Kagiso Trust Education Development eBook

Education Development eBook

Education Development

The South African Early Childhood Review 2017 key findings from the Knowledge Information & data Early childhood development (ECD) services are needed to support the development of young children.

W

ith commitment from government sectors to work together, an essential package of ECD services can be delivered to all South Africa’s young children. This review presents a set of indicators to support inter-sectoral planning, delivery and monitoring of an essential package of ECD services, from conception to the age of six.

delivery of an essential package of ECD services.

Since the policy came into effect, several national structures now facilitate multisectoral coordination and planning toward implementation. Since early 2016, the national Department of Social Development has been in the process of developing an implementation plan, in collaboration with relevant national departments.

ECD services are urgent and the South African government has an obligation to provide them to more than a million children born in South Africa every year. All of these children have rights to survival, health, protection and development.

While it is promising that some provinces are in the process of developing ECD strategies aligned with the policy vision and objectives, it is unclear whether the 2018 target year for implementation, will be achieved.

These rights are protected in the highest law of our land, the Constitution, and in international law. To make these rights real, the Children’s Act 38 (2015), as amended, says a comprehensive national strategy must be developed to enable a properly resourced, coordinated and managed ECD system. However, children cannot wait for government to realise comprehensive ECD services progressively.

Actions needed to reach this goal include amending existing legislation, establishing leadership structures, allocating sufficient budget, as well as establishing communication, accountability and coordination mechanisms between all stakeholders – from national to district to municipal level.

Early childhood, especially the first 1,000 days of life, is a particularly sensitive and rapid period of development, which lays the foundation for all future health, behaviour and learning. When children do not receive the necessary input and support to promote their development during this critical period, it is very difficult and costly to help them catch up later.

Progress at policy level The South African government led the development of the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy (2015), aimed at providing a multi-sectoral enabling framework for ECD services. The policy gives effect to the provision of a comprehensive package of ECD services for young children and prioritises the

Over half of South Africa’s young children live in just three provinces:

Progress at policy level

Some provinces have growing child populations, while others are shrinking slightly. The greatest growth has been in Gauteng and the Western Cape, while the young child populations of KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.

KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State, the Eastern Cape, Provinces and districts face different challenges and Limpopo have declined. delivering services to children. In densely populated places like Gauteng, which serves over a million young children, the challenges may be about the capacity of the infrastructure and service providers to cope with demand. In the Northern Cape, a small population of only about 150,000 young children is spread over vast distances; and the challenges may relate to problems of physical access and the relatively high cost of getting services to children.

30% of young children fall below the food poverty line

FIGURE 1: PROVINCIAL SHARE OF CHILDREN UNDER 6 YEARS IN 2015 21% 19% 14%

12%

11% 8%

7% 5%

KZN

GP

EC

LP

WC

MP

NW

FS

SOURCE GHS 2015, ANALYSIS BY CHILDREN’S INSTITUTE

Simulation for early learning The provision of age appropriate opportunities for early learning is an essential component of the National ECD Policy’s comprehensive package of services. Monitoring progress of the provision of early learning services requires us to review access, dosage, and quality.

particularly for communities.

children

from

low-income

For optimum cognitive outcomes, the evidence suggests that two years of high quality preschool programmes are better than one; that a minimum of 15-30 hours per week is needed; Higher dosage of quality services is typically and that outcomes are optimised if children are associated with greater cognitive gains, enrolled before the age of 4 years.

In addition to the cognitive gains, early learning programmes provide an opportunity to link children to other services that are important at this life stage. These include sight and hearing tests, immunisation, deworming, and developmental screening to ensure early identification of learning difficulties. Data on access to early learning programmes are gathered through the General Household Survey (GHS). The survey collects information on the number of children reported to be attending an early learning group programme. In 2015, 17% of 0-2-year olds nationally were reported to be attending such a programme.

3-5-year-olds: from 58% to 65% between 2014 and 2015. Access is lowest in KwaZulu-Natal, at 49%. This is also the province with the highest number of young children living in poverty.

Poor children are less likely than wealthier children to have access to early learning programmes. Over a million children aged 3-5 years still do not have access to group learning programmes and most of these children are found in the poorest quintiles. A four-year-old child from quintile 1 (poorest 20% of households) has a 50% chance of being enrolled in a group learning programme.

It is difficult to interpret these data meaningfully because many group learning programmes are inappropriate for children of this age. Better data are needed on the full range of early learning programmes targeting 0-2-year-old children.

In contrast, a child of the same age in quintile 5 (the wealthiest quintile) has a 90% chance of enjoying these benefits. This inequality in service access between income groups only disappears at the point where education becomes widely available, free, and compulsory – in Grade 1. At Of the 3.1 million children in South Africa aged which point, many poorer children enter school 3-5 years, 63% are reported to be attending a with a distinct disadvantage, having missed the group programme. This represents a significant benefits of quality early learning programmes. increase in access over the past 15 years27 but access seems to have stabilised between 2012 Overall, 83% of 3-5-year-old children in the and 2015. Reasons for this ‘ceiling’ effect are richest 20% of households attend a group likely to include the cost of services. Unlike health learning programme, while only 58% in the and education services, there is no provision of poorest 20% of households are enrolled in a free group learning programmes for children of programme Observed increases in access to preschool age in South Africa. early learning services is encouraging, but the sought after early learning outcomes for children As a result, only those who can afford to pay for will only be realised if the programmes accessed the service have access to it. It is only in the North are of good quality. There are no reliable data West province that access rates to early learning that enable national monitoring of the quality of group programmes increased substantially for early learning programmes for children.

FIGURE 1.4: EARLY LEARNING PROGRAMME ATTENDANCE BY 3-5 YEAR OLDS, BY INCOME QUINTILES

100% 80% 60%

58%

60%

QUINTILE 1 (POOREST)

QUINTILE 2

67%

71%

83%

40% 20% 0%

QUINTILE 3

QUINTILE 4

SOURCE GHS 2015, ANALYSIS BY CHILDREN’S INSTITUTE

QUINTILE 5 (WEALTHIEST)

Did you know that?

A 4-year-old from a poor household has a 50% chance of being enrolled in a group learning programme. A child of the same age from a wealthy household has a 90% chance of enjoying this benefit.

50% CHANCE

1

90% CHANCE

QUINTILE

5

GROUP LEARNING

Overview of the 2017 National Senior Certificate results The primary purpose of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations is to provide learners with an exit national qualification. However, we are able to also glean from the results trends on the progress we are making as a country to provide access to an inclusive, equitable, quality and efficient basic education to our children.

The Department of Basic Education is increasingly prioritising interventions and policies that target an improved quality of learning and teaching and implementing accountability systems to ensure that quality outcomes are achieved.

these candidates, 534 484 full-time candidates, and 117 223 part-time candidates, wrote the 2017 NSC examinations. It is important to note some of the other features of the 2017 NSC examinations –

More specifically, there is a deliberately • There has been a high degree of stability in the system, and the implementation of the prioritisation of Early Grade Literacy. This is National Strategy for Learner Attainment necessary, more so that the Department can (NSLA) has also taken firm root; respond pointedly to the concerns raised in the PIRLS 2016, SACMEQ IV – 2013, and the TIMMS • The DBE has improved its data collection, data analysis, and data feedback processes; 2015 reports.

• Provinces, districts and schools have heightened their efforts in implementing The Class of 2017 is the tenth cohort of learners differentiated but specific learner support to sit for the National Senior Certificate (NSC), programmes; and the effect and impact and the fourth cohort to write CAPS-aligned NSC of major learner support programmes are Examinations. The Class of 2017 has recorded constantly measured and monitored; the third highest enrolment of Grade 12 learners in the history of the basic education system in • The Class of 2017 had a selected group of progressed learners, based on strict preSouth Africa. conditions for progression; and The total number of candidates, who registered • New set-works, in all languages, were introduced during the 2017 school calendar for the November 2017 NSC examinations year. was 802 431; comprising 629 155 full-time candidates, and 173 276 part-time candidates. Of

Content source: Department of Basic Education 2017 National Senior Certificate Results

The top 10 performing districts in the country in the descending order with the progressed learners included are the following – • First, is Fezile Dabi in the Free State, with 90.2%; • Second, is Thabo Mafutsanyana in the Free State, with 90%; • Third, is Tshwane South in Gauteng, with 89.8%; • Fourth, is Ekurhuleni North in Gauteng, with 89.1%;

• Fifth, is Tshwane North in Gauteng, with 88.9%; • Tied at sixth, are Gauteng West and Johannesburg West in Gauteng, with 88.6%; • Eighth, is Sedibeng East in Gauteng, with 87.9%; • Ninth, is Johannesburg East in Gauteng, with 87.8%; and • Tenth, is Overberg in the Western Cape, with 87.7%.

National pass rate: With the progressed learners included, 75.1%, a 2.6% improvement from the 72.5% achieved in 2016 Province

2017 results

2016 results

Increase or decline

86.1%

88.2%

Decline of 2.1%

85%

85%

Remained the same

Western Cape

82.7%

85.9%

Decline of 3.2%

North West

79.4%

82.5%

Decline of3.1%

Northern Cape

75.6%

78.7%

Decline of 3.1%

Mpumalanga

74.8%

77.1%

Decline of 2.3%

KwaZulu Natal

72.9%

66.%

Improvement of 6.5%

Limpopo

65.6%

62.5%

Improvement of 3.1%

65%

59.3%

Improvement of 5.7%

Free State Gauteng

Eastern Cape

Overview of Free State National Senior Certificate results Fezile Dabi, Motheo & Thabo Mofutsanyana With the progressed learners included, 75.1%, a 2.6% improvement from the 72.5% achieved in 2016

Kagiso Trust’s District Whole School Development Programmes: Free State Implemented in partnership with the Free State Department of Education and the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation

OUR FOOTPRINT AND 2017 PERFORMANCE IN THE FREE STATE

CONGRATULATIONS Class of

2017 76.5% 86% National pass rate

90.2%

82.5%

90.1%

Fezile Dabi

Motheo

Thabo Mofutsanyana

Free State pass rate

OUR IMPACT (2007 – 2017) 413

882

2 622

1 539

programme schools

educators received computer training

educators received curriculum development

people benefited from short-to-medium term employment

65

53

30

65

fully resourced libraries

fully resourced physical science laboratories

fully resourced life science laboratories

fully resourced computer centres

19

22

grade R classrooms

ablution blocks

learners enrolled for matric learners passed

bachelor passes

diplomas attained higher certificates attained

E FPC TOZKP

36 454

15 011

learners underwent eye testing

learners received spectacles

Fezile Dabi

Motheo

Thabo Mofutsanyana

4 013 3 619 1 364 1 621 631

8 678 7 161 2 978 2 961 1 221

6 566 5 913 2 642 2 339 918

Heher commission report on higher education key recommendations.

In 2015, the South African higher education sector was shaken by protests across the country. What distinguished the 2015 protests from those experienced periodically over the decade before, was that the hub of these protests was at the historically-white universities.

The majority of the protests experienced since 2000 were focused at the historically black universities, where issues including fees, access to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), student accommodation needs, and other related issues were the cause of frequent, but uncoordinated protest. In 2016 Heher commission commenced the commission of inquiry into higher education and the report was release in November 2017 by the Former President Jacob Zuma.

Recommendations: The commission recommended that through the model, commercial banks issue government guaranteed loans to students.

TVET education should be fee-free for all and that stipends be made available, where needed, to cover the fully cost of study.

This would mean students would have to pay upon graduation and attainment of a specific income threshold. However, should the student fail to reach the required income threshold, government bears the secondary liability.

Government increase its expenditure on higher education and training to at least 1% of the Gross Domestic Product.

The commission has also recommended that the existing National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) model be replaced with the new Income Contingency Loan system.

NRF bursaries (based on merit, or other criteria as developed by the NRF) for postgraduate students be retained and expanded when possible. The Commission f u r t h e r recommended for Postgraduatestudents to have access to a cost-sharing model of government guaranteed Income-Contingency Loans sourced from commercial banks (ICL).

The commission further recommend that government considers the introduction of a university fee capping mechanism.

South Africa needed to improve its Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector to benefit the economy. TVET colleges must become institutions of first choice rather than the holding position of secondclass citizens as is presently the case.

Application and registration fees to be scrapped across the board.

Eric Molobi Scholarship Programme In 2017 The Eric Molobi Scholarship Programme (EMSP) celebrated its 10-year anniversary and, to date the more than R 16.3 million has been investment has gone into the programme. The Scholarship is available to learners from rural and/or disadvantaged schools affiliated to the Beyers Naudé Schools Development Programme. The learners need to attain a 70% academic performance to apply and there is an annual intake of 15 students annually.

Programme impact Graduates per field Engineering Total: 49 • Civil Engineering x 10 • Electrical x 22 • Mining x 4 • Mechanical x8 • Metarlugy x2 • Building x1 • Chemical x 2 Commerce Total: 4

Eric Molobi Scholarship Programme

NAME OF CANDITATE

COURSE

INSTITUTION

Mamello Patience Mabe

BScience

University of the Free State

Mpho Solomon Makatsa

Civil Eng

Central University of Technology

Dimakatso Precious Miya

Chemical Eng

Vaal University of Technology

Disemelo Samuel Mosia

Mining Eng

Vaal University of Technology

Jabulane Albert Ndaba

Civil Eng

University of the Free State

Lerato Mofokeng

Chemical Eng

University of the Free State

Leruo Motloung

Civil Eng

Vaal University of Technology

Mahlomola Clive Mohlatsane

BComAcc

University of the Free State

Modiehi Leah Senooane

Bcom Acc

University of Cape Town

Moferefere Jacob Mokoena

Mechanical Eng

Central University of Technology

Mosetlhe Joseph Mobaisane

Mechanical Eng

University of Pretoria

Palesa Lydia Mokoena

Electrical Eng

Vaal University of Technology

Prince Lengoabala

Electrical Eng

Central University of Technology

Sibusiso Tshabalala

Electrical Eng

Central University of Technology

Lehlohonolo Pole

Mechanical Eng

Vaal University of Technology

Our programme beneficiaries receive Psychosocial support which includes: • • • •

Monitoring of students’ academic performance Acclimatising to new urban and academic environment Moral and personal support Ensuring that students have textbooks, accommodation, meals, transportation and administration expenses

CONTACT DETAILS Address: 27 Scott Street, Waverley, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2000 Email: info@kagiso.co.za TEL: (+27) 11-566-1900 www.kagiso.co.za