 11 and 12 Mathematical Literacy • Grade 10, 11 and 12 Information Technology & CAT.
REVISION RESOURCES
All videos are supported by teacher video guides and notes for teachers and learners. These classroom resources have been designed to support and improve the classroom experience by: • Inspiring and empowering teachers to use highly effective and innovative learner-centred teaching approaches • Bringing experiences from the real-world into the classroom • Using highly impactful visual techniques to describe and explain difficult or abstract concepts.
www.mindset.co.za/learn | info@mindset.co.za | 086 100 MIND (6463)
Learn Xtra Revision: • Grade 12 Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Maths Literacy, Geography, Accounting, English, History, Business Studies and Economics. • Winter School broadcasts during the mid-year, Spring School in October holidays and Exam School broadcasts during the final exam period • Live shows, topic discussions, exam and study tips • Supporting workbooks available for free download from www.learnxtra.co.za
HELPDESK
• Free helpdesk for all FET learners • Questions submitted via Facebook, Twitter, PEPtxt, email, website and phone. • Visit learnxtra.co.za for more info. TEACHER SUPPORT Mindset has developed more than 50 hours of specific teacher development materials focusing on • Curriculum planning • Lesson planning • Lesson implementation and delivery • Assessment • Reflection and review
GET MINDSET LEARN • Free download from the Mindset Learn or Learn Xtra websites • www.mindset.co.za/learn or www.learnxtra.co.za • DStv channel 319 • Toptv channel 319 • Mindset free-to-air channel 1 • DVDs and books - visit www.mindset.co.za/learn/DVD for more details Mindset offers an end-to-end technology installation and support service to schools and community centres.
Learning resources @ www.mindset.co.za Follow ‘learnxtra’ on Facebook and Twitter.
Sangari - Taking Education into the 21st Century
CPS Clickers
The Quality Gap iLeap Components
Worldwide, Education Ministries have deployed a convergence of technology, such as laptops, tablets, and Electronic Whiteboards to stimulate learner participation and improve results.
Digital Content
iBox
Teacher Support
iBox All-in-one portable teaching and learning device. Its design technology, equipment and software are focused on
However, international evaluations like PISA and TIMSS demonstrate
the delivery of e-education with interactive tools for any
that while the top performing countries continue to make advances in
classroom. Each iBox is equipped with a computer, projector,
education, the vast majority struggle to close the ever-widening gap.
audio system, DVD player, virtual whiteboard, Classroom, Performance Software and Student Response Devices.
Leveraging e-Learning
iLeap Programme
As many teachers have experienced, we need to change the
iLeap plays an important role in fostering this change
approach and be smarter about the learning environment that we
by bringing together the required hardware, software,
provide to our students. Imagine utilising technology in the hands of
curricular aligned content and professional development
every learner for a far more engaging and creative classroom. Imagine
into one product, enabling every teacher to easily deploy
if our teachers had their fingers on the pulse of every class, knowing
own lessons with the interactive whiteboard.
this technology into their daily lessons so as to evolve the
whether students are learning and to what extent they are learning
classroom from “chalk and talk� into a stimulating hands-
while the lesson is still in progress.
on environment.
Teacher Support The Professional Development Programme uses multiple
Digital Content
approaches to build the capacity of participating teachers
Teachers can select from a vast array of Interactive
and school administrators. This includes modules with
Curriculum content, including pre-existing or new content
assessment specialists to help teachers ask the right
developed to national curriculum standards, preloaded onto
questions to maximise the diagnostic capabilities of
the iBox hard drive. They may also choose to author their
Formative Assessment.
CPS Clickers Keeping students engaged and involved in class, the realtime assessment devices allow teachers to conduct effective
Empowering teachers with real-time information is at the heart of
Formative Assessment throughout each lesson, receiving
iLeap, and it`s all about gaging how much each individual has learned,
instant feedback on student learning.
guiding teachers to intervene effectively, and ensuring that every
About Sangari
student learns and advances.
For nearly half a century, Sangari has worked with countries to prepare future generations with the education and tools they need to meet the challenges of the future. Our processes and tools have transformed classrooms and impacted the lives of millions of students and teachers globally, by offering unique expertise in methodologies for teaching and creating dynamic, interactive, meaningful, learning experiences.
For South Africa: STEM2.0 - Science, Technology, Engineering, ICT, Consulting 57 Don Suites, Ground Floor, Kyalami Boulevard, Kyalami Business Park, Johannesburg, South Africa Tel: +27 11 466 1440 - www.sangari.co.za
For International: iLEAP only 8 Monte Carlo Crescent, Kyalami Business Park, Midrand, South Africa Tel: +27 11 026 7991 - www.sangariafrica.com
CHAPTER FIVE
05 WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 80 PERCENT OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE UNDERPERFORMING. THIS TRANSLATES TO ABOUT 20 000 SCHOOLS. INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT SYSTEM WIDE IMPROVEMENTS IN EDUCATION SYSTEMS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING PUTTING TOGETHER MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAMS THAT ASSESS THE FUNCTIONALITY OF A SCHOOL, DEVELOP A TURNAROUND PLAN AND OVERSEE ITS IMPLEMENTATION. To develop and sustain a professional culture, schools need to be well run by skilled and dedicated principals who foster a vibrant but disciplined environment that is conducive to learning. Source: Taylor, 2011
Home of Origin Wine (Pty) Ltd www.originwine.co.za | www.fairhills.co.za
“If we are to build a sustainable future, education is key. We see it as teaching children how to fish, metaphorically speaking. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
Old Bottelary Road, Koelenhof, Stellenbosch, 7599 South Africa Bernard Fontannaz, CEO of Origin Wine
CHAPTER FIVE
It takes a whole school to support a child’s progress in education – this includes the teachers, the principal, the parents, the school governing body, district support and provincial and national education leadership.
TAKE THE LEAD IN INSPIRING SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE Entrench your brand in the centre of the community – the 2 000 top performing quintile 1 – 3 high schools across South Africa. The most
BOX OF
STARS
cost-effective, high impact brand investment you can make today.
Brought to you by Argo, the leaders in inspirational education media campaigns. It’s not just up to the government to ensure quality education for all. Non profit organisations (NPOs) and the private sector play an important part in supporting school development. These efforts need to be co-ordinated with the vision and strategy developed by the Department of Basic Education and require collaboration to ensure that resources are not duplicated or wasted. The One campaign for achieving quality education framework positions the whole school context as the critical support system for teachers who are ultimately tasked with inspiring the child at the centre of the system to develop and achieve his or her potential.
INSPIRING SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE BY AWARDING THEM AN A+ The Department of Basic Education has introduced the School Improvement Plans (SIP) to focus attention on school improvement, in line with the Annual National Assessments. The A+ Schools campaign is designed to support school leaders and their schools in developing these plans, by encouraging them to enter the A+ Schools challenge to improve their schools. It is supported by a motivational Box of Stars to empower the school leader in motivating teachers and learners.
“Ifyouractionsinspireotherstodreammore,learnmore,domoreandbecomemore,youarealeader.”JohnAdams
Schools are expected to develop school improvement plans (SIP) with the school management team, staff members and the members of the school governing board. These plans take into account the overall performance of the school, as well as learner performance,
5 GREAT REASONS TO GET INVOLVED? •
Make an impact in our top 2 000 performing high schools in under resourced areas. These schools are hungry for great resources to inform, involve and inspire them to improve and value your support.
•
Take the lead in building our nation, by investing in the engine that drives skills development – high schools.
•
Cost effective as the campaign is supported by other market leaders to share the cost and act as a leading example of collaboration – which is needed in our education system.
•
The opportunity to build leadership competency at school leadership level. The Box of Stars resource toolkit includes an Achiever Programme Guide and access to online leadership development training (NQF level 5).
•
Act on the global trend of shifting from marketing advertising spend to social investment to create a better future for all. FACT: A research survey conducted across 10 of the world’s largest countries by GDP revealed that 93 per cent of consumers say they would buy a product because of its association with a good cause (The Telegraph, November 2011).
particularly in relation to the Annual National Assessments (ANA), the National Senior Certificate (NSC), outcomes of the school based assessment, IQMS - Integrated Quality Management System outcomes and whole school evaluation reports. The development of the SIP is to be done during the fourth quarter, when the school does its planning for the following year, and final plans must be available by the end of January of each year.
The A+ schools challenge is designed to motivate schools to improve and submit their plans as part of a campaign that focuses on the top 2000 performing high schools in quintiles 1 to 3. The campaign includes a toolkit for these performing schools, the Box of Stars, which is designed to motivate learners and teachers and develop the leadership skills of the school principal.
117
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
+27 21 865 2813 | info@argo.org.za | www.argo.org.za
WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER FIVE
REVIEW OF
foundational skills that predispose learners to effective learning in all fields of knowledge.
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE Improving the quality of basic education has been identified as the top priority by the South African Government on which the Department of Basic Education (DBE) has to deliver. Within this context, the Annual National Assessments (ANAs) are a critical measure for monitoring progress in learner achievement. The Education Sector plan, Action Plan to 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025, specifies that ANA is a testing programme that requires all schools in the country to conduct the same grade-specific Language and Mathematics tests for Grades 1 to 6 and Grade 9. The choice of subjects to prioritise for monitoring has been informed by the recognition worldwide that literacy and numeracy are the key
Several measures, such as the provision of workbooks and the repackaging of the National Curriculum Statement in the form of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement were put in place this year to improve education. In addition, the DBE also provided exemplar questions and exemplar tests to schools in the course of the year in order to ensure that teachers and learners were exposed to the kind of questions they could expect in the Annual National Assessment. The second large-scale national assessment, ANA 2012, was conducted in September 2012. All learners in public schools in Grades 1 to 6 and Grade 9 took curriculumappropriate tests developed by the DBE in Language and Mathematics. Marking guides/Memorandums were made available to all schools
and tests were marked by the relevant teachers. Departmental procedures and control measures were in place to ensure that marking was done correctly. Learner scores were captured on a central database to provide system-wide information on learner achievement at all levels of governance as one of the measures to inform constructive engagement in order to improve education. While marking the scripts of learners, teachers received immediate feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of their learners. Schools reported learner achievement in ANA to each parent. The overall results for ANA in Grades 1 to 6 point towards a general improvement in the performance of learners in the ANA tests. In the summary tables below, the average percentage that learners achieved in Language and Mathematics is indicated.
SUMMARY TABLES OF AVERAGE PERCENTAGE MARKS FOR LANGUAGES IN 2011 & 2012 GRADE
HOME LANGUAGE 2012
LANGUAGE 2011
1
58
59
2
55
52
3
52
35
GRADE
HOME LANGUAGE 2012
FIRST ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE 2012
LANGUAGE 2011
4
43
34
34
5
40
30
28
6
43
36
28
9
43
35
*
* Grade 9 tests were not written in 2011.
119
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
SUMMARY TABLES FOR AVERAGE PERCENTAGE MARKS FOR MATHEMATICS IN 2011 & 2012 GRADE
MATHEMATICS 2012
MATHEMATICS 2011
1
68
63
2
57
55
3
41
28
4
37
28
5
30
28
6
27
30
9
13
*
* Grade 9 tests were not written in 2011. An encouraging observation from the results is the noticeable increase in the performance of learners in Grade 3 in both Language and Mathematics. The acute focus of Government on strengthening basic skills at the foundation phase is starting to have a positive impact and is encouraging for the system going forward. It should, however, be noted that the Grade 9 performance of learners in Mathematics is below expectation and will therefore receive the immediate attention of the DBE through additional and more intensive structured intervention programmes. The positive achievement of the 2012 learner cohort is also indicated in the number of learners achieving the required competencies of content knowledge for the respective grades. In 2012, noticeable increases were obtained in both Grades 3 and 6. For example, in Grade 3 Mathematics, the number of learners achieving at least 50 percent increased from 17 percent in 2011 to 37 percent in 2012. In Grade 6 Mathematics, the number of learners achieving at least 50 percent decreased from 12 percent in 2011 to 11 percent in 2012.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
The purpose of the report is to enable various tiers of education to utilise the findings in order to devise ways to improve education. Hence, the report provides an analysis of achievement of learners at national, provincial and district levels. An essential feature is the district performance provided for each province. In addition, the analysis is contextualised for broader intersectoral interventions within and across government departments and social partners by providing achievement results according to gender, poverty index quintiles and the language of teaching and learning. The immediate target, however, is the various tiers of education with the intention of supplying credible information to assist teachers, principals and department officials to strengthen their existing and planned efforts of improving the quality of teaching and learning. Although assessment by itself cannot improve learning, it provides important evidence to inform planning and development of appropriate interventions for improvement at all levels, at a national, provincial, district and individual level. The following are the key ways in which evidence
collected through ANA, as specified in the Action Plan, will contribute to improving the quality of learning and teaching in the schools: Exposing teachers to best practices in assessment Where the provincial department has implemented province wide standardised assessments, this has been found to change teacher practices for the better. What ANA does is to expose all teachers across the country to what national experts consider best practice in assessments. This will give all teachers a clearer idea of how to proceed when they develop their own assessments at critical points in the school year. Targeting interventions to the schools that need them most With ANA, districts have a standard source of information to determine which schools are most urgently in need of support. Information from ANA will be used to direct teachers towards particular kinds of teacher development programmes and to engage seriously with school principals on the specific subjectbased challenges confronting his or her school.
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
120
WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER FIVE
Giving schools the opportunity to take pride in their improvement ANA makes it possible for primary schools to do what secondary schools have been able to do for many years, with the Grade 12 results. The Grade 12 results are used as a common yardstick to measure improvement over the years. This will allow schools to take pride in knowing that the efforts to improve the teaching and learning in the school are producing the desired outcomes. Giving parents better information on the education of their children Parents have a right to know how well the schools perform that they send their children to. If the results in the school are below what they should be, then ANA provides a good basis for parents to ask the school questions about what is wrong and to become involved in putting together a plan for the school that will improve the situation. This was found in a series of case studies of poorly performing schools in the Western Cape conducted by Stellenbosch University in 2010.
As stated in the DBE 2014 Action Plan, some of the mechanisms through which the DBE has planned to bring about improvements in the achievement of measurable learning outcomes of a high quality include:
01.
Attracting young, motivated and appropriately trained teachers into the profession;
02. Ensuring that learners cover all the topics and skills that they should cover in a school year;
03. Ensuring that every learner has access to the minimum set of textbooks and workbooks required according to national policy;
Marshalling the above and a number of other strategies and mechanisms, and working with the community and other stakeholders, the DBE has set itself specific targets at the key transitional grades and these will be monitored and tracked through ANA results. The national targets that the DBE has set in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) have been summarised in the table below. The overarching goal, as per the injunction of the President of the Republic of South Africa in the State of the Nation Address in 2010, is that by 2014, at least 60 percent of learners in Grades 3, 6 and 9 should achieve acceptable levels (i.e. 50% and above) of competency in Language and Mathematics.
SA PERFORMANCE IMPROVING The results of an independent international assessment study of the mathematics and science knowledge of Grade 9 learners show that, for the first time since 1995, the national average mathematics score of Grade 9 learners has improved in public schools. This finding forms part of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). In 2011 TIMSS was conducted in 45 countries. Of these, 42 countries participated at the Grade 8 level, and three countries, namely Botswana, South Africa and Honduras, participated at the Grade 9 level.
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS These three countries (Botswana, South Africa and Honduras) continued to perform at the lowest end in both mathematics and science. “A striking feature of the mathematics and sciences scores is that the best performing South African learners approached the average performance of the top performing countries of Singapore, Chinese Taipei, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Finland, Slovenia and the Russian Federation”, says HSRC executive director and principal investigator of TIMSS, Dr Vijay Reddy.
04. Improving access of children to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) below Grade 1.
TARGETS IN PERCENTAGE OF LEARNERS ACHIEVING 50 PERCENT AND ABOVE, FOR 2011 TO 2014
GRADE
LANGUAGE
MATHEMATICS
2011
2012
2013
2014
2011
2012
2013
2014
3
53
55
58
60
53
55
58
60
6
46
51
55
60
35
54
52
60
Source: http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=YyzLTOk5IYU%3D&tabid=298
121
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
For TIMSS 2011 in South Africa, the HSRC conducted the study in 256 public schools and 27 independent schools. Nearly 12 000 Grade 9 learners participated. The HSRC also undertook TIMSS in 1995, 1999 and 2002. The trend analysis from 1995 to 2012 showed that the national average score remained static over the years 1995, 1999 and 2002.
“From 2002 to 2012 we see an improvement of both the mathematics and science score and this improvement
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
is equivalent to raising the standard by one and half (1.5) grade levels”, Reddy said. In addition to the improved average performance, the range of the distribution of the scores between the highest and lowest decreased between 2002 and 2011. This wide distribution of learner achievement reflects the wide disparities in society and schools and with scores of learners at the lowest end increasing, it could suggest a small move towards more equitable educational outcomes.
PROVINCIAL PERFORMANCE The three top performing provinces in both mathematics and science in TIMSS 2011 were the Western Cape, Gauteng and Northern Cape. The three lowest performers were KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape. Between 2002 and 2011, Gauteng, Limpopo, NorthWest, Free State and Eastern Cape showed the most improvement. There was no change in mathematics and science performance in the Western Cape or Northern Cape between 2002 and 2011.
POOREST SCHOOLS SHOW MOST IMPROVEMENT The greatest improvement was among learners who can be described as “the most disadvantaged” and who scored lowest initially. This coincides with learners and schools receiving the highest number of interventions aimed at improving the quality of education, from both public and private sector providers. “This is good news. The results suggest the value of the continued investment in low-income households and in less-resourced schools,” Reddy said.
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
122
CHAPTER FIVE
TOP PERFORMING LEARNERS AND SCHOOLS NOT GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE However, when it comes to the quantity and quality of performance at the top level, South Africa is not globally competitive. In analysing the top-end performers against the TIMSS international performance standard, the average scores for independent, former House of Assembly and Quintile [1] five schools, all performed below the middle score of 500 (also called “Centrepoint”). In 2002 10.5 percent of South African learners scored above 400 points. This more than doubled in 2011, when 24 percent of our learners scored above 400 points, thus increasing the pool of learners who could potentially follow science and technology careers. “Schools that have been traditionally well resourced need to be challenged and supported to improve the performance of their learners. We need to re-affirm the agenda for excellence in educational outcomes,” Reddy said.
MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE CURRICULUM When it comes to a comparison of the curriculum for these two disciplines, it was found that the Revised National Curriculum Statements that guided instruction and learning of mathematics and science at schools during 2002 and 2011 covered more than 90 percent of the TIMSS assessment framework on which the learners were tested. Reddy explained: “This implies that the curriculum for Grade 9 schools in South Africa is on par with the international standard, but there are many other factors that shape achievement at school level”.
THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT There is growing evidence that the school environment plays a big part in learners’ performance. In TIMMS 2011, teachers and learners reported on the perceived level of school safety, the degree of order at schools, as well as the incidence of bullying.
123
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
The self-reported data indicates that 41 percent of learners attended schools where the principals rated the school discipline and safety as a “moderate” problem, which is the lowest category in the index rating for these factors. Internationally, 18 percent of learners attended schools where principals rated school discipline and safety as a “moderate problem”. And only 21 percent of learners attend schools where their mathematic teachers rated the schools as “safe” in comparison with the international standard of 45 percent. The study found that globally there is evidence that bullying in schools is on the rise. This has a negative impact on learners’ educational achievement. In South Africa, 75 percent of learners indicated that they had experienced some form of bullying, which is far above the international average of 41 percent.
T r a ding w ine for educ at ion: T he Or igin of Fa ir hills
TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS
by alex o’donoghue
In terms of qualifications, 60 percent of mathematics learners and 53 percent of science learners were taught by teachers who had completed a degree. Internationally, 87 percent of mathematics learners and 90 percent of science learners are taught by teachers who have completed a degree.
“If we are to build a sustainable future, education is key. We see it as teaching children how to fish, metaphorically speaking. Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Bernard Fontannaz, CEO of Origin Wine
HOME ENVIRONMENT The study found a strong positive relationship between the education of parents and achievement. In South Africa 19 percent of learners had at least one parent or caregiver who had completed a university degree of higher qualification. Internationally, 32 percent of learners have at least one parent with a university degree or higher qualification. This had increased from 11 percent in 2002. On the issue of language, the study showed that in countries where a large proportion of learners are from homes where the language of the test is not spoken at home, the mathematics and science scores are generally lower. In South Africa, 26 percent of learners reported that they “almost always or always” speak the same language at home and at school, while nine percent reported that they “never” speak the language of the test at home. Those who speak the language of the test at home scored higher than those who do not speak the language of the test at home. Source: Dr Vijay Reddy, HSRC executive director and principal investigator of TIMSS, December 11 2012.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
The domestic and international media have cast a stern eye on the South African agricultural and education sectors over the past six months. ‘Tell-it-as-it-is’ images of children without desks and textbooks, striking labourers and a sliding credit rating have shown the ugly side of the rainbow democracy, where inequality and poverty are given new life. The international community have been unhappy, calling for improved standards of trade. However, one project has quietly continued to work, based in the Rawsonville valley. Origin Wine, a wine producing and logistics company (exporting up to 75 million litres of South Africa wine per annum) set up an innovative partnership with the farming community seven years ago, implementing a Fairtrade approach to changing education. For every bottle of wine sold, the Fairhills brand charge a premium and the money is used to finance sound education projects in local communities.
approach to implement the changes we wanted to see for our beneficiaries and their families.” Pierre Smit, Compliance Manager for Origin Wine The Fairhills project gives employee members full control through a joint body committee, which is made up of beneficiaries. All Fairhills Project farm employees take decisions via this committee and nominate colleagues to oversee which projects should be invested in or whether dividends should be paid out to members. This is (potentially) a controversial way to run development decisions but flattens the power structures traditionally found in development projects. The beneficiaries make decisions and face the consequences in a democratic manner.
WE DON’T NEED NO EDUCATION The old-school approach to educating beneficiaries is quite simple. Why bother? Outside of teaching people to produce the best cultivar and grow grapes properly, many farmers do little more and go to the development table with a sour face. This makes sense, given the history of education in South Africa with a labour force
THE FAIRHILLS PROJECT
traditionally excluded from quality schooling.
“We went to our clients who wanted to invest in tangible development projects in wine-producing countries. We added on the Fairtrade label to the bottles they bought and in doing so, ensured the intangible goals of fairer trade were meet. Our clients can also decide if they want to give additional funding to support the different projects, which many have done. In this way, we developed a three-pronged
However, providing people with minimum wage and no wiggle room to move up in life is not a sustainable option for a business or its workers in today’s climate. Up-skilling people has a knock-on effect, as seen in the Rawsonville community via the Fairhills project. In looking after workers and children, the various farms did not experience unrest over the past year. In turn, produce is positively affected and creative ways to develop
revenue streams found. In applying an internationally recognised supply chain policy to wine development (Fairtrade) sales were not affected during the Western Cape farming sector strikes.
WIETA WHAT?
Fairtrade is not isolated from education. Origin Wine see investment in education as a strong focus point for projects, and a way of saying a different kind of thank you to workers. It is easy to put cash in hand – it takes a more mature view on investment both locally and at a national level to go the long, hard road of investing in children’s education when the government system is not set up in a supportive manner. The Fairhills Association have built a very different model to change, one which is based on
driving fair practice and democratic representation
the quality and outcome of the child long term.
Origin is the founding member of South Africa’s Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA) and are throughout the sector. WIETA is a not for profit, voluntary association of South African wine and
FAST FACTS
agriculture industry stakeholders, committed to
•
Fairtrade is the leading fair trade movement in the
Fairtrade as the internationally accredited brand to
agricultural sector.
endorse South Africa abroad more easily.
•
means that the supply chain fully complies with
FAIR’S FAIR? Origin wine have a big footprint in South Africa, the United Kingdom, Europe and South America. The international consumer is increasingly sensitive around buying ethically sourced produce at a price ‘fair’ to the farmers and workers. Over the past decade, Fairtrade chocolate, sugar, coffee, tea and other cosmetics have flooded the overseas market. Ethically-aware buyers have snapped up feel-good products and producers have to comply with the strict regulations that come with Fairtrade endorsement. Ironically, South Africa has been slow on the uptake. Its consumers, perhaps bogged down by other legislation or viewing the produce as luxury items, have ignored the growing commercial value of the brand. Origin wine did not, introducing Fairtrade to the wine industry in 2005, with the help of participating farms.
When a product carries the Fairtrade label, it the robust Fairtrade Standards and producers are audited regularly.
•
According to Fairtrade South Africa (SA), farm workers would receive over R140 million per year to invest in education and improved living conditions if 50% of wine drunk in SA was Fairtrade certified.
•
SA is the only producing and consuming country of the Fairtrade brand and sales have jumped from R18.4 million (2010) to R73.5m (2011).
•
SA now has the highest number of Fairtrade accredited wineries worldwide, with 65% of Fairtrade wines sold globally coming from SA.
be applied to the world in a way that you are happy to apply to yourself. It is a principle that you are at ease to live with and
THE ORIGIN OF ORIGIN
comply to. Although it is based
Origin Wine has been providing logistical services to the wine making industry since 2002, providing a ‘one-stop’ service managing the supply chain from wine making to supply.
value, it must work for everyone and so it is a lifelong challenge.” Bernard Fontannaz, CEO of Origin Wine
BUY WINE, BUILD A SCHOOL In 2013 Origin will export around 75 million litres of wine, of which 10% is Fairtrade certified. By structuring the cost of the bottle to consumer countries in a certain way, the FairTrade Project invests in local education while overseas consumers drink good wine. This is a more astute and sustainable development model than charity giving. The Fairhills Project receive R5 million income annually based on wine sales. “The students we support can work in the private and/or farming sector when they finish studying – we do not tie them to anything. What is key for us is that they have the choice. It motivates kids to finish a schooling career where previously they could not have cared less. Our main goal is providing the youth with a skill-set and opportunity - something which gives them a choice in life.” Pierre Smit, Origin Wine Fairhills partners are either WIETA or Fairtrade compliant. The project has introduced a work learning programme, whereby employees are given training on the Basic Conditions of employment. Workers committees have been introduced on each farm and salaries have increased on average of between 5 to 30 percent above the legal basic income. Bank accounts have been opened for employees and pay slips introduced. Employees on Fairhills project farms receive additional benefits such as a provident fund, medical support, free transport, accommodation and bonuses.
“The principle of fairness should
on personal perspective and
the promotion of ethical trade. Origin lean towards
The Fairhills Association was formally established as a separate legal entity in South Africa (SA) in 2006 and soon developed the Fairtrade wine project. This was followed by partner projects in Argentina and Chile. The project was founded by Origin Wine and has twenty-one participating farms - of these, fourteen have been Fairtrade accredited since 2005 and the association is currently one of the largest Fairtrade projects in the world.
While this may have little impact on a cynical readership, this is an enormous step forward in a sector notorious for maximising profits at the expense of the labourers. For many farmworkers, the R69 per day wage is not enough to make ends meet each month coupled with dismal accommodation and healthcare. Fairhills Project workers are incentivised by money distributed based on the volume of sales. Fairtrade certified premium is invested in the farmer – the more wine sold, the more beneficiaries get. An exquisite label dedicated to the labourers ‘unsung heroes’ has been designed on premium Fairtrade bottles to honour the manual work involved in the production process.
“Many people see WIETA as a cop-out, while Fairtrade expects a lot more of the farmer. Wages may be paid, but accommodation is rubbish. Origin wholly support WIETA, but many of our farmers are also Fairtrade certified - there were no strikes on Fairtrade certified farms. However, if something like WIETA had been introduced long ago, the farm unrests may not have happened.” Pierre Smit, Origin Wine
REAP WHAT YOU SOW Fairhills have taken a strategic and inclusive approach to education. The Fairhills Lorraine Primary School in Rawsonville was originally a dilapidated government facility and is now no longer recognisable with a new kitchen, school office, library and computer centre. The 120 children catered for range between grades R to three. Current classroom expansion is providing access for children grades four to seven. Government provides teacher salaries and the feeding programme, but all other costs are taken care of by Fairhills. They have funded the appointment of a new
teacher, given government regulations stipulating that state teachers have to take 40 learners in a class. “We’ll pay, because we don’t want the teacher to student ratio to exceed 1:25,” says Lise Ewins, Brand Manager for Origin Wine. “We are also building a new play area at the school and have boosted safety, fencing off a major road to protect children who were previously uncontained”. When threatened with closure by the Department of Education (DOE), Fairhills stepped in and completely renovated facilities to comply with health and safety requirements. It is an exemplary school, with basic but functional and creative classrooms and children who appear to be genuinely engaged with learning. The medical and nutrition support provided is exemplary and shows. Stunted growth is standard in the farming sector, with University of Cape Town research showing that farmworkers are on average 2.5 cm shorter than city people.
CR ADLE TO CAREER Cash injections do not lead to systemic change. As seen in some of the dismal analysis on literacy and numeracy levels amongst young learners, the problem cannot be solved by in a silo manner. Fairhills have approached education change in two ways, raising the bar for the agricultural sector in two ways. The Fairhills Project is flexible enough to involve the community in decision-making and change when things do not work. The second is approaching learners in a holistic way. The three Fairhills Day Care centres host around 210 children from 20 participating project farms and additional spaces are given to neighbouring farms and informal settlements. Children between three months and five years are fed, given medical support and a full school programme based on the state Grade R curriculum. By the time children start school they have a solid foundation and are essentially repeating a second year of Grade R when they enter formal schooling. This is a huge head start.
Fairhills have invested in early intervention, in line with government’s move to boost ECD and Grade R support to help children achieve in later years. Fairhills also allocates money to support other schools in the area, supporting ex-Fairhills creche learners who cannot go to the two dedicated primary schools part of the project. Additionally, after-school care is provided to primary school scholars, who each receive a meal and secure transport back to their homes. The aftercare has grown from 20 children to 140 and caters for children up to grade seven, who also take part in a sports programme. The programme focuses on hand eye co-ordination and improving physical movement. This type of ‘whole child’ approach is crucial for proper development. The Fairhills Project is also implementing a mobile clinic and has just completed a staffed, on-site health clinic at the Fairhills Lorraine Primary School. The mobile clinic will be soon be able to take healthcare to the farm workers. Various Fairtrade sponsors are part of each initiative, including the free vaccinations and medicine.
TECHNOLOGY IS THE FUTURE The state of the art Usizo Computer Centre was built in 2011 and provides the community with computer literacy access. Children as young as four are taken bi-weekly for computer literacy and primary school children attend daily. The after-school children also attend. Pierre Smit believes computers are the future. “We have three students currently attending tertiary education and they have to prove they are computer literate. If this does not start from a young age, they struggle.”
twelve to qualify – free education cannot be given without hard work on both sides. Students also have to provide progress reports from their schools and do holiday work if they are battling. This has a ripple effect - students study more so they don’t lose vacation time. The Usizo Library was built in 2011 and is staffed by an ex-bursary student, Marcia May. She finished her degree in HR management from Boland College and says, “I want to work. I don’t want my parents to grow old and say that I did nothing for them. I want them to be proud and to brag about their daughter. My parents worked through the hot sun and through rain and windy days to help me to get through school. I want to now work for Fairhills because I want to put everything back into the project that I’ve learned and do this project proud, because not
South the
Africa
has
international
to
market
remain in
all
competitive areas
–
in
from
everyone gets this kind of opportunity”.
production, export, education and transformation
STRUCTURED SUPPORT
commercial interests. The economy has a direct
The Fairhills team did not want young people to end up in
global consumers turn away from countries with
an educational cul-de-sac and so introduced the Young
tainted supply chains, South Africa must step up and
Heroes tertiary education programme in 2008. There are
show transparency in produce and process.
of the relationships that govern development and impact on social development investment and as
no restrictions around field of study – for example, one student is currently studying hair-dressing and another primary school teaching, collectively costing just under R300 000. After the first ten students graduated, however, the project team re-wrote goals and objectives by assessing areas of weakness. There are now tighter controls in place and the current bursary students are being
Fairhills also works with a primary school in Worcester
SAY CHEERS
“The well-off need to accept that the old model of consumption is unsustainable.” National Development Plan, 2012
monitored to evaluate how well these work. This kind of
West. The primary schools programme is open to both
evaluation is crucial for both the students and funders
supporting project farm children and neighbouring farm
to ensure young people get the support they need and
As the National Planning Commission advise, work
children. The computer centre also runs adult literacy
money is not wasted.
and education enable citizens to improve their own
classes and is overseen by a former vineyard worker, Anneline Syfers, whose training was paid for by the
Rules for bursary applicants are made in agreement with
lives. Young people are the adults of the future and
Fairhills programme. She provides direct assistance and
students and parents. All bursars may only go home
will manage South Africa’s land and its produce.
allows the younger children to learn via the ‘self-teach’
on school holidays and for the rest of the course they
By empowering beneficiaries and enabling inter-
modules
have to stay in residence. They are supplied with pocket
community skills transfer farmers can contribute to a
specifically
designed
to
empower
young
children on computers.
YOUNG HEROES
money and meal vouchers and parents are given money and transport to visit children regularly. Counsellors are paid to oversee students.
more robust and entrepreneurial economy. The eight years of Fairhills work in Rawsonville offers lessons to anyone in education or development work looking
Grade eight to twelves follow a computer literacy module which culminates in a competency exam and rigorous business course, involving business plan writing, computer training and entrepreneurship training. From this cohort, four students are awarded bursaries for further study, sponsored by the Fairhills Project, SA Agri Academy and HP Group.
The distractions at farm homes do not provide the support
to implement real change. Transformation may only
a child needs to fulfil bursary pressure. Parents agree
show results years after sound approaches are
A precondition is that students have to participate in the programme from grade eight until the end of grade
psychology, mentorship and discipline to make sure we
by buying Fairtrade and starting a South-South trade
give children structured and all-rounded support.”
movement - solutions are on our doorstep.
to all these conditions before their children are enrolled. Pierre is passionate about the students well-being. “The intent behind our project is different to the scorecard approach taken by those in corporate social investment (CSI). We integrate the well-being of student, providing
introduced, but slow and steady wins the race. Every time a bottle of wine is bought, a supply chain is endorsed. It would be a new way to invest in education
WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER FIVE
FEATURED ARTICLE
THE SOUTH AFRICAN EXTRAORDINARY SCHOOLS COALITION: A BRIDGE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE The South African Extraordinary Schools Coalition is a self-regulating collection of leaders of intervention-based independent and public schools and supporting organisations. All the schools in the Coalition are committed to the continued creation, implementation and dissemination of innovative, high-quality and sustainably-affordable educational practices, processes and models directed at providing access to, and ensuring success for, socio-economically vulnerable children. Collectively, they form a community of practice that is committed to transforming the lives of children disadvantaged by the realities of poverty. When it first formed in 2010, the Coalition defined its own set of educational themes and broad strategic objectives, which have guided its activities over the first years. One of these objectives is to create common purpose through developing peer support and trust amongst Coalition members. Additionally, and through collaborative work, the Coalition aims to explore the collective impact of its schools and to share its learnings. Through understanding what effective practice is, the ultimate objective is to integrate this effective practice into broader educational policy decisions within the national context, influencing and supporting the dialogue around a potential impact school movement in South Africa. Thus, the principals and school leaders of the Coalition are engaged in defining, sharing and refining best educational practice, actively participating in reviews of each other’s work and school evaluations, attending contentbased workshops, and participating in assessment and monitoring and evaluation as and when necessary. Two examples of how good educational practices are shared are, firstly, that one school is embarking in 2013 on an integrated curriculum approach in Grade
129
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
WRITTEN BY BARBARA DALE-JONES CEO: BRIDGE
8 as a direct result of seeing this at work in another Coalition school. Secondly a school in the Coalition reports that it is funding bursary students differently, having seen the structure of funding that another school uses. It is in relation to the specific task of school peer reviews, though, that the Coalition has seen some of its most exciting work. In order to develop and drive quality across a range of schools, the Coalition members have agreed that there is a requirement for a shared commitment to on-going improvement. Peer reviews, where school leaders and their staff observe each other’s schools in action, are a good mechanism for schools to establish a process of self-reflection and continuous learning as well as to participate in and support each other’s school improvement initiatives. Instead of focusing on the approval or punishment of a school inspection, the peer reviews focus on discovering opportunities to serve learners better as well as to transform school leadership and thus achieve school improvement. They create a safe environment for a principal to understand the strengths and weaknesses of his or her own school, thus acting as an effective driver for change. Members of the Coalition collaborated on the development of tools and templates for the peer review process. One principal said of the peer reviews, “Having staff members part of a team has brought a richness to them and their approach within our school, and the preparation and receiving of a review has been a gift to our school and staff. It has already resulted in a more collective leadership approach and caused staff to reflect deeply on their teaching practice, their classrooms and their engagement with students. The privilege of being involved in the development of the instrument and going to the US to create it was an amazing opportunity, not only the development of the instrument but the engagement with other SAESC members and the journey travelled together there and my own personal growth. I have learnt so much more about myself and been encouraged to be bolder with difficult conversations and to practice more constructive self-reflection.”
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: A MOTHER’S CHALLENGE
you, and many more terrified than you, you will achieve absolutely nothing.
WRITTEN BY MICHELLE WEST
Or, you can become part of your child’s success, by bringing them together in the interest of your child, and working with them. By being the centre of the process. By being the glue of your child’s history as it is written. By being the bridge over the divide. By familiarising yourself with what the documents governing Inclusion stipulate. By ensuring they get assistive devices and technology where and when needed.
As the mom of twins Caitlin West who has Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy, and Daniella West (crazy normal), who are seven years of age, I have learned some key things. •
That the world uses sympathy as a barrier, not as a means of reaching out. You should teach your children to rise above it, not accept it.
•
That as much as I have rights, and Caitlin has rights, and Daniella, we have very real responsibilities to live up to when we want to exact these rights.
CAITLIN’S RIGHTS, AS I SEE THEM: RESPECT
Remember that everyone in this process is still learning how to do this, but SAALED will be there for you, so utilize their incredible service.
EDUCATION
EQUAL AND FAIR TREATMENT TO BE SEEN FOR WHO SHE IS, NOT WHAT SHE IS PERCEIVED TO
TO BE ALLOWED TO BE A CHILD, FIRST AND FOREMOST
MY RESPONSIBILITIES, AS I SEE THEM: To make all of that possible for her, no matter the effort or cost, because all of this is necessary if she is to become a contributing member of society, and a person worthy in her own right To help her school and her teachers in every way necessary, so that she can take for granted the education she so enjoys To help other parents, so that they don’t have to navigate all the choppy waters we have.
As for rights versus responsibilities, and all these wonderful documents that promise you Inclusion Wonderland, I have this to say.
To build our nation we must hold hands. To build Inclusive Education we must do the same. Don’t teach your child the meaning of can’t. There’s maybe later, there’s not right now, and there’s maybe tomorrow – but can’t is not an option. Teach them to be proud of who they are. Our special kids are the hardest workers out there, doing what others (including some of us) take for granted. They deserve our respect and admiration. Watch this space: http://www.facebook.com/ LittleTrainCAN
You can shake your fist at schools, at teaching bodies and at government as much as you like. You can stand on your rights. You can quote from White Paper 6 and SIAS 2008 like you wrote them yourself. You can demand. You can legally force doors open. In all that time that you waste, alienating those just as unsure as
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
130
WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER FIVE
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE
TIM GORDON
schools in all nine South African provinces, with offices in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth. The organisation primarily offers advice, guidance, information, training and general support on all aspects of school governance. The GBF has established the necessary resources and infrastructure, and possesses the legal and general expertise, knowledge and experience, to service its members’ needs efficiently.
TIM GORDON - NATIONAL CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE GOVERNING BODY FOUNDATION
TOWARDS BETTER SCHOOL GOVERNANCE “No one who works in education can live untouched by it”. Tim Gordon, the National Chief Executive Officer of the Governing Body Foundation is one of the many leaders dedicated to changing and improving the South African education system by getting his hands dirty in working at the grassroots level - schools. Rhodes educated, it is hard to picture Gordon growing up in Kimberley, where he attended Kimberley Boys High from Grade 1. On arrival at university and with the aim of studying Quantity Surveying, his aptitude tests showed that his real interest and ability lay in working with people and that his future lay in education. It was a critical point in his life, and it took a brave decision to turn his back on all the plans that he had made and strike out in a new direction. It was a decision he has never regretted, and given the chance he would do same again. Today he heads up the Governing Body Foundation (GBF), a service organisation founded in 1999 to propagate the best interests of sound governance in South African public schools. At the beginning of 2010, the GBF represented over 700 public
131
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
Q A
What has been your biggest achievement in education?
“Dare one ever claim an achievement? Others see us and our efforts very differently from how we see ourselves. The biggest satisfaction comes from the part I was able to play in opening the doors of education to those for whom they had been closed in the pre 1990 era. The action was made more meaningful because we did it from conviction, not because anyone required it of us. At a completely different level there was huge satisfaction in putting together a turnaround strategy for the worst-performing schools in the matric exams in the Western Cape in 2000-2001. It was a strategy that was working, and it was a great sadness that it was shelved prematurely. The biggest contribution one can make is to help ensure there is a new echelon of leaders to step up to the plate when the old guard moves on. This you do by maintaining a fertile and safe environment where there is space for the individual to develop his or her own talents and positive propensities. I hope that it is not entirely co-incidental that the principals’ positions in over 30 schools across South Africa have been filled by people who spent time in the staff rooms of ‘my’ schools.” Gordon believes that a return to basics is the most appropriate way to move to a more viable and constitutionally sound way of arranging a functional system. The challenge facing most of our schools today is the same as it is for the education sector in general. Gordon said that “A high standard of professional ethics must be
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
WRITTEN BY MAMOKGETHI REA MOLOPYANE
promoted and maintained, effective use of resources, including human resources, must be promoted and finally accountability and transparency must be fostered”. One of the primary functions of the GBF is to promote equity and a learner-centered approach in the delivery of public school education, and to redress imbalances in public school education. The GBF acknowledges that before 1994, there were disparities of the worst kind in the various education departments run on racial and homeland lines. One of their key service areas is to monitor, evaluate and comment on all draft policies and legislation, which can impact upon the various roles of school governing bodies. This is to ensure that we can build good relations and wide alliances for better education with the government, teachers, pupils and the public. The Governing Body Foundation wants to see the education system working for all the children, regardless of race.
“If our education system was performing well, the first signs would be a spring in the step of those on their way to school. There would be no children on the streets of our cities and villages in the middle of the school day. And the media would be lauding, not denigrating teachers”.
Gordon considers teaching a world changing profession, and said: “Our ability to contribute in a really meaningful fashion has outstripped that of just about any other group you may like to name, and if you put the positives and negatives onto a scale, there is no doubt that for me the positives win handsomely. It is a great pity that the concepts of ‘care’ and of ‘calling’ have been lost to education so that many of our teachers have become ‘workers’ instead of professionals. So long as comfort zones dare not be disturbed; accountability is what someone else has; and ‘self’ is placed ahead of ‘service’ on our rank order of priorities, our system will continue to flounder. Though it is true that I believe teachers must carry a large burden of blame, they should not be expected to bear it alone.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
In some of the structures (and in this I can neither include nor exclude all of the teacher unions), too many officials and a disappointingly high proportion of our educational leaders need to own up to their obstructive roles which break down so much, from morale to enthusiasm to belief”. Gordon believes that in many ways education is just a microcosm of South African society. Just as the country has a wonderful set of laws, a noble constitution and some outstanding policies, so too is there an excellent framework of ideas and policies for education. Gordon laments the “lack of leadership will to implement our own decisions and polices. As in the case of the big picture, though, the devil is in the detail and the ugliness in the implementation. If we could just implement all the ideas and policies that were in place we would surely have an outstanding education system. I believe that we could have a remarkable turnaround in the efficacy of our inputs if all of us, at whatever level, would recognise that the other players also have a role, and that in recognising that role we should also respect it and accept the person who fills it. No one has a monopoly on wisdom. A pooling of resources from practitioners who are recognised as equals in the ‘ideas pool’ would go a long way in allowing us to resolve some of our biggest problems”. Gordon conceded that the country’s education is going through an extremely challenging phase: “There are a thousand priorities. To identify three would tax even a Solomon. My quick answer, would be to suggest teacher training (in-service, no less than pre-service); teacher performance; and teacher morale. Clearly, I believe that teachers are central to the system and I would love to see them being properly equipped, properly empowered and then properly recognised in the role they can play. Until we get the teaching right we cannot get the system right”. To achieve those three priorities Gordon works with almost all the educational leaders at various levels. He is trying very hard to work constructively with the heads of education at national level and pin those provinces where the GBF has significant representation. Beyond that, his interaction is with school leadership, like school principals and school governors.
CHAPTER 5 | WHOLE SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT
132
CHAPTER SIX
06 THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
“IT’S NORMAL IN A FLEDGLING DEMOCRACY THAT YOU WILL HAVE A PLETHORA OF VIEWS, BUT WE THINK WE ARE DOING VERY WELL IN TERMS OF NATIONAL COHESION. WE COME FROM A PAST WHERE VIEWS WERE NOT TOLERATED, VIEWS WERE SUPPRESSED, SO WE HAVE TO OPEN UP SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO VENTILATE THEIR VIEWS IN PUBLIC. THE TRICK IS KNOWING WHICH VIEWS INFLUENCE POLICY PROCESSES AND HOW POLICY IS ADOPTED” Deputy president, Kgalema Motlanthe, 02 March 2012. Government Communication And Information System
OMMS L5924 6.2013
CHAPTER SIX
Education is the number one social priority and requires the commitment of all social leaders, to build confidence in the system and focus attention on the potential that education offers in transforming a society. The Richard Branson acknowledges
understand that one of the most
By following a cohort’s academic
that:
significant value adds they can
progress throughout their academic
offer their communities is through
career, ultimately cherry-picking
the educating of future workers.
those learners most deserving of
“We need a new way of doing business to get out of the present
tertiary support, companies will
crisis. Absolute greed has come
The key word to remember is
close to bankrupting the world.
‘investment’, and it should be
All of us must learn. It is all the more
noted that investing in someone’s
important
business
future should never be predicated
leaders that are left standing try to
on assumed altruism. Rather, any
be a force for good.” - Sir Richard
investment in education should
ultimately
Branson, Screw Business as Usual.
be viewed as little more than an
improve SA’s workforce efficiency
investment in a company’s ability
competitiveness. Moreover, invest
It takes a village to raise a child
to recruit the labourers it will need
in preparing a child to succeed at
and it takes a society to create a
in the future.
the matric level and you’ll increase
that
those
not only establish the support mechanisms today’s schools need to educate our children, but will be developing a future workforce better
prepared
to
their lifetime earning potential by
better future that is transformed through the power of education.
Spend as much as R80 000 on
25 percent. Teach them the skills
Investing in education is not just
a tertiary school bursary (per
and discipline required to learn
doing good; it is essential for
annum) for a worthy candidate
ensuring
–
a
sustainable
future.
creating
each
bursar
systems
WHY COMPANIES OUGHT TO INVEST IN EDUCATION In order for South Africa to stand a fighting chance in the future, the education system simply must be repaired. In an economy such as
a
and
relationship through vacation
with
support leave
employment opportunities – and
their income, and thus the money they’ll be spending within their community,
by
985
percent.
a net economic value return will be realised within seven years
who can obtain a Bachelor’s degree
post-varsity graduation. Tertiary
and you’ll increase their lifetime
bursaries are useful, but the more
income by 1 847 percent. Is this not
astute companies will accept that
what is supposed to be meant by
academic investment must begin
“Corporate Social Investment” and
with giving today’s learners the
“Socio-Economic Development”?
to be getting from their schools.
ours, business must accept that
Rather than invest in last-minute
the training of the workforce no
“solutions” such as matric bridging
longer begins with recruitment, but
programmes, companies should
long before job opportunities are
trust that they’ll still be in business
posted. If nothing else, companies
in 12 years, and therefore invest in
simply must do their own math and
the kids entering Grade 1.
135
technical skills and you’ll increase
Develop a learner into someone
fundamentals they are supposed
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
KnOWIng greAT ThIngS iS THE bEginning OF DOIng greAT ThIngS At Old Mutual we measure ourselves on the investments we make. Our good financial results not only justify the trust of our shareholders and investors, but they also boost our country’s socio-economic development. This means we also measure ourselves on what we give back to society and are proud that our social responsibility, business development and education programmes impact positively on the future of all South Africans. For instance, Old Mutual commits to making substantial investments towards improving education over the next seven years. Together with the Department of Higher Education, we intend to give special focus to under-performing public schools to increase the number of learners who gain university entrance with Mathematics and Science in their matric exams. We aim to empower young South Africans. And that is a great result to measure. We have over 168 years to invest in you.
Source: Michael H. Rea is the Managing Partner of Integrated Reporting & Assurance Ser vices (www.iras.co.za) and the Founding Trustee and Program Director of the Soweto Marimba Youth League (SMYLe) Trust (www.smyle.co.za).
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
To find out more, visit www.oldmutual.co.za or contact your Old Mutual Financial Service Adviser or your Broker at 0860 WISDOM (947366). Old Mutual is a Licensed Financial Services Provider.
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
CHAPTER SIX
FEATURED ARTICLE
BY CHRIS MOERDYK
again and again ...who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly”. T. Rooseveldt.
CHRIS MOERDYK - MARKETING THOUGHT LEADER
THE BRIGHT SIDE OF EDUCATION One has to wonder if South Africans are getting frustrated with hearing negative stories all the time? And whether they will ever realise that bad news and dwelling on what’s wrong won’t fix the problem. Right now , every dinner party and office conversation seems to focus on “what’s wrong with the country/ education” and now even leaders are talking about “the crises in education”, which shows the level of burn-out from the recession, which the World Economic Forum calls the Great Stagnation. There has been a considerable amount of criticism of South Africa’s basic education in recent years. Some has been justifiable and some ill-considered. The thing is, merely standing on a soapbox and decrying the state of education is not going to fix the problem. It is, I have to say, an unfortunate South African habit - wailing and gnashing of teeth accompanied by vociferous criticism and particularly of “addressing issues” with a paucity of solutions and lack of action. “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short
137
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
There is very little media attention given to those who are actually in the arena, perhaps because by their very nature they are far too busy doing what is right to have time for any form of adulation. Even the most superficial glance behind the scenes in this country will show a vast number of NGOs and philanthropic organisations devoted to improving the standard of basic education and the quality of teaching. Just have a look, for example, at what Professor Jonathan Jansen is doing at the University of the Free State with its inspiring outreach programme that is hugely successful in improving the quality of teaching. Look at what Dr Ramphele Mampele has done in creating a far-reaching organisation that devotes much of its efforts to improving education. There is an urgent need to tell a different story now – one of possibility and a future, where leaders need to take the lead in building confidence in our ability to create a better future. Traditional ad spend needs to shift from bland product advertising or opportunistic criticism of the challenges that we face, towards social investment, where brands actively invest in their markets for mutual benefit. A recent global trend identified at the Youth Marketing conference (New Case Studies & Fresh Insights on Creating Better Brand Connections With Today’s Youth On & Offline. 9 October 2012, London. www.marketingtoyouthconference.com) confirms that CSI and brand marketing are converging into an integrated social/brand investment approach to engage key market influencers. Doing good is good business. A survey conducted across ten of the world’s largest countries by GDP, revealed that 93 percent of consumers say they would buy a product because of its association with a good cause. Another survey by LEAP, a social software organisation, found that three quarters of employees wanted their companies to balance commercial success with social responsibility strategies (Telegraph, November 2011). Organisations are starting to take the lead in recognising the power of developing
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
innovative products to support education transformation. A new development is the launch of sustainable campaigns that inspire confidence in education and motivate teachers, an urgent need identified in the recent SONA address. An example of leadership collaboration is the Future Stars campaign to inspire our youth to believe in the power of education to change their worlds. This meaningful collaboration amongst market leaders such as Capitec Bank, TSB Sugar, the leading youth organisation, NYDA, and leading media Metro FM, Supersport and the social entrepreneurial multi-media company, Argo, shows what can be achieved when brand leaders stop trying to “own” platforms and look beyond personal ego to engage in nation building campaigns. The “Stars in Education” is another call to action campaign developed by Argo, to enable brand leaders to recognise the leadership role that teachers play in our communities. Teachers are recognised to be well educated in their communities and influential in their role as opinion leaders. The campaign generates inspiring entries that are then profiled to provide authentic role models to motivate other teachers to improve and inspire learners. By profiling these role models, the campaign also encourages society to respect the role that teachers play in developing our youth and positively influencing our communities. This counteracts the negative publicity that mainstream media often share, which showcases bad examples of teachers and results in the entire profession being tarnished. It is no wonder that great teachers lose motivation and drop out of the profession, just when we so desperately need great teachers to deal with the challenges in schools. The “A+ Schools” campaign is a project that is in final development stages and is an innovative response to the recent Annual National Assessment (ANA) results, which have raised doubts about the quality of education in South Africa. Argo believes that school leaders understand their contexts and have the solutions to improving schools. The A+ Schools campaign recognises the top 2 000 high schools that are achieving matric pass rates of 50 percent in the under resourced areas (quintiles 1-3). The campaign offers school leaders a Box of Stars, which is an innovative toolkit to empower the school leader in inspiring teachers and learners and offers an online leadership development programme. Argo is drawing on Ben Zander’s philosophy from the Art of Possibility, where he
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
suggests respecting individuals and awarding them an A+ to recognise that they have the power to achieve their potential. The campaign also draws on Peter Block’s philosophy that we create our own solutions. This campaign encourages school leaders to develop school improvement plans to achieve better results in the Annual National Assessments. “The ONE” campaign recognises that leaders need support and need to work together if they are to deliver on the “walking together” option of the Dinokeng Scenarios. And to ensure that these campaigns are credible and relevant to government policy and support transformation, Argo partners with leading NGO’s, government and union leaders and CSI and corporate communication leaders to develop well researched campaigns for nation building impact. Richard Branson echoes Nelson Mandela’s vision that “Education is the number one driver of social development and what we need now are achievers, who are prepared to create the energy to inspire us towards action.” Leaders and achievers need to inspire confidence so that the country can regain its energy to create growth, which brings with it employment and a reduction in poverty, crime and other social issues that undermine our confidence in our nation. Criticising government and looking for people to blame is important in terms of healthy oversight but that alone won’t help solve the problem. As individuals, the challenge is too big and it cannot be done by working alone or in silos. There is a need for people of action to find others who want to create a different story and build a tribe of positive leaders, focused on action, not talk. We need to create campaigns that inspire belief in South Africa’s ability to overcome daunting challenges, just as we did when the country hosted the World Cup in spite of so many saying this was impossible and proving themselves wrong. We need to stare down the challenges and focus on what is working, and on working together.
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
138
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
CHAPTER SIX
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE
CLARENCE TSHITEREKE
WRITTEN BY MAMOKGETHI REA MOLOPYANE
scenarios and make informed decisions. “Our
both monetary and through embedded competitive skills advantages in our support of schools
work is informed by gaps and challenges in
to aid them to function optimally. This is both at a governance level and subject comprehension
our national education system, particularly
level for teachers.”
at primary and secondary schools. The primary objective of our investments in
In Education, one of the Old Mutual beneficiaries is the Dendron Secondary School in Limpopo
schools
performance
– to which the Foundation has invested R1.5 million since 2008. This investment has helped
output in Mathematics, Science and English.
improve both infrastructure and teaching materials, thus improving the learning environment.
We emphasise these subjects because they
Since 2003, this rural school has consistently achieved results that place it among the top ten
speak to our business and the overall national
schools in South Africa, made more remarkable by the fact that Dendron is not a former model
skills deficit – Old Mutual needs Actuaries
C school.
is
to
improve
the
and Accountants.”
CLARENCE TSHITEREKE HEAD OF OLD MUTUAL FOUNDATION
The Foundation also sponsors national youth leadership initiatives such as enke: Make Your
South Africa’s ratings internationally against
Mark. Since 2011, learners and their teachers have been sponsored to attend the National
other countries in terms of performance and
Science Festival in Grahamstown, which helps to inspire learners through exposure.
competencies in Mathematics and Science EDUCATION FOR THE NATION: THE WORK OF THE OLD MUTUAL FOUNDATION
are not desirable. In 2012 the World Economic assessing the quality of Mathematics and
The Old Mutual Foundation is the philanthropic
Science education in 62 countries. Nationally,
arm that looks after the Corporate Social
there is a lack of teachers with sufficient
Investments for Old Mutual South Africa,
command in the subjects, which remains a
a financial services provider with a history
serious impediment.
role as head of the Old Mutual Foundation. MAN ON A MISSION
has
“I wish parents, communities and the general public prioritise education in all that we do. If we get the basics
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE Government
Tshitereke has a clear idea of what he would like for the future of South Africa.
would collectively make the necessary commitments to
spanning over 168 years in South Africa. Dr. Clarence Tshitereke was interviewed in his
PRIORITISING BASIC EDUCATION
Forum ranked South Africa last in a survey
clearly
demonstrated
a
wrong we can’t expect to address associated challenges
willingness to invest where it matters most.
later. Education is the platform not only for individuals
Education receives the biggest percentage
to succeed in their own aspirations but for the desired
Clarence Tshitereke needs little introduction,
of the 2013 national budget allocation –
having
the
receiving just under 25% of the total budget.
future of South Africa. The growth of corporate social
Department of Housing and the Ministry of
This represents a budgetary realignment of
Defence. After studying at the Universities of
investment in South Africa has led to a realisation
at least five percent in 2012, translating to
Cape Town and Stellenbosch, he completed
R232.5 billion for both the Department of
that the answers to developmental challenges require
his doctorate in International Relations and
Basic and Higher Education and auxiliary
harnessing collective efforts and internal resources of
Development Studies with Queens University at
training institutions.
both government and the private sector to make an
Foundation.
Priorities include improving numeracy and
impactful positive difference in education”
“This is more than a job – it is a calling. I like
literacy at primary levels, expanding learner
development work because it is practical and
enrolment in grade R and reducing the school
you get to see the contribution you make in our
infrastructure
development agenda”, he says.
Foundation places an emphasis on working
worked
for
the
Presidency,
Kingston in Canada. In 2012 he was appointed as
Head
of
the
Old
Mutual
backlogs.
The
Old
Mutual
with government to build a solid foundation
139
Tshitereke speaks passionately about South
for children by providing comprehensive
Africa’s education challenges and the primacy
school support. The Foundation also focuses
of education for sustainable development.
on Enterprise Development, Skills Capacity
Education promotes competencies such as
Building and Staff Volunteerism. Tshitereke
critical thinking, the ability to foresee future
says, “We are investing significant resources,
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
140
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
CHAPTER SIX
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE
JOHN GILMOUR- FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LEAP SCIENCE AND MATHS SCHOOLS
TRANSFORMATION THROUGH EDUCATION John Gilmour is known for starting and transforming the LEAP Science and Maths Schools programme from after-hours tuition into a diversified learning model. The LEAP schools are now centres of excellence in key subjects like mathematics, science and english for disadvantaged children. The former private school principal started focusing on providing quality education to children previously excluded under the apartheid regime. Gilmour did not believe that the economy had to change before education followed suit. “Every child in this country has the capacity to learn, to love, to imagine, to explore, to remember, to care, to calculate and to write”.
JOHN GILMOUR WRITTEN BY MAMOKGETHI REA MOLOPYANE
141
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
JOE SAMUELS WRITTEN BY MAMOKGETHI REA MOLOPYANE
The drive behind the subject emphasis has its root in the apartheid education system. Gilmour is adamant to give students a head start. “‘We chose maths and science because these were the key discriminators during apartheid. LEAP schools wanted to make an impact and so we set the bar as high as possible, by making maths and science the minimum requirement for every child at our schools”.
learning, one of the by products will be children and society in general doing well. This will not only be apparent at schools, but at further education and training colleges and universities, the workplace and throughout communities. If we want to continue improving our country, education and training must remain a top priority”, he emphases.
John says the importance of getting school children excited about maths and science cannot be stated enough. He believes South Africa’s future is reliant on doctors, engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs and that a well educated, technically savvy workforce is key to a technologically driven society.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
“LEAP was an acronym for the Langa Education Assistance Programme, but has subsequently become a metaphor for making a big change in life. When you come to LEAP you come to change - whether you are director, teacher or volunteer. The journey to social transformation starts with a personal one,” he says. PARTNERING IS KEY The Old Mutual Foundation has invested R10.2 million into LEAP since 2004. Gilmour is full of praise for the organisation. “From the beginning the Old Mutual Foundation has been the strongest supporter of our work. They have taken us as part of their flagship programme in education and enabled us to grow and break some of the boundaries that generally hold many non government organisations back.”
LEAP FOR CHANGE John Gilmour and partners started the LEAP school fifteen years ago, providing a tuition programme for children living in Langa (Cape Town). Today there are six LEAP schools and Gilmour is firm in his approach to sustained change. “We engage with the broader community, developing partnerships that add shared value. Every LEAP school is partnered with a more privileged school and a township school in the community served. This three-way collaboration makes for stronger, better-equipped schools and the opportunity to share excellence in all spheres”.
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE
Gilmour actively champions collaboration, and highlights the work being done by the South African Extraordinary Schools Coalition (SAESC), under the auspices of BRIDGE, as an example of an effective platform for solution sharing. “We must collaborate with those that have gone before and with one another to ensure that we do not repeat needless mistakes. We must not expect perfection. Instead, we must share and learn from any and all mistakes. In doing so we can discover and accelerate solutions to the challenges we face. You have to have the courage to see through what you start and change direction if necessary.”
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
JOE SAMUELS - CEO OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY (SAQA)
Joe Samuels was appointed CEO of the SAQA in early 2012, having played a prominent role in the education, training and development environment for fifteen years prior. He is known for his commitment to reforming the South African education and training system. He was recruited into SAQA in 1997 and worked in diverse roles before taking up the role of CEO. NOT JUST A JOB Samuels believes it takes a community to teach a child and that teaching is not about getting a job, but moulding children to become citizens of the world. Samuels speaks of a teacher as “having the ability to have a significant and lifelong impact on learners. This impact involves not only the teaching of particular academic skills, but of equal importance, the fostering of learners self-esteem. Reinforcing self-esteem in the classroom is linked to increased motivation and learning.” Although Samuels grew up under the apartheid regime, he had outstanding teachers. “They were some of the most significant influences in my early life,’ he says. After completing matric, Samuels went on to study education, although it was not easy for his parents to afford the university tuition. CULTURE OF LEARNING Samuels is deliberate in his response to the issues in education and proposed solutions. “If we focus on developing a culture of
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Reflecting on a recent trip to Germany, Samuels is pleased that the Minister of Higher Education and Training (Dr Blade Nzimande) is promoting vocational education. He believes a concerted focus on vocational education will yield positive results. The facts he supplies supports this - Germans have the lowest unemployment rate in the European Union and over half of learners are in vocational training. Samuels wants to dispel the notion that trades are only for those who cannot get into university. “We need to promote artisan training and other forms of workplace-based training to support our growing economy.” LOOKING AHEAD The South African skills gap is evident at every level of the workplace. Samuels argues passionately for workplaces to become spaces of learning. “We live in an information and knowledge-based society where no government or private institution can succeed without its employees learning on a continual basis”. The key focus of SAQA over the next five years is to build an articulated education and training system while recognising prior learning that will benefit those who were previously denied access to skills and qualifications. SAQA oversees the further development and implementation of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). “We would like to have an NQF that works for the people. We have to have faith in our own products for South Africa to succeed. We need to increase people’s desire to pursue lifelong learning and strive for excellence.”
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
142
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
CHAPTER SIX
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE
THEMBA MASONDO WRITTEN BY MAMOKGETHI REA MOLOPYANE
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE
credibility among its members. We also had to demonstrate some commitment to other social actors, government and business.”
Masondo does not hesitate in identifying what he wants to see in a changing South Africa. “It is important for South Africans to understand where we come from and to envision a society without poverty or inequality. Currently, we have a high level of racially biased graduate employment. SASCO wants to expand access to education and see those trained finding work in the relevant areas. Public colleges must become first choice institutions for students – currently, they are seen as inferior centres for learning and training and this must end.”
THEMBA MASONDO - SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENTS CONGRESS (SASCO)
TOWARDS EQUAL EDUCATION Themba Masondo, former Wits Student Representative Council president, is Secretary General of the South African Students Congress (SASCO). SASCO, the biggest student movement in South Africa, organises students in institutions of higher learning to fight for an education system that is non-sexist, non-racial and democratic. Masondo has been featured in the Mail and Guardian’s ‘top 200’ young South Africans. Despite continued accolade, Themba pays tribute to his upbringing. “I come from a family that values education. My parents did not go far with their schooling but they always encouraged us to take education seriously. However, I don’t believe achievement should be measured by the number of diplomas or degrees one has.” Masondo juggles a number of responsibilities. “Being a student activist is not an easy task, irrespective of whether you are in a position of responsibility. However, SASCO has taught me about self sacrifice and that through collective action, nothing is impossible. I know now that the solution to our problems lies within us.” However, he explains that his role at SASCO involves more than meets the eye. “I spend a lot of time in meetings, planning for activities and attending programmes. I also have to strike a sound balance between student activism and academic commitments. Studying for a PHD takes up time and being the Secretary General is a demanding job, because everything in the organisation revolves around administration.”
143
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
SASCO’s top three priorities are defined in access, success and redress. “This speaks to the core of education transformation. We want to see the implementation of the Freedom Charter clause, which says the doors of learning shall be opened for all. SASCO’s free education campaign and regular mass demonstrations must be seen from this perspective. No learner or student should be denied access to education simply because they do not have the monetary means. The persistent gender inequality in higher education is also hugely problematic,” Masondo reiterates. Masondo admits that all key stakeholders in the South African education system must take urgent action. “The first task is to ensure a single education system, both at a basic and tertiary level. Right now we have a dual education system with different ways of working. Some private high schools have ‘independent’ examination boards which are problematic when it comes to academic admission because certain students have an advantage. Masondo is also adamant that the student throughput rate must improve and students are given the support they need. “Higher education and training should be provided to all academically deserving students, irrespective of their backgrounds. Students must have adequate learning material and academic support programmes, delivered on time.” To achieve this, he does not believe in silo-style working. “At SASCO, we work with many stakeholders. We appreciate that we need to unite in finding solutions to the challenges we are faced with. It is a great strength to have partners agreeing that there is a problem and that it should be resolved.”
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
MATSELISO DIPHOLO
A key mentor for Dipholo was SADTU General secretary at the time, Thulas Nxesi. “I have never seen anyone with such a passion for education. Under his leadership I learned that the most important skill to develop is the ability to ‘learn how to learn’. In essence, it is about teaching yourself new ways of doing old things or new ways of doing new things,” Dipholo explains. MATSELISO DIPHOLO - CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL FOR EDUCATORS
SACE is the professional council for educators, working to enhance the status of the teaching profession through appropriate registration, management of professional development and inculcation of a code of ethics for all educators. EDUCATION THROUGH THE EYES OF MATSELISO DIPHOLO Matseliso Dipholo, COO of the South African Council for Educators (SACE) is a former teacher. She studied at the Cape College of Education and was appointed as an educator at Noluthando School for the Deaf during the 1990’s. After joining the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) her life took a different trajectory. She went on to take up the role of Education Convener for SADTU in the Western Cape. After four years working to develop and promote the expansion of early childhood development, the further education and training curriculum and adult based education and training, she was elected as the Vice President of SADTU. It was at that point that Dipholo turned from a teacher into a trade unionist. Her ethos was clear. ”I’ve heard many people argue that unions have forgotten the interests of the workers. During my time at SADTU we knew that the modern trade union movement faced an enormous task in rebuilding confidence and
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Dipholo does her best to dispel the mystery surrounding unions in education. “There is an inherently political edge to the work of teacher unions. Because of their role in policy implementation, teacher unions are able not only to promote reforms but also to influence citizens’ views about government performance. Unions have influenced education policy and social change throughout history,” she explains. Dipholo believes that government should be acknowledged for making sure that more children have access to education, under the no-fees school programme. “Our public school system is a microcosm of society, and there are inequities in society – this is clearly reflected in the education system,” she explains. She believes a first focus must be on teacher development and not simply the transfer of pedagogical knowledge during study. She insists it is fundamental that training must not end once a student graduates. Dipholo also wants to see teachers included in curriculum debates and improved school management. “Teaching is more than the activities defined within the classroom walls. By ignoring the teacher’s voice, the outcomes of new thinking on curriculum development may be thwarted.”
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
144
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
CHAPTER SIX
THE BUSINESS
NOT JUST A NICE
BACK IN THE DAY
invested. It is unavoidable that the
OF EDUCATION:
TO HAVE
CORPORATE
Ultimately, corporate involvement is not just about philanthropy.
SOCIAL
The
INVESTMENT IN
relationship
company
with
reputation,
society, employee
motivation, innovation and social
SOUTH AFRICA
licence to operate in communities
BY ALEX O’DONOGHUE
are acutely aware of the moral
all come into play. Companies implications
in
the 1 percent of post-tax profit is
developing
a
transforming South Africa into a stable and transformed business The third Carnegie conference,
environment. CSI is misunderstood
held in Cape Town in late 2012,
partially because it is explained
was convened to find practical
in the language of business and
solutions to overcome poverty
development workers speak in the
and inequality in South Africa. The
language of development.
CSI is not mandatory. It is one
two might overlap or the impact
approach
may be equally valuable, but the
taken
post-Apartheid
up
by
government
the in
means different.
THE BUSINESS OF DOING BUSINESS The term CSI is used to denote corporate
South Africa to actively involve
social
investment
in
the business sector in rebuilding
It
non-profit
South Africa (the financial and
the country.
organisations (NPOs) to understand
non-financial investments in social
scoring and B-BBEE implications.
development). Internationally, it is
had
This can help to align work with the
common to refer to corporate social
relative freedom when it came
right partners and ensure the needs
responsibility (CSR). CSR suggests
to choosing where to invest time
of a business are bought to the
a business has a responsibility
and money. In 2007 that changed
table and not just the NPO.
beyond profit making and looks
In
the
past,
companies
is
important
for
to be a positive citizen in society.
when the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) introduced the
There
are
discussions
controversial Broad-Based Black
amending
Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE)
allocated. The dti did not make itself
programme, an affirmative action
popular in the NPO sector through
initiative that aimed to redress
recent proposals in changing these
the inequalities of the Apartheid
scoring criteria but it is good that
the
way
around
points
are
In the South African context CSI
Understanding what CSI is about
debate is underway on the ‘right’
that took place among the diverse
regime. The new measures had
and CSR are similar if looking at the deeper meaning and intent behind terms like responsibility and investment – however, given South Africa’s unique history and rehabilitation, CSI is linked with
budgeting,
way to reward business for what
group of leaders demonstrated
an
government planning.
and knowing what to ask investors could transform the thousands of
particularly for the nation’s largest
kind of development. The downside
once again that education is a
(NPOs)
companies. Businesses were asked
is that, as in sport, giving points
key tool in solving South Africa’s
non-profit
in how they access capital and
to invest a minimum of 1 percent of
always results in a loser. Other social
non-financial
like
post-tax profit to satisfy some of
needs can be neglected by default.
business expertise. For businesses,
the B-BBEE requirements; in return
looking
is
they would receive allocated points
about risk management and doing
towards B-BBEE status. The impact
better socially and commercially.
of ‘scoring’ has had a huge impact
Non-profit organisations look after
on the way social development in
issues which can negatively affect
South Africa is handled.
poignant and frank discussions
two biggest problems. However, there is a lack of clarity about what corporate social investment (CSI) is and what value businesses can add to development discussions. They are often seen as the group ‘over there’ and yet this group is a core part of the economy and essential for South Africa’s growth. “Education is a concurrent power
organisations resources
after
communities
business and so it makes good business sense to form partnerships that have mutual value.
impact
on
CSI
Companies were also asked to get involved in enterprise development –
basically,
creating
jobs
for
but a national responsibility. It is
It is now a given that company
people and contributing towards
not just the responsibility of the
stakeholders have a right to know
the economy by assisting what
state
–
about anything that may affect
we term previously disadvantaged
when
a
the
therefore
individuals. The B-BBEE legislation
interact. Actual change requires
shareholder profits) positively or
allocates 15 scorecard points to
human action. Policy documents
negatively.
publish
companies investing 3 percent of
do not assume the ability to
‘integrated’ reports that include
post-tax-profit for this purpose.
walk and talk.” - Trevor Manuel,
information about CSI work and
CSI, or socio-economic development
Carnegie Conference 2012
any risks affecting business
(SED) spend, receives five points if
145
transformation number
of
occurs
agencies
company
(and
Companies
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
“We speak languages to one another that we don’t understand. We are still in groups, spiritually and educationally.” Professor Jansen, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Gavin Mageni (head of citizenship at Absa) discusses the concept of citizenship as core to guiding corporate behaviour in the current climate. “Citizenship encompasses all aspects of the business and is a strategic priority. Globally, the reputation of the banking industry is at an all time low and we need to take action to address this.” Absa, part of the international Barclays group, look to be a citizen in society just like any other. Absa’s social and commercial investments are interlinked – looking after people also means looking after customers. Setlogane Manchidi, head of CSI at Investec shares a similar view. “The sustainability and success of our business depends on the sustainability and success
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
CHAPTER SIX
of
communities
in
which
we
operate. We see education as one way of enabling people to become economic participants in our country”. CSI
focus
areas
are
largely
MONEY TALKS CSI spend was estimated to be R6.9 billion for the 2011-2012 financial year (according to The CSI Handbook released by Trialogue in 2012).
the R6.9 billion in CSI spending, and
If
surveyed
pool funding on shared initiatives.
as a non-profit organisation about
32 of these accounted for around
business sector is spending just
Each subsidiary allocates money
the projects they invest in. Gavin
half (R3.45 billion). A big portion
over R2 billion, it is worth looking at
to a separately held fund within
Mageni, for example, spent five
was spent by the mining sector on
how money is spent and if finance
the Foundation. Administration
years in one of the most valuable
things like infrastructure and local
is the best asset they have to offer.
duties are outsourced to CSI
professions – teaching. Heading
community
For example, can a smaller financial services company assist an NPO with risk management or financial education rather than giving cash or funding to an NPO?
consultancy
development.
This
significant CSI spend is largely due
dependent on the business and
to the legislative responsibilities
strategy. As a general rule, larger
Ninety three percent of South
business tend to favour government
Africa’s top surveyed companies
or development priorities (such as
invested in education in 2011-12
education or healthcare) and will
and spent over 40 percent in the
spread funding nationally to have
sector for the first time in ten years.
a wider reach if budget allows. A
Another way of looking at this
Companies calculate CSI spend
smart business will look at impact
increased percentage is simply that
in various ways. For example,
and scale without simply focusing
education is a more popular place
the
on the number of beneficiaries.
than ever to invest and government
development
(SED)
has called on business for support.
South
for
More companies are also seeing the
R91,5 million. This was calculated
The language of CSI is not terribly
and
Mining
Charter
obligations
agreed between mining companies and government before license-tooperate is granted.
Absa
socio-economic
Africa
spend
2012-13
in was
exciting – the development jargon
value of education as a priority for
by including the rand value of
detracts from the fascinating shift
business and social development.
corporate
social
(CSI)
as
in global thinking from which CSI developed. Our world is changing into one where transparency and accountability are valued. CSI is one way in which business can do
To put it into perspective, business spent up to R3 billion in education alone - surely enough to make a significant impact in some of South Africa’s poorest communities.
business. A ‘third world’ country like South Africa is lucrative and
According
resource-rich and business wants
largest companies in South Africa
to benefit.
accounted for nearly R5 billion of
to
Trialogue,
the
such
investment
donations,
CSI
related sponsorships and various consumer
education
spend.
of
the
It may be an ironic notion given the current economic climate, but the financial sector is acutely aware of the value in risk assessment to mitigate the likelihood of things going pear-shaped. They can therefore help NPOs navigate through the perceived funding crisis and help organisations lead
Social
up Citizenship at Absa is just a
Investments, although strategic
Tshikululu
different way of making an impact.
and financial oversight is provided
NPO and CSI staff have more in
by the board of Trustees. The
common than is perceived.
Foundation invites independent experts to sit on the board of
Some of the country’s leading
trustees with knowledge related
sustainability executives look to
to development areas supported
the South African youth to find
by the Foundation.
purpose in their work. Beth van Heerden, Brand Manager for the
This structure allows Wesbank,
FirstRand
RMB and FNB to access the
FirstRand Limited), says the quality
same
‘know
and enthusiasm of South Africa’s
how’, administrative help and
young people is unbelievable. Her
partnership
an
opinion is shared by Setlogane
efficient way – and have bigger
Manchidi, head of CSI at Investec.
STRUCTURING
impact.
tax
“Every time I get a goodbye email
INVESTMENT SPEND
treatment and entity structure
from one of our graduate bursary
allows for clever financial and
students, they conclude by saying
brand
more effectively.
development potential
Additionally,
the
(under
FirstRand
thank you for reminding them
calculated and is widely practiced by companies. Time is money, too. In 2011-2012 around 15-20 percent of the FirstRand Group employees donated money, which was matched by the FirstRand Foundation and calculated at a
Limited can promote subsidiaries
about their individual responsibility
allocation in a number of ways that suit both the company and the beneficiaries. An interesting example is seen in FirstRand Limited, which is the holding company of the FirstRand group, including Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), First National Bank (FNB) and Wesbank. The FirstRand Foundation has one fund for each of the organisation’s major franchises, although funds are managed under the same structure. The FirstRand Group channel CSI investment through the FirstRand Foundation, set up as an independent legal entity. The structure allows subsidiaries to maintain independence but use Foundation expertise when selecting CSI programmes and
in the different markets because
towards others and their social
they all invest in one foundation
conscience, over and above the
and ‘share’ work.
knowledge they have gained.”
have
standardised,
reporting
mandatory
requirements
for
across for-profit companies.
CSI The
way companies report has changed over the years, and many do not record
all
of
expenditure.
their
CSI-related
Therefore,
trends
and figures are based on business disclosure, external analysis and best estimates.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
management.
in
Foundation
Businesses are able to structure CSI
South Africa does not currently
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
rest
Employee volunteerism can also be
R4.8 million social investment.
147
the
IN PLAIN SPEAK We must not forget that a business is made up of people. Putting to one side unsavoury topics like corruption,
companies are
simply groups of working people, many of whom
live in South
Africa. We buy from business and business buys from business - it is an interdependent world. CSI staff, management boards and employees are all people with decision making influence and do
“All successful societies have one thing in common – they invested in education” President Jacob Zuma, State of the Nation 2013
care. They can care just as much
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
148
THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
CHAPTER SIX
PROGRESS OR RECESS? The difficulty in assessing South Africa’s education progress is the lack of a starting point to benchmark progress. Apartheid schooling was structured to fail the majority of the population and nearly twenty years ago the entire structure had to be remodelled to provide equal education for all children. This was a big ask and yet we have had some time. The previous finance minister and head of the National Development Planning Commission, Trevor Manuel, said recently: “We should no longer say it is Apartheid’s fault. There is a deep crisis [in education] and every parent must know, so we don’t weep on the fifth of January when the Matric results come out.” We are left asking if we have made the right decisions in our approach to transformation, how wisely money has been spent and if we have understood the rate of change as best as we could. In 19 years we have achieved almost nothing in some places and towered above the world in other realms. Some children have nice desks and other children learn off a mud floor. Ultimately, all our children should go to school because it truly is a ticket to a better life.
Areas of education have seen strong progress. Racially, we have made huge steps in school and university education access. Black South African students comprise over 60% of the university population compared to just 38% in 1994. Literacy and numeracy results in the Annual National Assessments are extremely poor for grades 3 and 6 learners – however, we are assessing the quality of education and extending this to other grades to start intervening at a younger age, as well as addressing school drop-out rates. The no-fee schools have enabled millions of poor children nationally to access education for free. Certainly, national government has prioritised education in its budget. How money is then distributed and decision-making between regions is fairly varied, to put it lightly. South Africa is only producing around one third of required teachers annually, although infrastructure grants are being allocated to build more teacher training colleges. There is a huge shortage in certain subject areas and teachers are being asked to teach lessons in content they have never studied. Investec is one company concerned about looming shortages, particularly
in the maths and science fields, and is trying to build the supply of teachers despite the cost and duration of investment required. “I will never forget this: I took part in one of our science teacher recruitment programmes and we had eight school teachers in for an interview. Each teacher was asked the same science question and we received eight different answers to a question which allowed for one answer to be correct.
Teacher
development
takes longer but it is crucial work because there is potentially a lost generation about to exit the education
system.”
Setlogane
Manchidi, Head of CSI: Investec
A LITTLE CAN DO A LOT AND A LOT CAN DO LITTLE Trialogue reported 59% of surveyed companies are willing to fund development research – an increase in 22% in just two years. Research may not be the most sexy way to utilise CSI funding but if South Africa is going to change in a sustainable
“Looking back on the path we have travelled since 1994, we see the importance of a long-term perspective on development and change. The challenge for us is that people are asking if we can sustain our ‘miracle’.” Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Finance, National Budget Speech 2013
149
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
way, utilising business finance to test the methods for change may be the best way to go about it. Corporates do fund research, often in conjunction with government. “We support maths chairs at different universities and fund academic specialists (in conjunction with government) to research and work with different schools to try and lift mathematics grades over a five year period,” says Beth Van Heerden from the FirstRand Foundation. Universities are calling for relevant research to link to current educational practice. Business has money that can be useful for piloting new initiatives which, if viable, can be taken to scale by government. Less popular is advocacy funding – despite the impact advocacy campaigns have had in the education sector (such as the recent case won by Equal Education against the Department of Basic Education). This is a form of advocacy which may have a huge effect on schools nationally. CSI departments are under pressure to deliver results as any other business unit – those departments with a smart executive team will focus on long term achievement over short term wins. Beth van Heerden agrees. “What we have found is that there is very little research available as to what really works and we are putting more and more money into monitoring and evaluation. At the moment we’ve got people in-field doing extensive research to find out for us who is really getting it right. We only showcase an intervention if there is research to back it up.”
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Investment decisions are not casually made – in the current financial climate, giving away profit impacts on shareholders. CSI practitioners are tasked with juggling and balancing varying priorities as is government and anyone in the development field. Absa measure not only how many jobs are created from CSI programmes but how many people become employable. The organisation does not focus on education per se. Gavin Mageni says, “Our focus is on the next generation and equipping them with the relevant skills for economic freedom and security. We look for the areas where we can make the most impact and so, for example, have steered away from maths and science because we realised that there is a skills gap - we focus on skills development.”
RAINBOW BRIGHT A stable environment will build a stable South Africa. South African’s economic growth strategy includes government’s New Growth Path framework. Underlying this is a policy with a principal target to create five million jobs and reduce unemployment by 10%. The deadline is 2030. The National Development Commission advises slightly more ambitious targets and the holistic approach required to achieve them.
and social needs. We have an opportunity to redefine what education means, its intended impact and how we achieve this. Our unique history, cultural and economic diversity allow for South Africa to potentially become one of the global leaders in education. On the other hand, we may continue on a trajectory whereby we are always deemed to be in crisis and the rainbow nation loses its colour. We need to study things that are working and convert this into action. Separate groups distinguished by words like corporates, non-profit organisations and government must align if education is to be changed in a systemic way. “Children entering primary school in 2012 will be working in 2030. How healthy they are, how well they do at school and in the labour market depends on the decisions the government and all in society make now.” National Development Plan, 2012
Education in South Africa has a different definition to other parts of the world. The way America or the United Kingdom handles education serves a different purpose for their economy
CHAPTER 6 | THE ROLE OF SOCIAL LEADERSHIP
150
OMMS L5924 6.2013
dendron Secondary School Since 2003 this modest rural school has consistently posted results that place it among the top ten performing schools in South Africa. It’s an achievement that is particularly remarkable because Dendron is not a former model c school and lacks many basic facilities. For seven years Dendron’s Grade 12 learners have achieved a 100% pass rate.
EMPOWERING YOUNG SOUTH AFRICANS At Old Mutual, our vision is to positively impact the lives of ordinary South Africans. We have been involved in uplifting communities since 1965, and in 1999 the Old Mutual Foundation was established to effectively manage our corporate social investment strategy. By focusing on job creation, poverty alleviation and education, the Foundation aims to create opportunities to integrate marginalised communities into the mainstream economy. Our mandate is to focus on rural and peri-urban communities, where the need for support and assistance is greatest.
INveSTINg IN SOUth AFRIcA’S eCONOmIC SUCCeSS
To contribute meaningfully to South Africa’s transformation and in line with our business strategy, the focus areas of the Old mutual Foundation are: ■ Enterprise Development ■ Skills capacity Building ■ Education, particularly maths and science ■ Staff Volunteerism
EDUcAtING FOR SUCCeSS
the Old Mutual Foundation focuses on education initiatives that build excellence in maths and science at secondary schooling level. By increasing the number of learners who pass maths and science, and access tertiary education, we aim to help rectify the critical skills shortage in South Africa. Our interventions at schools address the following priorities: ■ Instructional development – improving the skills of maths and science teachers ■ Regulatory development – assisting the development of school leadership and management ■ Infrastructure – providing key resources to help maths and science learners
OlD MUtUAl edUCATION TRUST FUNd the Old Mutual Education trust Fund has identified a pressing need for access to tertiary education among financially disadvantaged students who show strong academic potential.
the Fund partners with reputable bursary service providers to offer selected students access to education, as well as extensive mentorship and support. Our bursary programme focuses on providing funds for students of commerce and science. the bursaries are unconditional, so this is a pure investment by Old Mutual towards developing future leaders.
SUCCeSSFUl OlD MUtUAl FOUNDAtION edUCATION pROjeCTS
leAp Science and maths School lEAP Science & Maths School caters for talented learners from grades 9 to 12 from disadvantaged backgrounds. the goal is for each student to achieve a university entrance with good passes in Science, Maths and English. lEAP encourages both academic and personal excellence. “the aim,” says founder John Gilmour, “is not only to produce academic results but also to develop positive, caring young adults with a healthy work ethic who will become future leaders in their communities.” the Old Mutual Foundation has invested more than R17,6 million into lEAP since 2004, when the first school opened to serve the langa community in cape town. there are now six lEAP schools in South Africa: in the Western cape, Gauteng and limpopo. Since its launch, lEAP students have achieved a remarkable 95% Grade 12 pass rate, with 72% of these graduates pursuing tertiary studies and 12% working.
the Old Mutual Foundation has played a key part in Dendron’s success story by investing R420 000 in 2008-2010 towards the Dinaledi schools programme, a Department of Education initiative that promotes the participation and performance of learners in mathematics and science. An additional R500 000 was committed at the end of 2010, in partnership with the limpopo Department of Education, to construct their muchawaited science and computer laboratories. In the last six years the Old Mutual Foundation has invested R1 670 000 towards the excellent Grade 12 results the school is producing. As ‘added value’ initiatives, every year the Old Mutual Foundation sponsors Dendron Grade 11 learners to attend the national ENKE ‘Make your Mark’ youth leadership forum, and the top Dendron science learners and their educators are sponsored to attend the annual National Science Festival in Grahamstown. Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA) tSiBA is a formally registered tertiary education institute that offers young adults who are unable to access universities, the opportunity to study for a Business Administration degree. the Old Mutual Foundation has had a supportive relationship with this privately owned, non-profit university since its inception in 2006 and has invested R12.5 million in the tertiary study of deserving students. We have over 168 years to invest in you.
For more information on the Old mutual education Trust Fund and the Old mutual Foundation, visit www.oldmutual.co.za. Old Mutual is a licensed Financial Services Provider
CHAPTER SEVEN
07 TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
“YOUNG
PEOPLE
SHOULD
HAVE
THE
CAPABILITIES
AND CONFIDENCE TO GRASP THE OPPORTUNITIES OF A BRIGHTER FUTURE. THE PLAN SEEKS TO DEVELOP PEOPLE’S CAPABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO IMPROVE THEIR LIVES THROUGH EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT. IT REQUIRES SHIFTING FROM A PARADIGM OF ENTITLEMENT TO
A
DEVELOPMENT
PARADIGM
THAT
PROMOTES
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CAPABILITIES, THE CREATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND THE PARTICIPATION OF ALL CITIZENS. UNLESS WE WORK TOGETHER, SACRIFICING SHORT –TERM GAIN FOR LONGER – TERM PROSPERITY, NO SINGLE PART OF SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY CAN ACHIEVE ITS OBJECTIVES. MOST ASPECTS OF THIS PLAN ARE AIMED DIRECTLY AT IMPROVING THE LIFE CHANCES OF TODAY’S CHILDREN AND ITS YOUTH” National Development Plan
Please contact us to share what you would like profiled in education. www.ed.org.za
TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
CHAPTER SEVEN
One of South Africa’s biggest priorities is to develop the qualified artisans to support the economy, to deliver on the strategic infrastructure projects (SIPs) identified by government.
THE POST SCHOOL SYSTEM (2011) HE - Higher Education | VCET - Vocational Continuing Education and Training
HIGHER EDUCATION
937 220 (public) 93 000 (private)
+/- 1 000 000
Closely associated with the expansion of education and training opportunities is the focus on raising the status of vocational training. The idea that trades and other vocational programmes are only for those who can’t get into university is deeply ingrained in our society and has a detrimental effect on our ability to develop the skills required by our labour market. The status of those who make a very important contribution to our economy and society is undermined by this perception.
“Just over a third of the population is under the age of 15. Our country, like many others, has a crisis of youth unemployment. Working together we will find a solution”. – President Zuma, State of the Nation Address, 14 February 2013.
The vision of the Department of Higher Education (DHET) is to have “a differentiated and fully inclusive post-school system that allows all South Africans to access and succeed in the relevant education and training, in order to fulfil the economic and social goals of participating in an inclusive economy and society”. It is also consistent with the national government motto: “Working together we can do more”. The post-1994 South Africa needs to provide expanded access to development opportunities. This has required a massive cash injection, with government consistently spending about 4.5 percent of government GDP on education, compared to 3.1 and 2.9 percent in developing countries and sub-Saharan governments’ countries respectively. However, governmental inputs to education is not yielding the results expected. The most concerning aspect is the steadily growing number of young people between the ages of 18 and 24 who are ‘not in education, employment or training’ (NEETS). This number currently stands at approximately 3.2 million of a total population of 6.8 million for that age group.
155
6.8 million
3.2 million
CHAPTER 7 | TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
Some of the contributing factors are:
nn
High cost associated with higher education study;
nn
Limited number of spaces available in higher education institutions;
nn nn
Drop-out rates in university with colleges exceeding capacity; Languages of teaching and learning.
The government, and DHET in particular, has made a non-negotiable commitment to work towards the expansion of higher institutions of learning and opportunities, and to build a comprehensive post-school system that provides a range of accessible alternatives for young people with the creation of pathways to secure employment and improved livelihoods.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Green Paper (2012) - by 2030 1,5m in HE and 4m in VCET
427 423 (public FET Colleges)
FET
+/- 80 000 (private FET Colleges)
+/- 507 000
Other Colleges?
Public AETC 297 634 Skills development programmes (?)
18 to 24 year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET youth) +/- 3 000 000
2013: THE YEAR OF THE ARTISAN The launch of “2013: The Year of the Artisan” is designed to actively encourage the majority of our youth – and other out-ofschool adults - to recognise FET Colleges as the option of choice for developing skills for the future. The National Artisan Moderation Body or NAMB (established in 2010) is responsible for coordinating artisan development in the country. There are NAMB Offices in provinces, which are located in engineering faculties of public FET colleges. One of the key tasks of these offices is the coordination of provincial conferences with the purpose of raising the profile and impetus of artisan development in provinces, districts and local municipality structures. This will
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
be done in collaboration with the sector education and training authorities (SETAs) and FET colleges in respective provinces. The “Seven-Steps – Becoming a Qualified Artisan” advocates the National Programme for Artisan Development and allows for a common, cross-SETA and cross sector understanding of processes involved in becoming an artisan. To a large extent, institutional and general public knowledge of this process has been lost to South Africans. The confusing sectorbased skills development system has created huge blockages to a simple and easy-to-understand artisan development system. Provincial road shows, led by the Deputy Minister, will focus on re-emphasising the basic steps in becoming an artisan and how these steps can be efficiently and effectively implemented. The road shows will focus on:
nn
Promote artisan development as a career of choice within the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system,
nn
Raise awareness about the professionalism of artisanry by skilling existing artisans through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) processes,
nn
Highlight skills development opportunities that are available in artisanry to learners, and the youth in general.
Huge public infrastructure investment was announced in the President’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA) in 2013. The President highlighted the fact that the massive investment in infrastructure must leave more than just power stations, rail lines, dams and roads. It must industrialise the country, generate skills and boost much needed job creation. DHET have invested billions into the development of FET colleges, to develop them into
CHAPTER 7 | TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
156
TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
CHAPTER SEVEN
institutions of choice, so that we will not have to import skills from other countries in order to deliver on our strategic infrastructure projects.
GOVERNANCE OF
PRIVATE HIGHER
COLLEGES
EDUCATION
SA_11/In%20leaps%20and%20bounds%20Growing.pdf
The FET colleges now fall under the Department of Higher Education and Training and it is expected that in the future their offering will be more closely aligned with the universities, especially universities of technology. This modernisation of the sector is necessary in order to offer vocationally-oriented training that is closely linked to industry requirements and the world of work. The Minister has introduced the Further Education and Training Colleges Amendment Bill (2011) in order to relocate colleges as entities reporting to the Minister, rather than being responsible to provincial administration. This is an important change that shifts governance from the provinces to a more centralised and national prioritisation of activities.
PARTICIPATION
Source: http://www.ieasa.studysa.org/resources/Study_ SA_11/In%20leaps%20and%20bounds%20Growing.pdf
Source: http://www.info.gov.za/speech/DynamicAction ?pageid=461&sid=34078&tid=97923
DEVELOPMENT OF THE FET SECTOR South Africa’s Further Education and Training (FET) system is now firmly entrenched within the higher education system. The colleges have been restructured from 152 technical colleges to 50 colleges with 256 campuses across the country. The FET sector has been expanded through a R1.9 billion recapitalisation project funded by government in order to improve the quality and to tackle the country’s skills shortage. Source: http://www.ieasa.studysa.org/resources/Study_
RATES FET colleges had a participation rate of 420 475 students in 2009. By 2014, the government wants one million students enrolled at colleges. FET colleges are spread through the country, in urban and rural areas, and so are accessible to many (including mature) potential students. In addition, it is foreseen that the FET colleges will work closely with the Sector Education Training Authorities in order to establish ‘an early warning system’ of what and where skills are needed within the country and to provide these in the shortest possible time.
In terms of public FET colleges, it is always important to remember that due to historical anomalies, these institutions are at varying levels of functional capacity. The question of readiness therefore cannot be addressed on a one-sizefits-all basis. Given the differences in readiness, institutional challenges, and varying demands for educational opportunities at teaching and learning sites, expanding the college intake in a similarly differentiated and context-specific manner has to be our standard approach. Source: http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?filetic ket=RJC1YfxHdOQ%3D&tabid=36
Source: http://www.ieasa.studysa.org/resources/Study_ SA_11/In%20leaps%20and%20bounds%20Growing.pdf
157
CHAPTER 7 | TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
INSTITUTIONS The private higher education institutions are estimated to range between 80 000 to 150 000 and play a critical role in creating opportunities for many young people in this country, particularly those that offer a range of vocational and FET courses, of which some are supported through the skills levy. There are unscrupulous fly-by-nights who prey on unsuspecting young victims whose academic drive is opportunistically exploited. Media reports and public information reveal that poor students are cheated of their money, time and resources regularly because they have either enrolled at unregistered institutions or for unaccredited programmes. Source: http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?filetic ket=RJC1YfxHdOQ%3D&tabid=36
FET COLLEGES ENROLMENT &FUNDING Enrolments have grown enormously over the last few years – from about 350 000 in 2010 to over 650 000 last year. This has been made possible through a variety of strategies including a concerted effort to raise popular consciousness around the possibilities provided by an FET education, through the introduction of fee-free education for poor students in FET colleges and the expansion of shorter skills courses offered in FET colleges with the assistance of the SETAs. A turnaround strategy to improve the quality of FET college teaching and management has
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
been developed. This includes short-term interventions to stabilise some of the weaker colleges, the appointment of qualified chartered accountants as chief financial officers in all colleges, the development of specialised qualifications for college lecturers, special interventions to strengthen student support. Colleges have been enhanced as institutions by the injection of considerable sums of money, including R2.5 billion for the current MTEF period to upgrade infrastructure. National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding for loans and bursaries to students in universities and colleges has expanded massively from R2.375 billion in 2008 to over R6 billion in 2013. An audit of university student housing has revealed serious deficiencies and a plan has been developed by the DHET to tackle this. Over the next three years, R1.7 billion has been set aside for student accommodation and universities are contributing an additional R0.6 billion. Of the R2.3 billion total, R1.4 billion will be spent on student accommodation at Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDI’s) where the need is greatest. For university infrastructure, the department is spending R6 billion over the three year MTEF period, with an additional R2 billion in co-funding from the universities’ own budgets. The SETAs and the colleges are playing an important part in revitalising the apprenticeship system and expanding learnerships in order to expand artisan training. State owned enterprises, especially Eskom and increasingly Transnet, are making an important contribution in this regard. Some private companies are also expanding their training of artisans and others with mid-level skills. Source: http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?filetic ket=CtCPDn5vZDw%3D&tabid=36
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 7 | TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
158
TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE EXPANSION OF FET COLLEGES The expansion of college intakes is premised on the following principles:
1.
The availability of adequately trained staff (lecturers)
A. national priorities B. provincial growth and development strategies
C. the needs of the community served by the college
D. the needs of the industry nationally and in the location of the college campus
2. Appropriately equipped lecture rooms and workshops
3. Effective utilisation of existing infrastructure
4. Efficient management of teaching, learning and training schedules (keep the campuses operating 7 days a week)
A significant number of colleges have been inundated with far greater numbers of students than anticipated at the start of 2012. College management have responded by:
nn
Extending the operating hours for receiving and processing applications and enrolments
nn
Re-organising the timetable to make provision for additional afternoon and weekend Report 191/NATED classes
nn
Allowing for higher enrolment numbers than initially planned for
FOCUS ON QUALITY IMPROVEMENT Over the past three years, the department has successfully stabilised the programmequalification mix (PQM) for FET colleges. The guiding principles for each college PQM are:
These principles inform relevance and responsiveness. Based on these considerations, an FET college does not have to offer every possible qualification or training programme. It must determine the extent to which it has the capacity to respond to all these imperatives and compile its PQM accordingly. Many in the country have expressed discomfort with regards to the quality of the FET college offering. The responsibility of determining the quality of qualifications offered by the FET colleges vests with the Quality Councils, namely:
nn
Umalusi for N1-N3 and NC(V);
nn
the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) for Occupations and N4-N6); as well as
nn
the Higher Education Qualifications Council (HEQC) for Higher Education Qualifications like Higher Certificates, Diplomas & Degrees
on the National Qualifications Framework. Further, with respect to industry certified qualifications, the industry sector concerned accredits the college and certifies the students after it is satisfied with the college’s degree of compliance with industry requirements. Another area of industry sector concern has been around the quality of the teaching staff. The department has gradually adopted a three-pronged approach to lecturer training and development. The approach is informed by the socioeconomic role of FET colleges and the research conducted in this country, and in other countries like the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, China, the USA and Jamaica. An FET lecturer qualifications policy has recently been gazetted on the basis of which universities and universities of technology will offer programmes of study to prepare graduates for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) professional practice. For continuous professional development, the department trains an average of 800 lecturers per annum in:
1.
new subjects introduced at the request of industry
2.
new programmes that are introduced at the request of other government departments (e.g. SAPS, Transport and Health)
3. Quality Councils have declared their qualifications fit for the purpose for which the qualification was developed and registered by the South African Qualifications Authority
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
subjects with a low success rate
Lecturers also require a stable college environment in which to train and teach, which highlights the importance of governance and management in FET colleges.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
FINANCIAL
ARTICULATION IN
SUPPORT FOR
THE SYSTEM
STUDENTS
One of the most important pillars of the success of our post-school education and training vision is articulation in the system. Articulation refers to the creation and facilitation of vertical and horizontal learning pathways. Our intention is to establish a single, integrated, coherent and well articulated post-school system in which all institutions work in such a way that they strengthen one another and in which there are no dead-ends for students. In order to increase access to the post-school education and training systems, many institutions have policies and systems to assist with the placement of learners who do not meet the formal requirements for entrance, but who can demonstrate that they have appropriate knowledge and skills. These systems should be simplified, supported and strengthened, so that institutions make alternate routes for access possible. The priority is to continue to improve ways in which individuals can receive credits for prior learning towards a qualification. Where appropriate, learners should be able to enrol for assessment without having completed a formal educational programme.
Financial need should never be an impediment to accessing programmes of study in FET colleges, and in 2007 the department introduced the Further Education and Training Bursary Scheme. The 2010 allocation was R318 million, which has since increased quite significantly to R1, 2 billion in 2011, R1, 7 billion in 2012, and now R1, 9 billion for the 2013 academic year. Within the current year, the department plans to reach 178 000 students with bursaries. These students should, however, meet the eligibility criteria, which are that the student demonstrates academic potential to pass his/her programme of study and also that the student should come from a poor family (i.e. demonstrate financial need). In 2012, the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority provided bursaries for students in FET Colleges to the value of R27 million. The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) which provides poor and disadvantaged students with loan and bursary funding has increased almost three-fold, from R2.375 billion in 2008 to R7 billion in 2012. For the 2012 academic year, the National Skills Fund (NSF) allocated an additional R350 million for poor students who were running the risk of being financially excluded and were unable to register due to outstanding debt. Since 2002, the NSF has provided approximately R2.8 billion in loans and bursaries to the needy.
Source: http://www.dhet.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileti cket=RJC1YfxHdOQ%3D&tabid=36
CHAPTER 7 | TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
160
Fasset serves as a cross-sectoral incubator for accounting skills Established in 2000, Fasset (the Seta for Finance and Accounting Services) continues to play a very important role as a cross-sectoral skills incubator, facilitating the training of accountants across the board, for the entire South African economy. “Fasset has bought-in fully to Minister Nzimande’s vision of a skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path. We have ‘pulled out the stops’ to develop a pipeline of accounting talent. We work tirelessly to make the finance and accounting sector the sector of career choice for young South Africans, striving always to extend our rural reach, while at the same time ensuring that the skills of those already in the profession remain at the leading edge,” says Fasset CEO, Cheryl James. Fasset has registered 30 learnerships. Ranging from NQF level 3 to NQF Level 7, Fasset learnerships offer a range of entry
Fasset funds Bridging Programmes for Access into Higher Education (NQF Level 5), Academic Programmes for Access into Employment (NQF Level 6-7) and Academic Programmes (NQF Level 6-8), which lead to the completion of a qualification, and/or a professional designation. “Fasset is very proud of the fact that young South Africans from both urban and rural areas have seized the opportunities Fasset-funded Projects offer with both hands. As a direct result of these projects many have since qualified as professional accountants; others, have found sustainable employment. We are very proud of the fact that our recent Tracer Study entitled: ‘The value of Fasset-funded Work Readiness Programmes,’ reveals that 89.7% of project beneficiaries (1 353 individuals) are currently employed. This achievement confirms that our Work Readiness Programmes, now called Academic Programmes for Access into Employment, are making a positive difference in reducing unemployment amongst unemployed graduates and diplomates,” James explains.
within the sector, Fasset has consistently achieved a 100%
Recognising that finance and accounting skills are the cornerstone of any economy, Fasset invites small, medium and large-sized employers, and public sector employers to partner with the Seta: “Together, we can build a robust pipeline of accounting talent, which will take business, and
placement rate on completion,” James explains.
service delivery to the next level.”
and exit points for accounting technicians and professionals alike. “Fasset learnerships have a stirling reputation for quality. Because they are so closely aligned to real skills needs
Over the past thirteen years, more than 54 000 learners have been signed onto Fasset learnerships. Lifelong learning remains a flagship initiative. Offered at no cost whatsoever to the employer, this training complements Continuous Professional Development (CPD) requirements, and would otherwise be unaffordable for many of Fasset’s SMME stakeholders. Indicative of the perceived value of these interventions, over 99 000 delegates have attended these events. Fasset Projects meet high skills needs within the sector as identified in Fasset’s Sector Skills Plan (SSP). Over the past 13 years, including National Skills Fund-funding, just over R500 million has been allocated; 16 234 individuals have benefited.
Mintek’s mandate is to serve the national interest through high-calibre research, development, and technology transfer that promotes mineral technology. Bursaries are offered in the following fields: • Catalysis; • Chemistry (Analytical or Geochemistry); • Chemical Engineering (Minerals Processing or Process Control); • Electrical Engineering (Process Control Systems or Electronics); • Extractive Metallurgy (Pyrometallurgy, Hydrometallurgy or Biohydrometallurgy); • Fuel Cells; • Geology (Mineralogy, Petrology, Applied Geology or Economic Geology); • Mechanical Engineering; • Minerals Processing; • Mining Engineering; • Mining-Focused Environmental Compliance; • Nanoscience and Nanotechnology; • Physical Metallurgy; • Physics; and, • Precious Metal-Based Drug Discovery.
Mintek bursaries cover the full payment of registration, tuition, residence fees, meals, and an allowance, in return for a commitment to work at Mintek on a year-for-year basis, after obtaining your degree. To apply, contact Mintek’s Academic Liaison Officer. Snail mail: Mintek Bursary Office, Private Bag X3015, Randburg 2125 E-mail: bursaries@mintek.co.za Web: www.mintek.co.za Tel: 011 709 4648 Fax: 011 709 4465 Please note: Mintek does not provide bursaries to undergraduate students studying towards diplomas, only at postgraduate level.
A global leader in mineral and metallurgical innovation
The closing date for undergraduate applications is 31 July for support during the next academic year. There is no closing date for postgraduate applications.
as South is regarded l Science ual nationa n n a r ie m , and has Africa’s pre 12 learners e d ra G r o f petition competition 8. The com 8 19 e c n si g in careers been runnin e interest g ra , u o c n e Technology aims to eering and in g d n n E a , , e y c n rg llu in Scie ls and meta ra e in nce m a rt in o y p im especiall ness of the re a w a n ri a f uth A ca. to promote llurgy to So ta e m d n a of minerals , contact: ordinator To register TM National Co iz u q in M The k.co.za quiz@minte E-mail: min .za w.mintek.co Web: ww 9 011 709 413 Tel: 5 6 4 4 011 709 Fax:
MINTEK – South Africa’s national minerals and metallurgy research and development facility
086 101 0001 • fassetcallcentre@fasset.org.za • www.fasset.org.za
TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
CHAPTER SEVEN
THOUGHT LEADER PROFILE
STEVEN NGUBENI
Q A
What’s working well now?
Sometimes when you’ve been in the dark for too long, it becomes difficult to see the light. Our education system has a reputation for failure. However, there are pockets of excellence across the board. We have also seen an improvement in access to education for black students and an influx of young people into universities and colleges. As a society we are recognising the importance of education.
STEVEN NGUBENI - CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE NATIONAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NYDA)
The NYDA was formed in 2009 to advance youth development through guidance and support for initiatives across all sectors of society and government. Mr Steven Ngubeni is one of South Africa’s most influential leaders, holding the prestigious role of CEO of the NYDA. Under his leadership, the NYDA has increased its network to 144 access points for youth across South Africa. A political activist, he has served in both the African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) and the ANC at various levels.
Q A
How did you get involved in education?
From the moment my first child was born, I started thinking about the kind of education I wanted my kids to receive. The best way to see it was to become involved.
Q
What would be the first signs that would show you that the system is working?
A
According to research by the Department of Basic Education, literacy and numeracy among primary school children (grade 3) in South Africa are at rock-bottom levels. A positive change in these figures would be a first sign of improvement.
163
CHAPTER 7 | TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
Q A
What still needs to improve?
The quality of education needs to be increased at primary and secondary levels. There seems to be a gap between secondary and higher education and we have to address this through bridging programmes. I believe our education system produces poor outcomes that are slanted towards different racial groups. It is a reality that white students fare well at tertiary institutions and it is a painful fact that white graduates are more likely to find a job than their black counterparts. We have an education system that works well for one group and fails dismally for the rest. Education policies have barely responded to the disparities in the system that systematically disadvantage black students. Every child deserves the chance to be educated in our new democracy. I believe human, social and economic development can only be achieved through education. We have been mandated by Parliament to coordinate youth development issues and develop a youth inclusion programme. Some of our projects include careers guidance and we also work with partners to offer bursaries for young people to study abroad and then return with a new skill set to South Africa. We have students at university in Serbia and Turkey, for example. Our Youth Entrepreneurship Programme pairs young entrepreneurs from South Africa with experienced young people from the United States.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
WRITTEN BY MAMOKGETHI REA MOLOPYANE
Q A
What do you believe are the top three priorities for South Africa to focus on?
Firstly, we will need to improve the quality of teaching and learning and focus on literacy and numeracy. Secondly, the Department of Basic Education needs to attract and keep quality teachers in the profession. We cannot afford to lose more teachers because they are not paid well and their efforts not recognised. Thirdly, we must prioritise administration in all our education institutions. What separates a good school or institution from a bad one is often administration and not just resources. This is where government, business and education NGOs can work together.
Q
Who are you working with to achieve results and how can we work better together?
A
The NYDA is working with a number of organisations such as Star Schools, Prime Stars, government education departments, SETAs and the private sector. We want to work with solution-focused NGOs. With the private sector, our role is more of a mediator - we find out what kind of graduates the private sector wants. We also ask young people what industry they want to focus their entrepreneurship skills on or have access to. We then get specialists to facilitate and establish a working relationship between the two. This benefits both partners. South Africa needs a coordinated approach to achieve any measurable result in improving the education system.
Q A
For me, the most influential leaders in education are the teachers who continue to produce great results despite the many challenges they face. There are men and women who continue to inspire their students by saying “education is the powerful commodity you can have”. One organisation that comes to mind is the South African Graduates Development Association (SAGDA). The role they play is crucial and has been life-saving for many graduates who had lost hope.
Q A
How have you been affected by working in education?
I have seen how transformative and life changing education can be to the future of our youth. I believe that true empowerment cannot just be the resources you give an individual to get a university education. It is much more than that. It is the support, tools and knowledge to keep going after graduation. If we empower young people to actively participate in all aspects of society, we can break the cycle of poverty and inequality. As the NYDA, we believe that business and education are interconnected. If one suffers, so will the other. It is time for all to work together for sustained change. Unless we make education big business, we run the risks of failing future generations.
Who do you think are the most influential leaders in education?
I cannot single out one person. There are many men and women who go about changing lives, from pre-school phase to university level. Some continue to do so, long after retirement.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 7 | TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
164
TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
CHAPTER SEVEN
The surest path to safeguarding talent is to identify gifted learners early, and get them into a programme that will see them right through their tertiary education. The Standard Bank Scholarship Programme was launched in 2010 as an extension of our Adopt A School Programme. Our programme tracks learners’ progress from grade 10, so that we can recognise and reward consistent performance rather than simply the results of a single examination. The Standard Bank Scholarship Programme does not inform or restrict the recipients’ choice of tertiary studies, and provides comprehensive financial and psychosocial support for the duration of the course – the only qualifying expectation is that all beneficiaries must commit to working in South Africa for two years after their studies are completed. By investing in individual students, we strengthen the links that make up the whole.
contact details dr Wendy orr Head: Group inclusion 5 simmonds street Johannesburg • 2001 wendy.orr@standardbank.co.za +27 11 636 9111
☎
165
CHAPTER 7 | TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 7 | TOWARDS A SKILLED WORKFORCE
166
CHAPTER EIGHT
08 INVESTING IN THE FUTURE: THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND UNIVERSITIES OF TECHNOLOGY
“BY 2030, WE AIM TO RAISE UNIVERSITY ENROLMENTS TO 1 500 000 (A PROJECTED PARTICIPATION RATE OF 23%) AS OPPOSED TO THE 2011 ENROLMENTS OF 899 120 (A 16% PARTICIPATION RATE)” Green Paper for Post – School Education and Training, Executive Summary
Want to connect with more than 285 000 university students, high school learners, parents and opinion leaders in South African education annually? Visit www.sastudy.co.za
CHAPTER EIGHT
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE - THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF TECHNOLOGIES
South Africa’s higher education sector is the strongest and most diverse in Africa. There are nearly 900 000 students enrolled in public universities, and nearly one in five young South Africans enter higher education. More than half of all students are women, and over 64 000 are international students, mostly from other African countries, and many from Europe, Asia and the Americas. Higher education in a democratic South Africa still faces huge challenges - primarily the need to achieve greater equity, efficiency and effectiveness within institutions and across the system. Universities needed to open their doors to students of all races, transform curricula to become more locally relevant, but also geared to a knowledgedriven world, train growing numbers of different types of graduates essential to economic growth and development, and produce scholars able to tackle South Africa’s problems through research that is responsive to all of society’s needs. In the university sector there are three types of universities that together offer a full range of courses leading to internationally recognised qualifications: ‘traditional’ researchfocused universities, universities of technology and comprehensive universities that combine academic and vocationally-oriented education.
169
Currently, the system has:
There is a fourth typology known
•
as National Institutes (of which
•
•
Eleven universities: traditional universities that offer Bachelor degrees and have strong research capacity with high proportions of postgraduate students. Six universities of technology: vocationally-oriented institutions that award higher certificates, diplomas and degrees in technology and have some postgraduate and research capacity. Two new universities are planned for Nelspruit and Kimberly with a small scale start in 2014 and a ten year development plan to full scale operation. The budget R2.2 billion allocation over the 2013 medium-term expenditure framework for capital and operational start-up costs. Six comprehensive universities: offering both Bachelors and technology qualifications and focusing on teaching, alongside conducting research and postgraduate study.
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
there are two) that are located
One of the mergers that formed the University of Limpopo has been widely acknowledged as unsuccessful. A governmental task team was set up to review the merger and presented its report in July 2011. A final decision about the future of the medical campus, Medunsa, is expected within the year and is likely to result in it becoming a stand-alone medical university within the context of an academic health centre in Polokwane. A new Health Sciences University (incorporating MEDUNSA campus) is planned and a new medical school at the University of Limpopo linked to the tertiary hospital in Polokwane is planned for 2015. There are budget constraints hampering implementation of these plans.
Source: Dr Parker, Strategic planning session with DHET institutions, entities and key stakeholders, February 2013.
in rural areas in order to offer additional
physical
locations
where students can access higher education. in
These
provinces
are
located
that
previously
university
provision:
had
no
the
Northern
Cape
National
Institute for Higher Education and the Mpumalanga National Institute for Higher Education. It
is
anticipated
that
these
institutes will be fully operational within the next two years R41 million for 2011/12 has already been allocated to build these institutions into fully functional sites for higher education.
There is also a strong drive on the part of government to bolster infrastructure at universities. For the 2011/2012 financial year government and universities invested R5.5 billion in improving infrastructure. Over the next year the department has specifically earmarked funds to rebuilding infrastructure within historically disadvantaged universities who are most in need of refurbishment. The higher education landscape concentrates almost half of enrolments in the six comprehensive universities, which together enrol more than 400 000 students. These institutions are in the process of finding innovative ways of best combining the different qualifications, curricula and teaching and learning styles of traditional and university of technology constituents.
New Teacher Education Campuses are
planned
Campus
for
in
Siyabuswa
2013
(former
Ndebele College of Education) and for three more campuses (Eastern Limpopo),
Cape,
KwaZulu-Natal,
identifying former
teacher education campuses and university
partners.
Feasibility
studies are still to be done and budgets to be sourced.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
The ART of growing leaders to achieve success and avoid dropping out of study.
MANDELA LEGACY What you can learn from mandela
futurE stArs enter noW!
CArEErs think noW about the future
RETAIN
South Africa’s most comprehensive online student guide to Universities, courses, careers and bursaries.
WWW.SASTUDY.CO.ZA
6 009806 000041
|
WWW.SASTUDY.CO.ZA
Ace Matric Guide and www.sastudy.co.za to attract those aspirational learners who want to get ahead and search for information and embrace technology.
Get up close and personal – help them make the right career and lifestyle choices and promote effective time management.
Q-ONE STUDENT DIARY | CAMPUS ACHIEVER NOTEBOOK Q-ONE student diary and Campus Achiever Notebook to help students organise their time and guide them on campus, where new social challenges await. 2013
EDITION
TRANSFORM
Develop their leadership on campus by helping them manage their time effectively.
ACHIEVER PROGRAMME
The digital leadership development programme – Achiever Programme, will inspire students to get the basics right before they start work.
BUSINESS
CONNECT WITH THE LEADERS WHO INFLUENCE OUR #1 SOCIAL PRIORITY: EDUCATION
THE THIRD ANNUAL
EDUCATION HANDBOOK
W W W. E D. O R G . Z A The leading education por tal profiling achievements in education – the leading projects, the latest collaborations, to build energy and inspire others to take the lead in achieving quality education.
Showcase your support of our future leaders in the Education Handbook, designed to connect and support education leaders across the entire education system.
T H E E D U C AT I ON H A N D B O O K The leading annual publication profiling development in education and the reference guide for 5 000 leaders across Government and private sectors.
THE EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE EVENTS Where the thought leaders in education engage to build momentum as we work together as one.
ONE GOAL: WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE QUALITY EDUCATION 2012 EDITION
For more than 15 years, Argo has published multimedia solutions to build lasting relationships, improve achievement and support achievers to reach their full potential. Our services offer leading institutions the opportunity to attract and retain the right students, and also transform their behaviour to perform at their best.
Attract the right students to the right courses by providing teachers and bright learners with the right support and advice when they need it most.
ACE MATRIC GUIDE
Q-ONE STUDENT DIARY 2013
ACHIE VERS
ATTRACT
We believe in connecting the leaders to achieve quality education. Take the lead and call us now to invest in the future. 021 865 2813 | info@argo.org.za | www.argo.org.za
ONE GOAL: WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE QUALITY EDUCATION
CHAPTER EIGHT
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE - THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF TECHNOLOGIES
SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENT NUMBERS 900000 800000 700000 600000 500000 400000 300000 200000 100000 0
2000
Student Numbers
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
578134
627277
667182
705255
744478
735073
741380
760889
799490
837779
893024
HIGHER EDUCATION LANDSCAPE IN SOUTH AFRICA TYPE
NAME
Universities
Universities of Technology
Comprehensive Universities
National Institutes
The central strategic issues facing the higher education sector, include:
STUDENT POPULATION
University of Cape Town
24674
Rhodes University
7222
University of Pretoria
57115
University of the Free State
29902
University of Fort Hare
10735
North-West University
55732
University of KwaZulu-Natal
41244
University of Limpopo
18177
University of the Western Cape
18009
Stellenbosch University
27372
University of the Witwatersrand
29745
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
32167
Central University of Technology
12581
Durban University of Technology
25184
Tshwane University of Technology
51797
Mangosuthu University of Technology
10033
Vaal University of Technology
21423
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
26123
UNISA
293238
University of Johannesburg
48373
University of Venda
10679
University of Zululand
14727
Walter Sisulu University
26772
èè Quality of provision (public and private)
èè Quality of data from institutions (HEMIS)
èè Articulation èè Differentiation and diversity èè To improve governance and management of universities (public)
èè Funding of universities èè Public accountability (and institutional autonomy)
èè To improve regulation of public higher education institutions (unscrupulous providers) and integrate public higher education more effectively into the sector.
Mpumalanga Institute for Higher Education Northern Cape Institute for Higher Education
TOTAL
173
The distance learning university, University of South Africa (UNISA), has the largest number of students – just under 300 000 - while Rhodes University in Grahamstown has the smallest number, with just over 7000 students. Mergers of two or more institutions created some very large multi-campus universities. The largest contact university is the University of Pretoria, which has over 57 000 students, followed by North-West University (55 000), and the Tshwane University of Technology with over 51 000. These are followed by the University of Johannesburg and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
893024
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Source: Dr Parker, Strategic planning session with DHET institutions, entities and key stakeholders, February 2013.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
STUDENTS One of the issues most taxing government at present is the unacceptably high unemployment rate in the country, especially in the 18–24 demographic. The national strategy is focussed on job creation. However, the creation of jobs for the youth is largely stymied due to a lack of existing skills within the unemployed cadre.
Ninety-five percent of graduates in South Africa are employed. A specific goal of the National Plan for Higher Education (2001) was to increase participation in higher education to 20 percent for the 18-24 age cohort. Expanding student numbers and improving access to higher education for disadvantaged black people were seen as key to overcoming apartheid inequalities, creating a stable society, and producing the skills needed to drive economic growth. South Africa’s student participation rate - the proportion of 18-24 year-olds in higher education – was 16,6 percent based on 2008 figures with the strategic intent to reach 20 percent by 2014. While access to higher education has significantly improved, there are still racial divides between the participation rates of young people. Some 60 percent of whites and more than half of Indians enter higher education, but the rate for coloureds is 13,6 percent while Africans are still the lowest at 12,8 percent. The primary reason for
this ongoing disparity is the low quality primary and secondary schooling. In 2009, 57 percent of the student population was female and 43 percent male. Student numbers have nearly doubled in the past seventeen years, from 473 000 in 1993 to some 893 024 in 2010, according to the provisional Department of Higher Education and Training figures. In 2009, there were an additional 420 475 students enrolled in the Further Education and Training Colleges across the country.
1993
473 000 STUDENTS
2010
893 024 STUDENTS
In 2009, there were an additional 420 475 students enrolled in the Further Education and Training colleges across the country.
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
174
CHAPTER EIGHT
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE - THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF TECHNOLOGIES
NATIONAL STUDENT
THE CENTRAL
FINANCIAL AID
APPLICATIONS
SCHEME
SYSTEM
Since its formation in 1999, the
The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) have set up a Central Applications System (CAS) to manage all PSET applications. In 2013 the department provided Phase 1 of the CAS, which has been developed to ensure that applications are better managed than in the past, and the number of walk-ins is decreased. Once developed to its full application, the CAS service will facilitate better management of student enrolments within higher education and training institutions at a standardised cost.
government-funded
National
Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has played a critical role
in
enabling
disadvantaged
financially
students
to
access higher education. Student loans
are
recovered
through
the tax system once graduates are employed. The scheme was further tweaked during 2011 to postpone interest accruing to the loan until a year after graduation, and upon successful graduation to convert the final year’s loan into a bursary. In addition, the department has also set aside funding to allow students who have completed their studies – but who have not graduated because of outstanding funds owed to the university – to graduate. It is anticipated that this move will enable an additional 25 000 students to graduate and enter the job market. However, student throughput
remains
a
major
concern. In 2009, 316 320 (48%) students who had borrowed from NSFAS
dropped
out
completing their studies
175
without
A completed design of a fully functional CAS will be achieved during 2013, with a planned full implementation during 2014 for the 2015 cohort intake. The last phase of the project will be structured to enable and accommodate applications to private providers of higher education and training after discussing and reaching agreement with them. The service will provide support to institutions that will ensure that their student management processes are conducted more effectively especially relating to the admissions process. The system will provide valuable planning information to the institutions, regions and the DHET. The most critical element for an application service such as envisaged is the need to integrate the various facets of the applications process to include an
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
academic place of study, financial aid and student housing. These three application destinations will be synchronised and integrated under the CAS.
SYSTEM PERFORMANCE: UNISA STUDENT THROUGHPUT RATE: 2005 COHORT QUALIFICATION LEVEL
In 2013 (for 2014 admissions) this service will introduce a standardised application fee, as well as one closing date for all applications to universities. This will be communicated to all stakeholders in due course. Once completed, the CAS will be a central system that will facilitate and improve the processing of applications of Grade 9-12 learners into the various options available within the PSET system. Source: http://www.info.gov.za/speech/DynamicAction?pageid =461&tid=86943
ENTRANTS
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES
YEAR 1
YEAR 3
YEAR 5
TOTAL
Graduate
-
16%
19%
35%
Drop out
33%
18%
5%
56%
Graduate
-
27%
21%
48%
Drop out
30%
12%
4%
46%
Graduate
6%
25%
12%
33%
Drop out
28%
15%
13%
57%
Graduate
1%
33%
20%
35%
Drop out
22%
33%
4%
41%
37 330
THREE YEAR DIPLOMA
32178
MASTERS
15 479
DOCTORATES
2140
At all levels first year is critical; if UNISA included figures distorted; World Bank: SA a “low participation high drop-out” system;
DROPOUT RATES Higher education in South Africa has a disturbing 45 percent dropout rate among students, undermining the gains in university access. Financial difficulties among the country’s large pool of poor black students are largely to blame. ‘First generation’ students from low income, less educated families are the most likely to drop out. To increase access and success, most universities have devised alternative admission processes that select educationally disadvantaged students on the basis of their academic potential rather than their performance in national school leaving exams.
Source: HEMIS Cohort Study
REASONS FOR THE HIGH DROPOUT RATE OF FIRST YEAR STUDENTS èè Lack of adequate funding
(stop NSFAS top slicing)
èè Inadequate academic support/development and underprepared students (foundation provisioning) èè Underprepared lecturers and poor supervisory capacity èè
Poor career advice and choices
èè Poor quality of student accommodation and nutrition èè Student discipline and responsibility – lack of student leadership and an entitlement culture. Source: Dr Parker, Strategic planning session with DHET institutions, entities and key stakeholders, February 2013.
FOUNDATION PROGRAMMES All institutions have also put in place academic development initiatives, such as bridging or foundation programmes. These help students to overcome poor schooling and to cope with learning in a second language, usually English. Between 2007 and 2009, almost 32 000 students entering university for the first time were enrolled in foundation programmes. In 2009 the average success rate of first time, entering, undergraduates, according to the department, was above 70 percent in 19 of the 23 universities (and in seven universities above 80%). In 2010, foundation programmes provided for 15 863 students and the 2011/12 allocation made provision for 16 268 students.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
176
CHAPTER EIGHT
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE - THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF TECHNOLOGIES
STAFF
GRADUATES PRODUCED
The number of graduates produced annually by South African universities has been steadily growing. 74 000 in 1994 to over 144 000 in 2009.
There have been successful efforts to produce more of the kind of graduates the economy needs, especially in the fields of science, engineering and technology, which now enrol more than 25% of all students.
Although
there
are
many
reasons why students don’t succeed, the final responsibility is on universities to ensure that as many students as possible make
the
grade.
Whether
it be access to foundation courses
in
critical
subjects
or offering career advice for those underprepared students entering higher education, it remains critical that students This amounts to: 40 973 graduates in Science, Engineering and Technology
are afforded every opportunity for success once they have started
higher
learning.
Universities often have their own selection procedures that
33 788 graduates in Business and Management
include points rating systems
35 532 graduates in Education
questionnaires and interviews
based
on
school
results,
to select appropriate students, while academic departments
34 517 graduates in Human and Social Sciences
often require students to have performed
well
in
subjects
appropriate to their study field.
177
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
There are 46 428 full-time staff in South Africa’s 23 public universities, including 16 320 academics. This is according to the Department of Education’s audited figures for 2009. An estimated 65 000 staff are employed part-time. Most staff are white, closely followed by African. While whites dominate the academic and professional personnel categories, black people are in the majority of administration or service jobs. Efforts to transform the demographic profile of academic and professional university staff have been slower than that of students, but there has been a gradual increase in the proportion of black female enrolments. In 2009, 44 percent of the academic staff were women, but this does not reflect that women are still positioned at the lower end of the academic scale. An ongoing challenge for universities is the difficulty in retaining talented, young black academic staff who are highly prized by government and corporate sectors and often lured away from a career in academia by better salaries and promises of swift promotion. However, there are programmes underway to train a new generation of scholars and the pool of potential candidates has gradually been expanding.
RESEARCH Several South African universities conduct world-class research and feature in the top one percent of the world’s institutions (captured in the United States’ Essential
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Science Indicators database). South Africa’s research base is strong and diverse, the largest in Africa and produces 80 percent of basic research conducted in Southern Africa. Thousands of scholars conduct research that is helping to strengthen the economy and drive development, solve the country’s many challenges or advance knowledge generally. South Africa spends 0,92 percent of gross domestic product on research and is still struggling to reach the elusive one percent spend, which is the government’s strategic aim. The Department of Science and Technology’s most recent Research and Development (R&D) survey for 2008/09 reveals a gross investment in R&D of R21 billion. This places the country fractionally above India and just below Russia and Spain. In its Ten Year Plan for Science and Technology, the DST calculated that to build a knowledge-based economy positioned between developed and developing countries, South Africa would need to increase its PhD production rate by a factor of five over the next 10 to 20 years. Presently, South Africa produces nearly 1400 PhDs or 26 PhDs per million of the population. This compares unfavourably with countries like Portugal (569 per million) and Australia (264 per million). There has been a rise in postgraduate enrolments since 1995, from 70 000 to 128 747 in 2009. Of this number there are only 8112 Master’s and 1380 PhDs. Just 7,4 percent graduated in 2009.
FUNDING UNIVERSITIES The Department of Higher Education and Training is currently involved in a review of the funding of universities with the aim of streamlining the funding formula to achieve greater efficiency and parity for all universities. For many years university funding declined in terms of the proportion of total state finance committed to higher education which forced universities to raise tuition fees. At the same time, student numbers grew, while staff numbers remained static. Universities have three primary sources of funding: government, student fees and donations or entrepreneurial activities. In terms of state allocations, funding is linked to national policy goals and to the performance of universities. Direct funding (or Block Grants) allocations to universities are based on research graduates and publication outputs, teaching outputs weighted by qualification level, student numbers weighted by study fields and course levels. Secondly, government allocates “earmarked grants” or infrastructural funding for institutions that have high numbers of poor students or small institutions. The earmarked grant also offers a clear indication of the department’s priorities within the higher education sector.
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
178
CHAPTER EIGHT
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE - THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF TECHNOLOGIES
GOVERNANCE Universities are autonomous institutions in South Africa, but the higher education system is under increasing pressure to ensure that the sector produces the skills the economy needs and is efficient, affordable and accountable. Over the past year, in each of these areas, the Minister has called universities to account and it is likely that the sector will come under increased scrutiny. Universities submit institutional plans to the Department of Higher Education and Training, which determines the appropriate programme mix for every institution based on its current profile, relevance to regional and national priorities, its capacity to take on new programmes and the need to avoid duplication between institutions.
QUALITY ASSURANCE Quality assurance is the responsibility of the statutory advisory body, the Council on Higher Education. Its Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) conducts audits of public universities and private higher education institutions. The HEQC also accredits courses and does national reviews, quality promotion and capacity development. A new higher education qualifications framework has come into effect and is aimed at strengthening the quality assurance system and laying the foundation for credit accumulation and transfer, which was hindered by separate qualifications structures for universities and universities of technology.
The policy also defines how higher education qualifications fit into the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), which covers all levels of education and registers all qualifications. The framework sets minimum admission requirements for all programmes, but leaves it up to universities to set their own admission policies beyond those minimum requirements. It allows recognition of prior learning and work-integrated learning.
PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION There are 118 (87 registered and 31 with provisional registration) private higher education institutions operating legally in South Africa* Although the private higher education sector has a greater number of institutions, its overall student population is dwarfed by public higher education. Most private colleges offer advanced certificates and diplomas with a vocational focus, responding to the high demand for market oriented qualifications. There are also a number of institutions offering a range of degree and postgraduate qualifications, such as St. Augustine, Monash South Africa and the Independent Institute of Education, Damelin and Midrand Graduate Institute, as well as major providers of advanced certificates and diplomas such as Lyceum College and City Varsity. * Source: Strategic Planning session with DHET institutions, entities and key stakeholders, February 2013
Source: http://www.ieasa.studysa.org/resources/ Study_SA_11/In%20leaps%20and%20bounds%20 Growing.pdf
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
180
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE - THE ROLE OF UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTIONS OF TECHNOLOGIES
Partnership is Crucial to Impactful CSI The corporate social investment programme of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is biased towards education and sustainable livelihoods (income-generation), particularly in rural areas. Most importantly, education (maths, science and technology) have been identified as priority areas. Guided by the Basic Education and National Skills Accords signed at Nedlac (National Economic Development and Labour Council) in 2011, IDC aims to promote education in a more holistic approach, partnering with other institutions. With this in mind, all efforts are geared towards improving learning outcomes, particularly in underperforming schools. The focus is on whole school development: capacity development for learning and teaching (maths, science and technology). IDC’s focus also includes skills development by supporting selected universities and Further Education and Training Colleges across the country. We also recognise the role played by micro- or survivalist enterprises in terms of poverty alleviation. Our initiatives in this regard support innovative models for grassroots projects aimed at sustaining individual livelihoods through income-generating projects.
ration, it promotes entrepreneurship through the building of competitive industries and enterprises based on sound business principles.
Another crucial part of our CSI programme focuses on special interventions, responding to unexpected natural events that require humanitarian intervention: floods, fires and drought. We believe partnership is absolutely critical in CSI. We partner with the government, non-profit organisations and other institutions in making sure our initiatives are most impactful. One of our key rural development initiatives is the Nguni cattle project, which seeks to reintroduce and preserve the Nguni cattle breed. The project targets black farmers with the aim to introduce them to mainstream farming.
TEBOGO MOLEFE SENIOR MANAGER: CSI – INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (IDC)
The project is run in partnership with other partners – provincial departments of agriculture, rural development and selected universities.
EDUCATION AND
Promoting local arts and crafts is also central to our CSI programme. We have a gallery at our head office in Sandton, where upcoming artists and crafters mainly from disadvantaged backgrounds are given space to showcase their talents.
SOUTH AFRICA’S
DEVELOPMENT ESSENTIAL FOR COMMON FUTURE: THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Chillibush9479IDC
Six years ago, Tebogo Molefe’s passion for development work saw her join the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). She has been with the organisation’s CSI since 2007. She is responsible for the overall strategy and implementation of CSI programme for the entire corporation. Mamokgethi Molopyane sat down with her, to hear more about their plans. Not many companies can aim to be the primary source of commercially sustainable industrial development and innovation to benefit both South Africa and the rest of Africa, but IDC is no ordinary business. A sustainable industrial development corpo-
The South African government under the supervision of the Economic Development department owns the IDC. The objective of the Corporate Social Investment (CSI) of the IDC is to complement the overall mandate of the organisation in promoting economic growth and industrial development in South Africa. They also aim to support government developmental imperatives of poverty alleviation and employment creation. “Our approach to corporate social investment is developmental in nature, hence we believe in long-term investment of projects in order to have sustainable impact. This is evident particularly in our focus on education where we emphasise skills development to build scarce skills capacity required to grow the economy and create mass employment,” says Molefe The IDC presently has two main focus areas, education and skills development and sustainable livelihoods. The main aim is to contribute towards the improvement of the quality of life of communities especially in rural areas and underdeveloped areas. Their approach to corporate social investment is developmental in nature, hence they believe in long-term investment of projects in order to have sustainable impact. “Our focus on education where we emphasise skills development to build scarce skills capacity required to grow the economy and create mass employment is clear evidence of our commitment
to sustainable developmental projects. There is a serious shortage of scarce skills in the fields that can really grow the economy. It is only fitting that more than fifty percent of our CSI budget be spent in the education sector. We believe that education lays the basis for growing the economy and industrial development “ says Molefe. The Corporation’s interventions in the education sector cuts across, from basic education, to supporting skills development programmes at universities and further education and training (FET) institutions and a bursary fund. They provide full bursaries to selected learners and track progress from first year through to graduation. This is done in line with the government’s campaign of addressing critical skills shortages in science, technology, engineering and maths. Since 2007, the Industrial Development Corporation has adopted 30 Dinaledi Schools and has since then awarded over 270 bursaries to top performing students from those schools. Dinaledi Schools are schools that are supported by the department of Basic Education to improve significantly the participation and performance of pupils in mathematics and physical science. Through its corporate social investment in education, the IDC recognises that education and development is central to the economy of a modern society and an indispensable motor of growth. It is essential for our common future, to widen South Africa’s development base and meet growing needs.
Telephone: 086 069 3888 Email: callcentre@idc.co.za 181
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
www.idc.co.za
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 7 | INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
182
Umalusi is the Quality Council for General and Further Education and Training. The name is derived from the Nguni “uMalusi” meaning “shepherd” or “herder”, or, in the African context, “guardian of the family assets.” Umalusi is responsible for the general and further education and training sub-framework of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), i.e. levels 1 to 4. Umalusi sets and monitors quality assurance standards for this sector with the purpose of continually enhancing the quality of education in schools, Further Education and Training Colleges and Adult Education Centres.
The Council ensures that the providers of education and training have the capacity to deliver
UM A LUSI’S K EY FUNCTIONS INCLUDE:
n Developing new qualifications in the general and further education and training sector and evaluating existing qualifications and curricula’
n Moderating assessment to ensure that it is fair, valid and reliable
and assess qualifications and programmes and are doing so to expected standards of quality.
CURRENTLY UMALUSI CERTIFIES THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS: n The National Senior Certificate (NSC) n The Senior Certificate (SC) phasing out 2014 n The National Certificate Vocational (NCV)
n Conducting research to ensure educational quality n Accrediting educational and assessment providers, and n Certifying learner attainments
n National Technical Certificate N3 n General Education and Training Certificate for adults (GETC) Umalusi’s certification system is highly secured, using very sophisticated software procedures to ensure that institutions of higher education, employers and other interested parties can rely on the authenticity and quality of the certificates issued.
If you need more information on the qualifications certificated by Umalusi or the private providers accredited by Umalusi, contact us at: www.umalusi.org.za
Tel: 012 349 1510 | Fax: 012 349 1511 | Email: info@umalusi.org.za
Alternatively contact or visit the NQF helpline at: 0860 111 672 available from 08:00 – 16:00 Walk in centre: SAQA House | 1067 Arcadia Street, Hatfield (1st floor) (Between 08:00 -16:30) Email: help@nqf.org.za | Website: www.nqf.org.za
CHAPTER NINE
09 CONNECTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
THE
STRATEGIC
COORDINATION
PLANNING,
CHIEF
RESEARCH
DIRECTORATE
AND
HOSTED
A
WORKSHOP TITLED EMERGING RESEARCH FINDINGS ON QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION ON 24 OCTOBER 2012.
The objective of the Quality Basic Education workshop was to create an environment within which emerging research findings on the quality of education could be presented and discussed in anticipation of the upcoming review of policy in education over the first 20 years of democracy. It was also to facilitate well researched quality aspects into education programmes and interventions. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Provincial Education Department (PED) officials as well as selected external stakeholders attended the workshop.
LET’S WORK TOGETHER AS ONE TO ACHIEVE QUALITY EDUCATION
Connect with the education leaders on www.ed.org.za or contact Argo on +27 (0)21 865 2813 or info@argo.org.za to be part of the Education Roundtables.
CHAPTER NINE
EMERGING RESEARCH FROM THE QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 2012
CONNECTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
The Strategic Planning, Research and Coordination Chief Directorate hosted a workshop titled Emerging Research Findings on Quality Basic Education on 24 October 2012.
B. Poverty and privilege: Primary school inequalities in South Africa (Mr Nicolas Spaull)
The purpose of the Quality Basic Education workshop was to create an environment within which emerging research findings on the quality of education could be presented and discussed in anticipation of the upcoming review of policy in education over the first 20 years of democracy. It was also to facilitate well researched quality aspects into education programmes and interventions. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Provincial Education Department (PED) officials as well as selected external stakeholders attended the workshop. Presentations were delivered on the following key areas:
A. Early education inequalities and the impact of Grade R (Dr Stephen Taylor) The presentation highlighted the cognitive disparities caused by social inequalities amongst learners entering the schooling system, providing evidence that parental social economic status,
education,
influence,
and
opportunities
affect
the
learning ability of learners and successful schooling in the current education system. Research further indicates that large portions of South African (SA) children in Grade 5 are functionally illiterate, one root cause being a failure to learn to read in the early grades. As all learning builds on earlier learning, learners with weak foundations learn less over time.
Research indicates that interventions during early childhood development can be expected to have strong impacts on school readiness. Educational policy has greatly expanded access to Grade R across the country, increasing enrolment from about 200 000 to over 700 000 learners since 2001. Increased enrolment has been particularly high in economically poorer provinces but the quality of Grade R and ultimately its ability to foster effective learning remains a challenge.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
The current schooling system should be seen as two different systems, the first being that of the wealthy successful learning quintile 5 institutions and the second being that of underperforming schools comprising of schools in quintile 1 to 4. Disparities in effective learning indicate that the education system does not perform at a reasonable average performance standard but rather as the top 25 percent of the wealthy quintile performing exceptionally and the remaining 75 percent performing at very low levels. Resultantly, education policy and reform should not be structured into a single system for all schools as this creates a generalised approach that does not adequately focus on problems at hand but compares highly contrasted schooling systems against each other, expecting norms, processes and incentives to be similar for both systems, which is unrealistic. Lessons should be learnt from the 25 percent of high performing schools as well as from successful quintile 1 and 2 schools in order to develop relevant policy to affect successful and effective learning, thus enabling education to be a tool of social transformation.
C. The Annual National Assessments 2011 (public expenditure analysis) findings and reflections in quality outcomes (Mr Nicolas Spaull) The Annual National Assessments (ANA) have afforded the DBE an opportunity to measure learner and school performance at a standardised level for the first time with exception of the National Senior Certificate. This is particularly significant in measuring the quality of learning in primary school, the foundational level of all education which in turn provides standardised national information for the department to adequately assess primary school education and intervene timeously to improve learner outcomes.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
In order for ANA to be fully effective, one grade of the assessed grades should be externally administrated
and
verified.
Subsequently,
interventions should be detailed and specific in providing information on how schools should improve their learning and teaching to improve their education and results over time. The results of ANA should be published publicly to empower parents, district officials, schools and learners by reflecting on an accurate assessment of where the learner or school rate is in comparison to the expected educational outcomes, in comparison to other similar schools with regard to quintile and then overall on a national scale. This will enable stakeholders to improve, as they would have a realistic perception of their abilities, and it would also empower principals to better direct learning and teaching. It would also empower parents to make better decisions in school choice and their involvement at schools.
D. Education: Analysis of National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS) wave 1 and 2 data sets (Reza Daniels and Nicola Branson) NIDS has established a longitudinal study in which over 30 000 individuals are followed for an extended period; their data includes migration patterns, progress through school, income indicators, physical health as well as psychological wellbeing. This data is far more detailed than the current departmental school or learner databases. Due to its nature as a longitudinal study NIDS is an opportunity for the DBE to access a broad data set on which better policy may be developed and proposed interventions may be tested prior to universal implementation. To date an educational aspect of NIDS has been developed and its findings include confirmation that the Departmental Quintile system is accurate in its categorisation of schools - there are very small differences between quintile 1 to 4 followed by a large gap between these quintiles and quintile 5.
CHAPTER 9 | CONNECTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
188
CHAPTER NINE
CONNECTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
E. Grade 12 mathematics results: did the 2006 provincial boundary changes have an impact? In 2006, 30 schools were moved from the North West (NW) Province to Gauteng with regards to administration and jurisdiction. These schools have subsequently improved more than other schools remaining in the NW and more than other schools previously in Gauteng. This indicates a positive effect in moving from the NW to Gauteng. Research on the reasons for these improvements is being undertaken, and once these are identified and categorised they may be replicated nationwide which could improve overall student performance. The paper also discusses the puzzling finding that students in Limpopo perform relatively well in Maths and Science in the National Senior Certificate exams although they perform poorly in Grade 6 ANAs. Further analysis is being conducted to confirm this pattern that Limpopo is an under-performer at the primary school level but a good performer at the National Senior Certificate exam. Once research has been concluded these influencing factors may be replicated or encouraged in other similar schools and provinces.
IMPLICATIONS
nn
nn
nn
nn
Key implications include:
nn
nn
nn
nn
nn
Developing a standard curriculum guideline for Grade R in alignment with the Grade 1 expectations to facilitate easier transition from Grade R to Grade 1. Reviewing the single policy approach to basic education with consideration of developing a dual system targeted at underperforming schools and outstanding schools. This will afford the department the opportunity to provide greater detail in approach, implementation and interventions as schools would be categorised into similar groups where recommended solutions have relevance and viability. Researching, documenting and replicating successful school structures and performance particularly in quintile 1 schools, while providing these schools as models to which schools under similar conditions may aspire towards. Researching, documenting and replicating successful practices of high performing schools around the country, mostly in quintile 5 and using their experience, programmes and human capital as a resource to assist education overall.
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
Professor Shireen Motala from the University of Johannesburg has been elected as the first president of the new association, leading its development to its next conference and AGM planned for June 2014. The launch included a conference and the first volume of peer-reviewed conference proceedings. These are available from:
nn
Developing the quality aspect of Early Childhood Development, particularly in Grade R, as early intervention substantially improves cognitive ability and learner readiness for attainment of basic education.
Selecting a single year of ANA to be externally administrated and verified to institutionalise reliability of the ANA results; apply an external national standard and reflect on the difference between mark allocation of the external administrators/markers with that of school teachers to identify and address assessment discrepancies. Utilising ANA as an accountability standard instrument in schools, districts and provinces. Institutionalising performance measures and standards across schools to improve overall education particularly from the teaching and school management aspect. Utilising ANA as a public empowerment tool to foster civil support of the educational system, parental support and expectations of schools and a true reflection of the learning levels of students. Discussing possible relevant indicators which could be incorporated into NIDS as well as identifying which current indicators may assist the DBE in planning, policy review and impact evaluation. Pursuing research on the impact of border changes and using these to assess provincial education nationally, developing positive indicators and measures that could be replicated nationwide.
Gouws, F. E. & Wolhuter, C. C. 2013. SAERA 2013 Conference Proceedings: Educational Research in South Africa: Practices and Perspectives. Cape Town: OUP. Contributors include: Prof Bob Lingard from the University of Queensland who makes a plea for a focus on the educative potential of educational research; the need to learn and adapt rather than to adopt the practice of others and stimulate the development and sharing of the critical knowledge of the global South. Prof Joel Samoff from Stanford University in the USA explores some of the unasked questions that remain unanswered in much educational research and makes a plea for greater attention to the formation of questions and the design of research practices, within critical communities of practice.
Source: http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2BSp51mx19m4%3D &tabid=838&mid=2363
Prof R Govinda from the National University of Education Planning and Administration in
THE LAUNCH OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN EDUCATION RESEARCH ASSOCIATION (SAERA)
India explores exclusion and inequality in school education in India from a rights-based perspective, identifying the need for, and some of the barriers to the provision of quality education for all, in an address that has strong resonance in the South
The new association is designed to provide an inclusive, cohesive and responsive educational academic research organisational infrastructure for the promotion and development of education research in South Africa with the goals:
African context. Tony
Mays
presented
a
paper
entitled:
Open
Educational Resources (OER): do they make a difference and how do/will we know? The full paper
•
To advance research in all fields of education [and training] in South Africa.
•
To liaise with the World Education Research Association (WERA) and its constituent associations, with the aim to promote research in all fields of education globally.
•
To subscribe to the goals and aims of WERA.
is included in the published conference proceedings and explores some of the work that has been done with regard to, and calls for further collaboration in, research into the use and reuse of OER.
Source: http://www.saide.org.za/resources/newsletters/Vol_19_no.1_2013/Content/
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
SAERA.htm
CHAPTER 9 | CONNECTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
190
CONNECTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Learn from the experts, develop your skills and give yourself the correct tools to educate the next generation of South African students.
Media partner:
Western Cape: September 2013 Kwa-Zulu Natal: March 2014 Gauteng: July 2014
www.educationweek.co.za
EDUCATION HANDBOOK 2013
CHAPTER 9 | CONNECTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
192
Systems Transformation “Working Deeper, Not Harder” (Jabu Mandukwini, Math Teacher in the Eastern Cape)
It is obvious at any dinner party; on the social as well as traditional media that there is a national focus on education. The National Budget for 2013/04 allocated R234 Billion for education. ANA’s; TIMMS, and PIRLS focuses on quantitative achievement alone. Matric pass rates look at a numerical snapshot of human endeavour. What does this say about the people in our school system? Are they merely numbers and statistics? What are we missing? For the past seven years Infundo has focused on schools nationwide; exploring ways in which to ease the systemic drag so evident in schools we have worked in. Five years ago Infundo realised that traditional (linear) methods of school improvement had limited sustainable impact on the development and change on individuals or the psycho-dynamics of schools. Our philosophy is to shift underlying causes, which undermine a system’s ability to create positive change, in order to achieve real sustainable change. We work with the underlying psycho-dynamics of the system determining the behaviour we see and experience, instead of solely focusing on the desired outcome within the system. Working with township; rural; ex-model C and more recently independent schools, we externalise these dynamics with the schools themselves; finding insight (with the schools) around which part of the system needs resolution; and then resolving these dynamics using customised methodologies. Using these methodologies Systems psychodynamics is an interdisciplinary field that inteallows for the schools to learn to identify the psychodynamic themes grates three disciplines—the practice of psychoanalysis, the theories and methods of group relations, and open systems themselves and develop action plans to achieve the desired outcome. Thus subsequent skills development or linear implementation of change is made on top of a whole; clear and coherent system. The ability to gain insight into the schools’ own system is paramount and real empowerment therefore takes place and gains traction.
perspectives. Systems psychodynamics is “a term used to refer to the collective psychological behaviour” (Neumann, 1999, p. 57) within and between groups and organizations. “Systems psychodynamics, therefore, provides a way of thinking about energizing or motivating forces resulting from the interconnection between various groups and sub-units of a social system” (Neumann, 1999, p. 57)
We use a tried and tested systems transformation model, (co-developed by Infundo and GCW Consulting) which combines aspects of educational strategy as well as industrial psychology; used by us in various areas of schooling; and showing increased and sustainable change. Our work is complementary rather than exclusive; and we have developed strong partnerships covering other aspects of work in all our schools. Connecting schools to each other to continually refine and develop the thinking remains a strategic intent Visit our website for further information or contact Infundo for an individualised approach to the challenges present; internally as a project team and in the schools you work in – always utilising the deep systems approach which we adhere to, for sustained systems change. Infundo Consulting info@infundo.co.za www.infundo.weebly.com tel: +27 11 783 7288 fax: +27 86 560 3937
CONNECT WITH THE LEADERS WHO INFLUENCE OUR #1 SOCIAL PRIORITY: EDUCATION
WWW.ED.ORG .ZA The leading education por tal profiling achievements in education – the leading projects, the latest collaborations, to build energy and inspire others to take the lead in achieving quality education.
A transaction account •
Earning from 4.25% interest per year
4 savings plans • •
Earning from 4.25 – 8.5% interest per year You choose: flexible or fixed
You pay • • •
One monthly admin fee of R4.50 for all accounts Low, fixed transaction fees One initiation fee, a monthly service fee and interest on credit
Credit • •
Up to R230 000 over 84 months Free retrenchment and death cover
Mobile and Internet Banking •
No monthly subscription fees
Switch banks today • •
We’ll help you switch for free Visit any branch with your identification document, original proof of residential address and your latest bank statement or visit us for more info
2013 EDITION
One solution to money management
ONE GOAL: WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE QUALITY EDUCATION
You get
EDUCATION HANDBOOK
one simplified solution to banking
THE ED UCATION HA ND BOOK ONE GOAL: WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE QUALITY EDUCATION
The leading annual publication profiling development in education and the reference guide for 5 000 leaders across Government and private sectors.
THE FOURTH ANNUAL
EDUCATION HANDBOOK
24hr Client Care Centre on 0860 10 20 43 or visit capitecbank.co.za Fees include VAT. All information correct at time of going to print, 31/05/2013, and subject to change. A registered credit provider. NCR Reg. No.: NCRCP13 Capitec Bank Limited Reg. No.: 1980/003695/06
THE EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE EVENTS Where the thought leaders in education engage to build momentum as we work together as one.
We believe in connecting the leaders to achieve quality education. Take the lead and call us now to invest in the future. 021 865 2813 | info@argo.org.za | www.argo.org.za