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Left: Donald Grant, centre, with children, staff and parents at Umtha Welanga Primary School, Khayelitsha, with one of 20 taxis in the area that are carrying the message: “Help your child read, write and practise maths every day. Let’s make education better together”
Driving home the importance of
reading, writing and calculating Taxis and radio ads are being used to spread the Western Cape Education Department’s message to parents to get actively involved with their children’s education.
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he campaign kicked off on 16 January to coincide with the start of the school year. It is aimed at parents and asks them to: “Help your child read, write and practise maths every day. Let’s make education better together”. key elements include a Grade 1 parents’ guide, radio advertising, billboards, posters and banners as well as “wrapped” taxis, internal taxi displays and trailers. The department has distributed 108 000 copies of the Grade 1 Parents’ Guide to schools to give to parents. The trilingual guide provides an overview of the curriculum for languages and maths in Grade 1 and tips for parents on what they can do to develop their children’s language and maths skills at home.
“We are appealing To parenTs To Take an aCTive inTeresT in Their ChilDren’s eDuCaTion anD To enCourage Them To reaD, WriTe anD CalCulaTe every Day.”
The guide also provides reading lists for holiday and leisure time reading and advice on where to obtain further information. The department has broadcast tips for parents on 10 radio stations in January and February, via 561 radio advertisements. The WCED has emblazoned the campaign message on 20 taxis travelling in khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain and the Cape Flats and has placed internal “visor” ads in 100 taxis on long-haul routes travelling on the West Coast, around Worcester and in the Southern Cape. Trailers will display the message in seven townships and suburbs in the Metro North, East and South education districts. The department is investing about R1.25 million in the campaign this year. “We are appealing to parents to take an active interest in their children’s education and to encourage them to read, write and
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calculate every day,” said Western Cape Education Minister, Donald Grant. He added that simple things like asking them to count groceries in shopping bags, reading a headline in a newspaper or writing down what they did in school that day, can go a long way
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Positive improvement in Language and Mathematics results
NSC Awards record pass for Western Cape
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to developing a young child’s skills. “We hope that this campaign alerts parents to their responsibilities in developing their children’s language and mathematics skills. “By working together, Parents can also ensure further progress.”
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Textbooks as a resource for teaching and learning in the 21st century
SA boys claim Sevens gold at Australian Youth Olympics
See page 10
See page 16
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IN THE CLASSROOM
Positive improvement in
Language and Mathematics results The 2012 language and mathematics results have produced improved outcomes in all grades and all subjects.
Strengthening the financial management of schools
Learners were already hard at work on the first day of school.
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he 38.9% pass rate in the Grade 3 Language test showed an 8.5% improvement compared to 2011. The percentage pass rate for Language in Grade 6 and Grade 9 was 36.9% and 48.2% respectively, an increase of 5.4% and 4%. More than 250 000 Grade 3, 6 and 9 learners from 1 421 Public Ordinary and Independent schools took part in the tests In October 2012. Learners had to score 50% in the tests to pass. The Mathematics pass rate for Grade 3 improved from 47.6% in 2011 to 51.5%. In Grade 6 there was a 3% increase to 26.4% while the Grade 9 results improved from 10.9% in 2011 to 13.9% in 2012. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has been conducting language and mathematics
“while the 2012 tests resulted in some pleasing improvements, we still face some tough challenges.” testing for learners in Grade 3 and Grade 6 for a number of years, introducing Grade 9 testing in 2010 for the first time. The tests help to determine the levels of learners’ language and mathematics abilities so that the department can target and assist schools in improving their outcomes. Announcing the results in January this year, Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant said the provincial government believed in the value in providing diagnostic assessment of the provincial education system so that it could improve
the management of education and learner performance. In order to enhance the credibility of the tests, the systemic tests are independently administered, tested and marked by outside service providers. In 2011, the WCED decided to improve these tests further and approached the Centre for Evaluation and Assessment (CEA), an autonomous research unit within the Faculty of Education at the University of Pretoria, to evaluate and update the existing testing instruments. After analysing and evaluating the tests, the CEA produced an updated test that was first administered in 2011. “We are now in a position, when interpreting the 2012 results, to compare and contrast the 2012 results with those of the previous year. This will allow us to determine if our strategies in literacy and numeracy are yielding positive results, or if we are declining in performance in the different areas of testing.” Grant said the Grade 3 results suggested that strategies in the Foundation Phase, such as the provision of additional readers and the introduction of mathematics textbooks in the Foundation Phase, have yielded positive results. “While the 2012 tests have resulted in some pleasing improvements, we still face some tough challenges. There is still considerable work that needs to be done to ensure that these improvements continue to happen as we move towards acceptable outcomes for all our learners in these tests. The department’s improvement strategy included an analysis of each schools results and adapt-
“The WCED has over the last two years provided millions of textbooks and classroom readers to schools.” ing each school’s language and mathematics strategy by taking into account where weaknesses of their learners lay. Training programmes will be offered at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute that will focus on developing teachers’ knowledge and skills in the areas of language and mathematics. The department was also in the fourth year of an 8 year programme to train all primary school teachers teaching language and mathematics. This year the department will be focussing on content and teaching strategies. Grant added that the department would continue to encourage the use of textbooks and workbooks in the classroom to improve classroom practice. The WCED has over the last two years provided millions of textbooks and classroom readers to schools. “We must see the 2012 improvements as a step ahead in the right direction. In 2013, let us all pick up the pace.”
The Western Cape Education Department has launched a special programme to improve and support financial management at schools in 2013. The programme will include providing the relevant schools with training and resource materials, training district officials and filling outstanding posts for School Corporate Officers in districts, who are responsible for monitoring financial management at schools. In order to improve the financial management of schools, the department has released guidelines for governing bodies on how to draw up and deal with the records and financial statements, the annual budget and the receipt of funds, giving important instructions on how
to manage and audit the books, records and statements. 100 selected schools were inspected from October 2011 to April 2012 as part of the WCED’s resolve to strengthen school financial management. The audit provided the WCED with substantial information and evidence that SGBs need to be trained further and supported more vigorously with regard to their financial management responsibilities, including strengthening the training of School Corporate Officers and principals.
WCED scoops award for reporting standards The Western Cape Education Department received an award for the most consistent high performance over the last three years in annual reports published by all provincial and national departments.
The Annual Public Sector Reporting Awards (or SAIGA Reporting Awards) was introduced eleven years ago. Consistent scores of above 90% indicated that government departments apply the highest reporting standards. The WCED scored 93.30% to secure
12th position on SAIGA’s Top 20 list. Professor Dieter Gloeck, Executive President of SAIGA and Chairperson of the Award Committee, praised the high scoring departments and pointed to the overall sustained improvement for their adherence to reporting standards since the inception of the awards.
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school “improving our maThemaTiCs anD language resulTs Will be a prioriTy foCus area in The 2013 sChool year.”
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hese included late registrations and minor cases of vandalism at 24 schools during the school holidays. Around 970 000 learners will be accommodated in about 1 500 schools in the province this year. The Western Cape Education Department was on standby to provide assistance at schools where there were late registrations and any other last-minute tasks that needed to be completed. Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant visited Sid G Rule
Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant comforts a Grade 1 learner at Sid G Rule Primary School. Primary School in Grassy Park as part of a series of school visits to welcome new learners and parents to schools. “I hope they are warmly received by their new school friends and educators. They are now part of a team of Western Cape learners that we, as a Government, want to see ending their school career with an excellent National Senior Certificate based on quality education.” Grant congratulated Sid G Rule Principal Priscilla Stadler on the school’s 2012 Language and Mathematics results. The school achieved 94.9% for Grade 3 mathematics and 88.8% for Grade 3 language, and 80% for Grade 6 mathematics and 79.2% for Grade 6 language. These results are well above the provincial average.
WC E D L AU N C H E S O N L I N E , E - R E C R U I T M E N T SYST E M The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has introduced a new online system that will make it much easier for teachers to apply for jobs in the province. The online application system was piloted in 2011 for the filling of promotion posts. Based on the findings of the pilot, the WCED has since created a new e-Recruitment System. Teachers were able to use the system on the WCED’s web site from 1 December 2012. The system reduces the stress and paperwork involved in applying for a teaching post. The e-Recruitment System allows teachers to capture and store their CVs online. They are also able to edit and update their CVs using the system. Teachers can then apply for posts online, linking their latest CVs to their applications. The system will immediately generate a letter acknowledging receipt of an application for a post. Applicants will not have to make copies of documents for each application submitted. They will not have to pay postage costs nor stand in queues to submit applications before closing dates. The system will allocate a unique identification number to each teacher profile. The department has urged teachers
to start compiling their CVs on the eRecruitment System from 1 December 2012 because they will have to submit all applications online from 1 January 2013. The new system reflects ongoing innovation by the department as it seeks to improve the way in which it recruits staff. These innovations have included increasing the number of vacancy lists published by the department to at least five a year, compared to twice a year before 2010. This has enabled the department to achieve much faster turnaround times for permanent appointments while avoiding undue use of contract staff. Previously the department waited six months or more to fill a post permanently. The department has also reduced the turnaround times for the filling of principal posts from at least six months to three months on average. All of these measures have helped to stabilise the system significantly. Recruitment is a major logistical exercise. A vacancy list of 600 posts typically attracts about 14 000 applications. The WCED has therefore fine-tuned the paper-based systems to manage the numbers involved, taking an advanced step forward with the new e-Recruitment System.
“Improving our mathematics and language results will be a priority focus area in the 2013 school year. Many of our strategies are geared towards assisting and supporting our schools in improving their learners’ reading, writing and calculating skills. We will be closely monitoring, through our School Improvement Plan (SIPS) database, the utilisation of textbooks and workbooks in our schools and will be launching a campaign to encourage parents to participate in encouraging their children to read, write and calculate every day,” Grant said. He added that while reading, writing and calculating will be focus areas in 2013, it is important that parents of all learners, in any grade, ensures that their child attends school - on time and ready
The 2013 academic year started off well in the Western Cape with only a few hiccups reported. to participate. “As the Western Cape Government we are determined to give all learners of this province an opportunity to complete their education. They cannot do this if they do not attend school.” Six new schools opened their
doors to learners in the province. These schools are Sunningdale Primary School, Concordia Primary School and Concordia High School in knysna, Disa High School in Hout Bay, AZ Berman High School in Mitchells Plain and Soneike High School in kuils River.
A learner walks to his classroom at Pinelands Primary School on the first day of the 2013 academic year.
online
new online system monitors performance and resources at schools School principals have been urged to ensure that their School Improvement Plans (SIPS) submissions are up-to-date. The SIPS is an online management tool that was piloted in all schools in 2012. It contains a wealth of information that can be used for effective planning purposes. It also requires schools to set targets for improvements for each grade in each of the next three years.
The school improvement plan makes provision for: The school profile; The number of learners on the nutrition programme and learner transport; Staff and learner numbers including past trends and projections; The average number of days absent per learner and educator; The number of learners repeating per year; The number of meetings with parents to discuss learner academic performance; and Policies needing priority attention. One of the most valuable functions on the SIPS programme is the Resources page, which will allow the department to monitor and assess whether schools have ordered, received, issued, used and retrieved the required textbooks at given dates: whether they have received,
issued and used their workbooks; and the number of learners who have either desks and chairs in their classroom. Officials from the WCED are then able to monitor the needs of schools more effectively in this regard. It also ensures that principals take responsibility for ensuring that they report the relevant shortages so that the WCED can deal with any shortages as soon as possible. The ‘Academic Performance Improvement’ function is extremely important in monitoring the performance and improvement levels of each school. Each school has to submit improvement targets which are determined by principals in consultation with the relevant district office after careful analysis of the Grades 3, 6 and 9 literacy and numeracy test results, the Annual National Assessment results, the National Senior Certificate results and internal test results. Once determined, the targets are captured into the SIPS database and monitored to ensure that each of our schools is progressing. This function also enhances accountability across the system and allows the department to identify schools that are at risk in meeting targets so that districts and head office can provide the necessary support and assistance.
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wcednews@pgwc.gov.za Tel: 021 467 2707 DireCTor of CommuniCaTion
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Millicent Merton ConTribuTors
Rayaan Adriaanse Cherryl Botterill Bronagh Casey Leonore Ehlers Sandy Flanagan/Gsport Caroline Fowler Khalid Galant Neville Goliath Susan Hanekom Zaahida Hartley Hennie Mentz Nompumelelo Mxoli Linda Rose Alister Sauer Dough Schooling Ismail Teladia Louise van der Merwe Design
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news special feature
MARCH 2013
2012 resulTs
NSC AWARDS Western Cape Premier Helen Zille and Education Minister Donald Grant hosted an awards function at Leeuwenhof to acknowledge the outstanding success of schools and individual learners in the 2012 National Senior Certificate Examinations. sChool aWarDs
CaTegory 1 - exCellenCe in aCaDemiC performanCe
Awards were made to the top 20 schools in the province (including independent schools) that have achieved excellence in academic results in 2012, based on the following criteria: Consistency in number of grade 12 candidates over a period of 3 years (at least 90%) of previous years an overall pass rate of at least 95% in 2012 % of candidates with access to Bachelor’s degree % of candidates with Mathematics passes Each school received an award of R20 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.
CaTegory 2 - mosT improveD sChools
no. sChool name
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
Herschel Girls’ School Diocesan College Rondebosch Boys’ High School Westerford High School Springfield Convent of the Holy Rosary Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof Herzlia High School St Cyprian’s School South African College High School Hoërskool Parel Vallei Wynberg Girls’ High School Rhenish Girls’ High School Parklands College The Settlers High School Paul Roos Gymnasium Wynberg Boys’ High School Hoër Meisieskool Paarl Hoërskool D.F. Malan Stellenberg High School Stellenbosch High School
CaTegory 2a: mosT improveD publiC sChools
Awards were made to schools that have shown the greatest improvement in the numbers that passed over the period 2010 - 2012. Improvement is measured in terms of the numbers passing. Each school received an award of R15 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material. no. sChool name
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
improvemenT in maThemaTiCs
This was awarded to De Kuilen High School for the greatest improvement in performance in Mathematics in 2012 compared to their performance in 2011 by increasing the number of passes. The school received an award of R10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.
The school received an award of R10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material. CaTegory 3b: physiCal sCienCes improvemenT in physiCal sCienCes
This was awarded to Spine Road Secondary School for the greatest improvement in performance in Physical Science in 2012 compared to their performance in 2011 by increasing the number of passes.
exCellenCe in physiCal sCienCes
CaTegory 2b: greaTesT inCrease in numbers passing for baChelors Degree sTuDy
CaTegory 3C: aCCounTing
no. sChool name
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
courage and determination shown by many, many of whom are not known to us, in achieving their success. A Special Minister’s Award for outstanding academic achievement and inspiring determination in spite of great personal challenges was presented to Anita Engelbrecht of Bellville High School. Anita has been in a wheelchair from a young age and can only move her head and arms. Despite this she was an
This was awarded to Hoërskool Parel Vallei for the highest number of passes in Mathematics in 2012.
Môrester Sekondêre Skool Bloekombos Sekondêre Skool Leiden Secondary School Wesbank Sekondêre Skool Masibambane Secondary School 6. Malibu Sekondêre Skool 7. Simanyene Secondary School 8. Iqhayiya Secondary School 9. Percy Mdala High School 10. Sinenjongo High School
Awards were made to schools that have shown the greatest increase in the number of learners achieving access to Bachelor degree studies over the period 2010-2012. Each school received an award of R15 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.
Every year there are numerous candidates who achieve excellent academic results in the face of tremendous hardship, ill health and personal obstacles. The department was struck by the courage and fortitude displayed by many learners and families in achieving monumental goals. This year we again wish to recognise a learner who exemplifies the exceptional
CaTegory 3a: maThemaTiCs
exCellenCe in maThemaTiCs
learner aWarD
speCial minisTerial aWarDs
CaTegory 3 - improvemenT anD exCellenCe in inDiviDual subJeCTs
George High School Hoërskool J.G. Meiring Hoërskool Oudtshoorn Hoërskool Parel Vallei Stellenberg High School Mondale High School Schoonspruit Sekondêre Skool Excelsior Sekondêre Skool The Settlers High School Oaklands Sekondêre Skool
excellent student in a mainstream high school. She was amongst the school’s Top 20 in every examination. Anita was a member of the school’s Council of Learners, an editor of the school newspaper and on the management of the CRA. She figures that every problem has a solution and she was an inspiration to her peers. She took 8 subjects in Grade 12 and boasts 5 distinctions (two 97%), a B and a C symbol.
The school received an award of R10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.
This was awarded to Hoërskool Parel Vallei for the highest number of passes in Physical Sciences. The school received an award of R10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.
improvemenT in aCCounTing
This was awarded to De Kuilen High School for the greatest improvement in performance in Accounting in 2012 compared to their performance in 2011 by increasing the number of passes. The school received an award of R10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material. exCellenCe in aCCounTing
This was awarded to Outeniqua High School for the highest number of passes in Accounting. The school received an award of R 10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.
CaTegory 3D: english home language improvemenT in english home language
This was awarded to Rocklands Secondary School for the greatest improvement in performance in English Home Language in 2012 compared to their performance in 2011 by increasing the number of passes. The school received an award of R10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material. exCellenCe in english home language
This was awarded to Fairmont High School for the highest number of passes in English Home Language. The school received an award of R10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material. CaTegory 3e: afrikaans home language improvemenT in afrikaans home language
This was awarded to George High School for the greatest improvement in performance in Afrikaans Home Language in 2012 compared to their performance in 2011 by increasing the number of passes. The school received an award of R10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material. exCellenCe in afrikaans home language
This was awarded to Hoërskool Outeniqua for the highest number of passes in Afrikaans Home Language. The school received an award of R10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material. CaTegory 3e: isixhosa home language improvemenT in isixhosa home language
This was awarded to Simanyene Secondary School for the greatest improvement in performance in isiXhosa Home Language in 2012 compared to their performance in 2011 by increasing the number of passes. The school received an award of R 10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material. exCellenCe in isixhosa home language
This was awarded to Simanyene Secondary School for the highest number of passes in isiXhosa Home Language. The school received an award of R 10 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.
CaTegory 4 - speCial minisTerial aWarD: (sChool WiTh 100% of learners Taking maThemaTiCs anD passing The subJeCT.)
This award is presented to the Centre of Science and Technology (COSAT) for 100% enrolment of the Grade 12 entered for Mathematics (57 candidates) and a Mathematics pass rate of 100% The school received an award of R15 000 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.
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LEARNER AWARDS Quality performance
Nita Marlene Wiegman
Girls were the top achievers in the province this year. TOP THREE WCED POSITIONS
1. Nita Marlene Wiegman Hermanus High School 2. Emma Jean Whitelaw Springfield Convent of the Holy Rosary 3. Leandri Scholtz Hoërskool Tygerberg
CATEGORY 1: EXCELLENCE DESPITE BARRIERS TO LEARNING
The Western Cape’s top achievers in the 2012 National Senior Certificate Examination with Premier Helen Zille and Provincial Education Minister Donald Grant.
In this category an award was presented to Barend Pienaar of Jan Kriel Skool who obtained the highest marks (1436 (80%)) in the best six subjects that fulfil the requirements for the award of a National Senior Certificate (two languages, Mathematics and three other subjects excluding Life Orientation).
CATEGORY 2: LEARNER SUBJECT AWARDS
WCED 2012 MERIT LIST (in alphabetical order) Jayden Adams...................................................................................... Cape Academy for Mathematics, Science and Technology Khairunissa Ahmed.....................................................................Livingstone High School Wasiem Ayub.........................................................................................Rylands High School Ihsaan Bassier........................................................................................Rondebosch Boys’ High School Jana Botha...................................................................................................Hoërskool Strand Craig Corbett...........................................................................................Paarl Boys’ High School Marietjie de Wet................................................................................Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof Aldu Lorenzo Duminy..............................................................Hoërskool Langenhoven Martin David Dyer...........................................................................Diocesan College Rhoni Gericke.........................................................................................Herschel Girls School Alessio Pio Giuricich...................................................................Diocesan College Sameenah Hashim........................................................................Livingstone High School Lucian Hendricks..............................................................................Bernadino Heights Sekondêre Skool Lauren Holdcroft............................................................................... Springfield Convent of the Holy Rosary Raeesa Hoosain..................................................................................Livingstone High School Sayed Muhammad Uzair....................................................Ismail Livingstone High School Miranda Sarah Kantor..............................................................Herzlia High School Mzomhle Kiza.........................................................................................Manzomthombo Secondary School De Villiers Willem Lategan.............................................Hoër Jongenskool Paarl Jan Paul Lubbinge.........................................................................Hoërskool Outeniqua Odwa Madikane................................................................................. Centre of Science and Technology (COSAT) Nuraan Majiet.........................................................................................Wittebome High School Francois Rolihlahla Meyer................................................Hoërskool Parel Vallei Alexandra Francis Mould....................................................Rustenburg Girls’ High School Dewald Muller........................................................................................Hoërskool Robertson Saloshnee Naidoo..........................................................................Strandfontein Sekondêre Skool Mandisi Lizo Ncapai..................................................................... Centre of Science and Technology (COSAT) Jennifer Tara Oosthuizen...................................................Parel Vallei High School Anna Charlotte Parry................................................................Herschel Girls School Mu-Een Pore.............................................................................................Rylands High School Anica Potgieter....................................................................................Hoërskool Oudtshoorn Gizelle Kara Potgieter..............................................................Hoërskool Outeniqua Stephanie Marie Roche......................................................... Springfield Convent of the Holy Rosary Johannes Cornelius Schoeman..............................Hoërskool Parel Vallei Esmé van Wageningen.........................................................Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof Shagufta Zalgaonkir..................................................................South Peninsula High School Chambrez-Zita Zauchenberger.............................Parklands College All learners received a certificate plus R5 000 towards study materials. In addition, Mustek computers, has again kindly donated 10 laptop computers. Maskew Miller Longman has again donated R20 000 that were divided into three monetary awards and handed to deserving students.
One award per category was awarded to the candidate with the highest mark in the subject. Category 2a: Excellence in isiXhosa Home Language
Songezo Ceki 256 (85.3%) Kayamandi Secondary School Category 2b: Excellence in English Home Language
Miranda Kantor 286 (95.3%) Herzlia High School Category 2c: Excellence in Afrikaans Home Language
Melissa Meyer 286 (95.3%) Hoërskool Strand Category 2d: Excellence in Mathematics
1. Johannes (JC) Schoeman 300 Hoërskool Parel Vallei 2. Elrich Groenewald 300 Paul Roos Gimnasium 3. De Villiers Lategan 300 (299.8) Hoër Jongenskool Paarl 3. Nita Wiegman 300 (299.7) Hermanus High School Category 2e: Excellence in Physical Sciences
1. Hendrik Breytenbach 299 (99,7%) (298.5) Hoërskool Gimnasium (Paarl) Category 2f: Excellence in Accounting
1. Emma Whitelaw 300 Springfield Convent of the Holy Rosary 2. Jani Arangies 300 Paarl Girls’ High School 3. Jennifer Tara Oosthuizen 300 (299.7) Hoërskool Parel Vallei 3. Gizelle Potgieter 300 (299.6) Outeniqua High School
Record pass numbers for Western Cape The Class of 2012 achieved a provincial pass rate of 82.8% and the highest number of candidates passing since the inception of the National Senior Certificate Examination.
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n elated Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant said an appropriate way to describe the results was that the Class of 2012 put on a quality performance, breaking records and improving on all the key indicators of success. A total of 36 992 candidates passed the exam, substantially improving the number of passes in 2011 by 3 846 passes. The results also showed an increased number of candidates achieving access to a Bachelor’s Degree, growth in the number of candidates passing Mathematics and Science; and a decrease in the number of underperforming schools. One of the department’s strategic priorities was to increase the number of candidates that write and pass the NSC, because it reflected the retention rate of learners throughout their schooling career. Grant said while the pass rate has remained constant, it indicated that the system has stabilised despite the substantial increase in the candidates that sat for the exams in 2012 as compared to the 2011 number. “While we are excited about the record ‘quantity’ of passes achieved this year, we are even more excited about the ‘quality’ of those passes.” A total of 1 104 more learners qualified for Bachelor Degree study in 2012 than in 2011. This number has steadily increased over the last four years with the total number eligible increasing from 14 324 in 2009 to 14 414 in 2010, 15 215 in 2011 and a record breaking 16 319 in 2012. The number of diploma passes has also increased from 12 418 in 2011 to another record breaking figure of 14 602 in 2012. The results in Mathematics and Physical Science were regarded as important ‘quality’ indicators, as good results in these subjects opened up learning and earning opportunities for young people and were important for the economic growth of South Africa. The improved performance in these gateway subjects signified that
the department’s strategies to improve Mathematics and Physical Science passes were producing positive increases in the results. The Class of 2012 achieved a pass rate of 73.5% in Mathematics with 11 311 candidates passing. This result has steadily increased year on year with the Mathematics pass rate increasing from 64.9% in 2009 to 66% in 2010 to 68.7% in 2011. Nearly 8 000 candidates passed Physical Science. Again, these results have increased steadily since 2009 from 52.9% in 2009 to 59.6% in 2010, 65.3% in 2011 and 70.9% in 2012. A further indicator of success was the reduction of underperforming schools. In 2009, 85 public ordinary schools achieved a pass rate of less than
“While we are excited about the record ‘quantity’ of passes achieved this year, we are even more excited about the ‘quality’ of those passes.” 60%. This number was reduced to 78 in 2010 and then to 30 in 2011. In 2012, only 26 schools achieved less than 60% with a number of these schools only narrowly missing the mark. Grant said overall, he was satisfied with the 2012 results, especially given that the 2012 cohort of learners had substantially increased in number from 2011 and that the examination papers, as described by Umalusi, were more cognitively demanding than before. “I acknowledge that there is still much to be done to improve education in this province and we will continue to look at how we can best support our schools and learners and achieve far-reaching systemic change.” Grant concluded by challenging the Class of 2013 to build on these improvements and produce even better results.
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Our teachers, our inspiration
Recognising excellence in education
Ismail Teladia
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) honoured 33 regional and provincial winners of the National Teaching Awards at a gala function in November.
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wards were presented in eight categories following a rigorous selection process in all eight education districts of the province. Retired teachers, retired
Susanna Pietersen
Excellence in Grade R Teaching Hawston Primary School Overberg Education District
Susanna Pietersen started out as a cook at a local crèche, but was soon drawn to becoming more involved with children as a result of the interaction she observed between the children and the teachers at the school. This led her training to become a Grade R teacher. Upon qualifying as a Grade R teacher, she obtained a post at a private English school. She was later employed at Hawston Primary School as a Gr R teacher. She has been there for several years, and is currently the Head of Grade R. Pietersen has successfully introduced
Francois Jones
Excellence in Primary School Teaching e Villiers Primary School, D Robertson , Cape Winelands
Jones has been teaching at De Villiers Primary School for 15 years and still demonstrates a deep love for teaching children. He shows a great deal of commitment and enthusiasm for
principals and retired WCED officials (office based educators) represented the WCED on the cluster and provincial adjudication panels. About 32 000 teachers in the Western Cape were eligible
CAPS in Grade R. Her lesson plans are shared with colleagues across the district. She believes in maintaining a balance between school, sport and recreation, both for herself and the learners at the school. She uses persona dolls and puppets to make her learners aware of the dangers of crime and gangsterism in her community. She has also invited an ex-poacher to the school to address the children. Pietersen uses her spare time to help close the learning gaps among needy Gr 1 learners, once they have been identified by their teacher. As part of her strategy to empower parents, she initiated classes on how to assist their own children with homework and the improvement of their literacy and numeracy. She also initiated reading sessions at the local library during school holidays, where learners are able to come and enjoy reading. Pietersen believes that every child has a different learning style and is therefore unique. Accordingly, she adapts her teaching style to cater for all her learners. As a visionary and leader, she has involved the parents in the building of play apparatus. A play park was developed at the school to improve the gross motor development of needy learners.
teaching, and is a true inspiration to his learners and colleagues. He serves as Subject Head for Natural Science and is on various committees at his school, i.e. School Development Team, Safety Committee, LAN Administrator and Chairperson of the Cultural Committee. Jones possesses an excellent working knowledge of the curriculum and willingly assists his colleagues with curriculum planning for the school across the three phases. Jones has been approached by both the Cape Winelands and West Coast Education District Offices to train teachers in the Natural Sciences syllabus and to share his deep love of the subject. His lessons are fully prepared the day before presentation so as to incorporate a variety of presentation methods to suit the various levels, barriers and abilities of learners. When assessing learners, he considers the diverse learning styles of his learners and designs strategies
for nomination. The provincial winners will now go through a national adjudication process. The top teachers in the Western Cape are:
Excellence in Secondary School Teaching Spine Road High School Metro South Education District
Pietersen initiated and currently drives a shoes project at school, whereby shoes are given to those learners whose parents cannot afford to buy school shoes for their children. She also drives a second project to provide jerseys, knitted by a local group of carers, for underprivileged children. Pietersen also initiated a recycling project. She has persuaded a community organisation and various NGOs to take over this project. Pietersen uses every opportunity to improve herself by attending any course that can add to her knowledge and skills. Pietersen stands out as a mentor and role model at her school. Her colourful, child-centred classroom and her up-todate records are both testimony to her ability to effectively lead her colleagues and teachers at neighbouring schools. Her attention to detail has been noted by the district office, who have shared Pietersen’s lesson planning with other teachers in the district. As a dynamic teacher, Pietersen has put her belief in exercise into practice by organising a very successful community sports day and talent evening, the proceeds from which were used to purchase Foundation Phase learning and teaching support material.
to cover these variances. To promote the improvement of LitNum, he uses extra reading and journal writing. In teaching mathematics, he employs a variety of approaches to problem solving by teaching steps to understand the problem faced. In 2012, Jones was selected as a lead teacher by the district office to perform CAPS training for the Intermediate Phase. Jones has fostered a rewarding partnership with the Science Learning Centre for Africa (SLCA) at the University of the Western Cape. Because of his enthusiasm about science, the SLCA revamped his old classroom into a modern science laboratory, supplying him with the necessary equipment, chemicals and an interactive whiteboard. He established a strong science club at the school, which over the years has won numerous science expo competitions in the district. In 2010, the SLCA awarded
Ismail Teladia has been teaching for the past 29 years. He has been teaching at Spine Road High School since 1984. In 2007 he was seconded to the Metro South Education District Office as a Project Manager for School Sport. He returned to school in June 2009 and took up his duties there with the same vigour and enthusiasm. In 2010, he was made Head of Life Orientation. Teladia strives to ensure that school life becomes an enjoyable, yet important, experience for all learners. Under his leadership, physical education has been made compulsory for each learner during at least one period per week. This has initiated a new culture of physical exercise that has gripped the learners, and parents have been fully supportive. He brings a number of experts to work with the learners during physical education periods, e.g. aerobics and Zumba instructors. This lead to the “High on Life” programme, wherein different classes present a physical activity (aerobic exercises, dance routines, short sketches) to the rest of the school. This has become an annual activity that also serves as a fundraiser. To ensure that all learners will
Jones with an award for the best science club in the district. He readily shares his knowledge, skills and practices with other teachers and schools by presenting lessons with his learners at other schools and hosting visiting teachers in the science lab. The school science lab is used by Jones to teach learners from other schools after hours. In addition, these learners are then fed and transported home at his own expense. Jones has initiated many successful projects and continues to do so. He is currently piloting a “Love Science” project whereby he wishes to grow the love of science among all learners. He obtained sponsorship to launch two “road shows” in Robertson and Worcester, to sell the love of science to learners. His target audience totalled approximately 7500 learners and 80
benefit from “Open Days” at tertiary institutions and other organisations like the SANDF, Old Mutual and the SAPS, Teladia organised a Career Expo at the school and invited all major tertiary institutions in the Western Cape to exhibit at the expo. This has become an annual event and gives the learners the opportunity to consult with representatives from various organisations on job and study opportunities. He also initiated the first job-shadow programme at the school, focusing on Grade 11 learners. This is done during August. In 2011 and 2012 all pupils were placed with organisations like Old Mutual, Smit- Amandla Marine, the Navy, BP SA, legal firms, the City of Cape Town, health facilities and various provincial government departments. As the class teacher of a Grade 11 class, he has achieved a 100% pass rate for his register class and parents want their children to be in Teladia’s class. Under Teladia’s guidance, all Grade 11 learners have an e-mail address and a green bar- coded ID books. He is currently ensuring that all Grade 11 learners have a bank account. Teladia also made it possible for Grade 12 learners to submit their application to tertiary institutions online. Teladia occupies a number of leadership positions in sports committees and also serves on the Joint National Task Team on school sport. The nominee motivates learners to rise above their circumstances and achieve their full potential. He provides opportunities for learners beyond the classroom, uses ICT to enhance education and ensures that Life Orientation takes its rightful place in the curriculum. The nominee displays an exemplary attitude, which encourages and motivates colleagues to become lifelong learners. The nominee believes that every challenge is an opportunity to make a difference in a learner’s life.
teachers. Jones continues to work very closely with the SLCA at the University of the Western Cape’s Technology Department, where the latest information is learnt and then shared with others. Jones uses science teaching as a basis for teaching about the effects of HIV/ AIDS to learners. As an accomplished artist, he uses his art and drama expertise to address cross-cultural issues, such as drug abuse amongst learners and the broader community. In 2011, the annual 110 km Cycle Tour’s theme, initiated by Jones to raise awareness amongst the broader community and learners on topical issues, was HIV/AIDS and its effects. He also works closely with Correctional Services, teaching art to the inmates. Jones is regarded as an excellent and inspirational teacher and is therefore a worthy candidate for this award.
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news
Isabel Beckett
Excellence in Special Needs Teaching Bertie Barnard Primary School, Stilbaai Eden & Central Karoo Education District
Beckett teaches a class of 14 disabled learners, some severely disabled, in a mainstream school. Her aims are to teach these children basic life skills, to enable them to care for themselves when no adults are available, and to take their place in society as valued citizens. Conscious of the fact that “ … it is easy
Derick Petersen
MARCH 2013
to teach the smart, powerful and beautiful; (but) that it is quite another thing to teach those outside the circle.”, Beckett’s approach is one of giving attention to each learner’s emotional, physical and intellectual needs each day, and to developing their abilities as fully as possible. As many of these learners receive little supervision and involvement from their migrant-worker parents, Becket has taken it upon herself to provide for them at her own expense. She takes her learners to a clinic for hearing and sight testing and then obtains hearing aids and spectacles for them. Should the parents not be able to pay for such items, she finds some way of covering the cost. Beckett arranges medication to improve the concentration of certain of the learners. She has started visiting her pupils’ homes and, as a result, has won some parents over to becoming more involved in the care, needs, and education of their children. She has introduced approaches, such as the following, to teach the learners basic life skills: Visiting the supermarket to teach them how to shop and work with money; Visiting a restaurant where they learn social etiquette;
Edward Fritz
Excellence in Secondary School Leadership
Excellence in Primary School Leadership
Imizamo Yethu Secondary School Eden & Central Karoo Education District
Buffeljagsrivier Primary School, Buffeljagsrivier Overberg Education District
Petersen’s teaching career spans 28 years. In January 2011, he was appointed as caretaker principal at Imizamo Yethu Secondary School, which was seen as a dysfunctional school. As part of his strategy to turn the school around, he emphasise class discipline and leading by example. He started by visiting classes to obtain first-hand knowledge of what was happening there. He encouraged teachers to use technology when compiling mark lists and reports. The management team introduced numerous innovations at the school. The names and photographs of achievers are displayed in the corridor of the admin block, and, in his office, Petersen has put a photograph of all the matric pupils, each one of whom he knows by name. The nominee believes in creating an environment conducive to effective education. His turnaround strategy also involved the paving of the school quad and revamping the Consumer Studies centre. He is of the opinion that the external appearance of the school promotes a sense of worth. Under his leadership, the school’s matric pass rate rose from 27% to 82% in 2011. He believes a good leader creates sound and reliable systems. He manages teaching at the school through monitoring, evaluation, measuring and analysis. He has also fostered partnerships with academic institutions. Petersen’s leadership style entails being a positive influence and inspiration, and getting colleagues to identify with his vision, using persuasion rather than instruction. He has also cultivated a culture of going the extra mile. In a short time, he has turned a case of neglect into a thriving hub of educational activity.
Edward Fritz has been principal of Buffeljagsrivier Primary School for the past 16 years and has brought about a major transformation benefitting both the learners and community. His passion for teaching and developing life skills in learners, via a creative and expanded curriculum, keeps the child central to his thinking and planning. The current school building has been redesigned, adding unique tree-house-style
Warren Sparrow
Excellence in Information & Communication Technology Enhanced Teaching Rondebosch Boys’ Preparatory School Metropole Central Education District
Warren Sparrow has been a teacher for 19 years and has been teaching for 13 years at Rondebsoch Boys’ Preparatory School. He is currently the Head of ICT at the school. He is a qualified Mathematics, Physics and Biology teacher. After completing his teaching qualification,
Visiting a library, where they learn to choose, borrow and return books; Shadowing work at an appropriately chosen and accommodating business. Becket has introduced the teaching of basic cooking into her classroom. This serves two purposes: to teach her learners to survive and to provide them with a skill that may enable them to find employment. She has also developed a vegetable garden where the learners have learnt to grow food. She has taught her learners to use the computer as far as their ability allows. She has also taught her learners to give back to the community through her “Make and Bake” project, whereby they donate their products to people in need. She finds that she also needs to teach the learners responsibility for their own hygiene – they are taught to brush their teeth, dress themselves and keep their classroom clean and neat. Beckett uses persona dolls to deal with social ills such as drug abuse, HIV/AIDS and sexual abuse. She teaches the learners that respect for the opposite sex and people in general are of utmost importance. She adapts the curriculum for each learner
individually, such as using a pegs system to teach vocabulary, speech and reading to a Down syndrome child. Beckett often uses play therapy to deal with a variety of issues with her learners. To assess her learners, Beckett works very closely with a social worker, a psychologist, an occupational therapist and a physiotherapist, thereby obtaining the best all-round assessment. She works with a social worker, a psychologist and the SAPS to assist traumatised learners. She also assists the Grades 1 to 3 teachers to deal with shortcomings in learners’ abilities. Beckett has developed a network of retired people in the community who assist with certain programmes and activities – such as the Caring Group, which brings a gift and cake to school on a learner’s birthday. To meet the cost of learners’ transport to and from school, Beckett’s class is busy making calendars which they will sell. Beckett’s belief in lifelong learning is evident in that she herself continues to study to better equip herself to manage and teach her class.
classrooms. The four-classroom building is now a seven-classroom building, housing well-resourced Grade R to Grade 7 classes where entrepreneurial skills and future career skills are developed. Fritz’s positive and creative leadership style has been recognised by schools in Napier and various orphanages where this style of inclusive education can be implemented. He creatively incorporates learning experience out of the classroom into a fully integrated and expanded curriculum. Learners now have the opportunity to learn about goat farming, milking, producing and marketing cheese, developing a business plan and budgeting. Two goats, given to Fritz as a birthday gift, inspired him to start a goat-farming and cheese-manufacturing project at the school. The original two goats are now a herd of sixty. Fritz acquired a sponsorship from the German Dentists’ Association to set up a small cheese factory on the school premises. Many other sponsors contributed when they heard about the project. Agriculture South Africa visited the school and publicised the successes Fritz achieved on
a television programme. Fritz has successfully taken the learners and the curriculum out of the classroom onto the school farm where he has integrated all learning areas with excellent results. His school won first- and secondplace awards for cream cheese for two consecutive years (2011 and 2012) at the SA Dairy Championships. Contact with the goats has had a calming effect on certain learners, while the animals have been used most successfully with a child on the autistic spectrum. The successes of these projects have been recognised by the German Dentists’ Association, which continues to show interest in the school. Fritz obtained study bursaries from members of the community and business for ex-pupils who cannot afford further education. He leads an enthusiastic team of dedicated teachers who achieved WCED recognition for their excellent work in LitNum. Buffeljagsrivier Primary School attracts many learners from surrounding farms and larger towns as parents are prepared to transport their children to the school for a unique learning experience.
he completed a Further Diploma in Computer Assisted Education, and then successfully merged his passion for both Mathematics and computers. He has been the recipient of a number of ICT Awards, i.e. Microsoft Innovative Teacher for both South Africa and Africa, finalist for the Microsoft Innovative Teacher worldwide, and winner of the 21st Century Classroom Project of the Year for the most innovative use of technology for enhancing learning in schools. Sparrow has built up excellent relationships with the learners and he has used his expertise to build their confidence and to choose appropriate learning strategies to help them achieve their best. He keeps comprehensive records of each learner and uses these to strengthen their weak areas. Sparrow has integrated his work across the curriculum, bringing a number of different opportunities to his learners, and often actively involving them in their own assessment so that they can see their errors and improve their knowledge and abilities. Using a learner-centred approach, he uses his knowledge and skills to identify
learners’ strengths and weaknesses, and this guides him in the teaching approach he will choose. Sparrow has indicated that he has been fortunate to work at a school where technology was affordable. As a result, he is trying to share his knowledge, expertise and work with teachers at schools that have fewer resources. He has developed a website, www.wsparrow.co.za , on which he loads all sorts of resources for teachers that they can use free of charge in their classes. Every year he focuses on a particular subject as a project. For 2012, the topic for the Grade 7 learners was HIV/AIDS. The learners had to complete a project on HIV/AIDS and, working in groups, they created videos about their HIV/ AIDS-related topic. The learners covered 60 different topics from the syllabus. In 2011, he set up the “Maths is fun” Website in which the entire year’s syllabus and worksheets are available for each grade. During 2010, he demonstrated how to use technology to integrate an Economic and Management Science project, called “Who wants to be a millionaire?” into the
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Hendrik Weideman
Lifetime Achievement Award Swartland Primary School, Malmesbury West Coast Education District
Hendrik Weideman has spent more than three decades in education. He started his teaching career as a teacher in special needs education and he has occupied various positions in education. He believes in the holistic development of the child. He coaches sport and, as a leader, supports all extra mural activities. As a teacher he ensures that learners overcome barriers in ways that will motivate them. Throughout Weideman’s teaching career, he instilled positive values in the lives of learners with the aim of making them responsible citizens. Weideman currently teaches Mathematics and delivers exciting lessons of a high quality with excellent results. His involvement in Mathematics is not limited to the classroom. He has initiated the school’s successful participation in AMESA competitions and Mathematics Olympiads. Under his leadership, the school has received The School of Excellence Award for its academic achievements over two consecutive years. The nominee freely shares knowledge and experience with colleagues and serves on a variety of forums outside the school. His determination ensured that the school became a full service school and represents a true example of inclusive education in action. As a result, learners in the unit class are successfully placed in the world of work. This is part of the school’s exit strategy for learners with special needs. Weideman says that if he had to do it all over again, he would do it in exactly the same way.
syllabus. The project won both the South African and the Pan African Microsoft Innovative Project awards, and was one of the projects considered for the Microsoft World Innovative Teacher Award. As part of the above-mentioned projects, Sparrow initiated the creation of a web portal, using technology and media. This is available to any teachers as a resource for lessons. As part of his portfolio as Head of ICT, he is responsible for implementing technology in the classrooms. He assists teachers by meeting with them to assist with planning of their teaching programmes. He also team-teaches with teachers in their classrooms and shows them how technology can be used in their teaching. He also runs short weekly courses for the staff to demonstrate Web 2.0 tools, software, hardware and ideas for the classroom. He also conducts adult computer classes in the evenings at the school. Through the use of ICT, Sparrow has shown that teaching practices can be transformed by using 21st Century learning tools and pedagogy.
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news development
MARCH 2013
WCED training and development programme for 2013 In 2013, there is increased emphasis on the training and development of teachers.
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wo compulsory training programmes will take place in the June/ July holidays. The first is literacy and numeracy training targeting educators in the Foundation and Intermediate Phases from 250 schools. The second is Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) training. CAPS was first introduced to the school curriculum in 2012. It is being introduced into the school system in stages, starting with the Foundation Phase (Grade 1-3) and Grade 10 in 2012; in Grades
4, 5, 6 and 11 in 2013; and the remaining grades in 2014. Therefore educators teaching Grades 7, 8 and 9 and 12 will receive CAPS training in June 2013 in preparation for the roll-out of CAPS in these Grades in the 2014 school year. There are a number of other training programmes and meetings on offer that are optional courses to meet specific needs. Curriculum related programmes will be run throughout the school year at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute (CTLI). The training also includes areas such as ICT proficiency, special needs education, training for Heads of Departments, principals and school management teams. There are also courses on offer for aspiring school principals and school leaders, a Mathematics Solutions Conference, and a Reading and Writing seminar.
HEALTH
EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAMME The Western Cape Education Department realises the importance of providing its employees with the necessary guidance and support in adopting a healthy lifestyle. The department has therefore, as part of the Government of the Western Cape, re-invested in an employee wellness programme, which provides a confidential 24-hour toll-free support and information service to all employees. The aim is to provide guidance and assistance for personal and social problems that affect one’s work performance and personal wellbeing.
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H ow must I register? C ommunicate your interest to your management team. W hat should your principal do next? Contact the Education District official responsible for the co-ordination of course participants for this programme. W hat will happen once the Education District official has received the names of the participants? The Education District official will finalise the list. This list will be forwarded to the CTLI programme co-ordinator. W hat will the CTLI programme co-ordinator do once the lists are received from the Education District? The CTLI will communicate with the school principal by sending registration documents. W hat is expected of the school principal? Ensure that the teacher will attend the full course Observe the dead-line for the submission of registration Ensure that there is a suitable substitute Make available all required policy document. Ensure that the teacher receives the registration W hat is expected of the course participant? Understand and commit to the course Complete the registration documents accurately
Adhere to the CTLI policy E nsure that the full course is attended Bring all the Course requirements H and over the duties and responsibilities to the substitute
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How are the courses structured? E ach Management course is two weeks long. H oliday courses take place over three days during the March, June, September and December school holidays. When does the school qualify for a substitute teacher? T he school will qualify for a substitute only: i f it does not have teachers in excess; i f the course participant is not employed by the school governing body; and i f the course participant is not a substitute for a permanent teacher. What documents must be completed for a substitute teacher? A3, DPE1, DPE3, certified copy of ID, c ertified copies of SACE certificate and qualification certificates. U nder no circumstances must substitute documents be submitted directly to Head Office. Where must completed substitute documents be sent? A ll substitute documents must be sent to CTLI.
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METROPOLE EAST Tel: 021 – 900 7000 Ursula Esau Zamo Conco (School Management Courses)
METROPOLE CENTRAL Tel: 021 – 514 6700 Avrille Morgendal METROPOLE NORTH Tel: 021 – 938 3000 Gladstone Foster Q A
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W hen can substitute teachers be appointed? S ubstitute teachers can be appointed 1 or 2 working days before the course commences. W ill I get a transport allowance? P articipants will receive a subsidised transport allowance in accordance to a travel subsidy drafted for the CTLI course participants. W hat documents do I have to complete? P articipants will have to complete travel claim forms. W ho will qualify for accommodation? O nly participants travelling a return journey of 120km and more may apply for accommodation. W hen should I register for accommodation? W hen registering for the course.
METROPOLE SOUTH Tel: 021 – 370 2000 Anette Fella
OVERBERG EDUCATION DISTRICT Tel: 028 – 214 7300 Simonette Du Plessis Jaap Bailey (School Management Courses)
EDEN & CENTRAL KAROO Tel: 044 – 803 8300 Eric Magodla
WEST COAST Tel: 021 - 860 1200 Dr Pierre Boonzaaier Freddie Claassen (School Management Courses)
CAPE WINELANDS Tel: 023 – 348 4600/01 Edgar Johannes Anette Braaff (School Management Courses)
The programme provides guidance and support on a range of issues, including the following: Relationship matters Stress, anxiety and depression detection Substance abuse Abuse Money management Bereavement HIV and AIDS counselling The service can be accessed by contacting the 24-hour toll-free line on 0800 111 011. For employees in need of clinical face-to-face counselling, up to 6 sessions are provided per issue. In addition, an e-care service is also available on the Internet at wcg.healthinsite.net The services are offered free of charge to all WCED employees and are provided by an independent service provider, ICAS, which is a member of and subscribes to the principles of the Employee Assistance Professionals’ Association.
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news development
MARCH 2013
Plan to succeed The Western Cape Education Department released the‘2013 Planning Calendar for Schools’ at the beginning of September 2012 to prepare teachers, principals and parents well in advance on the education activities planned for this year. The calendar includes a schedule of dates for training programmes, meetings, tests and examinations. Significant administrative dates have also been included in the planning calendar so that educators and principals can plan for the year ahead. The calendar provides the final dates for a variety of important tests and examinations such as the WCED Grade 3,6 and 9 systemic tests (which will take
place between the 9th and the 22nd of October), the NSC examinations and the Senior Certificate examinations. Other important administrative dates include the 2013 School Snap Survey, applications for growth and curriculum posts, dates for submissions for various learning and teaching support materials and equipment and the publication of vacancy lists. Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant said it was now up to our educators and principals to ensure that they diarise all the planning calendar dates and ensure up-to-date SIPS submissions so that we can have a smooth 2013 school year.
School holiday and weekend interventions at CTLI Intervention
Date
Target Duration Venue number
Principals’ Course
13 to 24 May
10 days
50
CTLI, KUILS RIVER
Role and Responsibilities of Head of Department – Level 1
Course 1 Course 2 Course 3
28 Jan to 8 Feb 15 to 26 Apr 19 to 30 Aug
10 days
150
CTLI, KUILS RIVER
Role and Responsibilities of Head of Department – Level 2
Course 1 Course 2
28 Jan to 8 Feb 15 to 26 Apr
10 days
100
CTLI, KUILS RIVER CTLI, KUILS RIVER
Role and Responsibilities of Deputy Principals – Level 1
Course 1 Course 2
18 Feb to 1 Mar 10 days 22 July to 2 Aug
100
Role and Responsibilities of Deputy Principals – Level 2
Course 1 Course 2 Course 3
18 Feb to 1 Mar 10 days 22 July to 2 Aug 19 to 30 Aug
150
CTLI, KUILS RIVER
50
CTLI, KUILS RIVER CTLI, KUILS RIVER
Induction Programme for New Principals
2013 CALENDAR Western Cape Education Department Introduction
Other training and meetings
This schedule of dates for training programmes, meetings, tests, examinations and important administrative deadlines is provided to aid schools’ planning for 2013.
The WCED will offer optional courses to meet specific needs, for example, ICT proficiency, special needs education and labour relations. Education district offices will advertise the training, which will take place after 15:00 on school days. The Cape Teaching and Learning Institute (CTLI) will be offering a training programme for 2013, which will include literacy and numeracy conferences. Details of these 2-week and 3-week training courses for teachers, heads of department, deputy principals and principals, as well as the conferences, are to be found on the WCED website at wced.westerncape.gov.za Principals’ meetings in the circuit: There will be one circuit meeting of principals per term, starting at 13:00. This may be followed by a meeting of the circuit’s principals’ forum.
Terms Term 1st
2nd 3rd 4th
Begins 14 Jan (teachers) 16 Jan (learners) 8 April 15 July 1 Oct
ends 28 Mar
21 June 20 Sept 4 Dec (learners) 6 Dec (teachers)
Protection of teaching time
Schools should protect teaching time and support learning as follows: A ll learners should be in school for the full 199 days (203 days for teachers), in accordance with the National Learner Attendance Policy. T eaching begins on the first day of each term. Minimum teaching hours per grade must be observed (this excludes assemblies and NSNP meals). Any changes to minimum teaching time will be communicated to all schools once they are finalised. E ducational excursions must be linked to and enhance the curriculum. Applications for excursions must be submitted to the district director at least 6 weeks in advance of the intended date. Training workshops or meetings
The following training programmes will be held during school holidays: Literacy and Numeracy Training
The second cohort of 250 schools, targeting both Foundation and Intermediate Phases, will attend training in this programme on the following dates: 24 to 28 June 2013 (Week 1) 1 to 5 July 2013 (Week 2) 8 to 12 July 2013 (Week 3 – CAPS) NCS (CAPS) Training and meetings
Provincial Senior Phase NCS (CAPS) Training: 8 to 12 July 2013 In addition, district-based targeted workshops will be offered. These will be advertised at least one month in advance. If you require additional site-based support, contact your district office. Teachers will be required to attend a maximum of two meetings per subject in 2013. These meetings will begin after 15:00 in February and August.
LTSM and equipment
The procurement of learning and teaching support materials, especially textbooks, must be given special attention so that no learners are disadvantaged. For this to happen, the following due dates should be noted: S ubmit school budget for 2013 to district office: 2 December 2012 Submit 032 forms to Head Office: 25 February 2013 S ubmit 034 and 026 forms to order office: 21 June 2013 Requisitions for school furniture to district office: 29 February 2013 O nline ordering of Gr 7-9 and Gr 12 textbooks: April 2013 Submit LTSM additional orders to order office: 15 August 2013 Furniture and Equipment
Schools submit requisitions (WCED 026A & 026B) for school furniture and equipment to district office: 15 February 2013 District offices submit prioritised lists for furniture and equipment to Chief Directorate: Districts: 15 March 2013 Staffing and staff establishments
Vacancy Lists in 2013 will be published on the following dates: V acancy List 1 : 15 February 2013 Vacancy List 2 : 9 April 2013 Vacancy List 3 : 20 May 2013 V acancy List 4 : 16 September 2013 S taff establishments will be made available to schools by 26 August 2013.
Term 4 in 2013 Aspiring School Principals School Management Team Training Aspiring School Leaders Women in and into Leadership and Management Positions Grade R Seminar Mathematics Solutions Conference (GET) Principals’ Seminar Reading and Writing Seminar Writing Project
5 days 24 to 26 June
3 days
ates to be D announced 24 to 26 June
10 days 3 days
50
CTLI, KUILS RIVER
1 to 5 July
5 days
50
CTLI, KUILS RIVER
23 March 24 & 25 June
1 day 2 days
250 300
CTLI, KUILS RIVER CTLI, KUILS RIVER
Date to be decided 26 & 27 Sep
1 day
250
CTLI, KUILS RIVER
2 days
300
CTLI, KUILS RIVER
20
CTLI, KUILS RIVER
24 June to 5 July 2 weeks
CTLI, KUILS RIVER
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School improvement plans (SIPs) – Annual reports & IQMS dates
SIPs and SIP action plan to be submitted online: 15 February 2013 SIP and SIP Action Plan sign-off by IMG manager: 28 February 2013 Quarterly School Improvement Monitoring (SIM) Report Submitted to CT manager / IMG manager for online signoff. (CT Manager/IMG manager will provide schools with hard copies of the SIM tool that must be completed and handed back to them before the indicated date for each term.): 20 March 14 June 13 September 1 and 29 November Baseline scores (new teachers): 15 March Complete summative evaluation, list of SDT members, educator improvement plans: 25 October Submission to district offices of internal moderation report by schools on evaluation process: 29 November Submit SPMDS scores of public service staff to district office: 19 April 2013
Safe Schools Holiday Programmes
Programmes for learners are offered by the Safe Schools Unit during all the school holidays.
Tests and examinations
Moderation
Grade 12 oral moderation begins mid-August 2013 Grade 12 practical moderation begins mid-August 2013 Provincial SBA moderation: October 2013
Annual National Assessments (ANAs)
Schools will test all learners in Grades 1 to 6 and Grade 9 in September 2013 (not confirmed), using national tests, and schools will mark the tests internally. More information will be provided by the national Department of Basic Education in 2013. Reports on the ANAs will be sent to parents by close of school in December 2013. WCED systemic tests (Grades 3, 6 and 9)
The WCED will conduct systemic tests for Grade 3, 6 and 9. The tests will take place in the morning on one school day during the period 9 to 22 October 2013. National Senior Certificate (NSC) Examinations
Release of 2012 NSC examination results: 3 January 2013 Supplementary NSC examinations: 11 February to 19 March 2013 NSC Practical examinations: 18 to 19 September 2013 2013 NSC examinations: 23 October 2013 to 29 November 2013 Senior Certificate Examinations (Report 550)
Examinations begin: 29 April 2013 Examinations end: 20 June 2013
Grades 4 to 11
Internal examinations should start after 27 May and 11 November 2013. All learners are required by law to attend school throughout any test or examination programme, with the exception of the Grade 12 learners who will be entitled to 5 days of study before the start of their final examinations. Grade 12 September trial examinations
The examinations should not start earlier than 2 September 2013. The time-table should schedule two examinations per day wherever possible. All other grades will be busy with internal assessments. Enrolment of learners for 2014
The WCED Admission Policy is applicable Phase 1: 1 March to 21 June
Written responses to parents by 28 June Phase 2: 16 July to 6 September
Written responses to parents by 11 October
Visits by district office staff (frequency and nature)
District offices will supply all schools in good time with a visits roster. EDUCATION District offices’ contacts
Metro Central Metro East Metro North Metro South
021 514 6700 021 900 7005 021 938 3000 021 370 2000
Eden & Central Karoo Cape Winelands West Coast Overberg
044 803 8300 023 348 4600 021 860 1200 028 214 7300
Important administrative dates for 2013
The Snap Survey for ordinary schools: 29 January Applications for NSC exam re-marks and re-checks: 21 January Closing date for registration for NSC supplementary exams: 21 January Closing date for registration for NSC 2013 exams: 15 March Grade12 subject change requests: 31 January Submit online applications for growth or curriculum posts: January/February Annual School Survey at ordinary schools The Snap Survey for special schools (CEMIS Day 2): 5 March Online Grade 10 and 11 subject change requests: By end February Quarterly Attendance Return Capture Screen: End of each quarter CEMIS sign-off of staff establishment data: 26 April CEMIS sign-off of Grades 3, 6 & 9 learner data for assessment: 29 July Special Schools Annual Survey (online): 3 September Grade 12 SBA scores captured on the CEMIS: September Complete capture screens for Grade 3, 6 and 9 learner register: 16 September CEMIS promotion and progression readiness online: 15 November Capture promotions and progressions online on the CEMIS: Until 13 December
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insight & opinion
MARCH 2013
Textbooks as a resource The role of printed school textbooks in school education is changing and learning is being increasingly supported by ICT and new media. However, textbooks are still an important source of knowledge. Western Cape Education Head Penny Vinjevold encouraged School Governing Bodies and Senior Management Teams to prioritise the purchase, use and retention of textbooks in their plans for 2013 and beyond.
STAY INFORMED
for teaching and learning in the 21st century
Q&A Q A
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H ow will schools receive the workbooks? D elivering the workbooks for terms 1 and 2 was completed in 2012. Delivery of workbooks for terms 3 and 4 will be completed before the end of the first school term in 2013. A re the learners permitted to take the workbooks home? T eachers should encourage learners to take their workbooks home so that they can do homework. Teachers should encourage the parents and care givers to engage actively with the workbooks in order to participate in their children’s learning. A re learners allowed to write in their workbooks? A ll learners must write in their workbooks. The difference between a workbook and a textbook is that the workbook is designed to enable the learner to answer questions and practice reading, writing and numeracy in the workbooks. A textbook does not have the same design features. In fact, learners should be discouraged from writing in textbooks so that these may be handed from one class to the next each year. W hat happens to the workbook at the end of the year? A t the end of the school year, the workbooks become the property of the learner and a record of the learner’s progress during the year. I s there any cost involved for the school or parents? T he books will be supplied at no cost to the schools or parents. They are entirely funded by the DBE. It is therefore expected of teachers to regularly monitor the usage of Workbooks so that learners and parents take them seriously. Failure to do so will undermine the objective which is the improvement of learner performance. “Practice is not the thing you do once you are good – it’s the thing you do that makes you good”, Malcolm Gladwell.
W hat is expected of schools to protect textbooks? A S ome of the information below is from a textbook policy from a high school with a 100%-retention of textbooks: All textbooks and workbooks will be handled by the nominated LTSM school committee.
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ll textbooks and workbooks must A contain the school stamp. The LTSM school committee will distribute books to the class teacher, who must check and complete a form acknowledging receipt and confirmation of quantity and condition of books. Prior to issuing a book to a learner, the class teacher adds a unique book number next to the learner’s name. This is done for each subject. No textbook or workbook can be issued to a learner who does not have a unique learner number. Class teachers may write this number on the vertical side of the book as big as possible. Make sure numbers are not faded. Learners write the unique number on the inside cover of the book in the space inside the stamp. Each learner will receive a form on which to write the title and unique number for each book. Learners take the form home to be checked and signed by a parent/ caregiver. On return of the form, each class teacher verifies and sign off this form. The class teacher returns this as well as the form referred to in point 3 to the LTSM committee. HoD or principal does random spot check and at least ONE formal check of learners Workbooks and textbooks. Parents are notified and invoiced immediately for any loss or damage to books. Many schools inform parents on formal checks of textbooks and workbooks and when books are to be returned to school via SMS. All textbooks are returned on the day the final exam for the subject is written. Learners are invoiced immediately if books lost or same or similar condition at the time of issue. Given the financial resources the WCED and the DBE are investing in textbooks and workbooks it is critical that the use of textbooks and workbooks by the schools is tracked and monitored all the time. It is therefore the duty of all role-players at school level to know what resources are in school, have a policy in place for retrieval and guidance to parents and learners on how to care for textbooks so as to increase its lifespan.
T he purpose of the wor k boo k s are : T o assist teachers who have large classes and who may not necessarily have resources like photocopiers or stimulating reading materials for children to read. To help teachers who teach multilingual classes. In some provinces teachers have up to five different mother tongue languages in one class. Because the books are available in 11 languages, teachers will find the books useful in mixed language classes. To assist teachers who have to teach more than one grade in a class. It is possible for the teacher to work separately with different grades in the same classroom – giving each grade its own
grade specific workbooks. They will also be useful for teaching mixed ability groups – with each group working on a different worksheet. They will assist the teacher to manage teaching time and to monitor the tasks that children do in the workbooks. Assist teachers to identify learners’ who require extra support, timeously. The 2013 workbooks start with revision of the previous grade level. The start up of each grade with a review/revision of previous grade’s work will enable the teacher to use this to identify learners in need of extra support or remedial action. In the workbooks each alternate lesson also requires the teacher to make a judgment on which learners require additional or remedial support and learners who may need extended activities.
Textbook and Workbook Matters One of the national education strategic objectives is that all learners in public ordinary schools in the nine provinces achieve universal textbook coverage by 2014. Zaahida Hartley That is, that all learners have a textbook for every subject, including a core reader or readers for language subjects. This is in line with international research which has established the overall educational importance of textbooks and instructional resources. Textbooks are fundamental and essential to education because they are the primary tools that schools use to provide learners with access to the skills and knowledge they are expected to learn. “Textbooks contribute to learner academic achievement. Textbooks are a critical part of education, as necessary as the classroom itself, as indispensable as the classroom teacher” (de Guzman, 2000).
Furthermore, textbooks are important because: They provide learners with access to knowledge, and learn-
ers can only learn knowledge and skills that they have access to. They will not, for example learn the history of South Africa, the conjugation of English verbs or the structure of a Shakespearian sonnet unless they have access to this knowledge. The Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) expects learners to learn a specified, organised body of knowledge and skills in a variety of subjects. To make this learning possible, schools and teachers must be organised in a way which engages learners with the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn. Textbooks and other instructional materials are the primary tools that teachers use to organise their lessons and make content knowledge and skills available to learners. These textbooks and materials contain the content that learners are expected to learn, and most teachers focus their instruction on the material which are in the books they use (Freeman and Porter, 1989). As UNESCO notes in its Basic Learning Materials Initiative, “Textbooks provide the main resource for teachers, enabling them to animate the curricula and giving life to the subjects taught in the classroom” (UNESCO, 2002 ). Through textbooks, visuals, activities, and exercises, and
other curricula materials, and technology, learners engage with knowledge and they are required and expected to practice skills. According to research by Laspina (1998), a textbook not only consists of text, but also of different forms of representation through which information can be conveyed. Laspina argues that images possess “content” and “visual information.” Visuals depict the information in a way that can “gain a reader’s attention and empathy.” The treatment of the content—the style of the textbook—is not primarily an aesthetic concern, but rather an issue of educational significance. Educationally, “interesting” means that learners will be more likely to do the reading and more likely to find it meaningful. Furthermore, the multiple ways that learners interact with textbooks is connected with multiple ways of learning (Laspina, 1998). Textbooks and other materials are probably the most important vehicles for delivering content knowledge to learners; as such textbooks and other curricula materials, in large part, determine what learners do and do not learn. Moreover, to maximize their opportunities to learn, all learners should have access to the abundant colourful photos, maps, charts, and graphs found in textbooks.
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MARCH 2013
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in-DepTh
Turning the tide on the high failure rate in Grade 9
The Western Cape Education Department has identified Grade 9 as being in need of very specific intervention. This became apparent in 2011 when the high failure rate (28.9%) at Grade 9 level was recognised. This fact was further confirmed when Grade 9 learners wrote the WCED systemic tests for the first time in 2011 and achieved a Language pass rate of 44,2% and a Mathematics pass rate of 10,4%, with 50% being the pass mark.
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t the start of 2012, districts were requested to develop their own plans to address the high failure rate in Grade 9. The School Improvement Monitoring (SIM) report of Term 3, 2012 shows that there has been little improvement, and verbal evidence from district officials suggests that the problem is deeper and more complex – and that addressing it will require a far more focused and co-ordinated plan.
The Grade 9 Turnaround Plan seeks to provide the WCED with specific content and processes that should be followed in order to make a real impact on this area of weakness in a co-ordinated, coherent way. Instead of leaving interventions to the individual districts and officials, the aim is to tackle the problem systemically, with the view to ensuring cumulative wins across the WCED. WhaT makes graDe 9 so imporTanT? Grade 9 is the exit point of the General Education and Training (GET) Phase. It is also the end of compulsory schooling, which means that learners can elect to terminate their schooling to enter the world of work, for example. This implies that learners should, by the time they reach Grade 9, have acquired knowledge, skills attitudes and values which – at a basic level – would provide them with a platform for their life choices in the future. Most learners are 15 – 16 years of age when they reach or complete
Grade 9. This is a difficult phase for most young people because they are not yet ready for the world of work and responsibility. But Grade 9 also presents the learner with a big challenge in the pass or completion requirements – which he has not encountered before. This contributes towards the possibility of failure. WCED data shows that the proportion of multiple failures is also very high for this grade. If Grade 9 poses such a huge hurdle for the Grade 9 learner, and nothing extra is done for the Grade 8 and 9 learners in the challenging world of high school, then the department must expect that little can be done about the poor retention rate of learners in the last 5 years (high school) of their schooling. The attrition of learners in Grade 9 has a direct impact on lower numbers in the FET phase. In addition, the poor quality passes in Grade 9 impact directly on the quality of passes in Grade 12 and the huge decline in learner numbers in Mathematics and Physical Science, both priorities of the WCED. The low failure rate in Grade 7 points, no doubt, to the tendency at primary schools to “push learners through” rather than to ensure that they have indeed achieved learning outcomes. The responsibility has been shifted to the high school – but does
“The aim is To TaCkle The problem sysTemiCally.”
the average high school have a plan to deal with this? Closer collaboration between primary and high schools could ameliorate this difficulty. But, it is doubtful whether many high schools even have any baseline information on “where the learner is at”, and the child could be left to sink or swim. It is incumbent upon the WCED to address this problem. feaTures of The sChooling sysTem ThaT impaCT on graDe 9 pass raTes In most high schools, Grade 8 and 9 classes are the largest – even though the challenges are greatest for the learners in terms of their general development and the range of subjects. Class size is often the result of wide subject choice in the FET Phase and the small classes at that level. Often the teachers of Grade 8 and 9 classes are the least experienced or not qualified to teach the subjects they are asked to teach. There has, for a long time now, been emphasis on Grade 12 pass rates. The new emphasis on learner retention has, however, placed a new pressure on high schools to support all learners – a pressure they are not necessarily able to respond to. Holding teachers in every grade accountable is new to many principals. Learners reaching Grade 9 in the past three years have spent most of their schooling with an “Outcomes Based Curriculum”. In addition, there were no examinations until Grade 9. This means that current learners may have a huge accumulated backlog in terms of subject content, basic concepts and skills, limited practice in a range of assessment methods and a generally poor understanding of the cognitive demands and standard required of them. The pass requirement for Language and Mathematics in Grade 9 is 40%, a first for the learner. Heads of Department may provide less guidance and supervision to teachers in the Senior Phase than to those in the FET Phase. Preparation, curriculum coverage, school-based assessments, quality of assessment tasks and examinations, teacher attendance, teacher subject competence and learner barriers do not receive the required attention at this level. The WCED has evidence of schools not satisfying the minimum instructional hours per week, the minimum number of school
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days per year or the minimum time allocations per subject. Of course, this impacts on all Grades. School Governing Bodies and parent communities do not demand to know the results of all the grades. Often a high Grade 12 pass percentage suffices. Textbooks from the WCED will reach all Senior Phase learners only in 2013 for 2014. If a school has not purchased textbooks or used its existing stock, then learners will have had little scope for self-study. Teachers need to be trained in the use of textbooks. Very few schools have instituted mentoring programmes for Grade 8 and Grade 9 learners despite the clear need for this.
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acTiViTy plan The Grade 9 Turnaround plan includes: The use of the 2012 ANAs and Grade 9 Systemic tests to identify the schools targeted at 2 levels: - Intensive support - Moderate support Tips for Success booklets to be distributed to all Grade 8 and 9 learners Subject analysis and trends for 2009-2012 (Gr 9) with the focus on improving achievement Grade 8 Language and Mathematics tests available to schools wishing to do a baseline assessment of learners Time-table analysis Reports on teacher and learner attendance Monitoring the use of learner textbooks / LTSM Setting targets quarterly per subject and per learner A year planner for every Grade 8 and Grade 9 learner with the syllabus distribution and the calendar of SBAs Schools identifying learners with major backlogs Catch-up tutoring to deal with accumulated backlogs Autumn and Winter programmes for Language, Mathematics and Science backlogs Small group tutoring by Curriculum Planners Reading support offered to learners Each Grade 9 teacher acting as a mentor for two learners
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reviews
MARCH 2013
musT reaDs
give them an early start @
eDulis
You can borrow these and similar titles from your Education District Resource Centre or EDULIS Library
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skills for presChool TeaChers Beaty, J.J. Pearson, 2012 professionalism in early ChilDhooD eDuCaTion: Doing our besT for young ChilDren Feeney, S. Pearson, 2012 arT anD CreaTive DevelopmenT for young ChilDren Fox, J.E. Wadsworth, 2012 The fabulous early years founDaTion sTage Gould, T. Featherstone Education, 2011 Challenging behavior in young ChilDren: unDersTanDing, prevenTing, anD responDing effeCTively kaiser, B. Pearson, 2012 unDersTanDing The high sCope approaCh: early years eDuCaTion in praCTiCe Wiltshire, M. Routledge, 2012
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presChoolers: CogniTive DevelopmenT [c.2008] 1 DVD (24 min.) presChoolers: soCial & emoTional DevelopmenT [c.2008] 1 DVD (23 min.)
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CirCle Time for The very young Collins, M. SAGE, 2011 Book + 1 CD-ROM make me a sTory: TeaChing WriTing Through DigiTal sToryTelling Miller, L.C. Stenhouse Publishers, 2010 Book + 1 CD-ROM learning To WriTe anD loving iT! : presChoolkinDergarTen Trehearne, M.P. Corwin, 2011 Book + 1 CD-ROM
Make Maths fun Now your learners can master Maths the play way Math Trek R-3 is a dynamic, interactive instructional software programme which covers the standard curriculum generally taught in kindergarten to grade 3, throughout South Africa and incorporates the philosophy and standards of NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). This WCED recommended software is freely available in Afrikaans and English to members of EDULIS Library and District Resource Centres. You can take the modules home and download them for yourself and your school to use in the classroom and in the computer lab. Fibonacci Bear guides learners through a toy store with a variety of exciting exploratory mathematics activities. SOME FEATURES INCLUDE: 138 entertaining interactive activities divided by grade A Learn component for each activity providing a guided tutorial of the activity A Go component that guides the child to solve the problem Problem solving, thinking skills and open-ended explorations
Tracking and assessment component to allow the teacher to observe the learner’s progress Records all marks Records all time on tasks Provides best marks and averages Student Journal Varying degrees of difficulty Journal writing tasks KEY CONCEPTS COVERED ARE: Patterning and Algebra Number Sense and Numeration Data Management and Probability Geometry Measurement Last but not least the teacher’s resource manual accompanies the software programme and tells the teacher how to use Math Trek successfully, outlines teaching strategies and supplies teaching aids such as overhead transparencies. Contact EDULIS (0219579618) to start using this programme and see how your learners’ understanding and marks improve while they are having fun.
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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://goo.gl/pBsZB (Please read terms and conditions).
OR go to our website: http://edulis.pgwc.gov.za Click on “Libraries” Click on “Register as member” (Please read terms and conditions). Click on “Library membership registration form” Complete the form and submit
arTs anD aCTiviTies: Helps teachers guide student growth and learning in art with well-illustrated projects, material ideas and examples of a wide range of creative applications. (American) ChilD DevelopmenT: Publishes articles reporting research on child development. (American) Child education plus: Designed for teachers of 4 to 11 year olds, each monthly issue is full of up-to-the minute information, ideas and advice. (British)
your nearesT resourCe CenTre EDULIS Library Tel: 021 957 9618 Fax: 021 948 0748 edulis@westerncape. gov.za 1st Floor Middestad Mall Charl Malan Street BELLVILLE
Metropole East Cheryl Joseph Tel: 021 900 5111 Cehjoseph@westerncape. gov.za Old Nooiensfontein Road KUILS RIVER
Metropole South Ntombi Mngxuma Brian O’Connell Resource Centre Tel: 021 370 2084 Fax: 021 372 1856 Nmngxuma@westerncape.gov.za AZ Berman Drive Lengtegeur MITCHELLS PLAIN
Overberg Sara Clegg MT Ndzuzo Resource Centre Tel: 028 214 7386 Fax: 028 214 7400 sclegg@westerncape.gov.za 15 College Street CALEDON
Metropole North Jenny Caroto Tel: 021 938 3197 Fax: 021 938 3183 jcaroto@westerncape. gov.za Timmerman Street PAROW
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news
MARCH 2012
Kwezi Mdana, a Grade 7 learner at Golden Grove Primary School, receives her copy of Earth Keepers from Joey Sitzer, Deputy Chief Education Specialist: Life Skills and Life Orientation.
Danielle Rossouw was named Student of the Year for 2012 at the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre’s Prestige Concert. She received the trophy from Janette Hartshorne, the wife of the late principal of the Hugo Lambrechts Music Centre, Leon Hartshorne, who passed away suddenly last year. Danielle is a clarinet student of Charlene Saayman and is currently in Grade 9 at DF Malan High School. Her achievements include 94% for the Unisa practical exam (Grade 6) as well as 92% for Royal Schools Grade 6 practical exam. She performed a solo with the Hugo Lambrechts Symphonic Orchestra at their Concerto festival in August 2012 and took part in the Artscape National Youth Music Competition where she received two awards and was named the best Junior.
Golden Grove’s Earth Keepers Grade 7 learners at Golden Grove Primary School in Rondebosch authored and illustrated their own book of stories on animals. The book, titled ‘Earth Keepers’, was published by The Humane Education Trust, a non-profit organisation committed to promoting values in education through literacy and Life Orientation.
Humane Education offers presentations and workshops to schools, focusing on our duty to care and take responsibility for ourselves and those in our care, namely domestic animals. According to Golden Grove Primary School Principal, Tony Austen, the learners’ marks for Life Orientation improved by 20% in the time that they received humane education.
Soul Buddyz aim to stop the clock on unhealthy lifestyles The Western Cape Education Department’s Metro North Education District marked World Aids Day on Saturday 01 December, 2012 by hosting an HIV/Aids Life Skills Programme. The event, at the district office in Parow, provided an opportunity for learners and teachers to promote healthy lifestyles and to increase access to information about HIV/Aids. Members of Soul Buddyz clubs at primary schools in the Metro North Education District attended the World Aids Day event. The Soul Buddyz Project was started as a partnership between the Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication, SABC Education and it was supported by the Department of Basic Education. Primary schools were requested to nominate five buddies per club and a life orientation teacher to attend the event. The programme included dramas, plays, songs, poems and rap performances around the theme ‘Stop the Clock’.
Teachers at Hoofweg Primary School in Westbank will have to do a double take with 15 pairs of twins enrolled at the school this year. Pictured here with the twins is Principal A Sauer.
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INTEL INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR
C alling all aspirant legal eagles N ational S chools M oot C ourt C ompetition High Schools are invited to enter senior learners for the third South African National Schools Moot Court Competition. The competition is aimed at creating greater awareness of South Africa’s constitution and the values that it embodies. A Moot is a role-play exercise in which participants play the role of lawyers in a fictional court case. All secondary schools in South Africa are invited to enter a team of two learners, preferably one male and one female. A fictional problem involving a constitutional issue is set. Learners are expected to write two short essays setting out the opposing sides of the case. The essays will be evaluated by a panel of experts. The best nine submissions in each of the nine provinces will be identified and the selected learners will be invited to participate in person in the provincial oral rounds, in the nine provinces, in May and June 2013. The best four teams from each province will then participate in the national oral rounds in Pretoria in August 2013. The two winning teams with the highest scores will compete against each other to determine an overall winning team in the final round on 11 August 2013. Participants will also be given the opportunity to attend lectures on the Constitution and to visit places of significance to the South African history in August 2013. The language medium will be English, but participants will be allowed to use any official language in the final round.
For more details on the competition, please see www.up.ac.za/law. Alternatively contact the organiser, Cherryl Botterill, at cherryl.botterill@gmail.com for more information.
Rondebosch Boys’ High School pupil, Phillipe Lothaller is one of three pupils to have been selected to represent South Africa at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) from 12 - 17 May 2013 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. His selection to this prestigious global Science Fair is testimony to the extensive work he has done on his project: Modification in Aeroplane wheels which he will now present at the Fair. Phillipe received a gold medal at the National Expo for Young Scientists held in Johannesburg during July for the Best project in the category: Aeronautical Engineering, as well as a special award from the Aeronautical Society SA.
Rondebosch Boys’ High School learner, Phillipe Lothaller
World Aids Day commemoration at Sibelius High School The Department of Basic Education’s World Aids Day commemoration was hosted at Sibelius High School in Retreat on 3 December 2012 after one of their learners, Jacques Barnett, won the HIV/Aids Life Skills postcard competition. Learners in Grade 10 and 11 have been invited to comment on the HIV/AIDS Lifeskills programme in schools on a postcard to the DBE. The purpose of the competition was to understand learner perspectives on the current strengths and gaps in the implementation of the life skills programme in schools. More than two million postcards were printed. Gugu Ndebele, Deputy Director General at the DBE, said the department’s HIV/Aids strategy was aimed at increasing awareness and a decrease in risky behaviour.
The World Aids Day Programme included entertainment by Grassroots Soccer, a NGO that uses sport to educate young people about HIV/ Aids, as well as drama and music performances by learners. Above: Gugu Ndebele of the DBE and Derrick Patience, Principal of Sibelius High School with the winner and runners up in the postcard competition, Jacques Barnett, Ellen Kgari from Pretoria Secondary School and Nomthandazo Thwala from Ekkukhuleni High School in Uthukela, KwaZulu-Natal.
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noticeboard
M arch 2 0 1 3
A QUICK GUIDE TO
circulars
The Western Cape Education Department issued the following circulars and circular minutes during the period November 2012 and January 2013
EXAMINATIONS ADMINISTRATION 0010/2012
Announcement of the 2012 national senior certificate examination results
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 0001/2013
Vacancy bulletins for office-based educators and public service staff 2013
http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edea10_12.html
http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes13/ CSminutes/ehrm1_13.html
INSTITUTION DEVELOPMENT AND COORDINATION
Issuing of vacancy lists for institutionbased public service staff
0005/2012
0039/2012
Use of Grade R subsidies and subsidy application requirements http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars12/ e39_12.html 0040/2012
Compulsory use of the bid and contract form by schools who arrange their own learner transport http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars12/ e40_12.html 0043/2012
Introduction of e-recruitment system: ‘recruiting the best’ for submission of applications for educator posts http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars12/ e43_12.html 0044/2012
Regulations relating to the minimum teaching hours per school week and school day in public schools in the Western Cape http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars12/ e44_12.html 0045/2012
Unlawful disposal of waste on school property http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars12/ e45_12.html 0046/2012
Wced’s standard operating procedure manual for the management of learner transport schemes at ordinary public schools http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars12/ e46_12.html
EDUCATION PLANNING MINUTES INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCE SUPPORT 0008/2012
Guidelines for equipment and furniture procurement http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes12/PSminutes/edir8_12.html KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT 0004/2012
Role of deputy information officers in providing access to information http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ PSminutes/edkm4_12.html 0005/2012
Online capture of progressions and promotions for 2012 on the cemis and i-sams http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ PSminutes/edkm5_12.html 0006/2012
2013 snap survey for ordinary public schools and reminder about Grade 12 subjects http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes12/PSminutes/edkm6_12.html RESEARCH SERVICES 0001/2013
http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars12/ e47_12.html DBE S13
The use of different LTSM in the Basic Education Sector http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars12/ DBE-CircularS13.pdf DBE S14
Communication of the intervention for Natural Sciences and Technology http://wced.school.za/circulars/ circulars12/DBE-CircularS14.pdf 0002/2013
Timetable for the October – November 2013 national senior certificate examinations http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars13/ e2_13.html 0001/2013
Timetable and arrangements for the national senior certificate supplementary examination: February – March 2013 http://wced.school.za/circulars/circulars13/ e1_13.html
http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes13/ CMminutes/edam5_13.html0013/2012
CAPE TEACHING AND LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE 0008/2012
2013 Bursaries for advanced certificate in education: school leadership http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/ectli8_12.html
CURRICULUM GET 0012/2012
Senior phase caps survey http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edcg6_12.htm 0013/2012
Supply of maths kits to selected litnum phase 2 public schools in quintiles 1-4 http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edcg13_12.html 0014/2012
Carpets for foundation phase classrooms in quintile 1 & 2 ordinary public schools http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edcg14_12.html
CURRICULUM FET 0010/2012
Release of the results of the 2012 WCED systemic tests for Grades 3, 6 &9 http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes13/PSminutes/edrs1_13.html
Department of basic education circular E18 of 2012 – amendment o circular E13 on senior certificate (report 550) prescribed literature for the 2013 and 2014 language examinations
CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT
http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edcf10_12.html
0047/2012
Regulations relating to the management and control of hostels at public schools and the control over the immovable property and equipment of hostels under the western cape education department
0005/2013
Grade 9 recording and reporting in 2013
ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT 0014/2012
Management of subject changes in Grade 10, 11 and 12 from 2013 onwards http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edam14_12.html 0001/2013
Analysis of the 2012 national senior certificate examinations results http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes13/ CMminutes/edam1_13.html 0002/2013
Annual national assessments to be written in 2013 http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes13/ CMminutes/edam2_13.html 0003/2013
Practical assessment tasks for 2013 national senior certificate http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes13/ CMminutes/edam3_13.html 0004/2013
2012 Annual National Assessments (Ana) results http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes13/ CMminutes/edam4_13.html
0013/2012
Distribution of a DVD containing Grade 11 exemplar sba tasks http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edcf13_12.html 0014/2012
Provision of a new personal computer tablet to school principals http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edcf14_12.html 0015/2012
Department of basic education circular S8 of 2012: prescribed poems for home and first additional languages and short stories for first additional languages to be studied for the national senior certificate examinations of NovemberDecember 2013 and FebruaryMarch 2014 http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edcf15_12.html 0016/2012
Delivery of tips for success booklets to 2013 national senior certificate candidates http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CMminutes/edcf16_12.html
INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT & GOVERNANCE PLANNING 0020/2012
Remuneration of part-time educators at community learning centres http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ IDCminutes/eimg20_12.html 0021/2012
Provincial principal forum minutes of 19 October 2012 http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ IDCminutes/eimg21_12.html
http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/ehrm5_12.html 0006/2012
National HIV Counseling Campaign http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/ehrm6_12.html 0011/2012
Closing of persal from 24 December 2012 to 1 January 2013 http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/ehrm11_12.html 0012/2012
16 Days of activism against genderbased violence
CORPORATE SERVICES
http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/ehrm12_12.html
BUSINESS STRATEGY AND STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT
Issuing of the 2013 vacancy list dates for institution-based educators
0001/2013
School improvement plans, annual school report and accountability http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes13/ CSminutes/edbs1_13.html 0001/2012
Service delivery improvement programme for Western Cape Education Department (WCED) http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/edbs1_12.html 0002/2012
School improvement plan and annual school report http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/edbs2_12.html
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING 0006/2012
0014/2012
http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/ehrm14_12.html 0016/2012
Importance of sound performance management http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/ehrm16_12.html 0017/2012
Advanced pay date for temporary WCED staff (public servants and cs educators) from 31 December 2012 to 21 December 2012 http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/ehrm17_12.html 0019/2012
Issuing of special vacancy list 1/2013 (closed vacancy list for educators) http://wced.school.za/circulars/ minutes12/CSminutes/ehrm19_12.html
Delegation of powers and assignment of responsibilities in terms of the public finance management act, 1999 (as amended by act 29 of 1999)
Implementation of policy on remunerative work conducted outside the public service
http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/edfa6_12.html
http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/ehrm20_12.html
HUMAN RESOURCE
PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT
0001/2012
Filling of posts: office-based educators and public service staff http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/ehdm1_12.html
0020/2012
0003/2012
Western Cape Education Departmental Bid Committee meeting dates for 2013 http://wced.school.za/circulars/minutes12/ CSminutes/edpm3_12.html
NOTICE
Education Update wins at SA Publication Forum Awards Education Update, the newspaper of the Western Cape Education Department, did well at the 2012 SA Publication Forum’s Corporate Publication Competition. The competition served as a platform to award excellence in internal and external
corporate communication media. Education Update was awarded certificates of merit for Excellence in Design and Excellence in Communication. The newspaper was also a finalist in the categories Best Design and Best Newspaper.
update EDUCATION
sport
MARCH 2013
15
Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Ismail Teladia
Drug-free sport Testing blitz
to Stamp out Drug-Abuse in Schools The SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) has launched a schools testing program in an effort to stamp out the growing scourge of steroid and drug use among teenagers.
“T
iniTiaTive
he testing will occur at any time and will not only be limited to athletes,” said Institute for Drug-Free sport CEO, khalid Galant. “Hopefully the testing will serve as a deterrent against the growing trend of drug use among school children. The schools testing strategy is no longer just about catching ‘in-competition’ drug cheats, it is now about protecting the health of our children and making them realise the dangers of doping and the importance of responsibilities as a school going athlete.” The launch of the program follows lengthy consultation with the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) and the category of substances had been drawn from the WADA list of Prohibited Substances. Prohibited substances for purposes of this protocol include steroids, hormone and metabolic modulators, diuretics and other masking agents, stimulants, all carrying sentences ranging from 3 months and a maximum sentence of expulsion. The respective school governing bodies will rule on the doping offences and mete out a sanction. “In the first year of this program we will be closely monitoring sanctions meted out to ensure that schools take the doping offenses seriously and hand down sanctions that are consistent across the country,” Galant explained. He pointed out that ‘in competition testing’ was only one of the strategies used as part of SAIDS doping control strategy. “This type of testing has its limits since athletes can ensure that they are ‘clean’ in the lead up to competitions. They can still engage in systematic doping in the off-season while reaping the benefits of this dangerous lifestyle choice in the competition season.” Galant stressed that the popularity of sports supplements as a “solution” to a bigger body remained a big problem as many contained banned substances like anabolic steroids, pro hormones and stimulants that were dangerous as they could cause abnormal organ growth and
function; change the endocrine system and mess up a perfectly normal hormone profile of a growing adolescent. The school campaign kicked off with a national road show at the end of January to explain the protocol on a legal and educational basis at schools. SAIDS, legal representatives and medical representatives were on hand to answer questions from headmasters, heads of sports and school governing bodies. Galant said the schools would be asked to sign an agreement with SAIDS so that they may be accredited for participating in the testing program. Schools that formally adopt this protocol will be accredited as a SAIDS Compliant School. Accreditation must be renewed every 12 months. The testing protocol had been drafted by leading sports attorneys and took cognisance from the Schools Act (no. 84 of 1996) as well as respecting the jurisdiction and role of headmasters and school governing bodies in the testing and disciplinary process.
“hopefully The TesTing Will serve as a DeTerrenT againsT The groWing TrenD of Drug use among sChool ChilDren.”
Vuka Rugby is entering its fifth year of existence and 2013 is expected to be the biggest yet. Eighty schools have registered with Vuka Rugby for 2013, and they welcomed the Athlone zone as a new zone of Vuka Rugby. Pre-seasoning training will take place at the Western Cape Sport School from 15 – 17 February 2013 and 22 -24 February 2012. IRB Level One courses for referees and coaches and Boksmart courses will be presented. Medical training will be presented at the various schools in conjunction with Boksmart and EMS Medical Services, an accredited SARU service provider.
of the second term and the winning school for each zone will be named after the first round of fixtures. The Legends Cup tournament will again take place during the June school holidays and will be played at two venues, namely City Park in Athlone and Avonwood Park in Elsies River. Both U15 and U19 age groups will play for the Legends Cup. highlighTs of 2012:
vuka season:
This year Vuka rugby will shift its focus to both U15 and U18 rugby teams. The Vuka season will start at the beginning
The 2012 Gazelle team successfully completed a tour to SWD and Boland and was undefeated in all three games on tour;
Ismail Teladia, a teacher at Spine Road High School in Mitchells Plain, attended the Laureus Sport for Good Global Summit in Barcelona, Spain in November 2012. Teladia is involved with Vuka Rugby, a Laureus funded project that aims to get children in the township and Cape Flats areas off the streets and on to the sports field. The global summit was an opportunity for more than 100 project leaders from 34 countries, members of the Laureus World Sports Academy and representatives of other sport for good organisations to share knowledge and innovation around the use of sport to improve the lives of young people. Activities included interactive workshops on themes such as leadership,
innovation, and collaboration as well as .sessions showcasing the latest good practice in the use of sport as a social tool. Teladia remarked that the event was very well organised and allowed him to network with people from all over the world. “I will carry over the benefits from these discussions to all our local structures. The delegates were very passionate about what they are involved in and this passion was definitely infectious.” The event was held at Camp Nou, the home of FC Barcelona where Teladia met some of his sporting heroes like Edwin Moses, who is also the chairman of the Laureus Foundation, Marvelous Marvin Hagler and Mark Spitz.
Jannie Adams (middle) receives the highest examination mark award at the 2012 WP Rugby Referees Awards Ceremony
VUkA RUGBY 2013
pre-season Training:
LAUREUS SPORT FOR G O O D G LO B A L S U M M I T
The Blue Label Gladiators from Mitchells Plain won the Legends Cup tournament at Newlands Rugby Ground. Six out of the nine Vuka zones actively participated during the mass participation phase of Vuka Rugby Thirty Five teachers and learners attended and successfully completed the Boksmart and IRB Level One Course for coaching and refereeing. Seventeen Vuka coaches successfully completed the first ever Cool Play course during 2012 at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.
WCeD official excels in rugby referee exam Jannie Adams, a senior admin officer in the Directorate: Procurement Management, achieved the highest examination mark in the national laws examination for Western Province. Adams scored 72% in the examination that match officials are required to write every year. He became involved with refereeing in 2009 when his children started playing rugby for the Eerste River Club. In 2010 he received two awards – a divisional award for the Bellville region and an award for division 6. His latest award was an especially proud achievement given the level of difficulty of the test. Besides spending most of his Saturday’s on the rugby field, Adams
does fitness training twice a week and has to attend a regional meeting on Monday evenings where the rugby rules and the application thereof are discussed. “As a referee, you must follow the ball and be aware of what is happening behind you at the same time. You must literally have eyes in the back of your head.” He said the Western Province Rugby Referees’ Society was especially keen on recruiting young people as referees. No-one may referee without first having completed some official training. For more information, contact the Secretary of the Western Province Rugby Refereeing Society at 021 – 659 4500 (office hours) or send an email to btheron@wprugby.co.za.
update EDUCATION
16
sport
M arch 2 0 1 3
SA boys claim Sevens gold at Australian Youth Olympics
The South African Under-18 men’s team won the Sevens gold medal at the 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney after defeating host nation Australia 22-7 in the final.
T
he SA U18 Women’s team finished in a credible fourth position after losing their bronze medal playoff match 27-0 against Japan, while Tonga was awarded bronze in the men’s division following their 26-0 win over Japan. In the men’s final, South Africa scored two tries in each half through Duhan van der Merwe,Lungelo Gosa, Warrick Gelant and Ryan Oosthuizen while Harry Jones crossed over for Australia’s only converted try in the first half. SA led 12-7 at halftime. Marius Schoeman, the SA U18 team manager and assistant coach, said the SA boys’ willingness to implement their game plan was a key factor in their successful gold medal onslaught. “The boys worked extremely hard, they were really eager to listen and to implement the game plan and a lot of credit must go to coach Neil Powell and his management for the team’s very thorough preparation. “It was an excellent team effort from everyone involved and we can be proud of the boy’s efforts,” added Schoeman, a former Blitzbokke veteran. Rugby Sevens was one of 17 sports at the 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival that took place in Sydney from 16 to 20 January. The Australian Youth Olympic Festival takes place every four years and features 17 sports, with Rugby Sevens enjoying its first year of competition this year. The Rugby Sevens tournament featured eight nations on both the
The triumphant South African Under-18 team at the 2013 Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney. overseas tournament. men’s and the women’s side of the “Many of the girls have not even competition with a total 192 athletes travelled beyond their home who travelled to Sydney for the provinces and for them to come event. to Australia and be in contention Earlier in the day the South African for a bronze medal is amazing. boys stormed into the final with a comprehensive 68-0 win over Japan. If you take into account that we had a 15 year-old and mostly 16 The SA Under-18 Women’s team can be pleased with their fourth posi- year-old girls in our squad, then it is clear that we have the basis of tion in their first international outing a promising squad for the future,” after they lost their bronze medal said Wannies. match against Japan. The Western Cape players in the In their first outing of the day, the SA Under-18 Sevens squads were: girls produced a brave performance Warrick Gelant, Duhan van der in their 14-17 quarter-final loss against Merwe, Dewald Human (all South Japan. They were however rewarded Western Districts and from Outenifor their efforts by securing a semiqua HS), Ryan Oosthuizen (Stellenfinal spot as the best losing qualifier. berg), TJ Goddard (Tygerberg) and Hosts Australia won this semi-final Dennis Cox (Excelsior)all Western clash 38-7 to clinch a final spot, Province). which meant SA had to play Japan Women: Micaela Witbooi, Kirsten for a third time in two days, this time Conrad (both Boland), Christal Wilfor the bronze medal. liams, Atheana Botha (both South Denver Wannies, the SA U18 Western Districts), Kimico Manuel Women coach, said afterwards he and Tatum Daniels (both Western was pleased with the overall perProvince). formance of the team in their debut
Rondebosch Boys’ High School congratulated the following pupils who have achieved exceptional success in swimming this season.
o. 1 in South Africa for the U17 N breaststroke, I n the Senior National Division ranked 2nd in the U19 age group for the 100m breaststroke.
raig and Kurt Benjamin (a C 2012 matriculant at the school) have been selected to represent South Africa at the Zone VI Games from 4 - 17 December 2012 in Zambia. Craig won silver medals in the men’s 50m breaststroke and men’s 100m breaststroke. He was also in the men’s 4X50m relay team that secured a gold medal by finishing in a time of 1:34:32. Five Rondebosch pupils have been selected for National Swimming:
hys Basson, Jack Carlisle, T Junaid Gamieldien and Jarod Van Blerk have been selected for the Junior National Swimming Squad.
W.P. teams dominate at the National Schools Water Polo Championships Teams from the Western Province won seven gold, three silver and three bronze medals at the SA Schools Water Polo Championships in Port Elizabeth.
SWIMMING
Craig Emslie (Gr 12) is currently ranked 2nd in the world for the 50 meter breaststroke.
DISPLAYING EXCELLENCE
urt Benjamin has been selected K for the Senior National Swimming Squad. he RBHS swimming team ended T the 2012 season undefeated in the pool. 14 swimmers: Thys Basson, Jack U Carlisle, Alex de Kock, Thomas Groom, Matthew Johnston, Blake Kelly, Reece and Ryan Whitaker have all come first in their races in 2012. Top Right: Kurt Benjamin Bottom Right: Junior SA Swimmers Thys Basson, Jack Carlisle, Jarod Van Blerk and Junaid Gamieldien Below: Rondebosch Boys’ High School SA and world-ranked swimmer, Craig Emslie
The Western Province girls’ sides took four out of five gold medals in the U19, U16, U15 Girls and U14 age groups respectively. The seniors’ performance was rewarded with five WP players selected in the 15 person SA U19 squad. Ali van Zyl (Herschel Girls School), Carey Naidoo (Reddam House), Emma Loubser (Westerford High), Jamie Day (Herschel Girls School) and Tayla Cartwright were included in the national squad. Jamie Day was named best forward and Tayla Cartwright was the best goalkeeper. The WP boys won three gold medals in the U19A, U15A, and U13A age group respectively. Chad Roman of Westerford High School and three Reddam House players, Miguel Espinha, Christian Ash and Kenton Mobey, were selected for the SA U19 team. Miguel Espinha
was named the best goal keeper and player of the tournament while Christian Ash was singled out as the best defender. Jason Sileno of Reddam House was named the coach of the SA Schools National team. Western Province won the overall provincial points trophy.
CRICKET
Top young talent battle it out for SA U 1 9 G irls honours Five Western Cape cricketers secured their places in the South African Under-19 Girls’ squad that took on the South Western Districts Women in Oudtshoorn in December. The match was the culmination of the 2012 Cricket South Africa (CSA) Girls’ U19 Week. The week was a golden opportunity to show both scouts and selectors their potential for a place in provincial squads, the SA Women’s Emerging squad and ultimately, the senior Proteas Women’s team. Three WP cricketers, Laura Wolvaardt (Parklands College), Lara Goodall (Pinelands) and Ashton Helsinger (Norman Henshilwood), were included in the national team while Boland and SWD were represented by Stefanie
Botha (Paarl Gymnasium) and Michaela Andrews respectively. Stephanie Botha’s contribution with both bat and ball saw Boland finish top of the log. Tournament director, Sandy Flanagan, was very happy with the result of the week as well as the quality of cricket played. Flanagan said: “This week has been remarkably good, the quality of cricket played was much higher than in recent years, and I am happy to report that the gap between the provinces has closed extraordinarily. “I want to congratulate the teams that did extremely well, as well as everyone involved, for ensuring that the fitness levels of the teams were higher than ever before.”
The SA U19 Girls’ Squad pictured shortly after receiving their caps.