Date: 01/03/2007
Source: Department of Education
Title: Pandor: Most Improved School Awards


Speech by the Minister of Education, Ms Naledi Pandor, MP, at the sixth Most Improved School Awards ceremony

Deputy President
Deputy Minister of Education, Mr E Surty
MECs from the nine provinces
Director-General of Education, Mr D Hindle

Representatives of the private sector
Representatives of the different constituencies in the education sector
Representatives of the schools
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

Deputy President, I am delighted that you are able to be with us at the sixth Most Improved Schools Awards ceremony. The Department of Education is committed to improving the quality of education in our schools and has set targets for improvement, particularly in the results obtained in the senior certificate examination. A necessary aspect of the school improvement campaign is to identify areas of excellence and improvement in the system in order to give recognition where it is deserved and to inspire and motivate others.

The key objectives of the awards are to:

* recognise and acknowledge schools that are performing well and have achieved good results
* recognise and acknowledge schools that are showing consistent improvement
* highlight successes and identify possible role models in a manner that will benefit all learners. The categories for making awards tonight are:

* improvement in home language and English second language
* excellence in mathematics
* overall consistent improvement.

In the category of home language improvement we celebrate schools that have shown significant increases in numbers passing in each of the 11 official languages and English second language. These 12 schools:

* have improved the numbers passing between 2005 and 2006
* have a minimum of 50 learners in grade 12 writing the particular language at higher grade (HG) level
* achieved a minimum overall pass rate in the senior certificate of 70% in 2006.

All but one of the schools we reward tonight had an increase of more than 50 learners passing English and a second language on the HG and five of the 12 schools had more than a hundred additional learners passing HG language in 2006 in comparison to 2005.

In the category of excellence in mathematics we make awards to the 10 Dinaledi schools with the most outstanding performance in mathematics in 2006. In this category we reward schools with the highest numbers of higher grade mathematics passes and with high numbers of A, B and C symbols. Together these 10 Dinaledi schools produced 555 higher grade passes in 2006 and 115 A symbols.

The third category is consistent improvement. The schools that receive awards tonight in this category have demonstrated sustained improvement in learner achievement in grade 12 over the period 2004, 2005 and 2006 in the following ways:

* increase in the number of learners passing grade 12
* increase in numbers achieving exemption.

One school per province will receive an award. In addition, two schools that achieved the highest increases in the number of endorsement passes will be given special awards tonight.

Finally, two weeks ago I announced the establishment of the 100 club. Any public school that produces more than 100 learners passing HG mathematics qualifies to join this exclusive club. In 2006, 13 schools achieved this important goal. Tonight we celebrate their achievements and representatives of all 13 schools are here tonight. Of course there are many smaller schools that are also producing excellent results that we should celebrate and so I am appealing to the MECs of the provinces to identify these schools and make appropriate awards.

Deputy President, I would like to ask you to join me in making awards to the 13 schools that joined the 100 club in 2006. First National Bank (FNB) has generously awarded these schools R25 000 each and the Department of Education will match this amount and urge these schools to ensure that they are in the 100 club next year.

Thanks!

Issued by: Department of Education
1 March 2007