Kagiso Trust's InBrief Newsletter - April 2016

InBRIEF Issue #19 | April 2016

Pe a c e , L i b e r a t i o n , D e v e l o p m e n t

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www.kagiso.co.za

KNOWL ED GE I S POWER The biggest Digital classrooms launched in Xhariep

solvable problem in SA

f ars o

K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f www.kagiso.co.za

“We have a purpose, and that is that Kagiso has to outgrow us as individuals.

Years from now, when we are qualified ancestors, it must still be here. It must still be serving people.� Eric Molobi

Kagiso Capital - ensuring long-term sustainable growth of the Trust.

2| Kagiso Trust InBrief

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K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

INSIDE INBRIEF CONTENTS APRIL 2016

///ISSUE #19

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04 05 07 08 17

Word from Corporate Affairs The biggest problem in SA BNSDP matric results Class of 2015 2016 Back to School Tips

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13 15 10 11 19

KST Learners essay competition Progressed learners Digital classrooms in Xhariep Pearls of Wisdom: IDC Notices and Gallery

Editor: Nontando Mthethwa Head writer: Amandla Kwinana Publisher: Star Hero Media Group (Level 1 BBBEE Certified Black Owned Agency. nonie@starhero.co.za | www.starhero.co.za | 011 462 1787

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K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

WORD FROM CORPORATE AFFAIRS “Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress in every society, in every family.”

- Kofi Annan

S

outh Africa entered 2016 amidst the dust cloud left behind by the student protests which shook the country late last year. The movement directed the spotlight to our education system and reinforced the fact that education demands societal responsibility. As we continue to celebrate our 30th anniversary through the Pearls of Wisdom campaign, Kagiso Trust recommits itself to playing an active role in education reform.

With the first quarter of 2016 already behind us, this issue highlights some of the progress in our education programmes (p.8 and p.13) from the past few months. And in the spirit of creating a better society, researcher Nic Spaull shares how South Africa can solve its biggest problem through education (p.5).

The CEO of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Geoffrey Qhena notes that it is paramount that “education and skills development are aligned with the current and future needs of our economy, so that we enhance the employability of South Africans in a constantly changing environment, in line with global trends” (p.11). We wish all those who recently graduated the best as they forge their own paths to participate in the economy.

To further explore solutions to the challenges which exist in our education system, Kagiso Trust, in partnership with the University of Johannesburg, will be resuming the Education Conversations in the month of May. Keep an eye on our social media platforms and website (www.educationconversations. co.za) for more information.

Wishing you a great year ahead. May we continue to receive and share pearls of wisdom across our respective sectors.

Enjoy the read.

Amandla Kwinana Corporate Affairs Assistant

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Truusstt || IInnBBrriieeff KKaaggiissoo Tr

Guest Contributor: Nic Spaull

Nic Spaull

THE BIGGEST SOLVABLE PROBLEM IN SOUTH AFRICA Irrespective of how tenuous or strong you believe the relationship is between education and economic growth, teaching all children to read well is a unanimously agreed upon goal in the 21st century. It is necessary for dignified living in a modern world, it is necessary for non-menial jobs, it is necessary for a functioning democracy.

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K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

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t also usually helps with ignorance, bigotry and a lack of empathy. In a modern context illiteracy is a disease that is eradicable, unlike unemployment or inequality. Like polio, illiteracy practically does not exist in most wealthy or even middle-income countries (defined here as basic reading).

Illiteracy rates among those who have completed grade 4 are in the low single digits in wealthy countries like England (5%), the United States (2%) and Finland (1%) and less than 50% in most middle income countries such as Colombia (28%), Indonesia (34%), and Iran (24%).

It’s difficult to get directly comparable estimates for the whole country but the best estimate from the recent preProgress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) surveys is about 58%. That is to say 58% of Grade 4/5 students cannot read for meaning in any language.

And why is Grade 4 a critical period?

The South African curriculum (like most curricula) prescribes that in the first three years of schooling children must ‘learn to read’, then from grade 4 onwards they must ‘read to learn’.

The fact that almost 60% cannot learn through reading means that these children cannot really engage with the curriculum beyond grade 4. It really isn’t much more complicated than that.

Reading for meaning and pleasure is, in my view, both the foundation and the pinnacle of the academic project in primary school.

Receiving, interpreting, understanding, remembering, analyzing, evaluating and creating information, symbols, art, knowledge and stories encompasses pretty much all of schooling. Yet most kids in South Africa never get a firm hold on this first rung of the academic ladder.

They are perpetually stumbling forward into new grades even as they fall further and further behind the curriculum.

Based on my reading of the academic literature - which may differ from others - there are three main reasons why the majority of kids don’t learn to read in lower primary school.

(1) Foundation Phase teachers (grades 1-3) do not know how to teach reading in a systematic way and pre- and inservice courses teaching this topic are unsystematic, inadequate or nonexistant, (2) Text-poor environments; the School Monitoring Survey showed that half of schools in quintiles 1-3 (i.e. poorest 60%) had no school or classroom library or even a book corner.

(Importantly, research has shown that even when there are libraries they are frequently mismanaged, have inappropriate materials and they are not integrated into reading lessons), (3) Wasted learning time; A number of South African studies have aimed to measure opportunity-to-learn and have frequently found that less than half of the official curriculum is being covered in the year and fewer than half of the officially scheduled lessons are actually taught. In one study in the North West teachers only taught 40% of scheduled lessons for the year (compared to 60% among schools across the border in Botswana).

It is not clear what was happening on the days where there was evidence of teaching or learning.

For me the solution is simple: we need to address these three problems: (1) decide how to teach existing and prospective teachers how to teach reading (as is done all over the world in contexts as linguistically and socioeconomically complex as our own), (2) ensure that all primary schools have a bare minimum number of books and that these are managed effectively, (3) monitor how often teachers are actually teaching and introduce meaningful training first and real consequences second for those teachers who are currently not teaching.

We may not have consensus on how to create jobs or increase growth, but there is consensus on how to teach children to read: with knowledgable teachers who have books and provide their students with enough opportunity to learn. If you want to improve matric, you need to start with reading. It’s not rocket science.

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We may not have consensus on how to create jobs or increase growth, but there is consensus on how to teach children to read

K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

Beyers NaudĂŠ Schools Development Programme (BNSDP) Matric Results 2015 Free State Thabo Mofutsanyana District

2015

2015

4094

85.37%

Learners who wrote the NSC exams

3495

Number passes

BNSDP Matric Pass Rate

599

Number of learners failed

1223

2014

Bachelors obtained

84.68%

1540

Diplomas obtained

715

Higher certificate obtained

8 BNSDP schools registered for matric examinations 71% of BNSDP schools obtained 80% and above

Class of 2015 Results National Pass Rate 70.7%

100%

Schools achieved

17 Schools achieved between 8 Schools achieved between 4 6 2 1

90% and 99.9% 80% and 89.9% 70% and 79.9%

Schools achieved between

60% and 69.9%

Schools achieved between

50% and 59.9%

Schools achieved between

Schools achieved between 40% and 49.9%

84.2%

2 Gauteng

84.7%

1

81.6%

3

Western Cape

Free State

Free State province placed 3rd in the country

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85.37%

BNSDP Pass Rate

K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

Class of 2015 BNSDP proves rural schools can be among the best

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n 5 January 2016, Kagiso Trust joined the Free State Department of Education in congratulating the province’s Class of 2015, specifically the Thabo Mofutsanyana district. The Free State province achieved a 81.6% pass rate and the Thabo Mofutsanyana district achieved a pass rate of 87.5%, making it the best performing district in the Free State.

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agiso Trust, in partnership with the Free State Department of Education, has been implementing the Beyers Naudé Schools Development Programme (BNSDP) in 166 Thabo Mofutsanyana schools since 2011 with 10 schools adopted into the programme in 2007.

As the programme is in its consolidation and exit phase, Kagiso Trust is pleased at the continued performance of the Thabo Mofutsanyana district which attests to the sustainability of the intervention in the district’s schools. The fact that the district’s performance increased and exceeded both provincial and national averages is indicative of the sustainability principles put in place by the BNSDP. The BNSDP has a sound strategy of establishing good governance and management principles which will ultimately form the foundation of the long term success of the schools affiliated with the programme. “At the heart of the BNSDP is the quest for deepening the quality and confidence of educators in rural communities as well as encouraging communities around the school to participate in the management of their school,” said Themba Mola, Kagiso Trust Chief Operations Officer. 2015 saw eight of the 46 secondary schools which are part of the BNSDP achieve a remarkable 100% pass rate.

Situated in the predominantly rural Thabo Mofutsanyana district, the eight schools are: The Beacon Secondary School, Lekgulo Secondary School, Masopha Secondary School, Metsi Matsho Secondary School, Mohaladitwe Secondary School, Rantsane Secondary School, Reahola Secondary School and Thiboloha Special School.

Mr SH Molete, Rantsane Secondary School Principal, shared that “the school had been receiving poor results but since the involvement of Kagiso Trust, every grade has improved its results. In 2008, we received a matric pass rate of 51%.

We are now a 100% pass rate school.”

Rantsane Secondary School achieved a 100% pass average in 2013, 2014 and 2015. What do they attribute to this success? “The BNSDP provided us with School Governing Body workshops

which assisted with management and governance. Teambuilding exercises helped unite our staff, especially in 2013 and 2014 and our school realised its best results ever”, said Molete. The BNSDP saw 4 094 learners write the National Senior Certificate examination, an increase of 679 learners compared to 2014. 3 495 learners passed: 1 223 bachelor passes, 1 540 diplomas and 715 higher certificates were obtained.

The district continues to show a steady growth in performance year on year. “We believe that working with government and district officials is integral to sustainability as we share best practice and lessons learnt with the district. Thank you to all the parents, teachers, principals and the Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District office for their commitment and hard work. We encourage them to continue to grow and sustain good academic results” concluded Mola.

As part of Rantsane Secondary School’s incentive for achieving a 100% pass rate for the third consecutive year, Kagiso Trust rewarded the educators 27 educators, together with their spouses, with a trip to Cape Town. “I feel motivated and encouraged by the incentives we got from Kagiso Trust” shared Rantsane educator, Mrs M.A. Sefume. “Going to Durban twice and now to Cape Town - it’s an unforgettable experience. I appreciate the fact that our efforts do not go unnoticed.”

“I think that the results will be maintained and sustained through the systems that the school has utilized for the past three years. It is now the culture of the school to use strategy, analysis of tasks and remedial work… In 2016 learners commit themselves to obtaining a 100% pass rate and an 85% bachelor pass rate.

Teachers also committed themselves to beat their individual 2015 performance per subjects” added Mr M.D. Malema, also an educator at Rantsane Secondary School.

The Cape Town trip saw the educators visit Table Mountain, Robben Island and the V&A Waterfront, among other attractions.

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“I feel motivated and encouraged by the incentives we got from Kagiso Trust”

K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

DIGITAL CLASSROOMS LAUNCHED IN XHARIEP

Free State is a performance-driven province, says Free State MEC of Education, Mr Tate Makgoe speaking at the launch of digital classrooms at Thabo Vuyo Secondary School in Rouxville, Xhariep District on Thursday, 25 February 2016.

The purpose of the digital classroom programme is to ensure that learning and teaching is enhanced through the latest technological developments such as the use of tablets.

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wo other Free State schools that benefited from the programme are Wongalethu Secondary School in Bethulie and RelebohileSibulele Secondary School in Smithfield.

The pilot programme targets grade eight learners in a bid to assist them to improve their marks in Mathematics and Physical Sciences. The programme is sponsored by Pearson South Africa and supported by FibreCo, VastraTech, Voimar and Intel.

The schools were chosen on the basis of their good performance for their 2015 grade 12 results.

Wongalethu Secondary School obtained a 100% pass rate which prompted Mr Makgoe to promise the school a newly-built

hall. “This is an indication that hard work pays off” he declared.

Makgoe encouraged learners to start working towards obtaining distinctions in their matric year in 2020. He thanked all the sponsors for helping to reach learners in far flung rural areas such as Xhariep and introducing them to the latest technology.

He encouraged learners to not allow their background to hinder them from success and instead have confidence in their abilities.

As much as Makgoe appreciates the sponsorship, he warned teachers that resources don’t teach but are just a great support structure. As the saying goes: it’s not what you have, but how you use it that matters.

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K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

IDC: GROWING ENTREPRENEURS TO MEET THE COUNTRY’S NEEDS Chief Executive Officer of the Industrial Development Corporation, Mr. Geoffrey Qhena

What effect does mentorship have for emerging entrepreneurs?

It allows the entrepreneurs to build skills in areas where they might be lacking the required skills or experience to successfully establish and grow their business. It also allows entrepreneurs to approach someone with skills in a particular area to discuss a specific problem.

What does your role entail at the Industrial Development Corporation?

I am the chief executive officer of the IDC. My role includes – among other responsibilities - providing guidance and directing IDC’s business focus, particularly in terms of our mandate.

What role do Development Financial Institutions play in the development of South Africa’s entrepreneurs?

One of the most important functions that DFIs such as IDC, sefa and the NEF fulfills is the provision of finance, or capital, for entrepreneurs.

Without this finance, some entrepreneurs simply do not have access to capital required to start their businesses. Another important role is the provision of business support. This is non-financial support provided to entrepreneurs. What we have found is that some entrepreneurs may be highly skilled in some areas of running and growing their business, but might lack some skills or experience in other areas. Through business support, we address some of these shortcomings to help the entrepreneur to run his or her business better.

To date how much has been approved and how may decent jobs have been created as result of IDC funding?

Over the past five years up to March 2015, IDC approved R60.1 billion, with more than 140 000 jobs expected to be created by this.

According to the 2015/16 edition World Economic Forum Global Competitive Survey shows that out of 140 countries, for one or more of the following rankings achieved by South Africa: 8th for soundness of banks; 6th for availability of financial services; 1st for financing through local equity market How does this uniquely position the country for further investment?

South Africa’s banking sector is indeed highly regarded for its high levels of sophistication, innovation and governance. Our stock exchange also ranks among the top 20 in the world. In addition, our main development finance institutions are often used as benchmarks in light of their financial sustainability, governance, reach and regional footprints.

These attributes, coupled with the very liquid nature of our capital and currency markets, are very important for the investor community, underscoring the substantial inflows of foreign capital over the years. These have consisted of portfolio investments by non-residents and foreign direct investment (FDI) in Greenfield and brownfield projects, as well as in acquisitions.

South Africa has been the leading recipient of FDI in Africa for a number of years, bearing testimony of its attractiveness as a preferred investment destination and often as a gateway to the continent. Ours is unquestionably of the most sophisticated emerging markets in the world, offering ample investment opportunities across various sectors of the economy.

Why is it important for developing countries to collaborate with other developing countries such as BRICS?

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Collaboration between developing countries, often referred to as SouthSouth cooperation, opens up viable opportunities in their individual and collective pursuit of sustained economic growth and development.

Such collaboration takes different and evolving forms, including the sharing of knowledge and experience, training, technology transfer, as well as trade, financial and investment co-operation.

It provides opportunities for greater access to capital and development finance (increased borrowing capacity) and the diversification of the sources of development finance; higher FDI inflows; increased trading activities; the chance to transform the structure of their economies; and a louder voice and stronger bargaining power in international bodies and global affairs (such as trade and climate change negotiations).

Over the past couple of decades, South Africa has fostered collaboration with and between developing countries through many initiatives. These have been both public- and/or private sector-driven.

Among the most notable from our perspective are the SADC (and ongoing negotiations towards the establishment of the SADC-COMESA-EAC Free Trade Area), the BRICS and IBSA arrangements.

Much collaboration is also taking place at the firm or company level.

For example, many Chinese, Indian, Brazilian and South African entities and/ or companies having invested in various sectors throughout Africa (such as health, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, telecommunications, finance, physical infrastructure).

With stronger and more effective interaction at the governmental level and greater private sector participation, trading and investment activity with other developing countries and regions could increase significantly and result in considerable economic gains.

K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

How do we improve economic sustainability in South Africa’s growing economy?

It is critical that we address the constraints that have been holding back the economy’s growth potential.

These include addressing infrastructurerelated bottlenecks, both in terms of the availability and the cost of services, in the areas of electricity, transport and logistics, and water supply, among others. It is also crucial that education and skills development are completely aligned with the current and future needs of our economy, so that we enhance the employability of South Africans in a constantly changing environment, in line with global trends.

In the currently difficult economic environment, business and investor confidence must be restored so as to raise fixed investment activity by the private sector. Concerted efforts must be made to promote our manufactured products in the global marketplace, especially in faster growing emerging and developing economies, so as to utilise presently spare production capacity and lay the demand-led foundation for its future expansion, creating much-needed employment opportunities in the process.

The Department of Trade and Industry recently launched the Black Industrialists Programme, what is a Black Industrialist and how does the Industrial Development Corporation contribute towards this programme?

A black industrialist is basically an entrepreneur that gets his or her hands

dirty in the running of their business.

These are not individuals whose only role in a business is to attend a Board meeting once a quarter but provide real operational and strategic leadership to the business. Obviously these people must have a meaningful stake in the business and we are typically looking at those entrepreneurs that are involved in productive sectors of the economy like manufacturing.

Government is providing many opportunities for black industrialists by providing markets for manufactured goods through infrastructure development programmes and other government procurement. IDC’s most prominent role in the development of these entrepreneurs is to provide funding for these entrepreneurs to start of grow their businesses to take advantage of these opportunities.

What would you say are the main economic development challenges of our time?

The imperative is to achieve faster, sustainable and inclusive economic growth that will expand employment, reduce inequality and eradicate poverty in South Africa.

We also need to transform our economy in terms of its structure, specifically by enhancing and diversifying the contributions from the goods-producing sectors, as well as in its ownership.

To attain this, we need high rates of private sector investment in globally competitive operations that are preferably jobs-rich, supported by the

March 6 2016 Business Times page 12

|

With the recent increase in rising interest the REPO rate went up by 50 basis points, how does this impact entrepreneurs who need to repay their business loans?

With most emerging economies such as South Africa’s facing highly volatile financial and currency markets in the current global environment, their monetary authorities have been forced to act. Large outflows of investment capital and trade imbalances due to deteriorating terms of trade have resulted in sharp currency depreciations and rising inflationary pressures.

Hence, despite weak economic growth and the unemployment challenge, South Africa’s monetary policy has had to be further tightened in pursuit of price stability. This imposes an additional burden on business enterprises already challenged on the supply-side by rising operational costs. Moreover, higher interest rates will aggravate presently subdued demand-side conditions by affecting consumption spending by households and firms.

As the CEO of the IDC my role includes, among other responsibilities, providing guidance and directing the IDC’s business focus, particularly in terms of our mandate.

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One of the most important functions that institutions such as the IDC, the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and the National Empowerment Fund fulfil is the provision of finance for entrepreneurs. Without this finance, some entrepreneurs simply do not have access to the capital required to start their businesses.

Another important role is the provision of business support. This is nonfinancial support provided to entrepreneurs.

What we have found is that some entrepreneurs may be highly skilled in some areas of running and growing their business, but might lack some skills or experience in other areas.

Through business support, we address some of these shortcomings to help the entrepreneur to run their business better.

Over the past five years up to March 2015, the IDC approved R60.1-billion, with more than 140 000 jobs expected to be created by this. Â

It allows entrepreneurs to build skills in areas where they might be lacking the required skills or experience to successfully establish and grow their business.

It also allows entrepreneurs to approach someone with skills in a particular area to discuss a specific problem. ���� �­ €

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South Africa’s banking sector is indeed highly regarded for its high levels of sophistication, innovation and governance. Our stock exchange also ranks among the top 20 in the world. In addition, our main development finance institutions are often used as benchmarks in

12

necessary public sector investment to ensure the provision of efficient and cost-competitive utility services to the economy at large. We must expand our country’s entrepreneurial base by assisting new participants in contributing to value addition and employment, as well as stimulating the emergence of new business ideas and solutions.

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light of their financial sustainability, governance, reach and regional footprints.

These attributes, coupled with the very liquid nature of our capital and currency markets, are very important for the investor community, underscoring the substantial inflows of foreign capital over the years.

These have consisted of portfolio investments by non-residents and foreign direct investment in greenfield and brownfield projects, as well as in acquisitions.

South Africa has been the leading recipient of foreign direct investment in Africa for a number of years, bearing testimony to the country’s attractiveness as a preferred investment destination and often as a gateway to the continent.

Ours is unquestionably one of the most sophisticated emerging markets in the world, offering ample investment opportunities across various sectors.

and evolving forms, including the sharing of knowledge and experience, training, technology transfer, as well as trade, financial and investment co-operation.

It provides opportunities for greater access to capital and development finance (increased borrowing capacity) and the diversification of the sources of development finance; higher foreign direct investment inflows; increased trading activities; the chance to transform the structure of their economies; and a louder voice and stronger bargaining power in international bodies and global affairs (such as trade and climate change negotiations).

Over the past couple of decades, South Africa has fostered collaboration with and between developing countries through many initiatives. These have been driven by both the public and private sectors.

Among the most notable from our perspective are the Southern African Development Community (and ongoing regional trade negotiations), the Brics and IndiaBrazil-South Africa arrangements.

Much collaboration is also taking place at the firm or company level.

For example, many Chinese, Indian, Brazilian and South African entities and companies have invested in health, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, telecommunications, finance and physical infrastructure

Š

Collaboration between developing countries opens up viable opportunities in their individual and collective pursuit of sustained economic growth and development.

Such collaboration takes different

in Africa.

With stronger and more effective interaction at the governmental level and greater private sector participation, trading and investment activity with other developing countries and regions could increase significantly. Â

It is critical that we address the constraints that have been holding back the economy’s growth potential. These include addressing infrastructure-related bottlenecks, both in terms of the availability and the cost of services, in the areas of electricity, transport and logistics, and water supply.

It is also crucial that education and skills development are completely aligned with the current and future needs of our economy, so that we enhance the employability of South Africans.

In the currently difficult economic environment, business and investor confidence must be restored so as to raise fixed investment activity by the private sector.

Concerted efforts must be made to promote our manufactured products in the global marketplace, especially in faster-growing emerging and developing economies, so as to utilise current spare production capacity and lay the foundation for its future expansion,

creating much-needed employment opportunities in the process.

Š … ‹

‰ …

A black industrialist is basically an entrepreneur who gets their hands dirty in the running of their business. These are not individuals whose only role in a business is to attend a board meeting once a quarter, but who provide real operational and strategic leadership to the business.

Obviously, these people must have a meaningful stake in the business, and we are typically looking at those entrepreneurs who are involved in productive sectors of the economy, like manufacturing.

The government is providing many opportunities for black industrialists by providing markets for manufactured goods through infrastructure development programmes and other government procurement. The IDC’s most prominent role in the development of these entrepreneurs is to provide funding for them to start to grow their businesses to take advantage of these opportunities.

The imperative is to achieve faster, sustainable and inclusive economic growth that will expand employment, reduce inequality and eradicate poverty in South Africa.

We also need to transform our economy in terms of its structure, specifically by enhancing and diversifying the contributions from the goods-producing sectors, as well as in its ownership.

To attain this, we need high rates of private sector investment in globally competitive operations that are preferably jobs-rich, supported by public sector investment to ensure the provision of efficient and cost-competitive utility services to the economy.

We must expand our entrepreneurial base by assisting new participants in contributing to value addition and employment, as well as stimulating the emergence of new business ideas and solutions. Ă˝ This is one of a series of monthly articles sponsored by Kagiso Trust in celebration of its 30th anniversary

K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

KST LEARNERS IMPRESS IN ESSAY COMPETITION In 2015 Kagiso Shanduka Trust (KST) ran its first annual essay competition. The competition was open to learners in grades 8-12 in 20 of the Kagiso Shanduka Trust schools in the Motheo and Fezile Dabi districts. The aim of the competition is to encourage the learners to write more and engage with Kagiso Shanduka Trust.

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K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

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his is an opportunity for learners to express themselves and respond to a topic which aims to help them think creatively and reflect on their personal experiences. KST was impressed with the quality of the essays, with the content taking precedence over grammatical correctness. The next KST Essay Competition will take place in May 2016.

Topic: Nelson Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” Using Nelson Mandela’s words as inspiration write a 1-page essay and share your personal thoughts on what education means to you.

Prize: The winners received a deskbag filled with stationery goodies.

Winner 1 Name: Badela Tshepang David School: Strydom Secondary School Grade: 12 Mr Nelson Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” Does our background determine our future? Well, they don`t because where you start in life never determine where you will end up in life. The road to a better life might be challenging but with education everything is possible. These words of Mr. Nelson Mandela which say that education is the most powerful weapon that one can use to change the world are indeed the truth.

The change that these words talks about begin in one`s life. For example you can get educated and in return help others.

Like Oprah Winfrey who was born into poverty and raised by a teenage mom in Mississippi United States and now she is an American icon who has eager to help other people living in poverty. She has a talk show on SABC 3 and she invites most of the successful people to her show. If it wasn`t because of education she would have not achieved all this. Mr Nelson Mandela also once said “Poverty is not an accident like slavery and apartheid.

It is man-made and it can be removed and it can be removed by actions of human beings.” after getting out of poverty one can also help other like Oprah does for others who are currently in poverty to get out of it.

This can be done by motivating learners to work hard on their studies and also by helping them financially or with materials required for their studies like the Kagisho Shanduka Trust helps school by building and renovating the school, Building Libraries, Science and Mathematics labs and etc.

Without educated people within this Kagisho Shanduka Trust this things that they do for schools wouldn`t have been possible. Mr Patrice Motsepe who was born in Soweto from a poor background and now being the first South African billionaire he also helps people living in poverty.

Without education he would not be owning mines here in S.A. He also has a mining law degree. Taking into consideration the poverty this people grew up in, it clearly shows that it doesn`t matter your background, with education you can succeed.

Without education we would not have had such a wonderful, confident and an amazing president like Mr. Nelson Mandela. We as the youths of South Africa we should focus on our studies because education is the key to success and the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.

Winner 2: Name: Palesa Ntsane School: Selokisa Intermediate School Grade: 9 Mr Nelson Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” Education is the key to success.

Education holds the key to that future.

As the UN Secretary General has said, “people are the greatest wealth of any country, but that wealth must be built on quality education.”

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In many ways, education is a game changer that can close our biggest developing gaps. Improved education carries benefits throughout life and across generations.

This sentiment is the heart of the UNITED NATION the belief that all countries and all people share the responsibilities to build a better world.

It has many positive impacts on reducing infant mortality rate. It leads to better nutrition, supports HIV prevention, boosts poverty reduction and empowers women and youth.

But it does something even more important. Education opens the door to unlimited possibilities. It helps to change mind sets. To dream and to bridge the gap between the reality we have and the future we choose to create.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”

K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

“PROGRESSED LEARNERS” Means well but it’s not sustainable writes Themba Mola, a trustee from Kagiso Shanduka Trust

The subject of progressed learners has dominated discussions at many public platforms and dinner tables. But what seems to raise most people’s eyebrows is the notion of allowing a learner who failed grade 11 twice to progress to grade 12. Clearly, this is one contentious issue that pose serious political and moral dilemma for the state particularly the department of basic education.

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K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

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n fact, many teachers and education commentators have expressed deep reservations about the policy arguing that they feel this approach is “unsustainable” as it saddles teacher with more added responsibilities to support learners who arguably should have been retailed in the same grade.

The department has introduced this policy to primarily throw a lifeline to these learners so that they can exit the system with at least some form of qualification, this are learners who are most likely could have been discouraged and exited the system. It is estimated that almost 50% of Grade 1 learners do not complete grade 12,this is indeed a bleak picture.

I think the policy should be understood within a broader context. The department introduced this policy partly to also prevent learners from being retained in a phase for more than 2 years, there are three phases.

These codes deal with such aspects as learner promotion, repeat, condonation, progression and adjustment. The promotion code for progression is implemented by progressing learners to higher grades so that the age cohort or admission age is not exceeded.

Often the concept of progression is used interchangeably with age cohort.

For example, a learner in grade 5 should not exceed the age of 14. This method is also used as a mechanism to reduce the bottleneck effect particularly in grade 9 and 11. It also reduces the disparity between the number of learners registering for grade 1 and those writing matric.

Although the codes do not constitute a specific policy, they find expression in the following policies: • National Curriculum Statement (NSC) for all subjects • Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement for all subjects listed in NCS grade 1-12 • National policy pertaining to the programme and promotion requirements of NCS grade 1-12 • National Protocol for Assessment for grade R to grade 12 In addition, grade 12 learners who achieve level 1 and 2 in individual subjects are provided with support together with progressed learners. This makes the challenge both wide per grade and subject specificity.

It is clear therefore, based on the above, that the pressure for the education system to assist learners coincides with the ultimate measure of the whole system – grade 12 results.

For me the policy is important from the point of view of retaining learners within the system and this will certainly resonate well with those

who raised concern about the high number of learners dropping out before they complete matric. Recently, Council of Education Ministers took a decision to modulate matric so that failed learners have the option to focus on the subjects they are ready to write this year and then prepare for the remaining subjects the next year. I support the concept of matric modulation only if the aim is to assist the academically weak learners – those who despite remedial attention still battled to cope with grade 12 curriculum. In other words, modulation should not be afforded to any learner who failed grade 11.

The issue to me should not be about whether learners are ready to pass grade 11 or not.

Rather, it should be about whether the schooling system provides learners with adequate preparations to exit grade 12 having acquired basic minimums. It would be naïve to assume that these learners suddenly appeared at grade 11.

What is clear about the progressed learners is that given targeted and differentiated support they can do well in grade 12. As a matter of fact, 3 297 of the 65 671 passed matric with Bachelors qualifications thus disproving the view that there is no way they would make it because they failed grade 11. What is clear is that the problem is not necessarily with the learners but the schooling system that is failing them.

The other crucial context to consider about the progression policy is the fairly wide-spread tendency by most schools to withhold poor performing learners from writing matric examinations and sometimes these schools “gate-keep” or divert them to enrol as parttime learners to achieve better matric pass rate.

This contributed to a high number of drop outs because schools chased pass rates and do very little to help learners who struggle. The other key observation to highlight is that often teachers at feeder classes do not make an extra effort because they know that, in terms of the policy, learners will have to be progressed anyway.

Linked to this is the general problem of our fixation with matric pass. Our schooling system puts too high a prize on passing matric such that we would do everything it takes to progress our learners to the next grade even though they are inadequately prepared.

This is why most of them drop out in their first year at University because they have not developed necessary cognitive and high order thinking skills to grasp the content at tertiary level. I do not mean to undermine the achievement and sacrifices some of our learners make to pass matric.

They certainly deserve to be acknowledged.

Even though the policy has good intentions,

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I think the department should still work hard to keep the numbers of progressed learners low. The solution lies in overhauling the entire system and introducing programmes such as Annual National Assessments, notwithstanding the controversy they stirred up with teacher unions. What is required is a system that conducts regular and rigorous assessments and not just relies on the grade 12 pass assessment. Learners should pass because they will have met the minimum requirements.

It means all grades teachers should have knowledge of the subject, the curriculum and more importantly, know how to teach. The department of basic education should also ensure there is an effective leadership in the whole pipeline to address the basic problems of punctuality, absenteeism and effective classroom teaching.

I suggest the following to address some of the deficiencies in our education system: • Continue to hold the lower grade teachers accountable • Insist that teachers cover the whole curriculum on time

• Have regular and quality assessment in the lower grades and • Conduct a baseline assessment in grade 10 to assess the extent to which learners lack the basic knowledge to start at Further Education and Training.

It is important learners understand that grade 12 is a three year study experience and that if they do not understand grades 10 and 11 curriculum their chances of making it into grade 12 are limited.

Adopting a holistic approach in dealing with the challenges at school level has the potential to yield tangible benefits. Most problems that schools experience are related to factors such as basic infrastructure, teacher training, leadership and governance. Kagiso Shanduka Trust has implemented a system-wide model, which most schools have adopted to turn their situations around and delivery of better academic results, called District Whole School Development Programme.

The model helps schools improve learners’ academic performance and optimise their operations. The programme also addresses the issue of capacity building to assist teachers enhance their curriculum content knowledge in specific subjects and deal with other critical issues such as leadership, governance and accountability.

Most significantly, the programme is designed to help avoid congestion of progressed learners at grade 11, while making sure learners are adequately prepared to proceed to grade 12.

K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

Class of 2016: Back to School Tips We are already in the fourth month of the year. By now most educators and learners would have settled into a certain routine. To assist in getting the most out of your school year, the Kagiso Trust Programmes Team has compiled a list of tips for both educators and learners.

Use a differentiated teaching approach

1

FOR THE EDUCATORS

Identify the learners’ performance and use it as a guide to address each learner’s needs. For example if a learner is underperforming, more support should be given to that learner.

Increase frequency of assessments

2

Continuous assessment of your learners’ performance will ensure that you pick up learners who are falling behind or do not understand a certain subject/topic. Keeping track of the learners’ understanding on material you teach will enable you to tackle these challenges as they arise, instead of only picking up on them before or even after examinations.

Continuous engagement in professional learning committees (PLCs)

3

PLCs are made up of educators who specialise in certain subjects. Being part of these committees allows educators to share knowledge and keep up to date with current trends. The committees also offer a form of support system; you will realise that challenges you may have thought only exist in your class are experienced by other educators and you can come up with solutions together.

Give learners quality feedback

4

It is not enough to inform learners they are not doing well in a subject. Identify where the problem is, what can be done and necessary support to be given. Challenge yourself to give as much information on how a learner can improve and follow through to see how they implement your suggestions and whether it is working or not.

Utilise resources to enhance the learning experience

5

Educators have seen that teaching cannot rely on textbooks alone in this day and age. However some schools are unable to access technological tools (for example tablets) due to limited resources. Be creative. Use nature, newspapers, games, guest speakers, television or anything that will help your learners grasp your subject or topic in a refreshing and lasting way.

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K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

1

Set goals

FOR THE LEARNERS

As the year begins, set yourself a goal beyond passing matric. What happens after you pass matric? What do you want to study? Are you studying the subjects which will enable you to pursue your chosen career? Know what you want and write it down.

Create a realistic timetable for the year

2

Now that you know what you will be working towards, draft a timetable. This timetable is the ‘how’ in achieving your goal. You should schedule study times, your assignments, your chores and time to yourself. To make the most of the timetable, share it with your Life Orientation educator and ask for their guidance and/or advice.

Once you have your timetable, stick to it. Make sure your goal is written on your timetable to keep you focused whenever you feel discouraged.

Use all the resources at your disposal

3

When we think of resources we think the library, computer labs and equipment.

Resources go beyond that. Your educator is an incredible resource most learners do not take advantage of. If you are struggling with something, go to your educator and ask for clarification. Your peers are another resource – sometimes friends and classmates have the ability to explain a certain topic very well. Keep your eyes and ears open and you will see that magazines, books, certain television programmes and even your parents can be contributors to your education outside of the classroom.

Be a proactive participator in class and study groups

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If you don’t ask; you won’t know. You need to remember that you are at school to learn. No one expects you to know it all so don’t be afraid to ask questions; that is how we all learn new things. Be inquisitive and curious about your subjects and you will learn and understand so much more than what is in the textbook.

Use technology and social media wisely

5

There are educational chat groups on whatsapp and programmes on TV and the internet which are helping learners with various subjects. Engaging with social media and technology does not mean you are not learning. However, balance your usage of these platforms and monitor the amount of time you spend on social media and the internet as it’s very easy to get carried away.

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K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

NOTICES Birthdays We joined our colleagues in celebrating their birthdays.

February: Mohlolo, Sarah and

Maria March: Nontando and Sis Linkie

Anniversaries We celebrate staff on their anniversaries and appreciate the contributions they have made to KT.

Welcome to the Family We welcome Nicolene Phaho to the KT family. Nicolene joined us in January as an Executive Personal Assistant.

January: Nontando (8 years) and Phila (1 year) February: Sizakele (5 years) March: Sis Linkie (21 years); Joan (21 years); Themba (21 years) and Yoyo (9 years)

GALLERY

Father Mkhatshwa Visit Kagiso Capital, Johannesburg 2 February 2016

Handing over Odes to Arch The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Cape Town 28 January 2016

Kagiso Trust Patron, Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, paid Kagiso Trust and Kagiso Capital a visit.

Kagiso Trust Chairman, Reverend Frank Chikane and CEO, Mankodi Moitse visited Archbishop Desmond Tutu for tea. They ceased the opportunity to hand over the Odes to Arch book which has personal messages of gratitude, praise and appreciation for the Archbishop.

Rantsane Cape Town Trip QwaQwa to Cape Town 18 – 21 February 2016 Having achieved their third consecutive 100% pass rate in 2015, Rantsane Secondary School educators were awarded a trip to Cape Town.

“Educators in our country face many challenges and there are times when amazing results like this are achieved that they need to be recognised. Our trip to Cape Town with the Rantsane teachers was about us rewarding the educators for their excellent performance, dedication and hard work.” said Kagiso Trust CEO, Mankodi Moitse.

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K a g i s o Tr u s t | I n B r i e f

30 years of development and success For the next 30 years development will remain the core and most important focus for Kagiso Trust. Our vision is to broaden and deepen our development impact through greater geographic coverage, more partners and a wider sector approach. From single programme pearls, we aim to string together many more development programmes in the future.

Over the past 30 years, Kagiso Trust has channelled almost R2 billion into key programmes Spend highlights for current programmes •

Over R200 million into Beyers Naudé Schools Development Programme (Basic Education)

•

R16.3 million into Eric Molobi Scholarship Programme (Higher Education)

•

Over R50 million into Kagiso Enterprises Rural Private Equity Fund (Enterprise development)

Development

Collaboration

www.kt30years.co.za

@Kagiso_Trust #KT30Years

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Innovation

Sustainability