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NEWSPAPER OF THE WCED
Inside this issue
NOVEMBER 2010 | ISSUE 07
WCED to open nine new schools in 2011 The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) will open nine new schools next year as part of its R1.9-billion infrastructure plan to address backlogs in school infrastructure in the province.
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Financial Management - WCED wins award for consistently high standards See page 2
NEWS
Schools celebrate International School library month See page 5
he infrastructure plan also includes the replacement of 20 schools that were built with inappropriate materials, the building of additional relief classrooms and the installation of mobile classrooms at schools where there is severe overcrowding. In January 2011, the new Claremont High School will open its doors to learners in Grade 8 and 10. The school, which is located in the renovated premises of the former Barkley House Teacher’s Centre, will provide specialised tuition in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Learners at the Khayelitsha STEM School, currently housed at the False Bay FET College, are also eagerly waiting for their new school building to be completed. A few classrooms will be ready for occupation at the start of the new school year on 17 January 2011. Two new schools are expected to be delivered by March 2011. Learners at Westlake Primary School and Wallacedene Primary School will be able to occupy the brand new school buildings by the start of the second term. A further five schools are expected to be handed over by July 2011: Blue Downs Primary School as well as two high schools and two primary schools in Delft. The area expanded rapidly over the past few years and there has been
a pressing need for extra space to accommodate the increase in learner numbers. Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant said he was pleased with the current roll-out of this plan, particularly with the installation of additional mobile units, which has now been completed. “The need for these mobile units at various schools was highlighted at the end of 2009, when the WCED undertook to do a baseline audit of the infrastructure needs of all the schools in the province. The audit revealed that there was severe overcrowding at various schools, and after numerous discussions with these schools, it was decided that the most immediate and effective approach would be to install 126 additional mobile classrooms at these schools.”
“I REMAIN CONFIDENT THAT ONCE COMPLETED, THE QUALITY OF SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE WESTERN CAPE WILL BE SUBSTANTIVELY IMPROVED.” An additional 19 mobiles were added to the priority list after the final enrollments for 2010 were completed. A total of 80 schools across the
Mobile classrooms such as these at Oranjekloof Primary School in Hout Bay are part the WCED’s R1.9-billion infrastructure plan to address the shortage of schools and classrooms over the next three years.
province benefitted from the installation of mobile classrooms. The Cape Winelands district received the largest allocation, with 30 mobiles being distributed at schools such as Ceres Primary School (3 mobiles), Langabuya Primary School (3 mobiles) and Bonnievale Primary (1 mobile). Oranjekloof Primary School in Hout Bay is the biggest school beneficiary. They have received 9 mobile units, which has dramatically helped to reduce overcrowding at this school. Examples of other schools that have benefitted include Bontebok Primary School, New Eisleben Secondary, Milnerton High School
and Aberdare and Hindle Road North Primary. Grant said the mobiles have provided, in a short-term, much needed support to some of our schools. “They have contributed to the alleviation of school overcrowding and have improved the overall state of our school infrastructure across the province. “We will continue to build on this momentum, and ensure that the remainder of our infrastructure plan is effectively implemented over the next three years. “I remain confident that once completed, the quality of school infrastructure in the Western Cape will be substantively improved.”
Planning
Schools, WCED all set for 2011
NEWS
Preventing teenage pregnancy See page 10
SPORT
Windsor High’s world champ See page 15
Regulars:
NEWS
FEATURES
Preparations for the 2011 school year are well underway with most schools finalising timetables, organising teaching and learning materials and checking on the necessary infrastructure requirements. Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant said one of the major focuses for 2011 was the protection of instruction time. In September, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) provided each school with a planning calendar for 2011 to prepare teachers, principals and parents well in advance about education activities planned for 2011. The calendar includes a schedule of dates for training programmes, meetings, tests and examinations, as well as, other important administrative deadlines.
INSIGHT AND OPINION
“This allows schools enough time to pro-actively plan ahead and prepare for the upcoming year,” Grant said. Penny Vinjevold, Head of Education in the Western Cape, said the department wanted to ensure synchronisation across the province. The planning calendar for 2011 was released in response to a request by principals following a similar exercise in December 2009. Vinjevold said principals requested that the planning calendar be made available earlier. “So we are providing a skeleton of the key dates that schools need and this then allows them to do their own planning. This is our way of assisting schools to plan for 2011 and make 2011 a very successful year.” Grant said that training programmes and meetings for 2011 have all been
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
scheduled to take place either during the school holidays or after school hours so as not to disrupt any teaching and learning. “We are particularly excited about the Mathematics and Reading Conferences that will be held during the course of the year. This year, our reading conference garnered widespread support from our teachers so we are extending these programmes so that more teachers can participate.” Earlier this year, the WCED also launched a drive to persuade parents to register their children early for school next year, if their children are starting primary or high school, or if they are changing schools in 2011. The overall enrolment programme took place in two phases, the first round of applications took place between April and June, with parents being notified by
REVIEWS
ARTS AND CULTURE
July if their child was accepted. The second round took place between July and September, with parents being notified on their child’s enrollment in the middle of October. Grant sai: “If we want to ensure that quality teaching and learning starts on the very first day of the new school year, we need to ensure that every child has a place in a school, as far as possible.” In areas where there are late enrollments, officials will be prepared on the first day of the school year to work with schools to find places for these children and to finalise late registrations. They will also help schools to finalise timetables and to resolve staffing, administrative and security issues, where necessary.
NOTICE BOARD
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wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
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News in brief LEARNERS SCORE IN MANDARIN
The 2010 winners of the Young Communicators Awards
LEARNERS WIN BIG IN YOUNG COMMUNICATORS AWARDS Siyabulela Ramba from Sea Point High School (above) won a study bursary of R25 000 and R9 000 for his school in the Young Communicators Awards (YCA). He obtained second position. First place went to Mati Ndhlovu of Claredon High School in the Eastern Cape (middle) and Engel Ngobe of Sitimile Secondary School in Mpumalanga was third. Ronel Beukes, Western Cape coordinator, said the beauty of this competition was that the contestants were used and remunerated, while studying, to facilitate YCA workshops. Previous winners acted as timekeepers, program directors and assisted as adjudicators in schools in their districts. Beukes encouraged educators to enter their learners for the circuit and district YCA Competitions. For more information, contact Ronel Beukes on 021 860 1210.
Three learners from the Cape Academy of Maths, Science and Technology in Constantia have received top honours in the “Most Improved” category of an international Mandarin competition. The trio, accompanied by two teachers, returned from China on 4 November where they took part in the China Bridge Competition after winning the South African leg of the contest. They scored 90.4% and all three won scholarships to study in China. The learners only started learning Mandarin from mid-March this year. All the Grade 10 learners at the Cape Academy take lessons in Mandarin. From next year Mandarin will be an optional subject at the school. The average mark for the grade was 91%. “One would never say that this is a third language if you listen to these kids. They have the inflections and intonation of first language Mandarin speakers,” said Michael Cornelius, deputy principal at the Cape Academy. Cape Academy for Maths, Science and Technology learners (from left) Jo-Lynn Cupido, Mpumelelo Mazukwana and Phumelela Sambumbu with their teachers Li Gau (left) and Rene Daniels.
Leon Ely, Chief Director: Financial Management, WCED, with the SAIGA award.
Financial management WCED best in the country he Western Cape Education Department has been recognised by the Southern African Institute of Government Auditors (SAIGA) as having the most consistently high performance in financial management of any government department in the country over the last three years. “This is a prestigious honour and is testimony to the enormous effort that is put into ensuring that that the
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financial management of the WCED is maintained at a consistently high standard,” said Western Cape Minister for Education Donald Grant. In terms of the SAIGA’s findings, any government department that achieves a score in excess of 90% is evidence that the relevant department applies the highest management standards. The WCED has averaged 93.5% over the last three years. “The Western Cape government is
committed to ensuring that public funds are spent in a transparent and accountable fashion, ensuring wherever possible that every cent of public money is used to improve the lives of the citizens of the Western Cape,” said Grant. “In this context I am especially pleased that the WCED has achieved this accolade. Our challenge is now to ensure that we maintain this very high standard.”
Technology
NEW WCED SYSTEM SLASHES PAY SHEET RED TAPE The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has slashed red tape considerably by introducing a new electronic pay sheet control system (CPS).
Teacher Laptop Initiative launch Teachers engage with service providers at the Western Cape launch of the Teacher Laptop Initiative (TLI) held on Saturday, 30 October at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute. A total of 3 500 Western Cape teachers qualified for the first round of the initiative. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) selected the teachers for the first round on the basis of seniority. Education authorities will implement the TLI in stages over five years, as funds become available. The initiative forms part of a plan by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and other stakeholders to provide
various resources needed to improve the quality of education. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) is managing the national roll-out on behalf of the DBE. More information on Page 13
MELVIN SAMPSON
In the past, the WCED’s pay sheet control section had to follow up with principals and officials across the province to verify pay sheets, required by law to ensure accurate salary payments. All government departments run the risk of overpayments if pay sheets are not carefully monitored and verified. They then have to implement lengthy procedures to recover funds if overpayments are made. The WCED previously posted pay sheets to schools and struggled to retrieve all of the documents to ensure 100% compliance with deadlines and accounting prescripts. The department adapted its successful online Leave Management System to
accommodate the CPS as well, to despatch and return verified pay sheets electronically. “The successes of this new CPS exceeded all expectations,” said Norman Daniels, Director: Human Resource Management at the WCED. He expressed his gratitude to all principals and WCED managers who had contributed to ensuring the success of the CPS. The system has made it much easier to stop salaries of staff who had left the system for any reason, before the relevant salary run. The new system had reduced the burden of managing the previous paper-based system, while also reducing the risk of overpayments to almost zero, he said.
Western Cape sweeps the board in SA Computer Olympiad PETER WAKER
Western Cape learners competing in the Standard Bank/CSSA Computer Olympiad have walked away with all six medals and R137 000 in prizes. This is the first time in the 27-year history of the Computer Olympiad that a single province has been able to gather all the medals. The Standard Bank/CSSA Computer Olympiad is an annual competition to identify, encourage and reward programming skills among high school learners. The winners were announced at a gala function at the Kelvin Grove club
last month, which was also attended by Penny Vinjevold, head of the Western Cape Education Department. Vinjevold said she was delighted but not surprised about the learners’ performance. “The Western Cape has been strong in combining technology and education and many of our young people use the opportunities available to them.” Guest speaker, Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Derek Hanekom, remarked on how important competitions like the Computer Olympiad are to encourage the development of talent in South
Africa. He welcomed the news that a pilot Computer Applications Olympiad already attracted 6 000 entries. The winner was Sean Wentzel, a grade 11 learner from Westerford High School in Rondebosch. Silver Medals went to Kieren Davies in grade 12 at the International School of Hout Bay and Vaughan Newton a grade 11 learner at Bishops. Bronze Medals went to Ashraf Moolla, a grade 11 learner at Rondebosch Boys’ High, Robert Spencer in grade 10 at Westerford High and Bennie Swart in grade 12 at Bellville High.
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NOVEMBER 2010
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US Congress honours Western Cape, US school partnership technology partnership between schools in the United States and the Western Cape received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from the US Congress. The award recognises the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) partnership between Oude Molen Academy of Science and Technology in Pinelands and Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, California. The Oude Molen Academy is a focus school of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED). Congresswoman Diane E Watson of the 33rd District, California, presented the award on Monday, 25 October, during a video conference linking the two schools. The WCED’s Khanya Project has supported the project by installing education technology at Oude Molen, which specialises in teaching mathematics, science and technology. The partnership has its origins in a memorandum of understanding between the Foshay Learning Center in Los Angeles and Oude Molen and their partners, including Khanya, Smart Technologies Inc, and the Global NetGeneration of Youth, signed in November 2009. Since then the partnership has developed into a strong Community of Practice focusing
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on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Jackie Brits, Physical Science Teacher at Oude Molen, expressed delight with the joint project which has enabled her learners to work with the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA). The learners “were excited and some of them overwhelmed – although they knew what NASA was all about generally, they did not think that these highly educated and busy people would actually take time off to speak to students”. “They never thought that they could actually ask for specific photos taken from the International Space Station (ISS). It was such fun to hear them speak about ‘photos taken during orbit 1614’ etc.” “NASA and what they do has become a direct reality to them, not just something they hear about
from educators or read about in magazines and books,” Brits said. The Sister School Partnership has also received a grant from the US State Department which will allow educator and student exchanges in 2011. Four other schools, two from the USA and one each from Uganda and Zambia are also grant recipients and have joined the Community of Practice too. The South African partners will host a strategic planning meeting with African and US participants and Advisors early in 2011.
Keeping a cchill on global warming w G Greenwood Independent School in P Plettenberg Bay was recently invited to Johannesburg, as one of the five N National finalists, to present their entry in the Annual Eskom ETA energyssaving awards. The Grade 6 and Grade 7 class at th the school designed a fridge which u uses no electricity. It cannot replace refrigeration and deep freezing
completely, but it can eliminate the need for big household fridges which are excessive electricity consumers. The fridge works on the principle of evaporation and uses easily obtained and inexpensive materials (shade cloth, netting and sand). Last year the learners also built a solar water heater to produce hot water for the school.
TOP OF THE CLASS
Environmentally friendly
Safe water solutions for drought stricken Southern Cape Cape-based entrepreneurs Tap-it Sales & Distribution donated 15 000 water sachets with taps to 27 schools in the Garden Route and Central Karoo region during site visits with the Western Cape Education Department from 26 – 27 October. Due to the severe water shortage in the region, which is experiencing its worst drought in decades, many schools in the region have no access to fresh drinking water. The WCED currently trucks in water to the schools on a weekly basis. “This is not only a costly exercise for the education department, but spillage and the purity of the water pose some concern as the water is dispensed directly from the tanks. Access to safe drinking water is a basic constitutional right of each South African and we felt that this project could demonstrate that a costeffective and workable solution
Greenwood Independent School learners Heather Anderson, Kharma Rossi, Nic Reid and Azinani Ngumbela retreive their cold lunch from their Eco Fridge
Left to right: Celeste Vlok from Tap-it with July Michaels, Charnique Baartman, Angelique Claasen and Caroline America, headmaster of Hoogkraal Primary School, Outeniqua George.
could be found to address this crisis,” said Tap-it founder PJ Vlok. Pictured here are (left to right) Celeste Vlok from Tap-it with July
Michaels, Charnique Baartman, Angelique Claasen and Caroline America, headmaster of Hoogkraal Primary School, Outeniqua George.
The Western Cape Education Department’s Metropole North Education District was recently featured in a Sunday Times’ article (A tale of two regions, 24 October 2010) about the region’s success in the 2009 National Senior Certificate examinations. Metropole North achieved an 80.6% pass rate across the 66 high schools in the district. Only six schools performed below 60% compared to 15 schools the previous year. Barry Volschenk, the director of the Metropole North Education District, said one of the reasons for the good performance was effective management of the district’s seven circuits. “The heads of all the sections were handpicked. They are very experienced and dedicated to their work.” Curriculum advisors also visited schools every day. “We insist they be at schools because that’s where they have the greatest impact.” Stellenberg High School in Durbanville has won a national award for excellence in maths and science. The school received an Anglo American Maths and Science Excellence Award at a function at the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in Pretoria on Monday, 8 November 2010. Stellenberg was among the top 10 achieving schools to receive the award from around the country. Anglo American presented each school with R150 000. The schools were selected from 200 identified by the DBE as having especially strong 2009 maths and science results.
news wcednews is the official newspaper of the Western Cape Education Department. wcednews@pgwc.gov.za Tel: 021 467 2707 DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION
Paddy Attwell EDITOR
Millicent Merton CONTRIBUTORS
Bronagh Casey Chas Ahrends Geraldine Goldblatt Hennie Mentz Ismail Teladia Jani de Bruin Karen Engel Linda Rose Madri Alberts Mark Wildschut Melissa Paramasivan Melvin Sampson Metro North Education District School Social Workers Odile Heunis Susan Hanekom Theresa de Young DESIGN
Infestation, Tel: 021 424 6701
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wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
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WCED Mobile Sciencentre
takes science on the road
The WCED Mobile Sciencentre recently undertook a trip up the West Coast and visited Lutzville High School, Van Rhyn High School, Vredendal Secondary School, Clanwilliam Secondary School and Citrusdal High School. JANI DE BRUIN
here is no school too far away or remote in the Western Cape for this science buddy, which was launched in January 2007 following the success of the science centre and its hands-on approach to enthusing learners about science and technology. The “mellow yellow” science van has been engaging learners in science across the Western Cape Province ever since. The WCED Mobile Sciencentre is sponsored by the Western Cape Education Department and operated by the MTN Sciencentre (soon to become the Cape Town Science Centre). It is a high roof panel van packed with interactive exhibits and other science demonstration equipment.
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The exhibits focus on various scientific phenomena and logical problems, they are compact and robust, and can be unpacked and spread out to accommodate a fairly large group of learners. The contents of the van can be changed easily to suit special requests or venue specifications. During a typical school visit, the learners have a chance to interact with the exhibits and are intrigued by spectacular science shows. Recently, in response to a need by schools, the Sciencentre team was also deployed to various Dinaledi schools to specifically run curriculum practicals for Grade 12 learners. In 2009, an Inflatable Planetarium was added to the WCED Mobile Sciencentre. The planetarium consists of an inflatable sphere that can accommodate up to 30 learners and utilises an advanced projection system for displaying astronomical software and other multimedia. The Inflatable Planetarium is often used by educators for the “Earth and Beyond” aspects of the curriculum and it is able to cater for learners from Grade R to 12. The WCED Mobile Sciencentre’s main targets are the Dinaledi schools in the Western Cape, but many other schools, including primary schools have been exposed to this wonderful facility. It is also a regular visitor to science festivals, school festivals, expos, fairs, youth indabas and more.
The WCED Mobile Sciencentre can come to your school! Contact Carmen on 021 405 9437 or carmen@mtnsciencentre.org.za to request a visit. WHAT EDUCATORS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE WCED MOBILE SCIENCENTRE:
“Extremely interesting....pupils were ecstatic. We would have liked to have all the grade 8’s and 9’s here exposed to the planetarium. Certainly the best science experience our pupils have had for the year. Thanks a million” - Luckhoff High School (Stellenbosch) “It’s been great fun. Thank you for visiting us, we really appreciate it. The experiments and work stations were very interesting and exciting. The learners and educators tho-roughly enoyed it. It was very educational and hopefully learners will now opt for a career in science more readily. Thanks again.” - Belhar Islamic Primary School EDUCATOR FORUM AT THE MTN SCIENCENTRE
The MTN Sciencentre introduced a monthly Educator Forum at the beginning of 2010. The first Educator Forum was held on Saturday 28 February and educators from as far as Hawston (near Hermanus)
flocked to the Sciencentre. The forum has gained momentum and many educators regularly attend the monthly get-together. The Sciencentre’s Educator Forum aims to be a platform where science educators from around the Western Cape can share ideas and get inspiration for teaching difficult scientific concepts. Mr Don Francis, senior curriculum planner, physical sciences, for the Western Cape Education Department, opened the first forum and guest speakers and experts are invited regularly.
NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHED THROUGH THE WCED MOBILE SCIENCENTRE 342 068
The “mellow yellow” science van visited this group of primary school learners to expose them to the wonderful world of science. TOPICS COVERED DURING 2010 INCLUDED:
Astronomy Biodiversity Doppler Effect Organic chemistry Light & optics Rate of chemical reactions The Educator Forum will continue in the new year. If you are interested in becoming part of the forum, please contact Michael Ellis on 072 287 7496 or e-mail michael@mtnsciencentre.org.za
Factreton Primary School hosts Maths, Science, Technology (MST) Exhibition GERALDINE GOLDBLATT
TOP: Imogene Jochems, a grade 6 learner at Factreton Primary School, explains how her house alarm works.
The Maths, Science, Technology Exhibition held at Factreton Primary on 15 and 16 October demonstrated once again that children learn when they are excited about experiments and games that they can touch, feel and play with. Twenty three schools participated in the exhibition and teachers brought the products that the children had made, for example electricity games, solar systems and volcanoes that were active and spewed confetti in the air. Pneumatic and hydraulic vehicles showed the scientific principles of air and water pressure. Children were delighted with and absorbed in experiments they could move about with syringes and balloons. Cars, trucks and musical instruments made from recycled waste showed how easy it is to make things. Electricity was explained with simple circuit boards in the form of games with batteries and coloured lights. There was even a house alarm that worked! Miniature playgrounds with swings and slides, and whole towns showed the principles of town planning. For Languages the children played spontaneously with puppets and made up their own creative stories using natural disasters in Geography e.g. earthquakes, tsunamis, as a frame for the plot. This type of Language across the Curriculum is useful to speed up
language development. The language of Science and Maths is difficult for children, especially when English is not their home language. When they are given the opportunity to make concrete objects, they will internalise the principles. However, it is not enough for the children to be able to make structures (procedural knowledge). They have to know how to talk about the work they have done (declarative knowledge). If children can express their learning in language, the jump from concrete to abstract will not be so great. They have to appropriate the new vocabulary so that its use becomes automatic. Experiential learning is very effective for consolidation of concepts. Producing concrete objects requires an understanding of measurement, symmetry, number sense, space and shape in three dimensions. Of course we had our favourite fraction games to persuade the kids that 16 is smaller than ¼. Parents were invited and some brought the whole family, this is in line with the WCED policy on family literacy and parental involvement. Factreton Primary was chosen as this industrial area contains a large cluster of schools with some very skilled parents in the community. It might be useful for them to see the evidence of what their community schools do, so they can be involved. Alistair Mather, an expert in Technology
from the WCED head office provided posters for Technology. This subject is to be integrated with Natural Science for Grades 4-6 in the future, but will still be a stand alone subject for Grades 7-9. Jolene Juries, an excellent science teacher, brought a mini laboratory with microscopes and a game to teach the periodic table. One of the most interesting exhibits was a large plastic juice bottle, filled with water. There were three small holes at different levels, plugged up with tooth picks, which showed how one could conserve water while children were washing their hands. This small fountain is based on scientific principles – when a certain amount of water is used, the trickle stops because the air pressure on the top is not strong enough. If the lid is loosened, the small stream of water resumes as the air pressure increases. Our children will be the creative scientists and engineers of the future. They will invent useful ways to improve our planet if we allow them to use their imaginations, and give them the tools and knowledge of scientific principles to do so. Cross fertilisation of ideas is important, as is the idea that one does not need vast amounts of money to create experiments from recycled waste. Thanks to all the teachers who willingly shared their expertise and creativity and especially to Mr Isaacs the principal of Factreton Primary and Mr McAvoy who was so helpful.
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Schools celebrate Library Month The red carpet was rolled out at Dalweide Primary school in the Drakenstein area for the launch of the Western Cape Education Department International School Library Month Celebrations. uring the month of October 2010, school libraries across the world and in South Africa celebrated and promoted library and information services at schools, using the theme: Diversity, Challenge, Resilience – School Libraries Have It All. Dalweide Primary School came alive with hype and excitement welcoming this prestigious event, a first of its kind for the Western Cape and for the WCED, as guests were welcomed by the unique sounds of marimbas skillfully played by musicians from the Frank Pietersen Music Centre. Donald Grant, Western Cape Education Minister, and Clifton Frolick, Director of Cape Winelands Education District, were among the dignitaries who joined the celebration. Minister Grant said that he was very excited to be a part of the celebration “which promotes reading amongst our learners and encourages our schools to promote best practice in their libraries so that they remain functional resource centres
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for our youth”. Various speakers stressed the importance of the school library and its role in encouraging reading and improving literacy and numeracy. Learners entertained the guests with poems, plays, singing and music. During the ceremony the winners of the first EDULIS School Library Competition were announced. Once Minister Grant had cut the ribbon symbolising the official opening of the school library, guests were allowed to view this new curriculum resource and marvel at what it had to offer both learners and teachers. Dalweide Primary School is one of 18 schools across the Western Cape that launched their school libraries in October to celebrate International School Library Month. School libraries form part of a broader strategy by the WCED to ensure text-rich schools. The WCED is investing R101 million this year in reading books and textbooks. This is over and above the usual norms and standards allocation that all schools receive.
School Library Launches A WCED Circular minute challenged all schools that had set up their school library as a result of the QIDS-UP School Library Project, or on their own initiative, to celebrate their achievement by launching their school library during the month of October 2010. These photos show some of the highlights:
DID YOU KNOW……? The Qids up School Library Project has placed over 1000 000 items into 675 of the poorest schools in the WCED
Competition HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? EDULIS offer the following School Library Services to schools: Coordination of and support for the development and use of school libraries Coordination of and support in basic school library administration to teachers in charge of school libraries Evaluation and recommendation of library resources to support literacy and numeracy programmes Support and coordination of special school library projects Support and guidance in purchasing of library resources from Norms and Standards funding Reading guidance to teachers and learners Visits to schools to conduct book talks Promotion of special library, literacy, reading and book events such as International School Library Month, World Book Day, etc. Orientation sessions for school staff as part of their professional development A cataloguing service for school libraries For any of the above call Edulis on 021 957-9600
THE FIRST EDULIS SCHOOL LIBRARY COMPETITION
10% of your school’s Norms &Standards funding for LTSM should be used to purchase School Library Resources
WCED Schools were invited (via their district offices) to enter the EDULIS School Library Competition by submitting a portfolio centering on the theme: Diversity Challenge Resilience: School Libraries Have It All!
Research has shown that learners with access to library resources deliver higher achievements, improved literacy levels with an increase of between 10 and 25% and have a greater success rate
The entries were divided into categories as per size of school and LOLT as well as a category for Best Teacher (Librarian) and Special Prizes. The winners are as follows:
The Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure that has been gazetted will make it mandatory for all new schools to have basic teaching and learning spaces like libraries and laboratories
LARGE PRIMARY SCHOOL 1. Dalweida Primary (Paarl) 2. Prince Albert Primary 3. Irista Primary (Kuils River) LARGE DUAL MEDIUM PRIMARY SCHOOL 1. Table View Primary 2. Goodwood Park Primary 3. Outeniqua Primary SMALL PRIMARY SCHOOL 1. Protea Primary (Napier) 2. Groenberg NGK Primary 3. Hillside Primary (Bishop Lavis) SMALL DUAL MEDIUM PRIMARY SCHOOL 1. Good Hope Junior Seminary 2. Knysna Montessori School 3. Factreton Primary SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1. Inkwenkwezi Secondonary 2. Fairmont High School TEACHER LIBRARIAN AWARDS Outeniqua Primary, Prince Albert Primary
Donald Grant, Western Cape Education Minister, chats to learner Abigail Stoffels at the official opening of the Dalweide Primary School library
A classroom library and a mobile library is also a model of a school library
SPECIAL PRIZES Pionierskool Primary, Bergville Primary, Parow West Primary
PUT YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARY ON THE MAP BY JOINING AN EXCITING INTERNATIONAL PROJECT AS PART OF YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARY ACTIVITIES. For more information visit: http://www.iasl-online.org/sla/ giggleIT/invite.htm
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wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
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Role models
Inspiration
The end of the 2010 academic year is in sight and WCEDnews would like to salute the many dedicated educators in the province who tirelessly worked throughout the year to make sure our learners receive the quality tuition they deserve.
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n a message to mark World Teachers Day on 5 October, Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant said he personally witnessed educators who have put their own lives on hold in order to make sure that the needs of their learners come first. “It has been most encouraging to see that throughout the year a significant number of our schools, both primary and secondary, have elected to hold after-school or weekend classes, or have remained open during the holidays so that our learners can receive extra tuition. “The decision to do this has been entirely voluntary and reflects the determination of many of our educators to improve learner
outcomes in the Western Cape. “These educators teach because they are dedicated. They teach because they love their job. It is their vocation.” Chas Ahrends, special projects manager at Khanya, blogged about such a dedicated teacher on the Khanya – Apple blogsite (http://2427khapple.wordpress. com/) He wrote as follows: NOT APPLE, BUT VALUABLE
Today I visited Andre Maree, an educator at Hopefield High School. A diving accident in the river nearby this West Coast town in South Africa did not dampen his enthusiasm and zest for life. As sound engineer he manages the audio requests of the town. He supports the coaching staff of the school. For years he employed an older data video projector and his faithful Windows XP laptop and sat at his table in his wheel chair from where has been teaching mathematics and biology for the past 16 years. The Khanya Project furnished him with the latest technology.
Hopefield High h School educatorr Andre Maree hass been teaching g mathematics and d biology from hiss wheel chair for thee past 16 years..
The grade 12 learners expertly work on the Electronic interactive Smart board while he mans his new Laptop with Windows 7. With great effort he battles with the Bluetooth slate. We are changing this to a wireless mouse and keyboard with which he is very familiar. This will enable our colleague Andre to move around in the class for the first time in 16 years. Kobus van Wyk writes on his blog: “You always need a Plan B when you use technology. This is true of any form of technology: computers, data projectors, interactive whiteboards, mobile devices and yes, even old-fashioned overhead projectors. Unless you have another trick up your sleeve, you will not be able to deliver your lesson when technology fails.” http://www.e4africa.co.za/?p=2906 Andre has plan C too. His learners dovetail with him in his teaching methods. Anything that he cannot reach with his one hand is extended by the many willing hands on deck. We salute you.
Rondebosch teacher, Warren Sparrow.
Technology in the classroom More than 500 teachers, school leaders, government officials and education stakeholders from more than 60 countries gathered in Cape Town for an international conference on the effective use of technology for innovative teaching and learning. he Worldwide Innovative Education Forum is the centerpiece event for Microsoft’s Partners in Learning Programme. This year marked the first time that it was held in the Middle East/African region. Rondebosch teacher, Warren Sparrow, was one of the contenders for a Global Innovative Award after he scooped the Best Practice award for his “Who Wants to be a Millionaire project” in the “Innovation in Content” category at the 2010 PanAfrican Innovative Educators Forum. Sparrow, a computer teacher and head of IT at Rondebosch Boys Preparatory School, developed the project to teach learners entrepreneurial skills. “I wanted to create something that the learners could use in their classroom and still learn a few key concepts. While playing the board game the learners are able to have fun, but still learn about the steps to becoming an entrepreneur, skills and characteristics of an entrepreneur, which are all part of the Economic and Management Science curriculum.” The learners also became technologically savvy. “From a computer side, the learners started a company at the beginning of the year and created company logos using an open-source piece of software called Paint Dot Net and completed online Google surveys. The boys used cell phones, uploaded videos into Microsoft Movie Maker and then created their board game and cards in Microsoft Publisher. They created mind maps using a free internet application at http://bubbl.us. They also needed to post in both a blog and a wiki. From an Economic and Management Science side, the learners covered the outcomes that form part of the Grade 7 curriculum.” Sparrow said the use of technology in the classroom allowed diversity in teaching techniques and kept the material interesting. “It gets learners more involved and interested in learning as it provides a more visual way to learn. It helps students visualise things that cannot be drawn on
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a chalkboard and it better illustrates concepts. It can also be fun using the technology. Through technology, learners are able to carry out simulations, design and publish storyboards, and explore new concepts. With the effective use of technology it challenges learners to question, investigate, analyse, synthesize, problem solve, make decisions and reflect on their learning. I believe that when used correctly technology can be a powerful tool to assist both the teacher and the learners in the classroom as the modern child is a visual learner.” He said there are still major challenges in South Africa with regards to integrating technology in teaching and learning in the classroom. “I have
“WHILE PLAYING THE BOARD GAME THE LEARNERS ARE ABLE TO HAVE FUN, BUT STILL LEARN ABOUT THE STEPS TO BECOMING AN ENTREPRENEUR, SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ENTREPRENEUR, WHICH ARE ALL PART OF THE ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCE CURRICULUM.” been teaching at Rondebosch Boys’ Preparatory School for over 12 years and although we have had computers at the school for a number of years, it is only over the last few years that we have been integrating technology into the presentation of lessons in the classrooms. There are a few obstacles that we all face with regards to integrating technology and teaching into the classrooms. The first I believe is a financial one, it costs a great deal to install computers, data projectors, network points and other technology into the classrooms. The second obstacle is a lack of training or skills in technology. There are too many teachers that feel they do not have sufficient proficiency in their own abilities to be able to give lessons using technology in their own classes.” Sparrow said although he did not win a global award, from a professional development point of view the experience had been very rewarding.
wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
feature
Top teachers THE WESTERN CAPE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNERS OF THE 2010 TEACHING AWARDS:
‘LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD’, NAOMI HORN OF WELTEVREDE SECONDARY SCHOOL, CAPE WINELANDS DISTRICT
During an illustrious and value-creating career, Naomi has, amongst others, endeavoured to adhere to the creed of “Leaders who are problemsolvers are needed more than administrators”. Naomi is an effective and visionary leader who inspires confidence in the learners entrusted to her, but, more so, accompanies them into the unknown. She has researched ideas within our country and abroad, approached various departments and consultancies to assist her to enhance her service delivery to the learners. She leads by example and has engaged her colleagues to render services to the community. This manifested itself in a range of critical goals of the school, from consistent brand delivery, teaching and process excellence to exceptional customer service and a commitment to innovation, learning and growth. The experience, commitment and dedication which she has acquired over 35 years have inspired her belief that “A child in sport is a child out of court”. The goal she strives towards is, in her own words, “to make ordinary people extra-ordinary.” As the team leader in her portfolio of parental involvement, she strives to close the engagement gaps through her positive encouragement of open debate about the negatives.
‘EXCELLENCE IN ADULT BASIC EDUCATION AND TRAINING’, LINDA GEZWINT OF OVERBERG COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTRE, OVERBERG DISTRICT
Linda is the Overberg CLC centre manager and is rendering excellent and measurable value-adding services. Her authentic management style makes her an ambassador for adult basic education and training. Her sound emotional and strategic intelligence has contributed to the great strides the centre has made in the community. These strides are visible in the substantial increase in the number of learners who have enrolled at the CLC. Linda is a team player and treats everyone with respect and conducts tasks to the benefit of the learners. She is always willing make her resources available to the district office.
Amongst others, the Overberg CLC has started with a very successful skills development programme. The CLC has entered the hospitality industry by instituting a catering entity which has become a roaring success. Not only has she initiated the Centre’s successful Family Literacy Project, but she has also assisted the local primary school’s teachers with their numeracy and literacy programmes. The purchase of a vehicle has contributed to the successful attendance of learners. The centre has received many awards to signify the total involvement of the CLC in teaching and learning. In 2009, the CLC received the “Western Cape Best Learner Achiever Award”. Linda also manages the other CLCs, such as Botrivier, Caledon and Genadendal.
‘EXCELLENCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP’, DAVID MILLAR OF NORMAN HENSHILWOOD HIGH, METRO SOUTH DISTRICT
David is a visionary in action. He is passionate and driven by a desire for a better future for all. He leads by example. Discipline is a priority and parents are confident of a good holistic education within a safe environment. He is driven by the motto at NHHS that “They do not do mediocrity”. In the words of one of the teachers, ”Mr Millar is an inspirational leader who is not afraid to stand up for his beliefs, i.e. he is a man with a plan, and we are happy that his plan includes our world’s greatest asset – our children.” The RCL plays a pivotal role in the governance and management of the school. The learner leadership was developed into pillars and then a “colours constitution” was developed in which recognition of learners is a focus. David, together with his team, has focused on the following: Physical expansion plan Staff transformation to ensure that staff are qualified, developed and trusted Staff professional development Governance structures Community involvement The development of a Human Rights portfolio saw the school embark on a massive HIV/AIDS awareness drive and the school has adopted an HIV/AIDS orphanage.
‘EXCELLENCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHING’, HELENA VAN ZYL OF AUGSBURG AGRICULTURAL GYMNASIUM, WEST COAST DISTRICT
Helena is deserving of this prestigious award because of her continued
dedication to her learners. Ms Van Zyl started her teaching career at Graafwater High School (Standards 6 to 10 in 1981) and has been teaching Accounting, Business Studies and Mathematical Literacy to the Grade 12 and Life Orientation in the GET band. She has worked hard to keep up with the changes in the curriculum and subjects so as to ensure she is providing her learners and their parents with the best opportunities. Helena previously managed a small farm school where she was responsible for the teaching of severely underprivileged learners in a multigrade class. She was instrumental in using her skills to develop the skills of learners to grow their own vegetable garden. The produce was sold by the learners to generate much-needed funds to run her own feeding scheme, which provided food such as soup for her learners.
‘EXCELLENCE IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHING’, ZELDA DE VILLIERS OF JAN KRIEL SCHOOL, METRO EAST DISTRICT
Zelda regards herself as a teacher who not only assists learners to access the curriculum, but also as a life coach who understands both the learners who experience barriers to learning and their parents. Zelda is also a Maths co-ordinator. Her colleagues value her professional guidance and support. She has made her knowledge, skills and expertise available to her community. She has rendered assistance with the compilation of a Maths textbook. She is involved in a project where she renders support and assistance, and is part of a team which supports a child who was involved in an accident and is now both mentally and physically challenged. This project is known as “The Johannes Project”, which she is very passionate about. She is a valuable human resource to the surrounding schools. She also assists by assessing their learners. She has compiled numerous assessment instruments. She has also devised a programme whereby she is able to depict her assessment of learners on a colour graph. This is valuable to parents as they are able to comprehend more clearly the strengths and weaknesses of their children. Zelda has created a variety of teaching aids on the computer, which enhance and assist her learners to access the curriculum. Her principal regards her as a master in the field of study techniques. Zelda believes that she is living her dream. She regards her work not as a mere job, but as her passion.
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The National Teaching Awards provides the teaching profession with the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of outstanding teachers, In addition, it is an opportunity to recognise the exceptional work done by so many of our teachers and to applaud their admirable efforts.
‘EXCELLENCE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP’: IMTIAZ ADAMS OF SURREY PRIMARY, METRO CENTRAL DISTRICT
Imtiaz has been instrumental in bringing about a culture of teaching and learning in the school under his leadership. He is determined, and sets reasonable and achievable goals for the staff and parents. This he proved when, in 1999, a tornado destroyed the school building. This horrific disaster tore the staff, the learners and the community apart. They were left desolate and with no hope. The Western Cape Education Department decided that the learners and the staff would be deployed to other schools in the area. Imtiaz fought to keep the vision and mission alive at Surrey Primary. He has made many contacts in the business community and in the education sector for the benefit of the school. As a leader and a visionary, he believes in leading by example and holds various Master degrees. He encourages his staff to study further for the benefit of themselves and the learners. He has a charismatic approach and a clear vision, is a meticulous planner, and is compassionate and assertive. Imtiaz is a leader and a manager of note. His school provides evidence of his consistency, sustainability, effectiveness, commitment, insightfulness and passion. He has had a major impact on the learners and the school community. The school has received an award for major improvement in its Literacy and Numeracy results in both Grades 3 and 6. His ultimate goal is to make a difference in the life of the learner, the school and the community.
‘EXCELLENCE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHING’, MICHELINE ASHLEY OF KIRSTENHOF PRIMARY SCHOOL, METRO SOUTH DISTRICT
Micheline is a positive and motivated teacher who strives for high standards in all that she does. Over the past 20 years at Kirstenhof Primary, she has nurtured, guided and moulded many student teachers, learnership students and colleagues in curriculum matters, teaching methodologies and assessment strategies. She believes that she can share her experiences and her expertise with others to make teaching a valued and worthy profession. She is the grade head and a head of department at her school. She has been selected as a lead teacher in her education district and she is responsible for the co-ordination of
cluster meetings with all heads of department in her cluster. Micheline is a meticulous teacher who keeps detailed records of her learners’ assessments on a programme she has designed, called Teach Data. She has worked relentlessly on a project with an under-privileged school in her community, namely Lourier Primary School. Micheline is an inspiration to other teachers and heads of department, as well as in her cluster. She delivers presentations at workshops, symposiums and principals’ conferences on the needs of the child and the teacher. She has received rave reviews for this. Her principal says, “She is any headmasters’ dream”. He also says that she is his best example of good practice at the school. Micheline is a dynamic class teacher and a leader. She is extremely hardworking, loyal and committed to education in South Africa.
‘EXCELLENCE IN GRADE R TEACHING’, JUANITA VAN DER MERWE OF PIKETBERG HIGH SCHOOL, WEST COAST DISTRICT
Juanita is a vibrant and dedicated Grade R teacher who is confident and committed to making every day a fun-filled day for herself and her young learners. She is enthusiastic and passionate about Grade R teaching and believes that every day is a day full of possibilities. Juanita engenders a stimulating, relaxing and creative environment to give her learners the best opportunities to develop holistically. From 2000 to 2010 she was selected by her curriculum adviser as a lead teacher and a cluster co-ordinator. She loves to be part of other people’s growth and development. She has initiated and organised parent workshops in school readiness. She engages in continual professional development which impacts positively on her classroom activities. She works closely with the Foundation Phase teachers in order to enhance the schools’ LitNum results. Juanita is actively involved in raising funds for the school for school tournaments in France and Argentina. In 2009, Juanita’s Grade R site was chosen as a model site for the West Coast Region because of her excellent practice, knowledge and skills.
For interviews with our top teachers, log on to the WCEDnews Youtube channel at http://www. youtube.com/wcednews
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wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
development
Panel disc discussion cussion
Leadership
The Principal The lead manager of an achieving school Over 280 school principals from across the Western Cape gathered at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute in Kuils River on 30 September and 1 October to discuss what it takes to manage a successful school.
unning a successful public school system is a hard organisational and management challenge,’ said Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant, in his keynote address. “If a principal does not have the requisite skills, knowledge or management expertise, they can quickly drive a well-functioning school into the ground. Therefore I am delighted that so many of our principals are here today, voluntarily during their holidays, to learn how to improve their skills, so that they can turn their schools into a success.” Grant said the improvement of learner outcomes and the expansion of the number of successful schools were key priorities for the administration, and that principals are, in many ways, keys to that vision of success. “Principals are absolutely fundamental in providing a quality education to our learners. They are, first and foremost, responsible for the efficient management of their institutions. In other words, how well their school runs is largely the result of the decisions that they take,” he said.
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“Secondly, they are essential to providing direction and educational vision in their school and community, and thirdly, they have the professional responsibility to stand up and question constructively decisions taken within the system which they do not believe to be in the best interests of the learners at their schools.” Delivering the key note address, Penny Vinjevold, the head of education in the Western Cape, reminded principals of what they should be focusing on. “Eighty percent of the Education budget goes to teachers’ salaries, so this is where 80% of your attention as principal should be going – getting the best out of the teachers in your school, because our pace is too slow and the levels to which we aspire are too low. To this end we have already provided you with next year’s calendar and your basket of posts. The remaining 20% should go to ensuring your school’s climate is safe, clean, and a place where teaching and learning can happen.” Vinjevold encouraged principals to set realistic targets when they sign their performance agreement early next year. “Essentially,
jevold Penny Vin
all we’re requesting is that you improve on the year before as reflected on your pupils’ performance, measured in Grade 12 at the end of this year and/or Grades 3 & 6 in February of next year. And remember, it’s about the basics because, although we’re in the top 5% when it comes to sport and art, we’re number 195 in reading and arithmetic. So look at how you best deploy your teachers and how you use your texts. Work with your IMG team, curriculum advisers and, if necessary, with Head Office to assist you to get the best out of your staff.” The conference covered all aspects of school leadership and management. Speakers included Dr John Gibbon, a retired principal and education consultant and seventeen other presenters, including current and retired principals. The topics covered, among other things, were motivational school management, codes of best practice, budgeting and quality reporting, conflict management, school business management, strategic and operational imperatives and how best to manage excellence in maths and science education.
“IF A PRINCIPAL DOES NOT HAVE THE REQUISITE SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE OR MANAGEMENT EXPERTISE, THEY CAN QUICKLY DRIVE A WELL-FUNCTIONING SCHOOL INTO THE GROUND.”
wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
development
The power of Principalship: Role models, motivators, team leaders, visionaries. WCEDnews asked Linda Rose, Chief Director: Districts, to explain the role and responsibilities of a principal he core purpose of this role is to provide professional leadership and management of the school that will promote a secure foundation (and environment) from which high standards can be achieved by all in all areas of the school work. The principal should be able to demonstrate the ability to develop a shared vision, which inspires and motivates learners, staff and all other
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members of the school community. The vision should embody/capture the stakeholders’ beliefs and values. Within the Western Cape it is expected of the principal to be knowledgeable on the 10 Strategic Priorities of the department and to work towards supporting their achievement. The duties and responsibilities of a principal are complex and numerous. They include: To work with a School Governing Body
to promote the strategic direction and development of the school so that it can become a centre of excellence. This also involves getting the commitment and co-operation of parents, setting high standards and increasing the teachers’ effectiveness. All schools can improve, and the principal’s responsibility is to use all reports and evaluation findings to prepare a development plan for the school and implement it. Perhaps the most important responsibility of any principal is to ensure and sustain effective teaching and learning throughout the school. That is the core business of a school. In support of this a principal will work with the teachers on developing the programme and then focusing on learners’ achievement. Within the WCED, schools are supplied with data about learners’ achievements in tests, and principals must use this to bring about improvements in the classroom. A good principal sets high standards for all teachers and learners – by setting targets for achievement, behaviour and attendance. In the knowledge economy, the
Appointments
Congratulations!
At the time of going to print, the following colleagues had been appointed as principals to our schools in the Western Cape in 2010. A few appointees took office from 1 July 2010 while most will start on 1 January 2011. We wish our new appointees every success.
principal must promote the use of technologies which can enhance and extend the learning experience of the children. So she can’t be technologically challenged – definitely not. The principal is the leader of a TEAM and this involves motivating and supporting them as well as managing and appraising their performance. The principal together with the rest of the School Management Team allocates work to the staff in such a way that their contribution is maximised. A school, whether it is small or large, has a range of elements that require attention. The principal is responsible for the efficient and effective use of the school’s resources, which include the building, the grounds, the furniture and learning and Teaching support materials. Just managing the textbooks can be a challenge, especially when learners don’t look after them! The financial resources allocated by the WCED have to be used carefully and according
to the regulations. Fortunately, the SGB is overall responsible for decisions about finances, but the principal has to advise them on what is needed. Ultimately, the principal is accountable for the efficiency and effectiveness of the school in all aspects. He/she is accountable to the parents, the education department and the SGB. All of these groups require regular reporting on the learners’ performance and the work of the staff. Where there is failure, the principal has to explain. Clearly, being a school principal requires knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that are indispensable in the complex environment in which he/she We can do it, I has to work. know we Most of all he/ can! she must be able to listen, and to be wise. We are proud to have such principals in the Western Cape. We will continue to support those appointed and to nurture those who aspire to this important position.
NAME OF EDUCATOR
PREVIOUS SCHOOL
NEW SCHOOL
Jacobs G
Worcester S/S
Worcester (MOS) P/S
Jacobs TR
Kensington S/S
(Same)
Jansen JAB
Rosendal P/S
(Same)
Johannessen AW
Kenmere P/S
(Same)
Jurgens DW
Hyde Park P/S
(Same)
Karelse DJ
(Khanya Project) Eden & Central Karoo Education District
Albertinia H/S
Lawrence WG
Mondale Sec
Marine P/S
Leendertz BJ
Bella Vista S/S
(Same)
Linderts TI
Belgravia S/S
J.G Meiring H/S
Liebenberg AA
Crestway S/S
Beacon Hill S/S
Lodewyks JN
VOorspoed P/S
(Same)
Louw MJM
Langvlei SSKV P/S
(Same)
Mavuka TM
Noluthando School For The Deaf
(Same)
Mayosi A
Metro North Education District
Bardale S/S
NEW SCHOOL
Mcako PN
Wallacedene S/S
(Same)
Eden & Central Karoo Education District
Groot Brakrivier P/S
Mniki N
Noxolo Nauka P/S
Solomon Qatyana P/S
Nieuwe Moregen P/S
Avian Park P/S
Mostert H
Koue Bokkeveld P/S
Wolseley L/S
Weltevrede S/S
(Same)
Msebenzi K
Masakhane P/S
Zwelihle P/S
Northern Paarl S/S
Cloetesville H/S
Mtimba-Dube N
Hlula Street P/S
(Same)
Andrews RES
Parkview P/S
Riebeeck-Wes P/S
Myburgh Z
Cape Town H/S
(Same)
Austen AJ
The Grove P/S
Golden Grove P/S
Nefdt T
Bet-el School
(Same)
Bell RA
Salt River S/S
(Same)
Nopote KF
Mfuleni S/S
Sinenjongo H/S
Beukes FG
Berea Mor P/S
(Same)
Padiachy C
Klaasvoogds P/S
Wakkerstroom-Oos NGK P/S
Biljohn CA
Protea L.S
(Same)
Padiachy NJ
Dagbreek P/S
(Same)
Botha A
Delft P/S
Agulhas School of Skill
Patience DJ
Sibelius H/S
(Same)
Brown SWI
Bella Vista S/S
Worcester S/S
Paulse BLP
Muizenberg P/S
Muizenberg Junior
Caesar DL
Mooi-Uitsig P/S
Groenheuwel P/S
Petersen J
Wellington Youth Care Centre
Riebeeck Valley Special School
Carolissen SA
Nooitgedacht P/S
(Same)
Potgieter SE
Tafelberg School
Tygerberg Hospital School
Cawcutt DE
Muizenberg Junior
Wynberg Girls Junior
Pretorius IC
Waboomskraal (VGK) P/S
(Same)
ClEophas DJ
Naphakade P/S
Masiphathisane P/S
Rippenaar GM
St.Idsas RCS P/S
(Same)
Cupido HJ
Atlantis S/S
Wellington S/S
Ronne TV
Zonnebloem Girls’ Prac. School
(Same)
Cupido Y
St. Paul's P/S
H.J. Kroneberg Jun. P/S
Ruiter MJ
Eden Prim
Noordhoek Prim
Damons R
Gamka East DRC P/S
Welbedacht P/S
Saunders LK
St James RC Prim
(Same)
Davey RLD,
Simondium P/S
Sonop P/S
Slabber EH
Jeppe High School For Girls (Gauteng)
Rhenish Girls H/S
Davids LD
Bergrivier S/S
(Same)
Smith SR
Kenridge P/S
(Same)
Davids R
Regina Coeli (RC) P/S
St.Theresa (RC) P/S
Solomons P
VooruitSig P/S (Free State Education Department)
Wagenmakersvallei NGK P/S
De Jongh N
Klein Karoo School For Skilled Training
Klaarstroom P/S
Streso AM
Framesby H/S (Eastern Cape Education Department)
Sentraal H.S
De Jongh TJ
Waveren H/S
Hillcrest P/S
Struis A
St. Marks P/S (Worcester)
(Same)
Desai A
Habibia Kokanie P/S
(Same)
Talliard RH
Teslaarsdal P/S
(Same)
Du Plessis FP
Bredasdorp P/S
Blanco P/S
Titus BM
Bergsig P/S
Cypress P/S
Du Plessis GJJ
Afrikaanse Höërskool (Gauteng)
Bellville H/S
Tobias CA
Middeldeurvlei (DRC) P/S
(Same)
Ehrenreich MHW
Ned Doman S/S
Groote Schuur H/S
Valentine MJ
Protea P/S
(Same)
Elliot GJ
Dennegeur P/S
Spine View P/S
Van Den Heever N
JJ Booysen P/S
Beaufort Wes Preparatory School
Esau DJ
Van Wyksdorp P/S
(Same)
Van Der Merwe I
Mooiuitsig No. 2 P/S
(Same)
Farmer-Mei H
Britsum NGK P/S
(Same)
Van Der Merwe WP
HP Williams P/S
Koue Bokkeveld L/S
Fourie CJ
Durbanville P/S
De Kuilen P/S
Van Der Voort GH
Eastern Cape Education Department (Education Specialist )
Hottentots Holland H/S
Freislich MF
Wittedrift H/S
De Villiers Graaff H/S
Van Heerden W
Bloemhof Girls H/S
(Same)
Friedenthal Sl
Western Cape Sport School
(Same)
Van Huysteen WJ
Montagu P/S
Bredasdorp P/S
Geldenhuys AH
Fairfield DRC P/S
(Same)
Van Wyk MR
Table View P/S
(Same)
Gelderbloem EN
Colridge P/S
(Same)
Van Wyk PW
Carl Schreve (MOR) P/S
(Same)
Gibbon JM
Pinelands H/S
(Same)
Visagie MJM
Scherpenheuwel P/S
(Same)
Gordon GB
St. James (RC) (Wynbrg) P/S
West Bank No.1 P/S
Visagie NA
Citrusdal P/S
Breevlei P/S
Groenewald JW
Sabie L/S (Mpumalanga)
Volschenk L.S
Volkwyn TH
Gansbaai P/S
(Same)
Gxaweni MJ
Umthawelanga P/S
(Same)
Wentzel A
Helderkruin P/S
Winsley P/S
Hamman J
Citrusdal H/S
(Same)
Wildschut MW
Bridgetown S/S
Windsor H/S
Hendricks CV
Luckhoff S/S
(Same)
Willems AP
Kretzenhoop (NGK) P/S
(Same)
Hendricks EV
Good Hope School
(AME)
Willemse EE
De Rust S/S
Nieuwe Morgen P/S
Hlongwana BB
Bulumko S/S
(Same)
Wilson TD
Worcester S/S
Gansbaai S/S
Human JA
Simon's Town H/S
(Same)
Windvogel A
Tuscany Glen S/S
Bridgetown S/S
NAME OF EDUCATOR
PREVIOUS SCHOOL
Abrahams EE Africa CCS Albertus NJW Andrews DE
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10
wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
insight&opinion
Sex education
Preventing teenage pregnancy It has become a world wide concern that teenage pregnancy is on the increase. Teenagers from any kind of home or community can fall pregnant. This phenomenon is complex and cannot really be simplified because there are many causal factors. BY METRO NORTH EDUCATION DISTRICT SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS
I
n research conducted by the National Department of Education in 2008 the following influencing factors were highlighted: Dropping out of school early, often due to economic barriers and poor school performance, growing up in communities where poverty is deep-rooted and where parents are physically or emotionally unavailable, contributes to the occurrence of early pregnancy. Young girls, who struggle to make ends meet, are vulnerable to the temptation of exchanging sexual favours for economic gain. In relationships where there is a power imbalance, forced or coerced sex takes place and girls do not realise that they have the right to resist. A lack of open communication between parents and children about sex, user unfriendly family planning services and stigmatisation of teenage sexuality further prohibits teens from seeking protection against pregnancy. Since teenage pregnancy in
“IN RELATIONSHIPS WHERE THERE IS A POWER IMBALANCE, FORCED OR COERCED SEX TAKES PLACE AND GIRLS DO NOT REALISE THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO RESIST.”
schools is a matter of great concern with various dimensions to it, school social workers from Metro North Education district recently embarked on a needs assessment survey, to establish the views and needs of learners regarding teenage pregnancy. The needs assessment was done with 1 104 learners (random sampling) within the Northern suburbs schools. The learners were asked if they were sexually active and we found that 35% of them admitted to being sexually active while an alarming 79% of the 35% were not using contraceptives. The learners indicated that “they are too embarrassed to go to the clinic”, “contraceptives are dangerous” and “using condoms is boring”. It goes to show that more sexuality education needs to happen. When the learners were asked to give reasons for teenage pregnancies they mentioned peer pressure, social circumstances, not choosing to use contraceptives, sexual abuse, rape and access to a social grant and raging hormones. The survey revealed that 79% of learners wanted more information regarding teenage pregnancy, sexuality and HIV/AIDS at school. They would also like more information with regards to teenage pregnancy via social media such as Facebook and Twitter. A need highlighted by the learners was also more informative programs at school regarding teenage pregnancy. There was a high
percentage of learners indicating that they would like parental involvement in relation to sexuality matters. In order to raise awareness, Metro North Education District (MNED) school social workers decided to host a seminar on Teenage Pregnancy Prevention and Management, on 9 October at the Bellville campus of Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), targeting schools within their jurisdiction. The response was quite pleasing with the Chief Director of Districts, Head of School Social Workers, Principals, Educators, School Governing Body members, Representative Council of Learners members (RCLs), Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other state departments in attendance. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) policy on Teenage Pregnancy management and its implementation in schools was unpacked at length by the Head of School Social Workers. The WCED is clear on its stance not to expel learners who are pregnant but to put mechanisms in place to support them and involving
wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
insight&opinion
11
Improving learner performance in the Western Cape Factors influencing learning in Foundation Phase classrooms ore than 250 academics, teachers, teacher trainers and curriculum advisors recently attended a seminar about how learner achievement can be improved, particularly in the early years of schooling. The seminar was presented by the Faculty of Education at the Cape Peninsula University (CPUT) and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED)’s Directorate: Research Services. The presentation was based on a study commissioned by the WCED to help identify the underlying causes of poor learner performance in some Western Cape schools as measured by the Grade 3 Literacy and Numeracy results. Dr Andile Siyengo, Director:Research, said the study, which was led by Prof Servaas van den Berg of Stellenbosch University, in collaboration with CPUT and the WCED, sought to discount socio-economic factors in learner performance and aimed to make appropriate policy recommendations. The main hypothesis set out in the Terms of Reference for this study was that learning in classrooms in weakperforming schools was negatively affected by one or a combination of three types of problems: 1. School dysfunctionality 2. Weak ability of teachers in Foundation Phase classrooms to teach 3. Poor teacher effort
M
The Metro North Education District School Social Workers with their Circuit Team Managers.
TIPS FOR PARENTS Be clear about your own sexual values and attitudes. Talk with your children early and often about sex and be specific. Supervise and monitor your children and adolescents. Know your children’s friends and their families. Discourage early, frequent and steady dating. Take a strong stand against your daughter dating a boy significantly older than her. Don’t allow your son to develop an intense relationship with a girl much younger than him. Help your teenager have dreams for the future that are more attractive than early pregnancy and parenthood.
One of the displays at the seminar on teenage pregnancy prevention and management at the Bellville campus of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
relevant role players. School social workers also got the opportunity to share their future strategies towards prevention and management of teenage pregnancy in schools. In order to address teenage pregnancy holistically it is imperative to engage all stake holders. When everyone understands their role at home, in the community and at school, it is possible to realise the desired change. In addition to communitybased interventions, adolescent friendly health services and access to contraception can contribute towards the reduction of teenage conception. At home, when the lines of communication between parents and children exist, accompanied by set boundaries, love and trust, the young person will identify with the parent’s values and strive to make choices in line with the parent’s upbringing. Poor parentchild relationships lead to children seeking love and gratification in
Let your kids know that you value education highly. Know what your kids are watching, reading and listening to. Strive for a relationship that is warm in tone, firm in discipline, rich in communication and emphasises mutual trust and respect.
relationships outside of the home and a young person thinking that sex equals an expression of love. It is important to understand that friends play a very important role in an adolescent’s life and to be accepted in a peer circle is part of a normal teenager’s development. Positive peer pressure can play a strong positive role in a young person’s life. However, when a teenager has not yet developed a clear identity with values and goals or is searching for love and acceptance, peer pressure can have a negative contribution in his or her life. Finally, always remember that every child has a desire for a close relationship with their parents and for their guidance, approval and support.
45 schools were selected to participate in the study, with 9 having performed above the provincial average and 36 schools below. The research included classroom observations, interviews with teachers, principals and other stakeholders about classroom behaviour, school functionality and accountability and a statistical investigation into the Grade 3 results. FINDINGS
A number of positive findings emerged from the study. The survey results show that Western Cape schools suffer far less endemic dysfunctionality than anywhere else in the country, or even less than may have been the case in the province in the past. It appears from the results that most schools are functioning, in the sense that normal procedures are being followed, basic functions are performed, resources (including teachers) are in place, and the daily routine is followed. Registers are kept, teachers and learners are in classes most of the time, and classes continue. Another positive finding was that the regular testing has influenced classroom behaviour for the better. Educators and schools are taking the regular testing of learners seriously, and have become more conscious of their learners’ results and the need to improve them. Therefore, the tests have helped already to improve levels of accountability within the system.
However, deeper analysis of the results indicates that in many cases substantive learning is not taking place in the classrooms of weaker schools. A similar situation applies to teachers’ ability to teach. The survey did not point to an endemic problem of teachers being unable to maintain discipline or being unfamiliar with teaching procedures in teaching Literacy and Numeracy. Lesson plans were kept, work schedules drawn up and assessments undertaken. Yet, when researchers delved deeper, analysis of workbooks, homework and questions posed in class indicates that: Teachers in some instances do not set the bar high enough for children, i.e. at high enough levels of cognitive demand; The learners did not have the optimum number of opportunities to handle books. There is limited teaching of learning and writing. RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS
A number of recommendations were made by Prof van den Berg and his team to correct these shortcomings in our weaker schools. A number of these recommendations already form part of the provinces’ literacy and numeracy strategy, and a number of others are being considered for incorporation in 2011. Firstly, the report recommended that primary schools be grouped into categories based on their performance with targeted assistance for the weaker performing schools. The WCED has adopted a similarly differentiated approach to support in 2010 in our high schools. This approach sees schools that perform well left to manage their own affairs, this in turn allows for far greater targeted and specific assistance to underperforming schools. This approach will now be replicated in primary schools. Secondly, the report suggested that we increase and enhance the role of foundation phase curriculum advisors (CAs). The report suggests that CAs should regularly observe classrooms for extended periods, to observe levels of cognitive demand, macro pacing, time on task, alignment of lesson plans, work schedules and assessment tasks. Further, that they check volume and quality of written work, that work has been marked and that the necessary feedback is given. The Foundation Phase Curriculum Advisors have already met to discuss this for implementation in 2011 and we will ensure that classroom practice is more closely and effectively monitored. The WCED is also currently developing a simple and practical assessment tool for CAs to use to effectively monitor good classroom practice. This intervention will also help reduce any possible confusion around the curriculum and in particular how to appropriately assess the progress of learners in literacy and numeracy.
Thirdly, it was suggested that principals should h ld bbe required i d to report quarterly to the WCED on the progress of their educators in completing the curriculum. From next year, we will expect quarterly assessment of curriculum coverage in the classroom. This will allow for an early warning system to be developed, which will see any teacher falling behind with the curriculum being provided with targeted assistance and support to ensure that this shortcoming is remedied. Fourthly, it was recommended that classes in the Foundation Phase do not exceed more then 40 learners. A number of steps have already been initiated to address this overcrowding in the Foundation Phase. The WCED’s R1,9 billion infrastructure programme is specifically targeted at the Foundation Phase, with over 120 relief classrooms currently being built (117 to be delivered by January 2011) to ensure that class sizes in Grades 1-3 are reduced to no more than 40 learners. The WCED also prioritised the allocation of additional teachers to the Foundation Phase when determining the basket of posts allocation. Fifthly, the research underscored the importance of textbooks in the Foundation Phase. The WCED has already purchased textbooks for Grades 2 and 3. This critical intervention will be complemented by the provision of the nationally produced work books as well as the provision of readers. The Western Cape government believes very strongly in the primacy of textbooks and is currently ensuring that maximum resources are allocated to the purchase and provision of such texts. Finally, the report also recommended expanding the use of the testing data, making it more user-friendly and informative, as well as, widening its audience to include parents and communities. To this end the WCED will from 2012 provide individualised report cards on the results of the Grades 3, 6 and 9 testing. This will be an invaluable tool to help parents assess their child’s performance and to hold their schools accountable for their performance. CONCLUSION
Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant, said learners, parents and teachers can rest assured that the provincial government is determined to improve levels of numeracy and literacy in the province and that we will do everything possible to achieve this objective. “We are confident that with a sustained and focused approach that we will continue to improve the situation and that by 2014 we will have made a material difference in the literacy and numeracy skills of the children of the Western Cape.”
12
wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
reviews
EDULIS:
we keep you informed READ TO LEAD 1 Quote this! [multimedia]: a collection of illustrated quotes for educators / 99 p. + 1 CD-ROM (4 3/4 in.) compiled by Diane Hodges. (2008) SNAPSHOT Ideal for educators, this
collection of inspirational quotes on children, education, leadership, and work/human relations includes an illustrated CD-ROM for enhancing communication and reflection.
2 Schools as professional learning communities: collaborative activities and strategies for professional development. Roberts, S.M. (2009) SNAPSHOT An excellent resource for teacher leaders, administrators, or mentors as a tool for establishing useful collaboration. There are specific examples and tips that can be applied to collaborative groups.
3 Leading dynamic schools: how to create and implement ethical policies. Sharon F. Rallis ... [et al.]. (2008) SNAPSHOT Because the authors are critically aware of even the smallest detail and its ultimate effects on policy and stakeholders, their conclusions are not only logical but very well thought-out and can be applied for maximum benefit.
4
The survival kit for the elementary school principal. Bergman, Abby Barry (2010)
5 How to help your school thrive without breaking the bank. Gabriel, John G. (2009) SNAPSHOT Guide for administrators on a tight budget who want to make their school the best they can be while keeping spending down. Taking some business philosophy and applying it to education can go a long way.
6 Teach my kid--I dare you!: the educator’s essential guide to parent involvement. Bergmann, Sherrel. (2008) SNAPSHOT This book shows you how to positively involve parents to raise student achievement. It offers 10 steps for designing a comprehensive parent involvement programme to increase communication between students, parents, and schools. The authors offer practical strategies and activities for involving all parents, monitoring under-involved parents, balancing over-involved parents, and assisting parents in urgent situations.
7 Improving your elementary school : ten aligned steps for administrators, teams, teachers, families, & students. Wilson, L.W. (2007) SNAPSHOT Each of the chapters in this unique book was written expressly for each major stakeholder group in your school, tailored to their varied needs and experiences. Each chapter contains a set of inter-related practical activities so that each group focuses on the same goals and supports the others.
SNAPSHOT Packed with essential forms, letters, charts, and checklists, this easy-touse kit offers solutions for any leadership or administrative challenge that elementary school principals commonly face.
E TO YOU AT EDULIS: FREE LIBRARY RESOURCES AVAILABL TION SERVICE RMA INFO AND THE WCED’S LIBRARY
MUS T R EADS
EDUCATIONAL JOURNALS EDULIS subscribes to a number of specialised educational journals which are available for loan Educational leadership. NASSP bulletin: research promoting excellence in middle level and high school leadership. Educational management & administration: journal of the British Educational Leadership, Management & Administration Society. EMAL: educational management, administration & leadership: journal of the British Educational Leadership,
Management & Administration Society. Journal of curriculum and supervision : a journal of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Read full-text articles from our electronic journals Full-text articles are available to EDULIS Library/Resource Centre clients on our website: http://edulis.pgwc.gov.za Look for “Electronic resources” Click on e-journals
ce centre Your nearest resour EDULIS LIBRARY Tel 021 957 9618 1st Floor Middestad Mall Charl Malan Street Bellville
CHERYL JOSEPH Tel 021 900 5111 Metropole East Old Nooiensfontein Road Kuils River
NTOMBI MNGXUMA Tel 021 370 2084 Metropole South Brian O’Connell Resource Centre AZ Berman Drive Lengtegeur, Mitchells Plain
INA HEIBERG Tel 021 860 1229 West Coast 6 Hospital Street Paarl
SAM WEBBER Tel 044 803 8328 Eden / Karoo 42 Courtney Street George
JANINE ONTONG Tel 023 348 4657 Cape Winelands 9 Durban Street Worcester
wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
technology
13
Teachers aid
Teacher Laptop Initiative The WCED launches the Teacher Laptop Initiative (TLI) in the Western Cape bout 700 teachers packed the provincial launch on Saturday, 30 October. The launch included exhibits by service providers at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute in Kuils River. The event, organised by the Western Cape Education Department, provided teachers with an opportunity to talk to service providers and to learn more about how to use laptops to support teaching and learning. A total of 3 500 Western Cape teachers qualified for the first round of the initiative. Teachers were selected for the first round on the basis of seniority. Education authorities will implement the TLI in stages over five years, as funds become available. The initiative forms part of a plan by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and other stakeholders to provide various resources needed to improve the quality of education. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) is managing the national roll-out on behalf of the DBE. The DBE tendered for service providers in 2009 and has appointed 12 who will provide the laptops, software, connectivity and insurance. The service providers have agreed to provide laptop packages to teachers that include:
A
A laptop
Software worth about R15 000 Internet connectivity ranging from 250 Mb to 1 Gb per month, usually worth between R140 and R290 a month
Insurance Five-year warranty Finance costs Teachers will pay the difference between a subsidy paid by provincial education departments of
R130 a month and the cost of the complete package, ranging from R250 to R390 a month, depending on the package chosen. The repayments are over five years. Teachers can buy from any supplier of choice. However, only those buying from accredited suppliers will be able to pay for the packages using stop orders from their salaries, according to the tender with service providers. Partners in the initiative will provide training and coaching to teachers who have not used laptops before, to ensure that the laptops used fully to support quality teaching and learning. “We believe that by integrating technology more directly into educators’ lives it will assist in making teaching more enjoyable, organised and professional,” said Western Cape Education Minister Donald Grant. “Having a personal laptop for example, can assist our educators with their administrative tasks, lesson plan development and can be used for further research and development. It will also improve the communication levels between educators and their parents and between schools and the WCED – in turn helping us to provide better levels of service,” he said. “This is what this initiative sets out to achieve and we will be monitoring its progress closely. However, we are confident it will contribute significantly in supporting our educators – giving them the opportunity to professionally manage their work, like the professionals they are.” On the right is a list of frequently asked questions, originally published on the website of the Education Labour Relations Council. Visit www.teacher-laptop.co.za for more information
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Q
TO MANY OF US, IT LOOKS AS IF THE LAPTOPS ARE OVERPRICED AND WOULD END UP COSTING IN THE REGION OF R 15 000 IF TAKEN OVER THE 5 YEAR PERIOD.
A It is imperative to note that the monthly costs are not only for the laptop, but that it is the total costs for the complete packages. The packages includes the following: Connectivity (250Mb – 1Gig per month - usually worth about R140 to R290 p/m is included in the monthly package cost.) Software: Office Enterprise, Adobe Digital Schools Collection and Presenter Package, Symantec Anti Virus to the total value of R15 000+. The ELRC TLI Task Team has managed to get all this for a total cost of only R668 and is covered in the monthly package cost. Insurance 5 year carry in warranty Finance costs The ELRC TLI Task Team had negotiated low prices exclusively for teachers, directly with Laptop Manufacturers and Connectivity Suppliers If any teacher can find a laptop with the above included for cheaper than any offering by one of the accredited suppliers, they should contact the ELRC and bring the matter to our attention, as suppliers have guaranteed the exclusivity of their offerings for teachers. Q
WHO QUALIFIES AND WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE LAPTOP SUBSIDY?
A Every public school-based educator employed in terms of the Employment of Educators Act and who occupies a permanent post on the establishment of the school would be eligible to qualify to participate in the initiative. The rollout of the TLI will be taking place in cohorts specific to the size and funds available to the individual Provincial Education Departments (PEDs). Government Gazette (GG) 32207 specifies that the PEDs will implement the allowance on a preference list of teachers based on seniority. Our reference to “qualifying teachers” thus means “the first batch of teachers that the Provincial Department will issue letters to, to inform them that they qualify.” This letter needs to be presented to purchase the laptop. Q WHERE DO I PURCHASE MY LAPTOP? WHO ARE THE PROVIDERS? A In line with its mandate to serve the needs of the public education sector, the ELRC, in consultation with the DBE and the Combined Teacher’s Unions (CTU-SADTU and CTU-ITU) identified 12 accredited suppliers for the TLI, based on the requirements as set in Government Gazette 32207 and the criteria as determined by the ELRC TLI Task Team. As the teacher will be contracting directly with
the supplier, it is important to note that these suppliers were identified through public engagement and not a tender. The 12 provisionally accredited consortia/ suppliers participating in the first phase of the TLI are: Dell/Laptitude; Fujitsu; Hewlett-Packard; Lenovo; MTN, Pinnacle Technologies Holdings Limited; Sahara Systems; Telkom/Mustek; Vodacom, LG and Cell C. The provisionally accredited service providers have identified outlets or “one-stop shops” where a teacher may purchase the complete package(including the finance agreement). The provisionally accredited service providers have a “good, better, best” range of packages where the maximum all-inclusive monthly repayment will not exceed R390.00. The TLI website (www.teacher-laptop.co.za) and the suppliers directly, can be consulted in this regard. The process is not closed to any supplier. Any supplier meeting the requirements as set out in GG32207 and the Criteria as determined by the ELRC TLI Task Team can qualify as an accredited provider. Annexure A 17-19 of GG32207 do however states that only accredited suppliers will qualify for the stop order facility. The teacher is free to buy from any supplier of his/her choice. Only those buying from accredited suppliers qualify for stop order facilities from their salaries.
Q
HOW MUCH WILL I GET AS A SUBSIDY?
A The subsidy is R130.00 per month (taxable). The “package” will vary according to the make of laptop, the specifications of the laptop, connectivity, insurance etc. The packages will vary in price from approximately R250.00 per month to R390.00 per month. Teachers will have to pay the difference between the R130.00 and the cost of the package. It is imperative to note that the monthly costs are not only for the laptop, but that it is the total costs for the complete packages. Q HOW DO I GET THE LAPTOP? WHAT MUST I DO? A The purchasing of the laptop is a matter between the individual teacher and the service provider. It is up to the educator to decide where to purchase the laptop according to the directives of his/her provincial education department. Each province will determine their own roll-out programme, which may include issues such as the granting of subsidies according to seniority, availability of funds etc. Educators should not rush out and buy laptops, but rather wait until their provincial education department informs them of them qualifying. The following process applies when a laptop is purchased: The PED identifies and informs teachers who qualify for the TLI. written notification from the PED is issued to the teacher.
The teacher approaches any accredited supplier at an authorised outlet as identified by the supplier. This will be indicated on and or the consortium can be contacted in this regard. The teacher has the choice of comparing the different packages offered by different suppliers. The notification letter is presented to the accredited service provider. The legitimacy of the letter and the identity of the teacher is validated on the Central Registry. Once the teacher chooses a package that will suit his/her needs the teacher and accredited service provider enter into an agreement. The service provider issues the teacher with a certificate of purchase that contains all the information of the package. Everything from serial numbers to connectivity is captured. The certificate is accompanied by a unique number that will be verified on the Central Registry. The teacher will be required to sign a Code of Conduct. The certificate serves as proof of purchase and will be used to activate the teacher’s email account. It will further be forwarded to the PED to enable the allowance and the monthly stop order for the repayments
Q CAN I BUY THE LAPTOP CASH AND WILL I STILL QUALIFY FOR THE SUBSIDY? A Yes. If a teacher buys a laptop cash and it complies with the specifications as per Government Gazette 32207, from an ELRC accredited provider, the teacher will still qualify for the allowance. One should note however that there would still be monthly costs involved relating to insurance and connectivity, as these are some of the prerequisites determined by the Gazette. Q I HAVE NEVER USED A LAPTOP BEFORE, WILL I BE OFFERED TRAINING? A Yes. It is imperative that teachers be properly trained and coached to empower them to utilize the laptops and the accompanying applications to its fullest capacity and ultimately ensure quality learning and teaching in the classroom. To this extent the strategic partners to the initiative are reinvesting time and resources towards the training and development of teachers in ICT and Computer Literacy. A training and Development Committee had been established and together with our strategic partners, a Training and Development strategy had been formulated. The strategic partners to the initiative are the software suppliers Microsoft, Symantec and Adobe, as well as Cisco Systems, Intel, SchoolNet and Mindset who are reinvesting in the initiative towards the professional development and training of teachers.
14
wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
noticeboard A quick guide to
CIRCULARS
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) issued the following circulars and circular minutes during the period August – October 2010
0026/2010 WCED Policy for the Management of admission and registration of learners at ordinary public schools http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e26_10.html 0028/2010 School communities are informed about the new curriculum changes http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/ circulars10/e28_10.html 0029/2010 Implementation strategy of the Policy on Learner Attendance in Public Schools http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e29_10.html 0032/2010 Policy and criteria for the provision of learner transport and subsidised support to learners in ordinary public schools http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e32_10.html 0033/2010 Provision of educator staff establishments for 2011 for ordinary public schools (accompanied by the 2011 staff establishment for each educational institution) http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e33_10.html /2010 Provision of educator staff establishments for 2011 to special public schools (accompanied by the 2011 staff establishment for each educational institution) http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e34_10.html 0035/2010 Announcement of provincial finalists for the 2010 National Teaching Awards http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e35_10.html 0036/2010 Policy for air travel, road transport and accommodation for official purposes http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e36_10.html 0037/2010 Norms and Standards funding for schools – Financial allocations for the 2011/2012 financial year http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e37_10.html 0038/2010 School days falling on 28 and 29 April 2011 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/ circulars10/e38_10.html 0039/2010 Launching of the Teachers’ Laptop Initiative http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/circulars10/ e39_10.html
PLANNING AND STRATEGY MINUTES RESEARCH SERVICES 0002/2010 WCED Grade 9 Systemic Tests http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ PSminutes/edrs2_10.html
CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT MINUTES ASSESSMENT MANAGEMENT 0010/2010 Amendments to policy and regulations pertaining to the National Senior Certificate http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edam10_10.html 0011/2010 Monitoring of the Adult Basic Education and Training Level 4 National Senior Certificate and Senior Certificate examinations: October 2010 to June 2011 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edam11_10.html 0012/2010 Risk management of the 2010 National Senior Certificate and ABET Level 4 examinations http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edam12_10.html 0014/2010 Postponement of the Grades 1 – 6 and Grade 9 Annual National Assessments http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edam14_10.html 0015/2010 November 2010 National Senior Certificate Examinations – Procedures and guidelines for conducting the final practical examination in selected subjects http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edam15_10.html
CURRICULUM: GET 0010/2010 Life Orientation - Career dress-up day, 8 October 2010 (as part of International Career Day) http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcg10_10.html
0008/2010 Procedures that must be followed when conducting the National Senior Certificate Practical Examinations in Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcf8_10.html
INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE
0009/2010 Additional information on the 20102011 Western Cape Grade 11 Economics Bursary Competition http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcf9_10.html
0008/2010 Minutes of Provincial Principal’ Forum Meeting of 4 June 2010 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edim8_10.html
0010/2010 Prescribed poems and short stories for Home and First Additional Languages to be studies for the National Senior Certificate examinations in 2011 – 2012 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcf10_10.html
E-LEARNING AND LIBRARY SERVICES 0003/2010 Celebrating 2010 International School Library Month within the WCED http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edel3_10.html
EXAMINATIONS ADMINISTRATION 0023/2010 November 2010 National Senior Certificate Examinations – Subject changes in examination venues http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ 0/ CMminutes/edea23_10.html 0024/2010 National Senior Certificate and ABET Level 4 Examinations (October, November and December 2010): Dispatching, receipt and returning of examination material http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ 0/ CMminutes/edea24_10.html 0025/2010 November 2010 National Senior Certificate Examination: Completion off School-based Assessment (SBA) mark sheets http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ 0/ CMminutes/edea25_10.html
CURRICULUM: FET 0005/2010 Poster promoting 2010 – 2011 Nedbank Provincial Treasury – WCED Grade 11 Economics Bursary competition http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcf5_10.html 0006/2010 Teacher training in the PACE School to Work Programme http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcf6_10.html 0007/2010 Radio programmes to assist Grade 12 learners http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CMminutes/edcf7_10.html
0007/2010 Remuneration of Community Learning Centre Managers and Site Coordinators http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edim7_10.html
0009/2010 Invitation to and arrangements for Representative Council of Learners (RCL) Conference - 18 SEPTEMBER 2010 http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edim9_10.html 0011/2010 Postponement of Representative Council of Learners (RCL) Conference http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edim11_10.html 0012/2010 Implementation of Paragraph 177(4) of the National Norms and Standards for School Funding of Independent Schools for the 2011 school year http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edim12_10.html
SPECIALISED EDUCATION SUPPORT 0006/2010 September 2010 – National School AIDS month http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ IDCminutes/edse6_10.html
CORPORATE SERVICES MINUTES FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING 0005/2010 Inputs for the compilation of the interim annual financial statement for September: 2011-2011 Financial Year http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CSminutes/edfa5_10.html
PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT 0005/2010 Submission of requisitions for the 2010/11 Financial Year by responsibility managers http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CSminutes/edpm5_10.html 0006/2010 Submission of requisitions for goods and services to be obtained via the formal tender process http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ CSminutes/edpm6_10.html
Noticeboard The next issue of WCEDnews will be published in February 2011. Send information about newsworthy events at your school or district office to wcednews@pgwc.gov.za. Alternatively, submit articles and photos to same email address. WCEDnews blog Visit http://wcednews.tumblr.com for news as it happens. If you follow us you'll automatically receive our news in your timeline. WCEDnews on Twitter http://twitter.com/WCEDnews If you follow us on Twitter you'll always be in the know! You'll also be able to send us direct messages (DM) and, if you tag your WCED-related posts #w/nws, we'll read and possibly re-tweet.
INSTITUTION DEVELOPMENT AND COORDINATION MINUTES INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COORDINATION 0002/2010 Ending of school day for Grades 1 to 11 1 learners during the 2010 end-of-year examinations http://wced.wcape.gov.za/circulars/minutes10/ 0/ IDCminutes/eidc2_10.html
Schools that want to visit the Slave Lodge, Castle, Waterfront and the Koopmans-De Wet House in Strand Street, Cape Town in 2011 must please note that the contact details of the WCED teacher at these venues, Laetitia Swanepoel, have changed: T: +27 021 467 7227 F: +27 021 465 8222 M: 082 7830 997 E: lswanepoel@ iziko.org.za
wcednews NOVEMBER 2010
sport
15
Top achiever
Windsor High’s
Achiever
world champ
She is a humble, slightly extroverted 16 year-old with a shy and engaging smile. Neatly dressed in her school uniform, there is nothing about this Grade 10 learner that hints at the power and control vested in her demure frame. Yet Chanelle Gewers is a double World Champion, multi-titled exponent of the martial art, Ashihura karate. BY MARK WILDSCHUT
C
hanelle started her sporting career as timid 5 year-old at Shukukai Karate Dojo in Portlands, Mitchells Plain and has continued under the guidance and coaching of Sensei Wallace Fortuin and Jeffery Jackson. She accumulates national titles like ordinary mortals collect artefacts – she is a six-time South African national champion – in every age division she has entered. Her latest achievement being the 2010 World champion titles in both Kata (simulated fighting) and Kumite (contact fighting). “I love karate because there is a lot of respect
involved”, says Chanelle, “as well as discipline. My inspiration comes from my parents. I did not think that I would be world champion but I want to use this opportunity to inspire other young kids. Lately people have even approached me in the street, or come up to my home to ask that I ‘make them to be like me’. Shew!” To Chanelle the words ‘nothing is impossible’ is a lot more than a cliché. It is the embodiment of what she does - pushing her body to the limits in training and keeping a balance with schoolwork and emotional and social development. She believes: “Grab the opportunities as they come because you never know how short life can be.” Chanelle’s dream is to represent her country at senior level in a major tournament like the Commonwealth Games or the Olympics. She also has ambitions of one day setting up her own dojo where she can share her knowledge, experience and impart the life skills she has acquired to as many young people as she can. Her sweet smile is lost for a moment and the steely look that many an opponent has faced just before the final blow appears in her eyes: “Karate has taught me a lot of things and the most important is that it has taught me that I CAN make the impossible POSSIBLE”.
Suurbraak Primary wins gold At the Tug of War World Championships
“KARATE HAS TAUGHT ME A LOT OF THINGS AND THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT IT HAS TAUGHT ME THAT I CAN MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE”. There is no reason to doubt her. Her offer to train a group of our own Windsor High learners speaks to our vision of opportunities for excellence in all spheres of the development of a complete person – academic, sporting, cultural, spiritual.
Boots for Africa BY ISMAIL TELADIA
Brackenfell High School’s Drum Majorettes are not only the WP Champion of Champions but they are also the 2010 National Champions. They won the large drill, small drill, flag group, double flag, non prop and baton, mace and pom-pom competition at the National Championship at the Bellville Velodrome. About 90 teams from across the country competed in the tournament.
The SA Rugby Legends in partnership with Boots for Africa have received over 1 200 pairs of boots to be distributed to athletes/players from disadvantaged schools. The first brand new boots had been handed over to participants in this year’s very successful Legends Cup Mega 10 tournament shortly before their tour to Calitzdorp. Players selected to the Gazelles squad undertook a short tour to Calitzdorp from 23-25 September and travelled on the Springbok Tour Bus to the venue. Participants in the Mega 10 tournament come from Mitchell’s Plain, Khayelitsha, Langa, Philippi, Delft, Manenberg, Lavender Hill, Ocean View, Elsies River amongst others.
The rest of the boots will be distributed to schools participating in the Vuka Leagues as well as other needy players in the rural areas that are being served by the SA Rugby Legends. The first handover at Alexander Sinton High School was attended by (from left to right) Mike Barr (chairman Legends Committee); Sandiso Fayo (Inzebensiswano Secondary School); Toufeeq Nieuveldt (Glendale High School); Lusindiso Ludidi (Thandokhulu Secondary School); Dale Sandton (former Springbok and Legends Committee member); Samkelisiwe Zazini (ID Mkhize High School); Lorenzo Gordon (Heathfield High School) and Ismail Teladia (Gazelles coordinator and Legends committee member.
Their excellent technique and mental and physical preparations saw Suurbraak Primary School’s 360kg tug-of-war team walk away with the gold medal at the recent World Championships in Pretoria. The team defeated SA Champions Swellendam Primary school in the finals. Burton Beukes, the team coach, said spectators from England, the Netherlands, Germany and Taiwan who watched the two Overberg teams pit their strengths against it each other, complimented Suurbraak on their outstanding technique. The barefoot teams were also a novelty to the visitors from overseas as they always wear boots when they compete. Beukes said the international event also provided a networking opportunity and the team formed a special bond with the team from Taiwan which won two golden medals in the senior division. The team stayed at a guesthouse within five minutes walking distance from Loftus Versfeld and on a visit to the stadium they had the opportunity to shake hands with Springbok rugby players Bakkies Botha, Pierre Spies, Danie Rossouw and Fourie du Preez. The boys also visited the Union buildings and the Pretoria Zoo. Upon their return to school, their fellow learners greeted them with vuvuzelas, balloons and a deafening applause. David Scheepers, the school principal, said a special place has been prepared in the school’s foyer for the trophy.
Suurbrak Tug of war team
wcednews
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NOVEMBER 2010
sport
Multi-sport CHECKMATE
Festival of sport The UNICEF Sport for Development program in the Western Cape celebrated in style with a multi-sports festival on Saturday, 30 October in Bishop Lavis. MELISSA PARAMASIVAN
upported by the Safe Schools division in Metropole North and organised by the sport and development organisation SCORE, the event hosted participants from schools in Bishop Lavis and Hanover Park in rugby, netball and football. “Playing rugby and being part of a team has helped me grow
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and improve in school and sport. Without rugby, I would still be hanging around the streets and getting into trouble” said 15-yearold Moneer from Mount View High School. Moneer was introduced to rugby through a Sport for Development programme that began at his school earlier this year. He has seen his friends leave the streets for the
rugby field, “We spend our time after school at training. We want our team to be the best!” Playing for the first time outside of his community, he joined over 400 youth from Hanover Park and Bishop Lavis for U11/15/17 football, netball and rugby matches to celebrate the success of the programme. Among the winners of the day were the U15 girls football team of John Ramsay High School in Bishop Lavis, who received a standing ovation after they were announced group winners for the day, beating 3 other boys teams to first place. Keith Temmers, Head of Sport at John Ramsay, said, “Days like this are so important for the children and the community.” The initiative of the Department of Basic Education is supported by UNICEF and implemented by SCORE (www.score.org.za). The programme aims to give children the opportunity to participate in sporting activities during life orientation, intervals and after school and build safer
school and community environments by keeping children and youth busy with sport and giving them valuable life and leadership skills. The festival drew a very supportive crowd of families and community members. Among the guests were representatives of the Safe Schools division, who have been instrumental in guiding the implementation of the programme. This event follows on from the Sport for Development festival hosted by Heideveld High School on 16 October. In December, festivals will also be held in Site C Khayelitsha, Metro East District and Dysselsdorp, Eden-Karoo District. For more information about the Sport for Development programmes in the Western Cape, contact Clare Barrell, SCORE Provincial Coordinator at clare@score.org.za or 0214610466.
WP did us proud at the SA Top Schools in Bloemfontein on 24 – 27 September. Under 9 section: Curro 3rd place Under 11 section: Curro 2nd place Under 13 section: Welgemoed 2nd place Under 15 section: Settlers 8th place Under 19 section: Settlers 3rd place Under 19 Girls: Settlers 9th place Special congratulations to Hishaam Essop from Welgemoed Primary for not losing any of his games (8.5 points out of 9 rounds).
UNDER 10 (29 PLAYERS) Gold medal: David Hattingh (WP) Silver medal: Gerhard Bester (Boland) Bronze medal: Liam van Wyngaard (WP) Top girl medal:Christel Smook (SWD) UNDER 12 (46 PLAYERS) Gold medal: Krishna Hattingh (SWD) Silver medal: Niklaus Redelinghuys (SWD) Bronze medal: Mikaeel Darries (WP) Top girl medal: Shimonia Tieties (Boland) UNDER 14 (45 PLAYERS) Gold medal: Hishaam Essop (WP) Silver medal: Jandré Voster (WP) Bronze medal: Shaafee Begg (Boland) Top girl medal:Marché Witte (WP)
Durbanville High School Fun ride
UNDER 16 (32 PLAYERS) Gold medal: Anton Koch (Boland) Silver medal: Chad Willenberg (WP) Bronze medal: Robert Bradbury (Boland) Top girl medal:Tiffany Agulhas (WP)
Durbanville High School in association with the Pedal Power Association hosted their annual Fun ride, sponsored by Durbell Pharmacies on Saturday 30 October in aid of needy learners.
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UNDER 8 (7 PLAYERS) Gold medal: Peter Esterhuysen (Boland) Silver medal: Christiaan Bester (Boland) Bronze medal: Eben Alberts (WP)
SA TOP SCHOOLS
Durbell Pharmacies
cycling events like the Cape Argus cycle tour while amateurs found the middle distance easy to handle. There were also two MTB routes: 30km and 13km which consisted of a scenic ride through the Clara Anna Fontein private game reserve and surrounding wine farms. The organisers decided to this year include a 10km Fun run, as well as a 5km Fun walk. A total of 240 participants entered in these
The tournament was hosted by WP School Chess. The players first had to qualify for the chess teams of WP, Boland and SWD at trials during the year. The medal winners were:
Checkmate Hishaam Essop
Lots of fun
or the past two years the cycle race had league status and attracted professional and amateur cyclists. The Fun ride is also gaining in popularity as reflected in the increased number of participants; 1 680 this year compared to 1 540 in 2009 and 980 in 2008. The event offered two road routes; 94.3 km and 48.5 km which enabled professional cyclists to prepare for bigger
Chess players from across the Western Cape battled it out for top honours at the Western Cape Schools Chess Age Category Tournament at Eversdal Primary School on 23 October.
categories and the organisers hope to attract 500 participants next year. Odile Heunis of Durbanville High School said the R100 000 raised through the event would be used to subsidise learners who could not afford to pay school fees. One of the school’s learners, Therina Mostert, secured third place in the 30km Fun ride.
The results in the 13 km MTB were: Nr. 1 Tijan Malherbe (Durbanville High School) Nr. 2 James Ruper (SACS) Nr. 3 Kelvin Wright (Jan Kriel School) Nr.4 Theunis Kotze (Durbanville High School) Nr.5 Pascall Rocher (Durbanville High School) first girl to finish
UNDER 18 (27 PLAYERS) Gold medal: Shane Willenberg (WP) Silver medal: Werner Ottervanger (SWD) Bronze medal: Albertus Nothnagel (SWD) Top girl medal:Jolandri Alberts (WP) UNDER 20 (12 PLAYERS) Gold medal: Eugene Milford (Boland) Silver medal: Gabriel Swartbooi (SWD) Bronze medal: Andries Truter (Boland) Top girl medal: Jermaine Samuels (Boland)