Education Update || 21 by Western Cape Education Department

EDUCATION

Newspaper of the WCED SEPTEMBER 2014 Issue 21

Above: Premier Helen Zille addresses the launch of the wifi zone based at Atlantis Secondary School. The Western Cape Government plans to provide internet access via 384 wifi hotspots as part of the Western Cape Broadband Initiative. About 20 000 Atlantis residents now have access to wifi, thanks to the initiative.

Education enters new era with broadband in W Cape Education is about to enter a whole new era in the Western Cape as the provincial government starts to provide schools with highspeed broadband connectivity.

he project to provide access to high-speed connectivity forms part of the provincial government’s Western Cape Broadband Initiative. Contractors will start surveying schools this month (September) to find out exactly what needs to be done to connect individual schools to the province’s new Wide Area Network (WAN). The Western Cape Government has signed an agreement with Neotel to install broadband across

“ Broadband will enable us to enter a whole new era in education. We look forward to working with our schools as we explore this potential.’’

the province. The WCG will start by connecting 2 000 government sites in three phases, including schools. The WCG is also providing free access to wifi via 384 sites across the province. The wifi zones will focus on providing access to the internet in poorer communities. The WCED has asked principals to assist contractors when they arrive to start measuring up schools for fibre-optic cabling. This will include identifying points of entry into the

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school building and secure locations for associated equipment. Contractors will start connecting the first schools to broadband in April next year. The project to connect schools will take about two or three years. The WCG has identified broadband as a key contributor to economic growth. According to the Department of the Premier, there is growing evidence that access to information technology accelerates economic

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growth. Premier Helen Zille launched the wifi project in Atlantis on 27 August with Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities, and Debbie Schäfer, Minister of Education in the Western Cape. Schools are among the sites chosen as the focus points for Limited Free Access Wifi Zones that form part of the broadband initiative. These include four schools in Atlantis, namely, Saxonsea Secondary, Atlantis Secondary, Robinvale High and Proteus Secondary. More than 5 400 learners at these schools now have free access to the internet. The system in Atlantis is now providing access to the internet for about 20 000 residents. Broadband will provide highspeed access to digital teaching and learning resources and support services, said Penny Vinjevold, Head of Education in the Western Cape. “Broadband will enable us to enter a whole new era in education. We look forward to working with our schools as we explore this potential.” The WCG plans to connect government sites in phases, starting with 982 sites by April 2015 and 2 000 sites by May 2016. The provincial government plans to connect most government sites by August 2018. The connection speed will increase in stages. About 90% of sites in phase 1 will connect at 10 Megabits per second (Mbps). The current average connection speed in South Africa is 2.1 Mbps, according to a World Bank report. Connection speeds will increase to 100 Mbps at 90% of government buildings, and 1 gigabit per second at 10% of sites. The provincial government expects that it will take about 10 years to provide broadband across the province, with minimum speeds of 1 Gbps. According to the project plan, every municipality will have fibreoptic infrastructure within two years and every ward within eight years.

sport

Preparations for 2014 National Senior Certificate exams

Conference aims to demystify Mathematics

Woolworths shares tips on quality management

Sport scholarship for up-and-coming cricket star

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SEPTEMBER 2014

New online System simplifies learner enrolment

Teaching boost for the Western Cape Schools have welcomed the significant increase in the basket of posts for the Western Cape.

The WCED has developed a new system to help schools and the department manage learner placement online.

he Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has introduced a new online system that simplifies management of learner enrolment. The system makes it much easier for schools to capture applications for places and to share this information with other schools and officials. The WCED developed the system in collaboration with the Centre for e-Innovation (CEI) in the Department of the Premier. Work started on the School Admissions Management Information (SAMI) system last year. Schools started using the system on 8 August to manage enrolments of learners for 2015. Challenges in the past have included out-of-date information on learner placement, tracking information on areas most under pressure, and the need to crosscheck multiple waiting lists. Some schools often accepted the same learners, which blocked places where vacancies were available. Officials had to contact schools directly to track down available places. Keeping multiple lists up to date was a complex, timeconsuming process. The new system has simplified the whole process considerably. Schools can now use the system to capture applications on a centralised database. Officials can use the database to generate an online list of learners looking for places. They can also use the system to generate lists of learners accepted at more than one school. The system will show the number of available places at a school, and the number of applications per grade at school, circuit and district level. District officials will be able to use the lists to help match learners to available places. Schools will not have to re-enter learner details for 2015 if they have already captured them in SAMI, or if another school has already entered these details. The system will use the learner’s identity number or a number generated by the system to avoid duplicate names in the database. Officials will be able to use the system to generate lists of learners looking for places in any area, and across the whole province. They will be able to see if a learner has been accepted at any schools, and whether parents have applied at more than one school, and when they applied. The system will automatically generate emails to relevant officials to alert them to cases needing attention. The WCED will be able to generate summary reports on any level, as required, in real time. Access to the data is limited to principals and officials on various levels, to ensure confidentiality. The WCED asked schools to indicate projected enrolments for 2015 by 15 August this year on the department’s Central Education Management Information System (CEMIS). The department also asked schools to indicate their expected number of vacancies. This data will help to identify available places. The department has asked schools and officials to place all unplaced learners by 14 February 2015.

n July, Western Cape Education Minister Debbie Schäfer announced an unprecedented increase of 676 new teaching posts for 2015. Factors taken into account when determining the basket of posts include the budget of the Western Cape Education Department; the increase in the number of learners within the system; projected growth in learner numbers as a result of inward migration and the curriculum needs of schools. Schäfer said in previous years the department did not always have the financial resources to create additional teacher posts. For instance, in 2011 the number of educator posts had to be reduced as a result of the financial climate at the time, a large increase in educator salaries arising from the implementation of OSD and general inflation. The department simply could not afford to simultaneously increase salaries and increase the number of posts; therefore a decision to reduce the posts was necessary to ensure sound financial management. Since then, there have been some increases in the basket of posts despite very difficult financial circumstances.

Schäfer’s announcement followed the introduction of an additional 226 educator posts since the start of the 2014 academic year. The projected teacher to learner ratio is expected to be 1:34 based on projected learner numbers for 2015. This is the lowest it has been in the last ten years which is an exceptional achievement given the financial climate and the level of inward migration over the last few years. “The increase in educator posts for the 2015 basket is unprecedented and I would like to thank the Western Cape Education Department for making this increase possible. The additional teaching posts for schools in 2015 is a testimony to how good management and planning can be applied to ensure that we achieve our overarching objective of providing a quality education to all the learners of the Western Cape, and a pleasant teaching environment for our teachers,” Schäfer said. The WCED consulted with educator unions and school governing body associations to determine where each of

the additional posts would be allocated. The teacher establishments for 2015 were published on the Central Education Management Information System (CEMIS) on 22 August 2014. Schools could request a review of the computation of their teaching staff establishment if the CEMIS learner enrolments reflected on the establishment letter differed from the learner data on 31 July 2014. In addition, schools that indicate that they have sufficient classrooms and have enrolled or intend to enrol additional learners for 2015 could apply for additional posts. Applications had to be submitted from 26 August 2014 to 19 September 2014, via the CEMIS.

Schäfer said in previous years the department did not always have the financial resources to create additional teacher posts.

EDUCATION

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SEPTEMBER 2014

SUPPORT

Preparations for 2014 National Senior Certificate exams In order to assist learners in preparation for the National Senior Certificate (NSC), the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has initiated a number of targeted and sustained interventions at schools across the province, including a Winter School for Grade 12 learners.

Grade 9 Tutoring Programme

he Metro Central Education District (MCED) has started a Tutor Programme for both teachers and learners in Grade 9. The Tutor Programme at 17 high schools aims to assist learners who are underperforming in Mathematics and Home Language. Karen Dudley, Head: Curriculum Coordination and Advice at MCED, said the promotion requirements, according to the national benchmark, have increased to 50% in Home Language and to 40% in Mathematics. “Learners in Grade 9 will no longer receive a condonation at the end of the year, hence MCED has started this initiative to upskill our teachers and to give extra support to our learners.” The Learner-Tutor Programme being offered will be taught by tutors selected by the Curriculum Component of the District. The Subject Advisers will prepare the resources for the tutors, tailored for the individual needs of the school. The Teacher-Tutor Programme being offered will be facilitated by the Subject Advisers. The Focus of the Teacher-Tutor Programme will be Exam Techniques, Scope of the Exam Paper, Exam Type Questions and Study Methods. “We are confident that with a double-barrel intervention of this nature, we will see a definite increase in the pass rate for Grade 9 in 2014,” Dudley concluded.

WCED Safe Schools Holiday Programme

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roviding curriculum support to Grade 12 learners is a priority for this government, particularly in schools where learners are struggling in specific subjects. During the June/July school holidays, the WCED have organised holiday study programmes at 166 high schools. The Grade 12 Winter Schools Programme aimed to assist learners in high enrolment subjects. These subjects include Mathematics, Physical Science, Geography, Life Sciences, Accounting and Economics. Many of the programmes were taught by tutors selected by the WCED. In some schools, curriculum advisors supported and assisted individual school programmes. Additional resource materials have been developed to complement the lessons that were presented. Some schools offered programmes on specific days, while others did so throughout the holiday period. Western Cape Education Minister, Debbie Schäfer, visited the Grade 12 Winter School Programme at Oval North High School. The school has been working hard to improve their pass rates over the last few years. In 2012 they achieved a 66.2% pass rate. In 2013, the school improved their results

significantly and achieved an 88.2% pass rate. School Principal, Naeem Kassiem said they aim to achieve a 90% pass rate for 2014. Oval North currently has 148 candidates writing the NSC this year. In order to achieve their target, the Grade 12 learners from Oval North High School started the academic year a week before the official opening of the schools. The educators of Oval North have been giving afternoon and weekend classes since the beginning of the year. Every month the principal meets with the parents of the Grade 12 learners. After the March tests, the principal had individual meetings with learners and their parents. The school’s alumni and teachers are mentors to the learners. Kassiem said he was grateful to the WCED as they have provided additional assistance to the school in the form of additional classes; assistance with Grade 12 motivational seminars for the learners; support from curriculum advisors; the provision of study materials, telematics videos and assistance with food for the learners. The Senior Management Staff of the district also frequently visited the school to work with and motivate the learners and the department provided common benchmark question papers for March and June and provided

increased safety measures at the school. The additional lessons taking place at the school during the Winter School Programme included Accounting, Afrikaans, English, Life Sciences, Maths, Maths Literature and Physical Science. Kassiem said he was extremely proud of the Grade 12 learners, “Notwithstanding the difficulties my learners face on a daily basis, they hold on to their dreams and aspirations and strive to achieve their best every day.” In 2013, Oval North achieved the highest percentage pass in Circuit 6, and Schäfer said she had no doubt that with their enthusiasm and commitment, they will achieve even better results this year. “Mr Kassiem has gone beyond the call of duty, he embodies visionary leadership that collaboratively involves the school community in creating shared school values, vision, mission and goals. I saw this to be evident in his relationship with his learners and educators today.” She added that even though many of the children at Oval North live and study under the most difficult circumstances, it has not dampened their spirit and determination. “I have every confidence in the Oval North Grade 12 class of 2014 and if they have put in the hours that are required, I know that they will make the Western Cape proud.”

update is the official newspaper of the Western Cape Education Department. wcednews@westerncape.gov.za Tel: 021 467 2707 Director of Communication

Paddy Attwell Editor

Millicent Merton Contributors

Cathlene Beukes Jandre Bakker Kirsten Corin Karen Dudley Susan du Plessis Camilla Grootboom Susan Hanekom Wessel Havenga Franklin Lewis Penny Liknaitzy Marisa Louw Schalk Mouton Asiphe Nombewu Shauna Pamplin Ina Roos Jessica Shelver Sonet van Rensburg Heather van Ster Peter Waker South African Rugby Union UWC Institutional Advancement Design

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SEPTEMBER 2014

COMPETITIONS

Brightest young minds visit Cape Town for International Maths Olympiad South Africa’s Robin Visser, a Grade 12 learner at St George’s Grammar School in Cape Town, won a bronze medal at the 55th International Mathematical Olympiad.

South Africa’s top young science achievers awarded

hree Western Cape learners came out tops in the National Science Olympiad, which is now in its 50th year. Danielle Vellema of Outeniqua High School in George was one of the two top achievers in Grade 11. Thomas Orton of Bishops Diocesan College and Rebecca Rogers of Reddam House College, Atlantic Seaboard, were among the top achievers in Grade 12. Thomas had the best overall marks in Physical Sciences and Rebecca was the top girl learner in Life Sciences. The four top achievers in grade 12 in 2014 were taken on an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the London International Youth Science Forum from 23 July to 6 August while Danielle and Hamandishe Mathivha of Mbilwi Secondary School in Limpopo will attend the Australian National Youth Science Forum in January 2015. Just under 30 000 learners in grades 10 to 12 wrote either the Physical Sciences or Life Science paper on 3 March this year. Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and Technology, said the Olympiad was much more than a science and biology exam competition. “It identifies talent that teachers have nurtured in schools across the length and breadth of the country.” Registration for the 2015 National Science Olympiad will open in October this year. The final closing date is 30 January 2015. Please visit www.saasta.ac.za for more information.

A total of 560 contestants from 103 countries took part in this year’s International Mathematics Olympiad at the University of Cape Town. Photographer: Je’nine May

Robin Visser

he Olympiad was hosted by the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) at the University of Cape Town in July. It was the first time since the inception of the IMO that it was held on African soil. The IMO is the world championship mathematics competition for youths under 20 hosted by a different country each year. The first IMO was held in 1959 in Romania, with seven countries participating. It has gradually expanded to over 100 countries from five continents. A total of 103 countries participated in this year’s IMO. Fifty-six of the 560 contestants were female. After they wrote the final paper, the contestants went on a tour of the Cape Peninsula. The highlight of the day was the visit to Ocean View’s Multi-Purpose Centre where children from the community entertained their audience with everything from ballroom dancing, hip-hop and street-style dancing, singing and acting. From there a

visit to Cape Point ended the day’s excursion. The contestants also attended an afternoon of African Games, organised by the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC). Zandisile Bassie, Sport Promotion Officer at the DAC, said the games chosen for the IMO were primarily mind games. “Morabaraba, Ncuva and Draughts are board games in some ways resembling chess or checkers.” It is said a healthy body houses a healthy mind and therefore some physical activities like Kgati, a ropeskipping game, were also included. A lot of fun was had even though most competitors kept on tripping over their own feet. Nearly 300 medals were awarded at the closing ceremony: 49 Gold; 113 Silver and 133 Bronze. The maximum possible points per contestant were 42. Visser received a Bronze medal with a total score of 20 points. “It was a great privilege to be able to represent the country at what is considered by many to be the world’s hardest math Olympiad for high school students,” he said. “It is something which I’m grateful for and which I can only attribute to hard work, perseverance and determination.” The 56th International Mathematical Olympiad will be held in Chiang Mai (Thailand) from 3 to 15 July 2015. The South African team will be announced by the end of May next year and team members will be selected from the top performing learners in this year’s South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO), which is an annual competition for high

school learners, as well as learners that perform well in other SAMF programmes. On 12 September 198 of the country’s top young mathematicians, of which 33 are girls, competed in the final round of the SAMO in the hope to be the crowned South Africa’s number one. Sponsored by Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), the SAMO is the biggest Olympiad in South Africa and has been taking place on an annual basis since 1966. It consists of three rounds each in a junior division (Grades 8-10) and a senior division (Grades 11-12). In March this year 82 291 high school learners took part in the first round of the SAMO and 16 330 of those learners scored 50% or above, thus qualifying for the second round that took place in May. Only the approximately best 100 senior and best 100 junior learners of the second round qualify for the third round. The Western Cape leads this year’s participation with 88 high school learners from 35 schools followed by Gauteng with 54 learners from 33 high schools. The top 10 contestants per division will be announced at the SAMF Annual Gala Awards evening scheduled to take place on 11 October in Cape Town. Prof Johann Engelbrecht, Executive Director of the SAMF, encouraged teachers to enter their learners in the local Olympiad (SAMO). There are numerous reasons why teachers should enter

Beaufort West learner wins Computer Applications Olympiad

oërskool Sentraal learner Juan Goosen from Beaufort West beat 17 686 particpants in this year’s Computer Applications Olympiad to win a gold medal, the CoZa Cares trophy, cash for himself and his school and a Vice-chancellor’s scholarship to the University of Cape Town. Juan intends to study Actuarial Science next year. Juan is Head Boy at his school and plays for both the first hockey team and the first tennis team. He regarded the Applications Olympiad as “the most challenging test of my life”. The Applications Olympiad attracts mostly learners who take the school subject Computer Applications Technology (CAT), learners who have an ICDL (International Computer Driving Licence) and those who are Computer Literate. Candidates must demonstrate their ability to use common office applications such as a word processor, spreadsheet, database, presentation tool and web design software. This year there were 17 686 entries for the competition from all nine provinces. Fourteen of the top participants of the First Round were invited to take part in the Finals in Cape Town early in July. Dylan Nixon of Edgemead High won a bronze medal. Runners up from the Western Cape were: Taariq Bardien, Grade 12, Islamia College Siobhan Byrne, Grade 11, Fish Hoek High Wilmien Esterhuyzen, Grade 12, Worcester Gymnasium Ghanief Karriem, Grade 12, Star College Roché Visser, Grade 11, President High

their learners in the SAMO. He elaborated: “Learners will be exposed to problems that will test and improve their critical thinking skills. Schools will also benefit from learners’ participation in that they will get a better quality product. Last but not least are the Grade 12 learners who will specifically

benefit because the questions are similar to those at University level.” Registration for next year’s SAMO opens in January 2015 and schools that would like to enter their learners can contact the SAMF office on 012 392 9362 or send an e-mail to info@samf.ac.za.

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SEPTEMBER 2014

LEARNER HEALTH

Schools give TB and HIV the boot A campaign to raise awareness and knowledge of Tuberculosis (TB) in the fight against the bacterial infection has reached 24 000 learners at 24 schools in the Metro East and Metro Central Education Districts.

English First Additional Language learners’ gift of the gab

I Learners at Vanguard Primary School received a TB & HIV branded ruler to make them aware of how they can prevent TB. Photographer: Asiphe Nombewu, UWC Media Office

he ‘KICK TB and HIV’ campaign is a joint venture between the Western Cape Education Department and the Department of Health. On Thursday, 31 July, the KICK TB team arrived in a brightly illustrated ‘Kick TB’ truck at Vanguard Primary School in Athlone. The event saw learners kick a soccer ball at a portable soccer goal post to drive home the message that TB can be kicked out. The event was followed by the launch of a workbook titled ‘How to be a Health Activist’. Wessel Havenga, Chief Education Specialist: HIV & TB Life Skills Education, said because TB is rated equal to HIV as a cause of high mortality, it was decided

to introduce more material into schools to educate learners about the prevention of TB. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) developed the workbook and the Western Cape Education Department entered into an agreement with UWC whereby the university provided the intellectual property free of charge to the department who printed the books. The result is that 57 000 copies of the workbook are being distributed to 167 schools for learners in Grade 8 & 9. Havenga said most of the lessons in the workbook are linked to Life Orientation (CAPS) spread across the annual teaching plans for Grades 7-9. Teachers are encouraged to use it in conjunction with their text books.

Western Cape team excel in premier science competition 2014 marks the twentieth year that Minquiz™ has been run in the Western Cape and this year saw many schools that have become regular participants as well as many newcomers.

“The Kick TB and HIV campaign, as well as the provision of the workbooks places the WCED at the forefront in the campaign to eradicate TB,” Havenga said.

chools entered a team of three learners in either the Gold or Platinum category, based on their school’s average pass rate. The competition is regarded as South Africa’s premier annual national Science competition for Grade 12 learners. Minquiz™ aims to encourage interest in careers in Science, Engineering and Technology, especially in minerals and metallurgy, and to promote an awareness of the importance of minerals and metallurgy to South Africa. The 2014 Western Cape provincial competition took place on 15 May and was organised by Dr Kirsten

t has been argued that public speaking is more terrifying than anything else, even dealing with our own mortality. Yet, anyone who was present at the Provincial Public Speaking Competition on Saturday, 26 July, would have agreed that the ten young finalists flew in the face of this argument. The competition for Grade 11 and 12 English First Additional Language learners at the Artscape Theatre Centre provided a showcase for the often unseen talents of the young adults in our schools. The audience was left breathless by the passionate and sincere engagement with the contestants who had clear and thought-provoking messages to share. These young adults demonstrated the benefits of having been taught and trained to speak coherently in front of a group of people. The competition improves communication skills by providing opportunities to practise sharing unique messages; it increases self-esteem; it develops planning skills; and it strengthens the power of persuasion – making the sky the limit! Jean-Marie Swart of Vredendal High School was first, followed by Talisa Tikayo of Bloubergrant High School in second place and Siphesishle Mmbuzwana of Imizamo High School in third. The teachers who were involved in preparing the contestants are thanked for their sterling work which was evident in the high standard of the speeches and the skills displayed in the forum discussions. Schools are encouraged to motivate learners to participate next year so that this excellent opportunity for growth and acknowledgment is granted to as many of them as possible.

Corin, from the Centre for Minerals Research in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Cape Town. The event was hosted by Wynberg Boys’ High School. SACS scooped the Oral Quiz top prize in the Platinum category, while the top individual learner of the written quiz hailed from Bishops; Thomas Orton. The Cape Academy for Maths, Science and Technology gained both the Oral Quiz top prize and the top individual learner; Zak Toyer, in the Gold Category. The best two learners from each category in the provincial written quiz were selected to form a regional team of four finalists;

Murray McKechnie (Bishops), Robert Waddilove (Rondebosch Boys’ High), Zak Toyer (Cape Academy) and Cornelis van Eeden (Worcester Gymnasium). This team represented the Western Cape at the national final quiz held at Mintek in Johannesburg in July. Zak Toyer won the simplest design prize for his stunning propeller project which allowed an egg to be dropped 3 storeys without breaking. He was also awarded the prize for the top national individual learner in the Gold category and both he and Murray McKechnie were awarded Distinctions for their written quizzes.

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SEPTEMBER 2014

MATHS CONGRESS

Conference aims to demystify Mathematics Andy Green, the world’s fastest man rocketed into the Northern Cape in July to deliver a keynote speech at the AMESA Congress in Kimberley.

Andy Green. Photographer: Stefan Marjoram

reen a former Royal Air Force fighter pilot and the current holder of the World Land Speed Record (WLSR) shared his passion for maths and the world of opportunities that it could open up for children. The congress was the 20th annual event for the Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa (Amesa), and it attracted over 900 maths teachers from across South Africa. The conference theme, ‘Demystifying Mathematics’,

reflects the challenge faced to make mathematics more exciting in the classroom and grow more young scientists and engineers. Green, who is the driver of BLOODHOUND SSC (SuperSonic Car), also holds a maths degree from Worcester College, Oxford, where he graduated from in 1983 with first class honours and a love of flying. While he is currently the fastest man alive – he holds the WLSR of 1228km/h – he will push the record to 1300km/h in 2015, and even further in 2016, when he will

attempt to break the 1000mph (1609km/h) mark in a car, an increase of 31% over his current record. This increase has never been seen before in the history of the WLSR and it indicates a triumph for the mathematics involved in the aerodynamic design of a supersonic car. Green, who as an active fighter pilot used to say that he has the best day job, and as the driver of the Bloodhound SSC, that he has the best hobby in

the world, uses his math skills not only in helping to design BLOODHOUND SSC, but also in helping him to fly fast jets and drive a rocket-propelled car. “Whether I’m flying jet fighters or driving at supersonic speeds, I rely on the technology around me and I need to understand how it works. As a mathematician, I have the best training in the world to do this. Maths is something that I use every day, in the RAF and in with Project BLOODHOUND, to

achieve world-class performance and to do it safely,” said Green. One of BLOODHOUND’s cornerstone initiatives is to inspire new generations of engineers and scientists, and to stimulate children – in the UK and in South Africa – to study subjects like maths and science. The Bloodhound project in South Africa has already reached over 450 schools, by either visiting them or having them signing up at events to receive free posters, videos and Cisco TV programmes. Amesa aims to promote mathematics education and, in particular, to enhance the quality of the teaching and learning of mathematics in South Africa at all levels. The 2014 congress was held from 7 to 11 July. According to Amesa president Alwyn Olivier, the aim is to break down the stigma that maths is “difficult and elitist”. “In both the academic field and in the curriculum, it is assumed that every child can do maths, and it is our job to make it exciting, interesting and understandable,” said Olivier. “Bloodhound’s educational aims goes hand-in-hand with the idea of ‘demystifying’ maths and I want Andy to inspire the teachers to inspire their pupils to get excited about maths.” Green agreed. “Maths is a part of all our lives, and you don’t have to be a fighter pilot or racing driver to benefit from it,” he said. “All our lives are affected more and more by science and technology, and maths is the basic language of all science. If you can ‘speak’ mathematics and you know how to use it, there is nothing you cannot do! “ Dave Rowley, Bloodhound education programme director in South Africa, said mathematics is the school subject that opens up a myriad of career opportunities to young people.

“Maths is a part of all our lives, and you don’t have to be a fighter pilot or racing driver to benefit from it”

Learners celebrate all things science National Science Week, celebrated from 4 to 9 August, revealed the many ways in which science opens the doors to the future.

T Above: Learners from Worcester Gymnasium won the ProNutro iThink Challenge that took place at Northpine Technical School. In the foreground is the crystal structure that they had to create out of mini marshmallows and toothpicks. Photo supplied.

he annual countrywide celebration of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation, is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and is managed by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA). National Mathematics Week has been incorporated into National Science Week. The theme of this year’s Science Week was: “Today’s Science, Tomorrow’s World”. Crystallography was a major feature, which was this year’s

International Science theme. “Science, maths and technology will deliver much needed solutions to today’s problems as well as innovations we can’t even yet imagine, therefore it is imperative that our youth develop the necessary analytical and problemsolving skills, like those stimulated by the HIP2B2 ProNutro iTHINK Challenge,” said Erna Taljaard, National Project Coordinator for SAASTA. The event is the brainchild of youth initiative HIP2B2, founded in 2002 to promote the study of Science, Maths and technology-related subjects

in order to develop innovative entrepreneurial skills and analytical thinking. HIP2B2 Managing Director Cathryn Payne said the youth organisation strives to make these subjects fun and interesting, whilst teaching learners the value these subjects can add to their everyday lives and their future careers. This year’s theme has inspired a variety of challenges to be solved, as varied as building the structure of a crystal using only toothpicks and mini marshmallows, solving a protein crossword puzzle and growing crystals.

EDUCATION

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SEPTEMBER 2014

BEST PRACTICE

Making Maths visible in primary school Shauna Pamplin, Deputy Principal at Capricorn Primary School, presented what she had done to improve mathematics at her school at the AMESA conference in Kimberley. This article is a summary of her presentation.

strongly believe that Foundation Phase children learn best through hands-on and practical activities. The English language demands of mathematics are great (and the majority of our learners do not speak English at home). I encourage lessons that are practical and that involve lots of talk and discussion. I like to see teachers taking children outside, playing and using their bodies for mathematics. But we had no system for managing all the mathematics equipment in the school. Teachers complained that they did not know where to find equipment, and that their classes where too unruly to use practical equipment. This is where I could play a role. I made it easier for the teachers to share equipment and have practical maths lessons. I centralised all of the mathematics equipment and made stock lists of everything we had. We took one of our normal classrooms and made this into the Maths Hub. Here we keep all the specialist maths equipment (bathroom scales, kitchen scales, rulers, tape measures, measuring cylinders, 2D and 3D shapes, clocks and so on). We allocated some equipment which is needed daily (like bead strings and counters) to the

classrooms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but I keep a record of who had what and take this in at the end of the year. We added to this equipment by collecting recycling products: for example cooldrink tins and bottles for capacity; grocery boxes for 3D shapes and for discussion on mass; shop flyers for products listing prices for money, capacity and mass, strings, wool and ribbons for length. With the help of The Grove Primary we collected plastic bottle tops. We washed, dried and sorted these by size and colour to make sure every class had enough counters. We also collected old games which were donated by various schools (puzzles, lego, snakes and ladders, packs of cards, top trumps, four-in-a-line, whatever we were given). We then employed a teaching assistant (a young person who was training to become a teacher) to take charge of all the stock which includes preparing the room for each practical lesson. I created a timetable for the Maths Hub. Every week the Grade 1 to Grade 5 classes are allocated time in the hub. During this time, half the class stays with the teaching assistant in the classroom, while the other half is with the teacher in the Maths Hub.

The Hub lesson has to be practical and the equipment and games must be used. I wanted to show teachers and learners that mathematics was important in our school. So I made maths visible in our corridors and around the school environment. Learners from Bishops visit our school annually to paint and touch-up murals. They do this as their community service, and I coordinate this with the staff at Bishops. I also knew that two of our teaching assistants were graphic designers so I gave these young men pictures to copy from the numeracy workbooks and maths texts books to paint onto the walls around the school. For example, we have footprints marked in different multiples; we have a wall for measuring height in metres, half metres and centimetres. We also have trains with the months of the year, a wall of digital and analogue clocks, and a mural showing the vocabulary for comparison (bigger, smaller; taller, shorter, wider, longer etc.). To encourage the Foundation Phase educators to up-skill themselves, I made a list of the mathematics topics where I knew I was not secure. I shared my list with educators, and

asked them to do the same. We used a Grade 7 text book to find the sections many of us were not comfortable with and on 3 December 2013, 14 teachers went on a seven day intensive mathematical thinking course (run by AIMSSEC). This training got us acting and thinking about mathematics together. Finally I coordinated fund raising efforts for mathematics. I have relationships with many schools and companies in Cape Town who help us with donations. I write to them and request specific things. I thank them for their efforts and send them photographs of how their donations are used. There are many companies and people who are willing to help. They want to see that their money or donation is used for what they intended. When they see it used well, they give more. These are not difficult steps to take in leading the improvement of mathematics. I encourage you all to try them. â&#x20AC;˘ Mrs Pamplin has acknowledged the Focus on Primary Maths project (funded by ApexHi and administered by Tshikululu Social Investments) and Nicky Roberts who has helped her with the presentation and the article.

development

SEPTEMBER 2014

LEADERSHIP

Woolworths shares tips on quality management

Funda Lula concept makes teaching and learning Geography fun Teachers from 30 schools in the Metro Central Education District are piloting a new teaching concept developed by the Environmental Systems Research Institute - South Africa (Esri South Africa).

It is important that the leaders of schools are equipped to run their schools effectively so that learners receive quality education. This was the key message at the fourth Woolworths Quality Management conference in partnership with the Western Cape Education Department.

he conference has, over the past three years, equipped school principals and deputy principals with additional leadership tools and key insights on how to manage their schools like profitable businesses. This year, Woolworths shared their knowledge and experience with 500 Heads of Department at conferences in Cape Town and George. Zyda Rylands, Woolworths MD for Foods, and Colin Hall,

founder of the Learning to Lead programmes, were the keynote speakers at the Cape Town and George conferences respectively. They gave attendees insights into Woolworths’ leadership and values. Attendees were exposed to the secrets of operational excellence by Woolworths Divisional Executive Desi Gilbert (Cape Town) and Regional Manager, Donald Harding (George). Gilbert provided the following tips for HODs to successfully run their

departments and schools. • Develop your vision and set the strategy to enable that vision • Communicate your strategy within your organisation and ensure buy-in • Develop a culture of high performance and quality delivery • Upskill staff, recognise and reward achievement • Continuously monitor and improve • Challenge yourself and your teams to be the best.

Mathematics teachers finish their training at UWC

ore than 60 Mathematics teachers from different areas in the Western Cape received certificates for completing their Maths4Stats training at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in Statistics. The Maths4Stats programme is a joint project meant to address teacher skills shortages in the Western Cape, with StatsSA, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and the Statistics and Population Studies Department at UWC coming together to make this venture possible. Training sessions were presented for the third

consecutive year and teachers had to attend weekly training sessions spread over two months to qualify for their certification. Professor Renette Blignaut, Associate Professor and Deputy Chairperson of UWC’s Statistics Department at the Faculty of Natural Sciences, explained that the training covered content related to Statistics topics which were incorporated into the CAPS Mathematics Grades 10 to 12 curricula from 2012. Topics taught included probability and regression and correlation. Majiet Parker, Principal and Maths teacher at Joe Slovo Engineering School in Khayelitsha, said the training

had enriched his knowledge and understanding of Mathematics. “The things we learned here were not in my degree when I was still studying, and I will impart it to my learners. And I will show them one can never stop learning” Khunjulwa Mtaki, Maths teacher at Siphamandla High School, said that for a long time she was not comfortable with doing other equations in class, but after the training she would be able to pass on her mathematical knowledge with confidence in the classroom. Charles Smith, Senior Curriculum Planner for Mathematics, said the Western Cape Education Department realises they cannot reach all teachers with training and crafting the curriculum for training, but they would provide support in making the courses possible. “We seriously hope the training has empowered these teachers to deliver in the classroom, and we would like to also extend our appreciation to UWC for taking time out to teach our educators.”

unda Lula has been devised by Esri South Africa to help teach mapwork, including the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) component, to Grade 10 – 12 learners. It includes software that enables learners to understand the GIS tools. Penny Liknaitzky, Curriculum Adviser for Geography, secured a substantial sponsorship from Esri South Africa for a three-day GIS training workshop. Liknaitzky said mapwork and GIS make up 25% of the final mark in Grade 12 Geography, yet many learners simply do not attempt to answer the questions in the exam. “It is a section which teachers find difficult as the foundation work has often not been taught adequately. As much of the work is routine, learners are not stimulated to learn the work easily. It is not seen as fun by either the teachers or the learners. An additional stumbling block is that it must be introduced, where applicable, in all aspects of the curriculum to enhance and explain many topics. Funda Lula makes Geography meaningful by emphasising the spatial component that forms part of our daily life”, Liknaitzky said. The workshop was facilitated by Robyn Kindler and Esther Maphangwe, both Esri South Africa consultants and experienced Geography teachers, as well as Tsholofelo Diphoko, a GIS specialist. Kindler said Funda Lula was aimed at Generation Z, learners with a short attention span and who have had access to technology from a young age. The programme is aligned to the curriculum and takes care of a lot of the preparation that teachers normally have to do by providing a lesson summary (lesson at a glance) and a set of teacher and learner notes for every lesson. Homework has been set and six to seven activities per topic are provided. Power point presentations are also included. Liknaitzky said the project was significant for preparing teachers to develop the foundational competencies of learners, which are needed for a wide range of new career opportunities now available to them. Steven Koopman, a Geography teacher at Mount View High School in Hanover Park, said the workshop was very relevant. “GIS is a very difficult concept to teach because it is so abstract. The workshop was the best investment I could make this holiday. It feels good to pilot the system.” Portia Cabane, a teacher at Fezeka High School in Gugulethu, found the programme very user friendly. She said she expected improved results in the subject since the programme was practical and interactive and made it easy for learners to understand the work. Funda Lula includes six learning topics, namely; Maps, Topographical maps, Map Projections, GIS, Remote Sensing and Map Interpretation. Within each learning area there are a host of different digital maps and references to paper maps that the learners are required to understand and interpret, as well as topographical maps, orthophoto maps and aerial photography. Topics covered in the lesson section are broken down into a theory section, activities and homework. A multimedia section contains various images and videos that are referenced in the lesson. Kindler said these strengthen the understanding of different concepts and accommodate different learning styles e.g. visual and auditory learning. The teachers will implement the concept in the classroom in the third term and will provide feedback to Esri South Africa.

EDUCATION

WCED@work

SEPTEMBER 2014

OPPORTUNITIES

Youth Focus Programme students + Shoprite = Success Boland College is one of the providers partnering with the Western Cape Education Department to offer the Youth Focus Programme.

he aim of this programme, which was first piloted in 2013, is to offer students who were struggling to advance past Grade 9 the opportunity to advance through a bridging programme and funded learnerships. The qualification students obtained after successful completion is a General Education and Training Certificate (GETC): Wholesale and Retail Adult Basic Education and Training (Level 1). Upon completion of the GETC, the student will then also have a significantly improved possibility of access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET, formerly FET) Colleges. According to Wayne Blauw of the Western Cape Education Department, the need for the programme is evident when viewing the number of students, often multiple repeaters, who fail to complete Grade 9 and then often drop out of schooling and struggle to find work. A study by the University of the Western Cape’s Institute for Post-School Studies aimed at determining how the

programme was experienced by students and the college and the finding was a positive shift in students’ self-conception. This project has since been expanded to Level 2 in order to provide successful students the opportunity to further ease access to further education and training, increase employability and hence increase the possibility of turning possible youth at risk to economically contributing members of society. With TVET (formerly FET) colleges aiming to train for employment, partnerships with industry has become one of the key strategic thrusts to ensure holistic student development. “One of the biggest successes of this programme has been the contract students entered into with Shoprite,” said Rona van der Westhuizen, Senior Manager: Implementation (Occupational Studies) at Boland College. The unique nature of this intervention is that Shoprite will be taking in the entire group and students will not only sign a learnership agreement, but a complete employment contract for the identified period.

“Students will work at local Shoprite stores and after a specified period they will, if they delivered work of a good standard, choose a department within which they may receive a contract again. They will be appointed permanently and will receive even further training by Shoprite,” said Alta Nel, Programme Manager for Occupational Studies at Boland College. Wendy Adams, Vice Principal for Innovation and Development at Boland College added: “It is investment by large corporates such as Shoprite in groups who could be considered youthat-risk, that will make training programmes such as the Youth Focus Programme an integrated and holistic intervention.” She expressed her excitement about getting other large corporates like Tekkie Town on board with such student placement. “These were students who struggled to advance at school and thought their future was bleak, but today they are excited about their future and career opportunities thanks to their completion of the Wholesale and Retail Level 2 Programme.”

APPOINTMENTS

Recruitment and Selection Did you know? The Directorate: Recruitment and Selection is split into two sub-directorates: 1. O ffice Based Public and Educators and Establishment Management (OB); and 2. Institution based Public Service and Educator and PERSAL Control (IB). The average turnaround time from advertising to filling a post is between two to three months. A staggering 54 540 applications were received for the 1 498 educator, head of department, deputy principal and principal posts advertised in Vacancy List 1, 2 and Special Vacancy List 2. Shortlisting and interviews for institution based posts are done by School Governing Bodies. 45 Office Based posts were advertised during the past two months. About 7 000 applications were received for the 33 posts where applications already closed while applications are still coming in for the remaining 12 advertised posts. This indicates an average of more than 210 applications for each post. The Office Based team average around 50 and more short listing and interviewing processes per month.

PENSIONS

Your GEPF benefits are guaranteed Don’t be misled by rumours An unfounded rumour is spreading regarding Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) pension payments. The Government Pensions Administration Agency wants to bring the following to members’ attention:

t is important for all GEPF members and pensioners to know that the GEPF will continue to pay all benefits due to members leaving according to the rules.

• This means that those who are entitled to a once-off lump sum payment will receive this payment, while those entitled to a monthly pension over and above the once-off lump sum payment will receive this money. • There are very strict rules about the kind of benefits that the GEPF must pay and how the money collected must be invested and safeguarded. These rules are spelled out in a special law called the Government Employees Pension (GEP) Law. • The aim of this Law and the rules that guide the Fund is to ensure that the GEPF puts the interests of its members first at all times. • All GEPF benefits are defined in the GEP Law and rules, which is why the GEPF is called a defined benefit fund. • The advantage of belonging to a defined benefit fund is that the benefits are guaranteed.

Back from left to right: Tomas Nanbahu, Siviwe Booi, Mzamo Dinwa, Sandise Mazembe, Tsepelang Motsokotsi and Siphenathi Dyani. Third row from left to right: Bathathu Matiya, Siyabonga Mana, Alindokuhle Mambani, Odwa Dlabantu and Xolisa Dingwayo. Second row from left to right: Alta Nel (Programme Manager: Occupation – BC), Buhle TaiTai, Gillian Talmakkies, Jade Mercedes Stieger, Bennet Maqolo (Programme Manager: Occupation - BC) and Wesley Abrahams. Front from left to right: Nosipho Ngcuka, Zainab Amod (Shoprite Human Resources) and Noxolo Chrisjan.

• GEPF members, whether an active member or pensioner, will never receive less than the benefits that you qualify for according to the Law and the rules. • For more information on the GEPF, call the toll-free number 0800 117 669.

insight & opinion

SEPTEMBER 2014

APPLIED SCIENCE

Science education needs a touch more indigenous knowledge Educators need to create a relationship between the science learners see at home and the science they see in class. Professor Meschach Ogunniyi explains.

Above: Contestants at the International Mathematics Olympiad in Cape Town learned how to play Morabaraba, a strategic indigenous African game. Photographer: Je’nine May

remember how, as a school boy in Nigeria, my understanding of the natural world – tempered at home and among my friends – was far removed from the world presented in the textbooks handed to me at school. The concepts of science and mathematics, especially, were alien to me. This is because the mathematics and science prevalent among the Yoruba indigenous people were relegated to the background to the one presented at school. The average Yoruba came into the classroom with an encyclopaedic knowledge of natural phenomena, but this had to be suppressed to survive in an environment where canonical mathematics and science were the only standard accounts accepted at school. I was reminded of this – once again – when I recently witnessed the Afropessimism that followed in the wake of a report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) ranking the quality of maths and science education in South Africa as dead last out of 148 countries. To rub salt into our wounds, the Global Information Technology Report, which looked at “how prepared an economy is to apply the benefits of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to promote economic growth and well-being”, also placed South Africa 146th out

of 148 for the overall quality of education. Newspaper editors, bloggers and the social media sphere did not pull their punches. There was plenty of reasoning for just why we did so poorly. The blame was placed on the early introduction of calculators at school, making thinking redundant; on the little attention being paid to basic education; on the poor implementation of (good) policies; on the lack of political will; on bad teachers and worse teaching facilities. Others – me among them – found critical flaws in the WEF report and its methodology. The Department of Basic Education, too, took issue with the report. Critics argued that the rankings are “subjective, unscientific, unreliable and lack any form of technical credibility or crossnational comparability”. It was pointed out that no standardised tests were actually conducted to assess the quality of maths and science education in the surveyed countries. Instead, the rankings were based on an annual ‘Executive Opinion Survey’ in which the WEF asked business leaders to assess the quality of maths and science education in the country and score it accordingly. In short, these sorts of ‘League of Nations’ assessments reports tend to generally lack cultural validity. They are like square pegs in a round hole. It’s the same iniquitous, hegemonic and inequitable power-sharing

between the dominant voice over the silenced majority. They hardly count as an objective scientific assessment. That being said, we are not denialists. We know that we do have problems with maths and science education in the country. Academic assessments by the Department of Basic Education have shown that as little as 3% of school learners in Grade 9 had scored more than 50% in mathematics. A 2011 study compiled by the University of Stellenbosch for the National Planning Commission highlighted results from the Project III tests of the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ), conducted in 2007. In that study, South Africa performed below most of the other 14 African countries that participated in the study. The Stellenbosch report also made some sound and admirable recommendations. Those addressed capacitydevelopment within the teaching force, school management, accountability to parent and education authorities, the quality of early childhood development centres, and – critically – understanding the issues of those students learning in languages other than their mother tongues. It is, indeed, more than language, some of us are arguing. Most educators see the teaching of science as

initiating young members of a society into the subculture of science, a subculture with its own knowledge, skills, attitudes, interests and values, and language (and it’s not always a commonsensical language). What we need to do is create a relationship between the science they see at home, and the science they see in class. For many, science is coined in such a language that it becomes as alien, as otherworldly, to them as it was to me. As such, there is a wide gulf and often a clash between what learners are told and taught at home–between their belief systems about natural phenomena and the science in their school books. This is not particular to South Africa or developing nations. It is a global phenomenon. It’s been found in studies in the US, in Canada, Australia and, of course, in a host of developing countries where children from multicultural backgrounds are taught what we now call, in a flawed term, ‘western science’. What I and others have been arguing for is a greater emphasis on the use of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in the teaching of, especially, science and mathematics. The challenge is including IKS in the school curriculum. We believe we can do this by adopting what we call a Contiguity Argumentation Learning Theory, which draws on the Aristotelian contiguity association theory that focuses

on how conflicting ideas are resolved by interacting together to attain cognitive harmony; as well as Ubuntu, a central African worldview theory whose focus is on the relatedness, interrelationship, reciprocity, synchronicity, complementarity, and unity in a diversity of ideas. Some elements of these theories have, to some degree, been embraced in both the Revised Curriculum Statement for General Education and Training (GET) and the National Curriculum Statement for Further Education and Training (FET). IKS in the formal curriculum is both practical and can change learner’s and teachers’ relationship to the material they must learn and teach. I have in my own studies recorded how teachers – starting off either unfamiliar or sometimes downright hostile to IKS – have seen the value of introducing IKS in their teaching. Similar research by UWC and Zimbabwe colleagues reported promising early results among learners. A recent study by the Human Sciences Research Council illustrated how, in the Eastern Cape, everyday objects such as a fireplace enclosure and three-legged pots could be incorporated into teaching and learning materials. Colleagues at UNISA and North-West University have also illustrated the value of the strategy board game morabaraba (popular in rural communities in South Africa and neighbouring countries) in teaching geometric shapes, ratio and proportion, symmetry and logical reasoning. An important aim of science education is to incorporate the implicit and explicit meanings specified in the science curriculum into the dominant culturally determined worldview templates of learners. This, we believe, to borrow Ausubel’s popular dictum, will allow us to firstly determine where a learner is, and then to take him/her from thence. This way we can perhaps, in time, change the perceptions of those business leaders and spare ourselves from further scolding in WEF reports. • An abbreviated version of this article was published in the Mail & Guardian on July 25, 2014.

Professor Meshach Ogunniyi, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, held the UNESCO Chair for Science and Mathematics Education at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) for many years before retiring recently.

EDUCATION

insight & opinion

SEPTEMBER 2014

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Teacher training in the spotlight The Department of Basic Education launched the Professional Learning Communities and Subject Committees in August as part of the department’s focus on teacher development and enrichment.

ccording to the DBE, Professional Learning Communities will provide the setting and necessary support for groups of classroom teachers, school managers and subject advisors to participate collectively in strengthening their own development while the Subject Committees will act as strong vehicles to promote discussion and inputs by subject specialists on curriculum policy development and implementation. The launch coincided with the release of a study about Mathematics teacher content knowledge in South Africa. The authors, Professor Hamsa Venkatakrishnan, who holds the position of SA Numeracy Chair at Wits University, and Nic Spaull, an education researcher in the Economics Department at Stellenbosch University, did an analysis of SACMEQ 2007 for their research paper titled: “What do we know about primary teachers’ mathematical content knowledge in South Africa?” The SACMEQ 2007 mathematics teacher test data tested 401 Grade 6 mathematics teachers from a nationally representative sample of primary schools. Findings indicate that 79% of Grade 6 mathematics

teachers showed content knowledge levels below the Grade 6/7 band, and that the few remaining teachers with higher-level content knowledge are inequitably distributed. The authors concluded that given the finding presented in their research paper, it was not an overstatement to say that there is a crisis relating to primary school mathematicsteacher content knowledge in South Africa. Paddy Attwell, Director of Communication at the WCED, said it should be be noted that intermediate phase teachers are generalists, and have to teach all eight subjects in Grades 4 to 6. ‘However, we have been advocating that universities focus more on maths in preservice training, and actively seek out students with aptitudes and interest in maths. “The Western Cape Education Department is currently implementing an eight-year, inservice training programme as part of our language and maths strategy in primary schools. “We are now in year six of the programme. We have trained teachers at about 750 schools so far that represent 69% of the 1 086 primary schools in the province. Maths test results have improved steadily since 2010 in Grades 3, 6 and 9. We still have

“Maths test results have improved steadily since 2010 in Grades 3, 6 and 9. We still have a long way to go, but the results are showing that the strategy is working.” a long way to go, but the results are showing that the strategy is working.” Another training initiative saw the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute (CTLI) in Kuils River host its 9th Mathematics Solutions conference with the theme “Best Classroom Practice”, on 30 June and 01 July 2014. All Western Cape primary schools were invited to participate and 260 teachers consequently registered for the Conference sacrificing part of their holiday in order to enhance their personal professional development.

Keynote Speaker, Dr Gillian Arendse, Head of the Centre for Mentor, Tutor and Leadership Development at Stellenbosch University, motivated teachers to continue to improve Mathematics in the classroom. Of the 23 presenters, 16 were educators currently teaching Mathematics in Western Cape schools. Presenters had the opportunity to demonstrate what worked for them in their classrooms and share best practise with their colleagues. The sessions were all practice based with practical activities to ensure active participation.

A session “Fun and easy ways to integrate Maths and English First Additional Language” presented by Laurie Hackett, an English specialist from the USA, was recorded by Edumedia for future use in CTLI training interventions. Inclusive education for learners with special educational needs also featured at the conference, with teachers from Paarl School show casing how they approach Mathematics with their learners. Various publishing companies participated by exhibiting their latest educational products and in some cases donating textbooks and other teaching support material to participants.

reviews

SEPTEMBER 2014

EDULIS

Who says science is just You can borrow these and similar titles from your Education District Resource Centre or EDULIS Library.

π in the sky? JOURNALS Primary science: the ASE’s journal for primary science

DVDs

Chemical analysis: techniques. (23 min.) High school level

Chemical equations in the real world. (19 min.) High school level 3

Chemistry concepts 1: atomic structure; the periodic table; limitations of bonding models. (24min.) High school level

School science review: the ASE’s journal for science education 11-19

Science activities: classroom projects and curriculum ideas

Chemistry laboratory. (16 min.) High school level

Science & children: NSTA’s peer reviewed journal for elementary teachers.

Science is elementary: how does that work? Electricity and magnetism. (20min.) High school level

Science scope: NSTA’s peer-reviewed journal for middle level and junior high school science teachers.

The nature of matter. (32 min.) High school level

Science teacher: NSTA’s peer-reviewed scholarly journal for secondary science teachers.

Unleashing the power: creating chemical compounds and splitting atoms (49 min.) High school level

School science and mathematics: official journal of the School Science and Mathematics Association founded in 1901

BOOKS DVD SERIES 1

Bill Nye, the Science Guy Primary school level The series consists of: Light and color, Atoms, Chemical reactions, Chemistry, Do-it-yourself science, Electrical current, Electricity, Magnetism, Friction, Nuclear energy, Physics, Static electricity, The science of materials.“Bill Nye the Science Guy knows how to provide easy access to hard science. A fast-paced approach blending humorous hijinks with hands-on activities.” Quoted from the cover. Energy in action Primary school level The series consists of: Energy: potential and kinetic, Forces, Magnetism.“Each program includes engaging demonstrations and a fun, hands-on investigation to further enhance understanding of difficult concepts.” Quoted from the cover. Physical science in action Primary school level The series consists of: Atoms and molecules, Properties of matter, Changes in properties of matter, Electricity, Elements, Forces, Magnetism, compounds and mixtures.“Students travel along with our young host to explore the world of physical science in this series for Grades 5-8. Each program includes a hands-on activity that students can perform in the classroom.” Quoted from the cover. Science lab investigations High school level The series consists of: Energy and chemical reactions, The laws of motion: hovercrafts, Properties of gases, Water analysis.“Each program takes a laboratory technique from physics, chemistry, earth or life science, and makes it meaningful by explaining the theory behind the application using outstanding graphics and relevant real-life examples.” Quoted from the cover. Show me science Primary school level The series consists of: Atoms and elements, Magnetic force at work, States of matter: solid, liquid and gas. “Each title uses incredible visuals to help build a solid understanding of the scientific discipline behind the topic. The programs also show everyday real-life application of the topic and how we are all affected by advancements in science and technology, often in ways we never realize.” Quoted from the cover.

HOW DO I BORROW THESE RESOURCES? Become a member by contacting your Education District Resource Centre / EDULIS Library or you can register electronically. Membership is FREE. Electronic registration GO TO http://tinyurl.com/ edulis-registration (Please read terms and conditions).

OR go to our website: http://edulis.pgwc.gov.za Click on “EDULIS” Click on “Libraries” Click on “Register as member” (Please read terms and conditions) Click on “Library membership registration form” Complete the form and submit

Year round project-based activities for STEM. Grades 2-3. 2013 Butz, S.Y.

Family science night: fun tips, activities and ideas. 2013 Connell, S.

4 5

The ultimate book of Saturday science: the very best backyard science experiments you can do yourself. 2012 Downie, N.A. Primary science: a guide to teaching practice. 2012 Dunne, M. Starting with science: strategies for introducing young children to inquiry. 2013 Edson, M.T. Science fair warm-up: learning the practice of scientists. 2013 – Consists of a teacher’s guide and three learner books covering grades 5-8; 8-12 and 7-10 Haysom, J.

Year round project-based activities for STEM. Grades PreK-K Kurowski, K.

You want me to teach what?: sure-fire methods for teaching physical science and math. 2012 LaFave, N.J.

Year round project-based activities for STEM. Grades 1-2. 2013 Lester, S.

The NSTA ready-reference guide to safer science. Vol. 3. 2012 Roy, K.R.

What principals need to know about teaching and learning science. 2013 Sheninger, E.C.

Interactive science wheels. Grades 1-3. 2013 Silver, D.M.

Teaching high school science through inquiry and argumentation. 2013

YOUR NEAREST RESOURCE CENTRE EDULIS Library

Metropole East

Metropole South

Overberg

Metropole North

Tel: 021 957 9618

Cheryl Joseph

Ntombi Mngxuma

Sara Clegg

Jenny Caroto

Fax: 021 948 0748

Tel: 021 900 5111

Brian O’Connell Resource Centre

Tel: 021 938 3197

edulis@westerncape. gov.za

Cheryl.Joseph@ westerncape.gov.za

Tel: 021 370 2084

MT Ndzuzo Resource Centre Tel: 028 214 7386

1st Floor Middestad Mall

Old Nooiensfontein Road

Ntombentsha.Mngxuma@ westerncape.gov.za

Jennifer.Caroto@ westerncape.gov.za

Charl Malan Street Bellville

Kuils River

Fax: 021 372 1856

AZ Berman Drive, Lengtegeur Mitchells Plain

Fax: 028 214 7400 Sara.Clegg@westerncape. gov.za 15 College Street Caledon

Fax: 021 938 3183

Timmerman Street Parow

EDUCATION

arts and culture

SEPTEMBER 2014

TALENT

Stellenberg Girls Choir delivers a golden performance at World Choir Games The Stellenberg Girls’ Choir with Andre van der Merwe as choir master brought home three gold medals after their very successful participation in the World Choir Games in Riga, capital city of Latvia in Northern Europe.

School Choral Eisteddfod hits the right notes

M T

he SMK participated in three categories at the World Choir games. In the category “Spirit and Faith”, SMK achieved second place with 94% to the choir of China who won with 94,5% . They also achieved second place in the category “Contemporanea” with 93,5% and third place in the category “Popular Choral Music” with an unbelievable 95%! The choir was recognised

and honoured in Riga. The distinguishing choir dress with the porcupine quills in their hair and African paint on their faces conquered the hearts of the locals as well as the tourists and other participants in the city. People stopped to take photos or listened to their spontaneous singing in trams, buses or walking the streets in groups in the Old City! Just before the choir boarded the buses for Warsaw at the last leg of the

tour, they brought the hotel to a standstill with their singing of a few songs as well as Nkosi Sikelele i Africa. Van der Merwe and the staff members who accompanied the choir agreed that the girls were real ambassadors for Stellenberg High School as well as their country. For the girls this was a life changing experience. It was the climax of 18 months of back breaking hard work – not only to

prepare for a World Competition, but also to raise the necessary funds to subsidise 27 of the 94 choir members who could not pay the full amount of the cost for the tour. The World Competition is the biggest choir competition in the world. It takes place every second year and involves choirs from all continents. In 2014 there were 27 000 participants in 460 choirs from 73 countries.

Artscape presents “Born Frees” Artscape presented the much awaited contemporary dance showcase, Born Frees, featuring Western Cape Focus schools and other schools within the Cape Peninsula, Artscape, New World Dance Theatre (NWDT), Cape Flats Development Association (CAFDA) and UCT Youth Training Programme in collaboration with the Western Cape Education Department.

Photographer: Bradly Urion

he production, sponsored by the National Arts Council, showcased a variety of dance styles and cultures in celebration of the diversity of the country and the global village of the bold new generation, Generation Z. “The purpose of bringing this production to Artscape is to reaffirm our unshakeable commitment in empowering our youth through the arts as it is a powerful medium to bring young people from all backgrounds and cultures together”, said Marlene Le Roux, Artscape’s Director for Audience Development and Education.

The performance featured 120 Dance learners from various schools across the city. “We believe it is very important for the youth to experience what it’s like to perform in a good theatre with proper lighting, sound and stage”, said Celeste Botha, Director at NWDT. “Generation Z/Born Frees have access to youtube and can watch world class shows, choreographies, see beautiful theatres with lighting and sound from there but it all seems like an unrealistic dream if they don’t get to experience real theatre.” Botha said the preparation and brainstorming took place about

two years before the start of the rehearsals for the production. Each group/school learnt a unique piece of choreography, taught to them by Marlin Zoutman and Botha. “We had 2 visits to each school of about 3-4 hours per visit to teach the choreography. This process started in May 2014 and by the beginning of July, when everything was taught and choreographed, all the learners and teachers got together at Artscape for a full week of hard work and fun in putting the final product together.” Some WCED teachers also performed.

“This was important for the youth to see the level of skill their teachers have and in creating a strong student teacher bond,” Botha said. Botha added that there has been an overwhelming response from the learners, teachers and parents. “We saw a dramatic improvement in the learners’ skill as dancers and the biggest surprise was how they improved right at the last performance. We are so proud of their achievements and cannot wait to start the process for the following year.”

ore than five hundred learners from 13 schools in the Western Cape participated in the national South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (SASCE) at the International Convention Centre in Durban during the July holidays. The SASCE was jointly organized by the DBE and the nine provincial education departments as well as the teacher unions and other stakeholders in education drawing close to 8 000 learners from across the country in a festival of choral music. The music ranged from Western classical songs, operatic arias and ensembles to African indigenous music. The schools did the Western Cape proud by being the champions in two categories, namely the operatic tenor solo (Oaklands Secondary School) and the Girls’ Choirs (Harry Gwala Secondary School). Masiphumelele Primary and Harry Gwala Secondary School were the runners-up for the Indigenous Folklore and the Opera Ensembles respectively. The Boys choirs of Elsies River Secondary School and the mixed choirs of Vuselela, Impendulo and Sobambisana Primary Schools were awarded third positions for their performances in their various categories. Bloemendal Primary School was the only rural school in the Western Cape team and was awarded a third prize for the farm schools section. The WCED team also received the prize for the Best Province with regard to the administrative arrangements and general communication with the DBE.

noticeboard

SEPTEMBER 2014

CIRCULARS

A quick guide to circulars The Western Cape Education Department issued the following circulars and circular minutes during the period May 2014 to August 2014. 0018/2014 Grade 12 National Catalogue of Folklore Anthologies for Indigenous Home Languages http://wced.school.za/circulars/

0030/2014 Delivery of Grade R-9 DBE workbooks for 2015 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e30_14.html

circulars14/e18_14.html 0019/2014 Timetable for the 2014 Annual National Assessments to be written in Grades 1 to 6 and 9 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e19_14.html 0020/2014 Revised guidelines on the issuing of Circulars, Minutes and Notices

EDUCATION PLANNING MINUTES INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT 0001/2014 Mobile units purchased by the school governing body or donated to the school http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/EPminutes/edip1_14. html

http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e20_14.html 0021/2014 Amendments to promotion requirements for Grades 7 to 9 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e21_14.html 0022/2014 Online ordering of learner and teacher stationery as well as cleaning materials in the

INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCE SUPPORT 0006/2014 South African Book Fair – 13 to 15 June 2014 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/EPminutes/edir6_14. html KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, INFORMATION & RECORD MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND ICT

2014/2015 Financial Year for all Non-Section 21 schools http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e22_14.html 0023/2014 Online ordering facility for Grades 1-12 CAPS textbooks http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e23_14.html 0024/2014 General measures with regard to applications for leave http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e24_14.html 0026/2014 Capturing of term performance on CEMIS for 2014 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e26_14.html 0027/2014 Maintenance standard operating procedures http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e27_14.html 0028/2014 Final timetable and arrangements for the November 2014 Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) Level 4 Examinations http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e28_14.html 0029/2014 Online ordering for Grades 1-12 for use in 2015 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars14/e29_14.html

0001/2014 2014 Snap Survey of Ordinary Public Schools, ANA learner registration and Grade 12 subject changes http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/EPminutes/edkm1_14. html 0002/2014 2014 Annual Survey for Public and Independent Ordinary schools http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/EPminutes/edkm2_14. html 0003/2014 PAIA: Revised procedure for providing access to information http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/EPminutes/edkm3_14. html 0004/2014 Courier services (Transversal contract RT5-2013) http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/EPminutes/edkm4_14. html RESEARCH 0001/2014 Release of the results of the 2013 WCED Systemic tests for Grades 3, 6 & 9 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/EPminutes/edrs1_14. html 0002/2014 Release of the results of the 2013 WCED Systemic tests (Grade 3 Language) http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/EPminutes/edrs2_14. html

CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT MINUTES ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT 0008/2014 Management of the National Senior Certificate examination from October 2014 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edam8_14. html 0009/2014 Appointment of chief markers and ordinary markers for the centralised moderation of the Grades 3, 6 and 9 Annual National Assessments in 2014 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edam9_14. html 0010/2014 Exemplar question papers for grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) 2014 examinations http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/ edam10_14.html 0011/2014 First drafts of timetables http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/ edam15_14.html 0012/2014 Dissemination of the 2014 Grade 9 Annual National Assessments exemplar questions http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/ edam12_14.html 0013/2014 Exemplar School Based Assessment Tasks in seven selected subjects for the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/ edam13_14.html 0014/2014 November 2014 National Senior Certificate Examinations: Procedures and guidelines for the conduct of the final practical examination in Design and Visual Arts http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/ edam14_14.html 0015/2014 Examination guidelines and administration of a Common Assessment Task for Grade 12 Life Orientation in 2014 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/ edam15_14.html

CURRICULUM GET 0005/2014 Notice of WCED Literacy and Numeracy intervention training during June-July 2014 for Grades 1 to 6 teachers (Phase 3 – cycle 2) http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edcg5_14. html CURRICULUM FET 0012/2014 Request for South African schools to commemorate Africa Day 2014 during the week 19 – 23 May 2014 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edcf12_14. html 0013/2014 Distribution of the “Apply Now!” booklet to all Grade 12 learners of 2014 to encourage early application at higher education institutions http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edcf13_14. html 0014/2014 Readjustment of Grade 12 Tourism, Consumer Studies and Hospitality Studies teaching plans http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edcf14_14. html 0015/2014 Technology survey within Public Ordinary and ELSEN schools http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edcf15_14. html EXAMINATIONS ADMINISTRATION 002/2014 Appointment of invigilators for the November 2014 National Senior Certificate (NSC), March 2015 NSC Supplementary and the May/June 2015 Senior Certificate examinations http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edea2_14. html 003/2014 November 2014 National Senior Certificate examination (CAPS) – CEMIS http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edea3_14. html 0004/2014 Registration of learners for the November 2014 ABET Level 4 Examinations with a view of obtaining the General Education and Training Certificate http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/edea4_14. html

CAPE TEACHING AND LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

INSTITUTION DEVELOPMENT & COORDINATION MINUTES

003/2014 2014 National Teaching Awards http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CMminutes/ectli3_14. html

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION 0001/2014 Verification of the learners currently marked as “LSEN in the mainstream”, their future

capturing on CEMIS and handling of supporting documents http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/IDCminutes/ehis1_14. html INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE PLANNING 0010/2014 Minutes of Provincial Centre Managers’ Forum meeting of 11 April 2014 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/IDCminutes/ eimgp10_14.html

CORPORATE SERVICES MINUTES BUSINESS STRATEGY & STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT MINUTES 0003/2014 School Improvement Plans for 2015 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CSminutes/edbs3_14. html FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING 0001/2014 Visits to schools by officials from the Office of the AuditorGeneral, South Africa – 26 February 2014 to 28 March 2014 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CSminutes/edfa1_14. html RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION 0003/2014 Request for Special Vacancy lists: Principals and Deputy Principals http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CSminutes/ersc3_14. html 0004/2014 Requesting PERSAL reports from Provincial Treasury http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CSminutes/ersc4_14. html 0005/2014 Conversion from temporary employment to permanent employment of Institution Based Public Service Employees http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CSminutes/ersc5_14. html STRATEGIC PEOPLE MANAGEMENT 0005/2014 Sixty-six extraordinary 2015 Funza Lushaka Bursaries for students in the Western Cape Province http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes14/CSminutes/ehrm5_14. html

EDUCATION

sport

SEPTEMBER 2014

ACHIEVEMENTS

Sport scholarship for up-and-coming cricket star

atthew Kaiser, a Grade 7 learner at Pinelands Primary School, is a budding cricketer with the potential to reach the highest levels of the game. The all-rounder’s skill with a bat saw him named batsman of the tournament three times at the annual Pinelands InterSchools Day/Night Tournament. The 12-year-old has also been

included in Pinelands High School’s u14A cricket team as an opening batsman. He capitalised on the opportunity by making the highest score for the team. The high school was so impressed with his consistent performance that they offered him a sport scholarship for next year. Since the beginning of this year, Matthew has played eight cricket matches for Pinelands High School and scored over 300 runs at a batting average of 50+. Another highlight for Matthew was when he scored his maiden century (104) against Islamia College earlier this year and 97 (not out) against Reddam House. Like Sir Garfield Sobers, who is widely considered as one of cricket’s greatest all-rounders, and local cricketer Paul Adams, Matthew is a left-handed “chinaman” bowler. He started playing cricket when he was eight years old after watching his older brother play at the Avendale Cricket Club. Matthew says he looks up

to Jacques Kallis “because he is a hard worker and a good role model. He learns from his mistakes and he is not scared to try something new, he always puts his best into what he does. He practices hard in order to become better and he remains loyal to his country and his team.” Matthew says while he loves cricket and has his sights set on playing for the Cobras and ultimately the Proteas, his academic work always comes first. “If my grades are not good enough, I have to cut back on my sports time, so I always strive to obtain good marks.” His favourite subjects are mathematics, technology and natural science. Matthew also plays soccer and hockey for his school and he is on the athletics team. “We are very proud of Matthew’s achievements and believe he can only grow from where he is now. He sets good examples for his team members and remains grounded despite his achievements,” his parents said.

SA Under-18 Sevens win Gold in African Youth Games

he South African Under-18 Sevens team did the country proud by winning the gold medal at the African Youth Games in Botswana, but it was the way in which it was achieved that was particularly pleasing. This was the opinion of Marius Schoeman, the SARU Sevens Academy Manager, after the schoolboy side returned home from Gaborone with a second gold medal in as many years. The team also won gold in the 2013 Australian Youth Olympics. In Gaborone, the South Africans, coached by Gavin Beresford of Tygerberg High School, scored 183 points without conceding any. Five of the team members are from the Western Cape. They are Edrich Venter (Paul Roos Gymnasium), Herschelle Jantjies (Paul Roos Gymnasium), Edwill van der Merwe (Paul Roos Gymnasium), Ivan Kunz (Tygerberg), and Grant Williams (Paarl Gymnasium). “The boys really played well, considering we only had four field sessions with them prior to the tournament,” Schoeman reflected. On day one, South Africa beat Kenya 30-0 and Madagascar 52-0, with Ivory Coast forfeiting their fixture. This placed South Africa in the semi-finals on day two against Namibia, and to Schoeman’s delight the team continued their fine form to earn a 41-0 victory and a final berth against Kenya. With form and confidence counting in the team’s favour, they finished the tournament with their best result of the weekend, a 60-0 victory against Kenya. “Kenya will be the African representative at the Junior Olympics later this year, so we wanted to make a statement when we faced them. We pride ourselves on our defensive system and the players can be very proud of themselves,” Schoeman said.

WP rugby makes their presence felt at CocaCola Youth Weeks

estern Province finished the 2014 Coca-Cola Under-18 Craven Week with an exciting 37-29 win over Free State at HTS Middelburg The Western Province emerged as the unofficial champions of the Under-13 Coca-Cola Craven Week, Under-16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week and the Coca-Cola Academy Week. The Cape side was the only unbeaten team at the Under-13 Craven Week, held at Glenwood High School in Durban. WP claimed a 29-14 victory over Border in the final played at Growthpoint Kings Park. WP scored 126 points and only conceded 27 in four matches. WP took the honours as the unofficial champions at the Under-16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week for the third successive time as they registered a convincing 26-11 victory against hosts, the Blue Bulls, at the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria. The Cape side built on their victories against Border and the Golden Lions on the opening two days by delivering another impressive attacking performance, which they supported with a solid defensive effort to secure the victory.

The match marked a repeat of the final game last season, which Western Province won 22-15, while the Cape side piped the Free State 10-7 in the 2012 tournament. The Western Province Academy team smashed KwaZulu-Natal on the final day of the Coca-Cola Academy Week for Under-18s in Worcester, winning the final match of the tournament 38-7. This emphatic win over a highly-rated KZN side confirmed the credentials of the WP side who earlier in the week brushed aside the Free State and Blue Bulls teams as well. Western Province had a strong start in the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week at HTS Middelburg in Mpumalanga. WP delivered a hard-fought 33-32 victory against the hosts, the Pumas, in a nail-biting end to the opening day’s play. In one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, SWD toppled Western Province 38-23 on day three of the Under-18 Coca-Cola Craven Week to play their way into a favourable position for a place in the final match of the tournament. In the end, Eastern Province was the unofficial champions following a 25-7 victory against SWD in the final match at HTS Middelburg.

Western Province finished the 2014 Coca-Cola Under-18 Craven Week with an exciting 37-29 win over Free State at HTS Middelburg. Photos supplied.

The Under-13 Craven Week Opening Ceremony and Parade

sport

SEPTEMBER 2014

Gezelle wins Gold at the Youth Olympics

Gezelle Magerman won South Africa’s only gold medal at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China. She ran the 400m hurdles in 57.91, the second fastest time in the world in 2014. Photographer: Wessel Oosthuizen/SASPA.

ezelle Magerman, a Grade 11 learner at La Rochelle Girls’ High School in Paarl, won the 400-metre hurdles final at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China. She came from the back to win the event in a personal best time of 57.91 seconds, a SA Youth record and the second fastest time in the world in 2014. Earlier this year, Gezelle was crowned African Youth Games champion in Gaborone, Botswana. A large crowd of supporters, including Western Cape Cultural Affairs and Sport Minister Nomafrench Mbombo, gathered at the Cape Town International Airport on Sunday 31 August to welcome the athlete home. Mbombo said Gezelle has flown the South African flag high and showcased the wealth of talent which exists not only in this province but in the rest of the country. Gezelle also excels in netball and obtained her WP colours last year. She said she will now have to concentrate on her school work ahead of the exams. In a television interview on the breakfast show Expresso, Gezelle said her next goal was to improve her time by four seconds in preparation for the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

In brief • PRG learner Micheal Lord claimed silver in the Junior Elite men’s category for the 2014 ITU Cross Tri World Champs in Zittau Germany. Micheal was part of the SA team after winning the SA Junior title in May. • Defending champions Rondebosch Boys won the Cape Town U18 International Schools/Clubs Hockey Festival over South African College School (SACS). The girls’ event was won by English school Millfield over Stellenberg following a dramatic penalty shootout. A total of 44 teams from England, Holland, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa took part in the festival with matches played at eight venues in Cape Town from 22 to 27 July

Western Cape dominate at All Ages Tournament

estern Cape schools netball teams collected six medals at the annual All Ages Netball Tournament that was held in Margate from 1 – 4 July. The Western Cape Cedars took home the gold in the Under-18 section, with the Western Cape Oaks taking gold in the Under-17 and Under-16 sections. The LSEN team also took gold. The Under-14 Western Cape Willows earned a silver medal. In the Under-13 section, the Western Cape Oaks bagged silver and the Western Cape Willows took bronze. Following the tournament, a squad of 37 Under-17 players was selected to attend final trials to determine who would be in the final 12 to tour and represent the country.

A total of 13 Western Cape girls were selected to play in the trials on Saturday, 19 July. The final team reveals the strength of netball in the Western Cape, with eight of the 12 girls hailing from the province. The SA Under-17 Team for 2014: Tersha de Wet (Paarl Gymnasium), Jessica du Plessis (Noord-Kaap), Jodee Johannes (Settlers High), Alison Malgas (De Kuilen), Noluthando Mazibuko (Sutherland High), Beverley Moyake (Marais Viljoen), Nichole Taljaard (Stellenberg High), Anike van der Merwe (DF Malan), Bernike van Dyk (Waterkloof), Kara Viljoen (Paarl Girls’ High), Nicola Viljoen (Paarl Girl’s High), Carla Werth (DF Malan). The SA Under-17 Team will represent the country in Portugal in October.

The following Western Cape girls were selected for the SA Under-18 Netball team: Marianne Breytenbach (Outeniqua), Jodie Brown (De Kuilen), Anandie Burger (Porterville High), Sigrid Burger (La Rochelle GHS), Danalee Cronje (Worcester Gymnasium), Mienke Ehlers (Paarl Girls’ High), Lefebre Rademan (Langenhoven High), Xenia Folscher (Tygerberg High), Tatum Gordon (Western Cape Sports School), Francisca Marais (Swellendam High), Nielke Matthee (Paarl Gymnasium), Nadia Pretorius (Paarl Girls’ High), Rochelle Rossouw (Paarl Gymnasium), Cara Uys (Paarl Gymnasium), Nicola van der Merwe (Paarl Gymnasium). Above: The u18 Cedars

Manzomthombo wins national netball tournament

he Under-16 team of Manzomthombo Secondary School in Mfuleni received a hero’s welcome back home after claiming gold medals at the 2014 South African Schools Netball Secondary Schools Championships in Gauteng in August. The players made their intentions clear from the start by defeating opponents at the district and provincial games. Their coach, Frank Xaba, a teacher at the school, said the biggest motivation for the team was that they represented their school, the Mfuleni community and the province. Many of the girls were also excited about travelling

outside the province for the first time. “Today they are champions and made us proud,” Xaba said. In 2012, Manzomthombo’s Under-16 team was ranked fourth out of nine teams in the age group and they aimed for a podium finish this year. Team captain, Zanele Malgas, said the competition was tough but the girls were not intimidated. She added that they were determined to do their best. The team trained on a run-down netball court behind their school and Malgas said their circumstances served as added motivation. “We used that as our weapon to defeat our opponents. For us the sky is the limit.”

Malgas said their dream was to conduct coaching clinics for the youth in their neighbourhoods and represent the country internationally. The school principal, John Matiso, attributed their success to a committed and hardworking coach. “Mr Xaba helps to coach netball in our feeder schools and this strategy proved to be successful. He is also a very good Mathematics Literacy teacher with a pass rate of more than 90% in Grade 12.” Matiso said the school supports learners through fundraising initiatives to motivate them to take part in sport and other extracurricular activities.