ATC181204: Report of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education in respect of the Report of the High Level Panel on the Assessment of Key Legislation and the acceleration of Fundamental Change, dated 4 December 2018

More reliable national assessments of learning are required, following the phasing out of the Annual National Assessments (ANA) programme.

A new national assessment should be instituted that contains both:

(a) a system of universal testing that makes it possible to gauge how well individual schools perform, particularly at primary school level, and

(b) a sample-based testing system with highly secure tests with ‘anchor items’ or test questions that are repeated from year to year.

The latter can be used to gauge system performance and to track it over time.

On the policy side, Parliament should revisit the 2007 amendments to the South African Schools Act (SASA), plus related notices and regulations falling under the National Education Policy Act

The Department reported the following progress:

• A broader based Systematic Evaluation (SE) model was adopted to replace the ANA programme
• Key design features of the SE model include:

• Conducting the evaluation every 3 years
• Testing a national sample of Grade 3, 6 and 9 learners from a sample of schools
• Conducting Whole-school evaluations and District evaluations
• Designing tests to monitor learner trends and for international benchmarking

• The SE model has been finalised and the test items were piloted in October 2018, with the contextual questionnaires to be piloted in February 2019
• National Treasury is finalising procurement of an international service provider who will provide oversight over the Systemic Evaluation implementation.
• The full study will be administered in October 2019.

Challenges and Remedial Measures

• Arriving at a design for standardised assessment that is relevant to the South African context and accepted by key role-players.
• To address this, challenge the DBE has consulted extensively with the key role-players and also hosted a consultative workshop, which was directed by a reputable international assessment body, and this workshop that included all PEDS.
• The National Curriculum and Assessment Task Team (NCATT) was established to manage the consultation with the PEDs and the Teacher Unions.

• The Department aims to finalise its Terms of reference for the service provider that will administer the standardised assessment on 16 Nov 2018 (Short Term)
• Finalisation of the test items

       (31 March 2019) (Short Term)

• Finalisation of the Contextual Questionnaires (31 May 2019)
• Advocacy across the system relating to the purpose and design of the systemic evaluation model (Jan – March 2019) (Short Term)
• Administration of the Main Study (Oct 2019) (Short Term)

Analysis and Reporting on System Performance (June 2020) (Medium Term)

2

New ways of teaching basic reading skills in the Foundation Phase (Grades R to 3) should be implemented with urgency. Given that literacy forms the basis of academic comprehension and expression, it is critical to improve the reading skills of South African learners.

Gaps such as a lack of attention to norms around how much writing learners should produce, or what the word count per minute should be for reading out aloud in specific languages.

Parliament should push for the introduction of additional tools to strengthen early grade teaching and insist that these tools be properly quality assured, preferably through engaging with international experts.

Exceptionally large classes in the lowest grades in parts of the school system warrant special attention (The Department’s response to this sub-recommendation is addressed later under the section on challenges identified in the sector)

Context:  Reading results in international Studies

The Department noted in its report South Africa’s performance in international studies such as the Progress in International literacy and Reading Study (PIRLS) 2006, 2011 & 2016. The PIRLS results showed that 78% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning in any language in which they are assessed. It also noted the Massive gender gap in favour of girls being about a grade level ahead.  Even though South Africa improved in PIRLS between 2006 and 2011 no significant change has been made since 2011.

The Department further noted that the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Southern and Eastern African Consortium for Monitoring Education Quality (SACMEQ) and PIRLS data point in the same direction. Viewed jointly, they suggest that there was progress in reading 2011 to 2016 at the primary level, but rather that steep pre-2011 improvements slowed down.

When the results are analysed according to languages, the outcomes are even more alarming.  For example, 93% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning in Sepedi, and 88% of Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning in isiXhosa[1]. 

Progress in reading in African Languages

The Department has introduced a number of initiatives to improve the teaching of basic reading skills.  In an attempt to strengthen the teaching of reading in African Languages, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) hosted a National Foundation Phase African Languages Reading Workshop from 18 to 19 April 2018 under the theme: “Laying a Solid Foundation towards Reading with Understanding.” The purpose of the workshop was to raise awareness supported by research that there is a need to review and strengthen the teaching of reading in African languages given the fact that these are agglutinating languages with transparent orthographies, rich morphologies and linguistic structures that are different to English. The Department noted that Researchers agree that there should be a differentiated reading approach for Nguni, Sotho and the minority African languages with an emphasis on decoding, comprehension and response. The reading approach used is significant for the transitioning from learning to read to reading to learn and also from an African language to English. The Reading Workshop was driven by the agenda to develop a National Framework for the teaching of reading in African languages.

The National Framework for Reading and Reading Manuals for nine (9) African Languages were developed in October 2018. The overall aim of the National Framework for Reading in the African languages is to help improve early reading instruction in the African languages. This framework is built on the premise that all children can learn to read successfully — provided that they are exposed to effective early reading instructional approaches and given the right opportunities to develop their reading abilities.  This reading framework provides guidelines on how to achieve reading success in the classroom.

All 9 official African languages that are offered as the Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) in Grades R to 3 use the alphabetic system in the written form. Therefore, the reading approach used in this Framework is informed by research on how reading is taught in alphabetic writing systems.

The main purpose of the National Framework for the Teaching of Reading is to unpack and mediate the core reading components namely decoding, comprehension and reader response which underpin the teaching of reading in the early grades. The Framework seeks to highlight the more general cognitive development that is required for all learners to learn to read, and how to teach reading effectively in African languages, taking into account their specific linguistic and orthographic features. There is thus constant interaction between what is general and what is specific in early reading instruction. The specific applies particularly when the focus is on teaching early decoding skills (i.e. the development of fluent code-based skills on which meaningful comprehension relies), while the general applies across languages when the focus is on reading comprehension and reader response.

Challenges

• Lack of reading experts in African Languages in the sector.
• Insufficient number of language specialists at National and Provincial Levels.
• Unavailability of quality LTSM for African Languages.
• Quality and frequency of School-Based Assessment: Formative and Summative

Mitigations

• Appointment of African Language specialists with expertise in reading.
• Appointment of language specialists per language grouping.
• Development of LTSM for African Languages in-house in collaboration with key stakeholders.
• Strengthening the programme of Assessment for the Language Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS): Section 4.

Progress with English First Additional Language (EFAL) and Early Grade Reading Study (EGRS)

The Department reported that a large number of initiatives to improve reading outcomes are drawn together under the Read to Lead campaign, which encourages all sections of society to contribute to more and better reading.

The Primary School Reading Improvement Project (PSRIP) aims to strengthen previous and current initiatives through building the capacity of the teachers in core methodologies and inculcating the necessary routines, providing extra resources (lesson plans, readers and posters - EFAL), and developing capacity in districts and circuits to support the teaching of literacy and reading.

A new National Framework for Reading as well as new Reading Manuals for 9 African Languages were drafted from June to October 2018. These aim to address the particular needs that teachers face when teaching reading in the various African languages, noting that a one-size-fits-all approach cannot be simply borrowed from English.

In order to identify fruitful interventions to improve early reading teaching, the department is conducting a connected series of large-scale impact evaluations known as the Early Grade Reading Study (EGRMS). These studies use formal impact evaluation methodologies, such as a Randomised Control Trial (RCT), and make extensive use of qualitative research methods, such as classroom observation studies and detailed case studies, in order to provide both a quantitative impact of these interventions, as well as provide an understanding of how, where and why different elements of the interventions work.

One EGRS intervention conducted meetings with parents to equip them with ways to support their child’s reading development. The Department noted that unfortunately, this intervention had a negligible effect on reading outcomes after two years. The main obstacle was ensuring that parents who were not sufficiently involved in their child’s education actually attended these meetings – only about 30% of parents attended at least three sessions per year. Although parent involvement is crucial in a child’s reading development, this intervention found it very difficult to shift parent involvement.

A second EGRS intervention provided teachers with daily lesson plans aligned to the curriculum as well as additional African language reading materials. Teachers in this intervention received training using the traditional model of centralized workshops (two-day workshops at the start of the year and in the middle of the year). Lesson observations indicated that this intervention began to shift teacher practice in more superficial ways – more reading materials were actually used during lessons and teachers attempted to implement new instructional methods. However, the quality of implementation was weak, and ultimately learner reading improved only marginally – the impact on Setswana literacy test scores after two years was 0.12 standard deviations, which represented an extra 19% of a year of learning.

A third intervention provided the exact same set of lesson plans and materials, but instead of centralized training, teachers received in-classroom support from specialist reading coaches once a month. This intervention was about 40% more expensive than the centralised training model (R557 per learner per year compared to R397), but had about twice the impact on learner reading. Compared to the control group, between 10% and 20% more children surpassed specific reading fluency benchmarks at the end of Grade 2 as a result of the coaching intervention. Not only did home language reading improve but so did English achievement. This finding is in line with other research suggesting that learning to read in one’s home language facilitates better acquisition of a second language.

The Department reported that the coaching intervention helped boys catch up some of the way to girls. As noted earlier, one of the alarming results of the PIRLS 2016 study is that South African boys in Grade 4 are a full grade level behind girls. This is consistent with the data from the EGRS, in which large gender gaps were apparent at the start of Grade 1 and persisted thereafter. However, in those schools that received the coaching intervention the gender gap was smaller than in comparison schools. This is in line with research findings that boys benefit from highly structured methods of teaching and are more likely than girls to “respond negatively to poor teaching through disengagement and indifference or through disruptive behaviour”. The focus in the lesson plans on opportunities for individualised attention and on structured classroom activities like group-guided reading may have helped boys especially.

Challenges and Remedial Measures:

The ability to scale on-site coaching.

The Department noted that in the latest experiment being conducted in Mpumalanga, a virtual coaching programme is being compared to on-site coaching. After one year of intervention, virtual coaching was no less effective than on-site coaching at improving both the instructional practice of teachers and the targeted literacy outcomes of children. This points to the potential for technological innovations to enable wider rollout of coaching programmes, even in contexts where teachers are not familiar with new technologies.

The Department reported that a reading improvement plan has already been developed in response to the findings emerging from the Early Grade Reading Study (EGRS) research. Details of this plan are as follows:

• Establish a Steering Committee to manage and facilitate the implementation of the EGRS Improvement Plan. (Short term – first meeting to occur before end of 2018) (Short Term)
• Adopt a structured learning programme using daily lesson plans which incorporates key reading materials, as a way of implementing CAPS.
• Review currently available lesson plans and integrated materials. (Short term 2019)
• Develop the National Reading Framework and Teacher Guide for African Languages that is integrated with the developed lesson plans. (Short term 2018/19)
• Provinces revise and adopt reviewed lesson plans and integrated materials for localized implementation. (Medium to Long Term)
• Develop guidelines for on-site coaching by specialised coaches, and institutional support. Formal training standards, content, expectations and roles.
• Develop guidelines for on-site specialised coaches. (Short to Medium Term: during 2019)
• Develop guidelines for DBE institutional support of teachers and coaches. (Short to Medium Term: during 2019

• Provinces ring-fence finances for the implementation of the HL and EFAL curriculum programme. (Medium to long term: 2020 and beyond)
• This includes a costing study in 2019
• The DBE and Provincial Departments of Education should adopt an effective programme consisting of lesson plans, integrated reading materials and on-site coaching in some schools. (Long term: 2020 and beyond)

• Further research needs to be conducted to further strengthen the programme. (Medium to Long term

Broader access to quality and standardised Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes. This will require expansion of support to ECD, with strong emphasis on the quality of such provision in the sense of cognitive, social and emotional development of children.

The ECD programme should be transferred from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education, which is the logical institution to concentrate its efforts on standardised cognitive development programmes, which can be monitored and evaluated for their effectiveness in improving readiness for Grade R.

Parliament should use its right to allocate funding to ECD to stabilise this programme by increasing funding and developing appropriate training for ECD practitioners.

The state should offer subsidy and simultaneously improve sanitation, access to

water and electricity to the communities where these children live.

Broader access to better pre-school services: There has been remarkable progress in enrolment in some type of pre-schooling. However, apart from one rigorous impact evaluation focusing on the quality of Grade R being introduced in schools during the years 2005 to 2011, there has been little monitoring of the quality of pre-Grade 1 services, and specifically whether these services improve children’s readiness for school. The NDP focusses strongly on a universal year of schooling (not necessarily in a formal school) below Grade R. Currently at that age around three-quarters of children are attending some institution, but only around a quarter receive public funding. Yet the existing system whereby early childhood centres are funded provides funding to half a million children who are below the age of the children the NDP is focused on. There is thus a fundamental funding contradiction between the existing system and what the NDP envisages. With regard to service quality, it may be best to focus initially on strengthening existing systems, making public funding dependent on upholding basic minimum standards around hygiene, etc. Such systems require inspections and reports. Currently such reports receive little mention in annual reports of government departments.

Progress made include the following:

1. The National Integrated ECD Policy was approved by Cabinet on 09 December 2015.
2. The draft National Integrated ECD Plan was developed in 2017 by government departments to provide the framework for ensuring standardised and equitable delivery of the comprehensive package of quality services.
3. The Heads of Education Committee (HEDCOM) of 16 April 2018 supported the establishment of a HEDCOM ECD Sub-Committee under the leadership of a provincial Head of Department to finalise an implementation plan and transitional arrangements if the function is shifted to Basic Education.
4. The Department of Social Development (DSD) Conditional Grant for ECD infrastructure and financing framework was developed.
5. A total of 4 463 ECD practitioners are currently in training towards a Level 4 ECD qualification.
6. The Policy on Minimum Requirements for Programmes leading to Qualifications in Higher Education in Early Childhood Care and Education was approved in March 2017.

Challenges and Remedial Measures

Key challenges and remedial measures identified include the following:

One of the key challenges is the lack of staffing at all levels of both the Departments of Social Development and Basic Education. Organogram of both departments must be reviewed and appropriate personnel appointed.

The budget is inadequate for implementing the plan in most of the departments. It is proposed that a Conditional Grant for ECD be provided to manage the integrated delivery of services.

The services for ECD will always be multi-disciplinary and therefore there is a need to strengthen co-ordination and institute matrix management of ECD Services. It is therefore proposed that a dedicated unit in the DBE be established with the requisite skills to manage the implementation of an integrated ECD plan.

Current ECD funding model and proposed changes to the model:

In terms of the funding model for Grade R, the Department noted the following:

• According to White Paper 5, Grade R funding model in primary schools is structured via direct poverty –targeted grant-in-aid from Provincial Education Department to School Governing Bodies (SGB).
• The subsidy is regulated through the National Norms and Standard for funding Grade R.
•  The total Grade R learner cost is equal to 70% of the total cost per learner in Grade 1.
• This covers personnel and non- personnel funding

Short term activities:

Systems developed to cover all critical success areas: infrastructure, human resource, curriculum, assessment and resources to monitor and support programmes for 4 year olds in schools and community-based centres.

Conditional Grant to be provided to conduct a pilot on the introduction of an additional year of pre-school education before Grade R.

Medium term activities:

Determine Grade R for 5 year olds as compulsory by 2019. Incremental introduction of an additional pre-school year for 4 year olds in schools and community-based centres.

Long-term activities:

Additional year of pre-school education for 4 year olds as compulsory by 2030.

Universal access to an additional pre-school year for 4 year olds by 2030 in schools and community-based centres.

With regard to Grade R, the Portfolio Committee noted in its 2018 BRRR, challenges that still require attention. These include:

• inappropriate infrastructure, including classroom size, inappropriate and unsafe playground and ablution facilities; and
• Inappropriate teacher to learner ratio and qualifications.

Proposed funding model: The Department proposes that the range in funding model applicable in Grade R should be in line with the model which is applicable for Grade 1 to 12. When determining a schools Norms and Standards allocation, learners enrolled in Grade R must be included in the enrolment figures of the school.

In terms of legislation, the proposed funding model will require the repeal of Section 8, paragraphs 198 – 260 of the National Norms and Standards for Grade R Funding

The Portfolio Committee will deal with this recommendation when the matter/relevant Bill is tabled in Parliament

Tightening up school management and governance

There are currently simultaneous moves to take powers to the centre, while also devolving powers to schools. Parliament should pass legislation that requires that management autonomy is devolved to school principals, who in turn hold heads of schools and teachers accountable, while central and provincial departments monitor and evaluate the performance of schools.

The Department reported that they are working on improving effective professional management and Leadership capacity in schools by giving principals more administrative powers as the quality of school leadership improves so as to create autonomous and self-managing schools. This is a long term goal which requires long term planning. To achieve this, the Department aims to introduce:

1. A qualification that will serve as entry level qualification for principals;
2. A national induction programme for newly appointed principals;
3. Implementation of a probation;
4. The use of mentors; and
5. The establishment of Professional Learning Communities

A National Framework for the Induction of Newly appointed school principals is to help them cope with the expected responsibilities as they find themselves in promotional posts unprepared because of lack of programmes to prepare them for their new role and responsibility. Not all promoted teachers are ready to shift their minds from being subject teachers to leading a school as a principal. Their learning on the job takes more time than required in the absence of a focus programme to make them ready for the new task. The Induction Framework will bring uniformity to the sector by prescribing exactly what newly appointed principals must be taken through. When fully implemented, the framework will take principals through a long year programme and will be linked to the probation process in line with the Employment of Educators Act.  It is expected that the envisaged induction programme will:

1.  Be linked to the job content;
2. Take into consideration or respond to the Competency test result;
3. Run parallel to or concurrent with probation;
4. Have mentorship and professional Learning Communities as a component;
5. Be allocated CTPD points; and
6. Be a policy compelling all provincial departments to induct all new appointees

The preparations for the capacity building programmes for principals will be based of the already promulgated Policy on the South African Standards for Principals. The Policy serves many purposes in the sector including:

1. The establishment of a clear understanding of what the education system expects of those leading and managing its schools;
2. Providing clearly defined roles of principals and the key aspects of professionalism and expertise required in such positions;
3. Serving as a template against which professional leadership and management development needs may be addressed;
4. Informing better recruitment and selection procedures and providing the basis for improved performance management processes applicable to principals;
5. Being used by principals to identify their personal professional development needs throughout their careers; and
6. Guiding those aspiring to be principals on what is expected of a school principal.

The Policy on the principals’ standard led to the development of an Advanced Diploma in Leadership and Management which will eventually serve as an entry qualification for principalship. The development of the course material for the qualification is about to be completed for implementation by all Higher Education Institutions (HEI).

Appointed principals will be subjected to strengthened performance management system to improve accountability in the system.

Progress

1. The Policy on the South African Standard for principalship was promulgated in March 2016 and is currently been used to guide the development of appointment procedures, the development of the Advanced Diploma in Leadership and Management and the development of an induction programme for newly appointed principals.
2. A service provider has been appointed to develop course materials for the Advanced Diploma in Leadership and Management. The seven draft modules of the qualification have been completed are currently being reviewed by critical reader’s form universities.
3. The draft framework for the induction of newly appointed principals has been completed after the Department has undertaken a study tour to Europe and consultation with stakeholders having taken place.

Challenges and Remedial Measures:

The Department noted that the development of the Diploma is behind its schedule for its completion. An extension was granted to the service provider until the beginning of 2019 as a remedial measure to ensure that quality work is produced.

The Department aims to convene consultation meetings with all the universities that will deliver the qualification and stakeholders to formalise the qualification. These meetings are scheduled to take place from March 2019 with the delivery of the qualification expected to take place from June 2019, depending on individual universities state of readiness to offer the course (Short to Medium Term).

The framework for the induction of newly appointed school principals, linked to their probation period will completed in March 2019 for implementation in the 2019 financial year (Short Term).

Improve the extent of returns on investments in education

Skills development must respond to two divergent dynamics: participating in a globally competitive environment that requires a high skills base including more skilled artisans and a local context that creates low-wage jobs to absorb the large numbers who are unemployed or in vulnerable jobs

Improving the quality of the senior certificate to adequately prepare learners on an academic career path for entry into higher education and professional and managerial careers. This will require a radical improvement of the quality of teaching and improving access of learners to online learning resources.

Creating a track that would channel the majority of learners to vocational educational career paths.

Progress

• The introduction of a diversified curriculum to cater for learners of diverse interests (Three Stream Model)
•  Tracking of school throughput rate from Grade 10-12
•  The introduction of the Policy of Progression which promotes throughput rate

Challenges

• Encouraging learners to take the vocational and occupational pathways
• Lack of teachers for the vocational and occupational streams

Remedial measures

Training of teachers for vocation and occupational pathways

•  Amending legislation and the curriculum to accommodate the Three Stream Model (Medium Term)
• Align curriculum of TVET colleges and Technical High Schools (Medium Term)

The Portfolio Committee will await the referral of the relevant legislation

Inequality in education - infrastructural gaps still exist between schools located in rich areas and those located in poor areas. For instance, some schools in former Bantustans still lack classrooms, ablution and other basic amenities.

The The Department of Basic Education commits to providing the necessary school infrastructure, regardless of the location of the schools by eradicating the backlogs and ensuring that its school facilities meet the provisions of the Regulations Relating to Minimum Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure as set out in the multi-year targets. According to the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure, basic services (water, sanitation and electricity) to schools are to be dealt within the three-year target. The sector has planned to deliver sanitation in 704 schools, 496 schools for water and 184 for electricity, the majority of which are in the former Bantustans areas through the provincial driven programme.

Challenges and Remedial Measures

• Capacity: Inadequate capacity to effectively manage the education portfolio allocated, both at programme and project management levels.

The DBE has introduced the HR strategy to strengthen capacity at Provincial Infrastructure units.

• Roles and responsibilities: Implementing agents do not always differentiate between their role as Implementing Agents and the role of the DBE, as the client/user. Consequently, decisions are made by Public Works that may be contrary Education policy. The DBE has introduced monthly meetings with IAs to reinforce roles and responsibilities.
• Project ownership: Because IAs do not directly finance projects allocated to them, they are inclined to over specify in preparing final specifications for projects.  The DBE is to intensify project management and to hold all parties accountable.

In the ASIDI programme, 286 sanitation and 325 water projects are to be addressed in this financial year mostly in Eastern Cape and Limpopo (31 March 2019 - Short Term)

The Portfolio Committee’s oversight work on infrastructure has until recently pointed to a slow delivery in addressing infrastructure backlogs, including meeting the set targets relating to infrastructure. In the second quarter of 2018/19, however, the ASIDI project appeared to have gained momentum. The Portfolio Committee will intensify its oversight work in this area.

Inadequate infrastructure and resources – some schools are overcrowded, some were built using inappropriate structure, and some still operate under trees and many lack laboratories and libraries.

The Department reported that for the 2018/2019 Financial Year, under the Provincial driven Programme, the Sector plans to complete 48 new schools, replace 37 schools, and complete 4 boarding Schools & 2 special schools, majority of these in rural areas. As part of addressing overcrowding at schools, 1164 additional classrooms are planned for the 2018/2019 financial year.

• Slow procurement processes: Procurement of PSPs and contractors take an inordinately long time, leading to late appointments which lead to underspending and missed targets.  DBE has introduced the SCM policy for infrastructure
•  

Although libraries and laboratories are in the 10-year target, 90 libraries and 97 laboratories will be completed in the financial year. In the ASIDI programme, 50 inappropriate structures are to be addressed in this financial year. (31 March 2019-Short Term)

Unequal distribution of teachers across schools and manipulation of processes in the appointment of school principals – variation in terms of the distribution of quality of teachers across schools. Rich schools attract better-qualified and more experienced teachers than poor schools. It also emerged that the appointment of schools principals are alleged to be characterised by corruption and manipulation of recruitment process by teachers unions.

In an unequal education system, rich schools will usually have a competitive advantage when it comes to attracting and retaining the best teachers. There are number of factors that can be attributed to promoting this status quo. Firstly, rich schools are able to provide better working conditions than poor schools and that makes them a highly sought after workplace. Secondly, because they provide better working environment, they are able to retain their highly trained staff for longer. Lastly, the through the system of SGB appointments, rich schools are able to recruit and select the best teachers outside the confines of the regulations related to appointment of teachers in State-paid posts.

The sector has seen some progress overall in terms of the quality of teachers, as measured in terms of qualification levels. The number of unqualified teachers has reduced drastically over the years and at the same time; the sector has seen increased improvement of qualifications with the entry of younger teachers with a 4-year qualification. From constituting about 2.1% (approx.8000) of all teachers in 2012, the numbers of unqualified educators had reduced to just over 1.09% (approx. 4000) in 2016. During the same period, the proportion of educators with only the minimum qualification (REQV 13) reduced from 23.3% to 16.3%. These trends come at the backdrop of increased teacher education graduation levels almost doubling from 13 208 in 2012 to 23 818 in 2016.

Regarding the appointment of school Principals. The Department is currently reviewing the processes of recruitment, selection and deployment of educators with the view not only to strengthen processes but also review the minimum requirements for appointment into school leadership posts. Discussions in this regard are already taking place at HEDCOM and other structures. Some of the key focus areas will include:

• Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in recruitment and selection processes, that is, the State, teacher unions and School Governing Body;
• Introduce clear guidelines and Code of Conduct that will bind all stakeholders involved in the recruitment and selection processes;
• Introduction of competency assessment to serve a dual role for both selection and development;
• The introduction of formal induction, strengthened probation process and improved performance management system; and
• Improve measures for eligibility for promotion to improve the quality of management education management at all levels.

Challenges

The unequal distribution of resources among schools will always be a contextual factor that will make rich schools have a competitive advantage when it comes to attracting better quality teachers.

Remedial Measures

• There are measures which when appropriately implemented can assist in distributing the quality teachers more equitably.
• The sector is currently implementing the policy on teacher incentives, which is aimed at attracting and retaining teachers in remote and rural areas and in scarce subjects.
• Initiatives such as the Funza Lushaka district-based recruitment programme will assist in ensuring that qualified graduates from poor districts, mainly rural, return to teach in their districts and thus improving the quality of the teachers in those districts.

• Equalisation in terms of the quality of teachers in all schools is as much the matter of the equality of schools as it is of interventions that can help to spread quality evenly. As a form of intervention, in a medium to long term, the sector will have to continue to implement targeted incentives such as remoteness allowances and targeted recruitment of teacher education students as part of ensuring that poor schools have access to quality educators. (Medium to Long Term)  

• However, as indicated above continuous improvement in the availability of qualified educators will ensure that, at least all schools have qualified educators. The number of unqualified educators should reduce to negligible numbers in the next 3 (three) to 4 (four) years. (Medium to Long Term)  

• Guidelines to strengthen Human Resources Administrative Processes in the sector have been completed. They are awaiting HEDCOM approval on 4 December 2018 (Short Term).

• The framework for the development of competency assessments for the appointment of principals has already been approved by HEDCOM.

The cost of education – the high cost of education, despite the ‘no fee school policy’ for schools in the lower quintiles, emerged as one of the concerns from members of the public. For example, the cost of uniforms, study material and transportation.

The cost of education (study material)

Progress

• The publication of the National Catalogues for all subjects and grades have ensured standardized, quality textbooks are available in the sector.

• Following huge budget spends, universal coverage of textbooks across all provinces have increased above 85%.
• Most provinces have made electronic tracking of procurement, delivery and retrieval of textbooks a priority to reduce procuring each year.
• Provinces have put policies in place to address challenges with retrieval which has a reciprocal negative impact on universal coverage.
• Greater monitoring through National LTSM Forum meetings, visits to provinces and visits to schools have achieved positive results in directing provinces to meet timeframes for timeous procurement and delivery of Learning and Teaching Support Materials for the start of each school year.
• Publisher engagement meetings has assisted to expedite delivery of textbooks to schools.
• Centralised transversal tenders for stationery have resulted in economies of scale benefits and significant savings for participating provinces.
• The department has embarked on a process of developing quality state owned textbooks. These can be printed and provided at far lower costs than commercially produced textbooks.
• The department has printed and delivered over 60 million Grade R-9 workbooks for 24 000 schools each year to improve literacy, numeracy and life skills with lowered costs of providing Textbooks at GET level.

Challenges and Remedial Measures

Procurement models, reporting as well as accountability by schools

• The different provincial procurement models make it difficult for the sector to have a uniform reporting system. The assertion or expectations by Section 20 schools that they will perpetually receive textbooks without accounting on the stock on hand is a challenge. The expectations by Section 21 schools that they will perpetually receive their LTSM allocation without accounting for the use of previous budgets is also a challenge.

Budget allocation for LTSM

• Almost all provinces have experienced budgetary shortages which have proven to be a major impediment in realizing universal coverage. The worst affected provinces are Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and KZN.
• While budgets are a challenge, schools and provinces are not reducing costs through centralized models of procurement.

Procurement and delivery of LTSM in Section 21.1.c schools

• In provinces where Section 21.1.c schools manage their own procurement, like Free State, KZN and North West, major challenges have been experienced. These challenges relate to non-compliance by these schools as well as a lack of reporting. This also has a negative impact on opportunities for realisation of benefits of economies of scale for the province.

Monitoring LTSM Retention and Retrieval

• Access: It is prudent to mention that textbooks retrieval, unfortunately, is a challenge that is besetting the sector because of specific dynamics:

• 60% of schools are in deep rural areas;
• Learners walk long distances to school and back;
• Books are damaged due to adverse weather when learners travel to and from home;
• 60% of learners receive social grants and are not able to pay for lost books;
• Rural communities are sometimes forced to use textbooks to survive in wintry conditions; and insufficient administrative staff at national, province, district and schools to enforce retrieval although systems may be in place.

• It then becomes incumbent to ensure that textbooks are procured every year to replace lost and damaged books for these learners. This can only be made possible if budgets are available.

• Reduce cost of textbooks:

• Continued state development of textbooks to exist alongside commercial textbooks. (Short Term)
•  Guiding the cost of commercially produced to make textbook provisioning affordable (Medium Term).
• National catalogue of textbooks with one core textbook and 3 supplementary textbooks (Long Term)
• Modernising the    provision of textbooks

(Short to Long Term)

• All textbooks be made available print, HTML, EPub and interactive format and Textbooks be made available on digital devices

• Radical Economic Transformation:

•  Publication of National catalogues with 80% South African and black publishers to reduce dependence on multinational publisher that have higher costs. (Short to Long Term)

• Job Creation

•  A cheaper textbook provided every year to cater for the challenges of retention and universal coverage in rural areas (as in the Bangladesh Model) will ensure that the printing industry retains or employs more people and provides for universal coverage (Short to Long Term)

• Central Procurement of LTSM:

•  Transversal tenders for procurement and delivery of LTSM (Short Term)
•  Legislative processes by National Treasury to make participation by PEDs and Section 21 schools in transversal tenders mandatory if they are unable to procure these services cheaper (Long Term)

Poor levels of discipline and security – the general lack of discipline amongst learners and poor safety and security in schools emerged as some of the key concerns. For example, gangsterism prevalent in township schools of the Western Cape Province, and drug abuse in some of these schools.

The Department has developed a guide document to assist schools to utilise Positive Discipline which is a comprehensive approach that uses discipline to teach rather than punish, and as a result helps learners succeed and enjoy school.

The Department conducted an audit of fencing in all schools across the 9 Provinces, fencing is the first level of safety (physical barrier that demarcates school premises from the community). The audit found that all schools are adequately fenced.

The Quality Teaching and Learning Campaign is an effort by teacher unions and the Department to make education a societal matter, it creates links with all stakeholders of the school community to find solutions to social challenges that might impede the offering of quality of teaching and learning.

The National anti-gangsterism strategy was developed by the NICOC and the Department was a member of the task team. It is being implemented in the Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth Northern Areas. Good progress is registered by implementing what is contained in the Pillar One (Human Development of the Strategy)

SAPS identifies hot-spot police stations across the country and all schools serviced by these police stations are included as hot-spot schools. A detailed action plan to deal with challenges was developed and is being implemented by those police stations and education District officials and schools

Schools have been linked to police stations and have School Safety Committees, to annually conduct safety audits and develop safety plans for the ensuing year.

Challenges

Schools are not recording and reporting incidents as required in the South African School Administration Management System (SA-SAMS), this makes it difficult to obtain reliable statistics for management planning.

Volatile communities view schools as soft targets to destabilize when they want to advance their interests. Schools should be seen as centres for community development.

Remedial Measures

School Safety Committees encouraged to meet regularly and advance solutions to safety challenges in schools.

Schools to deliberately, consciously and actively engage parents on school safety matters through a skills development programme.

Provincial, District and School officials have received training on school safety matters through the National School Safety Framework.

Support training of School Safety Committees by provinces. Strengthening SA-SAMS with the view to enhancing reporting and accountability. Work with partners in the school safety space – e.g. SAPS, DSD, DOCJ and NGOs (Short Term)

Roll-out of Positive Discipline training to combat corporal punishment. Address sexual harassment incidents as contemplated in the protocol for the Management and Reporting of Sexual Abuse and Harassment in schools (Medium Term)

Creating safe learning environments in the schooling sector (Long Term)

Inadequate diversification or expansion of the curriculum – there is a need for the curriculum to be expanded to include vocational and craft subjects.

The structure of the South African economy is changing from resources and manufacturing to a larger services sector. This has direct implications for the stock of skills in the labour market.[2]

These developments necessitate that the DBE recalibrates the schooling system. It involves establishing structured technical and vocational education pathways[3] in the schooling system, which will run parallel to the general academic education pathway. The goal of the DBE is to refocus the system in favour of technical and vocational education from its current bias to general academic education.

These three pathways (academic, technical and vocational) will constitute what we refer to as a “three-stream” model. The model aims to formalise additional learning pathways, namely, technical and vocational respectively, so that learners have greater choices based on their interests, abilities and aptitudes. It is envisaged that this would enable them to achieve greater success; choose the right careers; participate productively in the workplace; and contribute to the well-being of society.

The DBE intends increasing learner participation rates in technical and vocational education through a deliberate programme of pathway development, institutional capacity-building, system strengthening, teacher development and system expansion, thus affording viable alternatives to general academic education for learners.

Progress

• The implementation of the Technical Vocational Stream commenced in January 2016 at grade 10 in 585 schools with 37 093 learners offering the Technical subjects. 1 660 teachers and Subject Advisors were trained on Technical Subjects Specialisations, 203 in Technical Sciences, and 228 in Technical Mathematics in preparation for the implementation at grade 10.
• In the course of 2016, 1 647 grade 11 Subject Advisors and teachers were trained in Technical Subject Specialisations, and 345 trained in Technical Mathematics and Technical Sciences in preparation for implementation at grade 11 in 2017.
• The revised curriculum for Technical Schools has been written for the first in Grade 12 this year (2018).

• Preparation of the system for implementation of the Technical Occupational Stream in 2019, are underway. In 2017 the 26 draft Technical Occupational Subjects were piloted in 67 Schools of Skill across all provinces except Eastern Cape. The Orientation Programme introduced by the DBE with 261 subject advisors and teachers in February 2017 was taken forward by Provincial Education Departments between March and July 2017.
• Umalusi has responded to the Draft General Certificate of Education: Technical Occupational (GCE: TO) by requesting the DBE to develop a General Certificate of Education within which the GCE:TO will be a Programme. For this purpose a Work-stream is being established to develop such a qualification.
• A Ministerial Task Team is also being established with representation from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Umalusi, the QCTO business and industry to develop a Strategy for the introduction of the Three Stream Model and the realignment of qualifications between DBE and DHET to ensure articulation.

• Furthermore, the Department has finalised the development of Marine Sciences and Coding curricula. These curricula will be piloted to selected schools in 2019. 12 schools are already offering Maritime Economics
• Financial support for coding curriculum pilot secured.
• The draft MST Strategy developed
• PEDs are expanding Focus Schools
• The classification of schools according to Economic Zones has begun.

Challenges

• Qualified teachers for the new curricula;
• Funding and resources;
• Articulation in the TVET system;
• Securing of Workplace for learners
• Provincial capacity

 Remedial Measures

• Engagements with HEIs through the Deans’ Forum have begun, gearing towards the development of new programmes and alignment of existing programmes to initial teacher education and in-service training. The PPN Framework for Focus Schools will be implemented and appointment of artisans will be effected and their salaries improved.
• National Treasury will be engaged in increasing the MST Grant, and industries will be approached by means of a roundtable discussion on their community obligation.
• The synergy between TVET colleges and Focus schools will be strengthened through the Interdepartmental Ministerial Task Team.
• Engagement for expansion of the SETAs programme has begun, already few learners are in the Merseta programme. Furthermore, legislation of Workplace Integrated Learning (WIL) will have to be amended.
• Appointment of relevant and qualified officials to manage new curricula will be promoted.

Short Term:

• Development of new curricula such as Marine Sciences, Robotics
• Finalisation of the Concept Paper for the 3 stream model
• Finalisation of the MST Strategy;
• Finalisation of the PPN Framework for Focus schools, e.g Technical Schools;
• Finalisation of Strategy for the implementation of the Guidelines for Focus Schools
• Develop strategies for advocacy of Vocational subjects;
• Finalisation of the audit for focus schools; and.
• Develop strategy to expand Focus schools;
• Alignment of curriculum with business needs

Medium Term:

• Revise the funding norms per capita expenditure (Increase funding of learners in Focus Schools)

• Implementation of new curricula including the 26 vocational subjects.
• Development of the implementation plan for the MST Strategy
• Finalisation of Partnerships framework with industry and other role players;
• Promotion of Work based Learning through the revision of legislation.
• Promotion of articulation between Focus Schools and TVET colleges.
• Introduction of entrepreneurial education.
• Secure funding for business start-ups of school graduates.
• Incentivise focus schools.

Long Term:

• Implementation of the General Certificate in Education;
• Expose learners to Work-based Learning;
• More new curricula introduced
• Strengthen partnerships;
• Monitor the delivery of new programmes; and
• More funding secured.

Undue influence by teacher unions in the appointment of school principals – there is need to improve the process of appointing school principals.

The Department has developed procedures designed to strengthen the Human Resources Administrative Processes to ensure proper appointment of managers in public schools as it aims to recruit the best candidates in order to develop and maintain delivery standards consistent with its vision, mission and strategy, employment equity policy, and the principles of best-practice in Human Resources Management.

The designed procedures provide information by describing the process to be followed by the education sector in the recruitment, selection, appointment and promotion of principals, to ensure that suitably qualified candidates are employed to assist the department in achieving positive organisational outcomes which cannot be easily manipulated. These include:

1. Strengthen eligibility for promotion to principalship to includes requirements that only candidates who have been Deputy Principals for a minimum of three years in addition to the seven years teaching experience can be appointed as principals; 
2. Implement Competence Assessments for Principals;
3. Develop Measures to expedite the grievance resolution mechanisms; and
4. Clarify the role of the Unions.

The Department has also completed a Framework for the development of competency assessment tools to be used in the appointment of school principal which is under discussion at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC).

The strengthened appointment procedures and the implementation of competency assessment will reduced the influence of unions and improve the credibility of the appointment processes in the sector.

Interviews are an essential part of the recruitment and selection process. They enable experience and knowledge to be probed, but they only uncover the information which the interviewee chooses to share. The challenge with the reliance on interviews alone is its inability to have a proper match between strategy, job requirements and people. It is not possible to establish a link between behaviours and expected future outcomes.

Competency assessments will be used to measure the ability of an individual to deal with complexity, unpredictability and changing environment beyond knowledge and skills. Such assessments will be used to measure leadership knowledge, competence, expertise and qualities required to deal with the demands of a job and to predict future performance in such a job.

Assessing a candidate against specific competencies clarifies their strengths and weaknesses, making it easier to target any development that may be needed should they be appointed. The use of competency assessments is part of a comprehensive system of support, including quality professional development and induction support for early career principals. In summary, they serve as the basis for:

1. recruitment and selection;
2. Training needs analysis, learning and development
3. Succession planning; and
4. Promotion.

 Progress

Guidelines to strengthen Human Resources Administrative Processes in the sector have been completed. They are awaiting HEDCOM approval on 4 December 2018. The framework  for the development of competency assessments for the appointment of principals have already been approved by HEDCOM.

Challenges and Remedial measures

The implementation of competency assessment is delayed by negotiations at the Education Labour relations Council (ELRC). Intervention is required to have the majority union accept competency assessment as an instrument to improve appointment processes in the sector.

The matter will be discussed at the ELRC with the intervention from Senior Management. Thereafter specialist in the development of assessments will be appointed to develop competency tools (Medium Term)

Lack of transparency about school performance – there is a need for schools to be transparent about their performance as schools in addition to publishing performance of individual learners.

In terms of the Grade 12, NSC results, the DBE publishes two reports on School Performance:

• Overall School Performance Report
• School Subject Report

In these two reports, the performance of each school is reported in terms of their overall performance in the NSC examinations and performance of all schools in key subjects. These reports are published and made available to the public.

Publishing the results of schools that are based on varying standards across the 25 000 schools.

To address this challenge the DBE is embarking on a National Examination at the Grade 9 level, and this will serve as a standardized assessment across all schools and hence the reporting will be valid and reliable.

Plans are afoot to implement a National Examination in the next three years at Grade 9 (Oct/Nov 2021) (Medium Term). This will allow for every learner at every school, at the Grade 9 level to be assessed and this data would be used for reporting on school performance

Lack of financial incentives attached to standardised assessment – The NDP proposes paying financial incentives to schools, which display exceptional performance in their national assessment results.

Progress

• The Department should use a variety of incentives to reward performing principals. The National Teaching Awards is one of the initiatives to reward performing educators who receive a variety of rewards including cars, laptops, flights and accommodation, including cash prizes. The Department has piloted rewarding performing principals by sending them on a study tour to China. The selected performing principals confirmed that the tour was more important that monetory reward.
• The replacement for the Annual National Assessment (ANA) is in the process of being finalised.  The model for one component which is SE has been reached.  The consultation regarding the other components for the National Assessment Programme (NAP) is ongoing.  Once the full model has been agreed upon and every school is subjected to a standardised assessment, the recommendation from the NDP regarding the incentive scheme for schools that are performing will be considered.
• In the absence of the standardised assessment programme for all schools, the incentive schemes cannot be considered.
• The replacement for the Annual National Assessment (ANA) is in the process of being finalised.  The model for one component which is SE has been reached.  The consultation regarding the other components for the National Assessment Programme (NAP) is ongoing.  Once the full model has been agreed upon and every school is subjected to a standardised assessment, the recommendation from the NDP regarding the incentive scheme for schools that are performing will be considered.

Challenges and Remedial Measures

Ensuring consensus among all key stakeholders with regards to NAP.

• The Department is continuing with its consultation process and development work regarding the NAP (Ongoing).
• The Systemic Evaluation model Implementation is proceeding as indicated above. (Nov 2018 – June 2020) (Medium Term)
• Plans are afoot to implement a National Examination in the next three years at Grade 9 (Oct/Nov 2021) (Medium Term)
• This will allow for every learner at every school, at the Grade 9 level to be assessed and this data could be used for consideration of awarding financial incentives for schools.

Inadequate access to broadband access for all schools – The NDP argues that the most crucial enabler of ICT [in schools] is high speed broadband. However, this is still lacking in many schools.

The Department of Basic Education’s White Paper on e-Education requires that every teacher and learner must have access to an educational network and the Internet. The DBE in this regard developed the Connectivity Plan for schools that defines the roles and responsibilities of all government entities to ensure that all schools are provided with cost-effective, secure and efficient connectivity that will advance the quality of teaching and learning in schools specifically ensuring access to quality education.

The DBE in collaboration with the DTPS established the following committees to support the implementation of school connectivity:

1. National connectivity Steerco that consist of DBE, DTPS and ICASA; and
2. Provincial connectivity Steerco that consist of DBE, DTPS, ICASA and PED’s.

The committee was also established to plan, coordinate and implement broadband connectivity in schools in compliance with the amended license obligations.

Status of school connectivity

With progress made since 2014/15 financial year to date 68.95 % of schools have connectivity through different connectivity technologies. Through the USAO initiative, Network Operators were given a target of 5250 to connect by 2018/19 end of Financial. A total of 4412 mainstream schools were connected through the USAO initiative in collaboration with DTPS and ICASA by October 2018. The DBE, DTPS, ICASA and NWED conducted a school based monitoring and evaluation exercise to determine the utilisation of the USAO solution. To date a total of 36 schools were monitored and a comprehensive report will be made available based on the finding of the monitoring and evaluation exercise.

The USAO regulation further makes provision for the connectivity of Special Needs Schools. The DBE in consultation with DTPS, ICASA and all relevant inclusive education stakeholders developed ICT guidelines for Special Needs as well as a school assessment form to assist with the implementation of the USAO for Special Needs Schools. To date all Telecommunication Service Operators received a pilot school for the initial implementation of the solution.

Furthermore, the DTPS informed the DBE that a total of 107 schools (27 in KZN, 12 in Mpumalanga, 32 in North West and 31schools in Free State) received broadband connectivity through the S A Connect initiative.

Challenges

• The majority of licensees are mobile network companies, the USAO solution is largely limited to 3G connectivity solution, and therefore there are some challenges in terms of areas where there is no network coverage.
• Current connectivity initiatives do not address the connectivity requirements (speeds) for teaching and learning.
• A lack of proper connectivity infrastructure in especially rural areas to support school connectivity.
• Though significant strides were made with school connectivity it is important to note that only 8,4% (2076 schools) have broadband connectivity. This can be attributed to the slow implementation of the SA Connect initiative (DTPS broadband rollout).
• The cost of connectivity for teaching and learning purposes.

Remedial Measures

In an effort to reduce government expenditure and optimise the use of current connectivity infrastructure to increase access to connectivity for all education institutions the DBE proposes the following:

1. Zero-rating all data use for educational purposes;
2. Connectivity regulations reviewed with regards to the cost of connectivity;
3. The implementation of the e-rate for schools;
4. The DTPS to accelerate the implementation of the S A connect initiative in line with the DBE connectivity requirements for teaching and learning; and
5. Government uses the extra capacity of SANReN to provide connectivity to schools in the catchment areas of the network

• Revise the connectivity guidelines for schools to ensure that there is alignment between educational requirements and connectivity solutions provided to schools.
• Finalise the USAO for the main streams schools. (Short Term)

• Implement the USAO solution for special schools.
• Advocacy campaign for the e-Rate.
• Conduct an connectivity audit of all schools
• Monitor the implementation of the     S A Connect policy.

Engage DTPS to fund school connectivity. (Medium Term)

• Establish a Virtual Private Network for schools.
• DTPS to Implement the Connectivity Plan for schools (see all schools provided with broadband connectivity

(Long Term)

Lack of better career guidance to learners through certification in Grade 9 – The NDP proposes that better career guidance to learners through certification in Grade 9, should be provided to learners.

Progress

1. The Grade 7 Career Dress-Up Programme was implemented in 2010 in all provinces.  Each year schools run the programme during the month of October. 
2. In 2012, “Future Choices”/ Apply Now! Campaign was launched through the GEM/BEM Jamboree with Branch S.
3. Techno Girl programme – 2014/15 financial year, 2231 girls were placed in job shadowing programmes.
4. Together with Career Exhibition Information Association, career exhibitions are scheduled in all 81 districts for 2016 academic year. The systematic collection of careers- and labour market-related information.
5. Since 2016, provinces report on the Career Guidance and subject choice programmes in the quarterly through the National Strategy for Learner Attainment (NSLA) reports.
6. Every school leaver receives career guidance in terms of further or higher education studies or accessing work opportunities;
7. Through partnership with DHET - Apply Now! Campaign distributed booklets on careers to 7182 of 7253 (99.2%) schools. DBE and DHET formalised partnership to promote CDS in schools.

Challenges and Remedial Measures

1. South Africa has many challenges in providing career and labour market-related information, career development and career counselling services. Provincial Departments to organise and coordinate career guidance festivals, exhibitions and career related activities for school learners; ensure that every learner receives assistance when choosing subjects in Grade 9.
2. Insufficient training of subject advisors and teachers on Careers.  Provide support and train teachers on careers and the world of work and ensure that every school has access to the services of career guidance practitioner.
3. The General Education Certificate is still not finalized.  Constitute a task team to finalise the certification.
4. Ensure that the career guidance curriculum and teaching material are relevant and that every school leaver receives specific information and guidance in terms of post-school education options or in accessing work opportunities.

Short term: 2019

• Early start to provide career information, advice and guidance appropriate for the age group.

• Provide career guidance across all curriculum
• Focus areas for GET: self- knowledge/ exploration, subject choice, decision making
• Capacity building for all involved, teachers and parents

Medium Term: 2020-2022

• Grade 9 certification
• Promote access to Learnerships and apprenticeships to enable learners to acquire skills and capabilities in response to scares skills to ensure absorption into the job market.
• Promote technical and vocational stream to accommodate learners who may not benefit from the academic stream. This will expose them to different trades and allow access to workplaces without necessary having to complete Matric: Vocational Educating and Training in schools.

Long term: 2022-2030

• Development of career plans for all learners
• Curriculum change to make Career guidance a priority

Poor enforcement of twelve years of compulsory schooling – the NDP envisages that by 2030 all youths should be able to complete twelve years of education. At the moment, poor learner retention and poor learner performance are some of the key challenges of the basic education system.

Progress

• The introduction of a diversified curriculum to cater for learner’s diverse interests (Three Stream Model)
•  Tracking of school through put rate from Grade 10-12
•  The introduction of the Policy of Progression which promotes throughput rate
•  The introduction of the Second Chance Programme enabling learners to achieve the NSC or ASC through another chance to write.
• The Department of Basic Education’s National School Nutrition Programme feeds 9 million learners and 80% of schools are no fee schools

Challenges

• Encouraging learners to take the vocational and occupational pathways
• Lack of teachers for the vocational and occupational streams

Remedial measures

• Training of teachers for vocational and occupational pathways

• Amending legislation and the curriculum to accommodate the Three Stream Model (Medium Term)
• Align curriculum of TVET colleges and Technical High Schools (Medium Term)