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PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATION School Readiness 2016 27 October 2015. THE PRESENTATION OUTLINE. Introduction Key areas of focus: - Enrolments - Post Establishments - In-school Planning - Learner and Teaching Resources - Curriculum Planning
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PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON BASIC EDUCATIONSchool Readiness 201627 October 2015
THE PRESENTATION OUTLINE • Introduction • Key areas of focus: - Enrolments - Post Establishments - In-school Planning - Learner and Teaching Resources - Curriculum Planning - Minimum Infrastructure - SGB Readiness • Conclusion
INTRODUCTION • The Education Sector has over the years strengthened its monitoring of system readiness to ensure an effective start to the academic year. • Readiness monitoring is split into two parts – monitoring ahead of the closure of the academic year as well as readiness at the beginning of the new academic year. • Provincial Departments – through HEDCOM – agree to a common set of areas for monitoring. Provinces, through districts and selected specialists in their provincial offices, conduct broad monitoring of all schools and the DBE does sample monitoring – complementing the work of provinces.
ENROLMENTS • Over the years the Department has guided the enrolment of learners in the system by requiring that all learners be registered in schools by September of the preceding year. • Critical is the update of SASAMS and the admissions register. • The above steps enable the Department to plan for the upcoming year particularly to manage areas and schools that historically have larger than normal applications or areas where there is an outmigration of learners.
Challenges • Late applications continue to be a problem despite massive communication about application cut-off dates by provinces. These are two-fold: parents who ignore the published closing dates and parents from rural communities who move to big cities at the beginning of the year to lodge applications. • Informal settlements that spring up around established communities due to the influx from rural to urban areas also present a challenge as it is difficult to predict expected numbers ahead of the new year. This is particularly challenging in largely urban areas and impacts on a whole range of provisioning issues ranging from classroom space to teachers and textbooks.
Challenges cont.… • English Medium schools perceived as providing ‘better quality’ also face an annual challenge of managing and accommodating all the applications they receive; • Insufficient schools in urbanised areas and the ever present demand for spaces at schools of choice; • Tension between the rights of SGBs to determine the admissions policy in terms of SASA, and the right of parents to access education at schools of their choice; and • In provinces where learners are admitted on a ‘first come first served basis’ local learners who do not apply on time experience challenges with placement. • Pre-closure assessment will look into these challenges particularly in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
Post Provisioning 2016 • Annually Provincial Education Departments are expected to declare their post establishments to their schools by 30 September. • In preparation for 2016 PEDs provided their management plans for the declaration of school establishments to DBE • The next slide shows the planned dates by the 9 Provinces. The DBE is using these plans for monitoring implementation.
Post provisioning monitoring • According to the management plans, all establishments should have reached schools by 30 September 2015. • This is not the case for Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. • In Mpumalanga the process of consultation was disrupted by unions due to other labour related matters.
Planning within Schools • After closure of admissions schools begin with a number of planning processes which need to be in place ahead of schools closing at the end of the academic year: • Developing class lists; • Compiling learner profiles for each of the learners; • Putting in place a SIAS Implementation Plan; • Developing a School Improvement Plan with clear academic and subject improvement plans; • A year planner scheduling key dates, meetings and milestones; • Finalising school time tables based on mandated minimum times per subject; • Have their budget allocation letters for 2015 and • Be ready to feed from Day 1 of school for schools on the National School Nutrition Programme.
Learning and Teaching Resources Workbooks and Textbooks
THE SECTOR PLANFOR LTSM PROVISIONING • The DBE has developed a sector plan to guide provinces with the procurement and delivery of LTSM. • Provinces have aligned their management plans to that of the DBE. • According to the sector plan, delivery of materials to the district/provincial warehouses should be between September to October 2015. • Provinces are employing different procurement models and this has an effect on meeting the deadlines.
DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL CATALOGUES TO ENABLE PROCUREMENT BY PROVINCES • The department has developed, approved and released National Catalogues of CAPS-aligned Core textbooks to support implementation of CAPS as follows: • Grades 1-3 and 10 - developed, approved, released in 2011 and implemented in 2012; • Grades 4-6 and 11 - developed, approved, released in 2011 and implemented in 2013; • Grades 7-9 and 12 - developed, approved, released in 2013 and implemented in 2014; • Grade 12 Folklore - developed, approved, released in 2014 and implemented in 2015; • Grades 1 – 12 Braille and Large print - developed, approved, released in 2012 /13 and implemented in 2013/14; • Grades R – 3 and 9 South African Sign Language (SASL) - developed, approved, released in 2014 and implemented in 2015; • Grade R and Grades 10 -12 FET Literature - developed, approved, released in 2015 and to be incrementally implemented in 2016 - 2018; and • Grade 10 Technical Maths, Technical Science, Electrical, Mechanical and Civil Technology - developed, approved, released in 2015 and to be implemented in 2016; • Provinces are procuring core material from these catalogues.
CENTRAL PROCUREMENT: TEXTBOOKS AND STATIONERY • The move towards central procurement by government was stated in the SONA. Subsequently, a meeting between the DBE and the National Treasury (NT) was convened to discuss the approach to central procurement. • The CPO and the DBE jointly presented the Central procurement model at the round table held on 01 April 2014 and at the HEDCOM workshop on 20 April 2015 in Durban. The Feedback from these platforms is that Provincial Heads have understood the presentation and the process to be followed and have also welcomed this intervention by the National Treasury. • Subsequent to these engagements with the National Treasury, the DBE appointed a Task team to be part of the LTSM Central Procurement projects headed by the CPO in the National Treasury. The Team has started with the task at hand by prioritizing four projects, namely; • Distribution of textbooks to schools; • Supply and delivery of stationery to schools; • Supply and delivery of Additional essential LTSM; and • Printing and delivery workbooks. • The Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape provinces are participating in the central procurement for the “Supply and distribution of school stationery” • The Gauteng, Limpopo, Northern Cape, and Western Cape provinces are participating in the central procurement for the “Distribution of school textbooks”. • The awarding of these tenders will take place at the end of September 2015.
PROCUREMENT OF FET LITERATURE • Department of Basic Education (DBE) has now developed National Catalogues for Grade R and the Grades 10 – 12 Literature catalogues. • The DBE presented a procurement Plan to provinces. The plan was also presented to the Heads of Department Committee (HEDCOM) workshop on 20 April 2015. Given the budgetary constraints experienced in provinces. The HEDCOM recommended that 2016 should be used to prepare a change of setworks for use of same in 2017. • In view of the recommendations of HEDCOM, the Council of Education Management (CEM) and Teacher Development and Curriculum Management Meeting (TDCM), the DBE has written to UMALUSI on a phased in approach of either commencing with grade 10 or grade 12 in 2016. • UMALUSI has responded to the communique. UMALUSI has recommended that Grade 12 be implemented in 2017 and grade 11 and 10 in 2018 and 2019 respectively. UMALUSI further suggests that a definite period for literature books to be used at Further Education and Training (FET) level be set going forward in order to avoid the current situation from recurring where the same literature books are kept in circulation for too long. A period of not more the 5 years is therefore suggested in this regard. • After due consultation, the DBE has decided that Grade 11 must be implemented in 2016, Grade 12 in 2017 and Grade 10 in 2018. It is believed that implementation of grade 11s in 2016 will adequately prepare learners for implementation of grade 12 in 2017 as this will be the same cohort of learners who will be sitting for the 2017 National Senior Certificate (NSC). Provinces must immediately implement the procurement process for Grade 11.
PROCUREMENT OF GRADE R MATERIAL • The Integrated Grade R pack is designed to cater for a single class of 40 learners. The set comprises 40 Readers, 20 Posters, 4 Big Books, 1 Story Anthology and 1 Teacher’s Guide. • Distribution of the Grade R pack started in the second term.
PROCUREMENT OF SOUTH AFRICAN SIGN LANGUAGE MATERIAL • The national catalogue fro Grades R-3 and 9 have been developed. The term 3 and 4 part of the catalogue will be released by the end of September 2015. • The Grades 4 – 6 and Grade 10 Catalogues will be finalised by the end of 2015. • Provinces are ensuring that deaf learners have access to these materials.
PROCUREMENT OF BRAILLE AND LARGE PRINT TEXTBOOKS AND BRAILLE WORKBOOKS • The Department has requested provinces to procure the Master copies for Braille and Large print collaboratively so as to bring the costs down. The DBE has requested Publishers to pay for the master copies as part of their Coperate Social Investment. Some publishers have responded to the call and the DBE is pursuing the remainder. • The Braille sector in South Africa does not have the necessary capacity and therefore the DBE and GPW, as well as Pioneer Printers are in discussion to expand the capacity of Pioneer printers and the subsequent take-over by GPW. • The DBE has adapted some of the workbooks, printed and delivered to the 22 special schools • Currently provinces are procuring from Pioneers Printers
LTSM BUDGETS • All provinces have reported LTSM budget shortages. • Since 2011 provinces have been procuring new materials for the implementation of CAPS. • In 2014, provinces procured top-ups only. • In 2015, provinces are procuring Grade 11 Literature, Grade R, SASL material, Braille and Large print, ICT for the visually impaired as well as CAPS 2 material. • The Eastern Cape is currently running a month behind schedule but expect to meet the expectation to have books in schools by the end of November. The DBE’s monitoring will focus on this matter.
RETENTION AND RETRIEVAL • For the sector to move towards 100% Universal coverage, school principals, circuit, district managers and the province must ensure that retrieval and retention processes are followed. The Department is considering inserting this in the Performance Management of schools principals. • Some movement in this area is being seen throughout the system. • Schools and districts are expected to adhere to timeframes for reporting on retrieval as set out in the LTSM Sector Plan.
PROGRESS ON PRINTING AND DELIVERY OF VOLUME 1 WORKBOOKS FOR THE 2016 SCHOOL YEAR The data is updated weekly
Core Requirements in Curriculum Planning • School Improvement Plans that have clear Academic Improvement Plans; • Work schedules and/or lesson plans for the first term; • An Assessment Plan for the first term that is ready for communication to parents and learners; and • Analysis of the 2015 learner performance.
Priorities in 2016 • Key infrastructure issues for 2016 include • Adequate classroom space for all learners registered in the system and work spaces for educators to enable proper teaching and learning to take place; • Adequate school furniture for both learners and educators; and • Basic services (water, sanitation, electricity) especially ensuring sufficient toilet seats for learners and teachers in line with school enrolments. • Many of the predominantly rural provinces continue to struggle with the above but provision has been strengthened in all these areas. • The school readiness assessment will also serve to source more accurate information on the above areas as our information gathering processes – although greatly strengthened - continue to provide information that is not always accurate.
SGBs in our schools • Section 19 of the South African Schools Act, Act no. 84 of 1996 (SASA) as amended, stipulates that the HoD must provide training of SGBs. • The newly elected SGBs assumed their responsibilities in March 2015. • The term of office of the current governing bodies expires in March 2018.
CONCLUSION • The primary responsibility to ensure readiness for the 2016 academic year has been placed at district level. The role of districts in ensuring effectiveness in schools has been greatly enhanced and districts – working with and through their teams – will lead the process of ensuring system readiness for the 2016 academic year. • District multi-disciplinary teams working together with School Improvement Coordinators will monitor readiness before schools close and intervene as appropriate. The process will be repeated at the beginning of the academic year. • Reports and recommendations from the District-led processes will be tabled at HEDCOM and CEM for further attention.
