Date: 03/12/2008

Source: Department of Education

Title: SA: Hindle: Director General Duncan Hindle and Department of Education officials briefing to the media regarding Department of Education programmes, priorities and state of readiness for 2009

We welcome this opportunity to share an update on developments within the Department of Education (DoE). This briefing will include, amongst others, programmes related to the department's strategic plans and implementation of programmes, especially those in relation to poverty alleviation.

In previous media briefings we expanded on the successful implementation and expansion of key programmes to advance the department's commitment to equitable redress and provision of quality education. This has been demonstrated in a variety of ways.

Education is one of the two national priorities of government. Against the backdrop of escalating costs and the effects of social insecurity, our pro-poor programmes have been further elevated through the launch of the War on Poverty Campaign in August which has been systematically supported by the programmes and implementation strategies of the DoE.

The DoE has also launched the Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign in October along with our strategic partners in the sector, namely teacher unions and communities in general. The Director-General (DG) will outline the major strides made in several of the department's efforts and the following aspects will be included in his presentation:

1. Learner pregnancy

The measures for the prevention and management of learner pregnancy have been made available to all public schools. In September and October 2008, the first two of a three series insert to The Teacher newspaper called Genderations were published. Genderations focuses on providing support to teachers in managing and preventing learner pregnancy.

2. Sexual harassment and violence in schools

The guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Sexual Violence and harassment in public schools have been finalised and printed. They are currently being distributed to districts and to high schools via districts. Support to districts on sexual harassment and violence matters is being planned through workshops commencing in January 2009. Genderations 4 to 6 due to be published in January March 2008 editions of the Teacher will focus on preventing and managing sexual harassment and violence in schools.

The Department of Education participates in the national commemoration of the anniversaries of events of historical significance each year. In 2008, the department organised a number of activities around the themes of equality, freedom, human dignity, public service and human rights and responsibilities and a common South African identity. These themes are particularly significant as 2008 also marks the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights.

3. Building a South African national identity

The department's activities included the following:
* The distribution of the second edition of the publication My Country South Africa, Celebrating Our National Symbols and Heritage, in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture to all schools. The department has received very positive responses from schools and schools continue to request more copies.

* The publication and distribution to all schools of a booklet Amandla in celebration of a number of historically significant anniversaries in 2008.

* The Nkosi Albert Luthuli Young Historians Oral History Project with a National Adjudication and Awards ceremony held in Cape Town on 1 to 5 October 2008. The competition saw increasing representation from learners and educators and standards showed significant improvement. It was clear from learner's comments the project created opportunities for them to interact with older people in the community and deepened their understanding of people's historical experiences and the history of their local and community history. This competition encourages young people to engage in dialogue with elders in the community, thus building the values of tolerance enabling young people to engage with their communities to find positive role models of people who overcame obstacles of all kinds to truly make a difference in the quality of life for the people around them.

* Youth dialogues

Two Youth dialogues were held in September 2008 reflecting on the contributions of former President Mandela and focusing on the themes of public service, dedication, rights and responsibilities, and the values of human dignity, equality and freedom were held in Port Elizabeth and Gauteng with five learners from each province participating.

* Celebration of the 90th Birthdays of the former President, Mr Nelson Mandela and Mrs Sisulu. The Department of Education organised a competition for all South African learners in the celebration of the lives and contributions to South Africa and the world of the former President, Mr Mandela and Mrs Albertina Sisulu, on the occasion of their 90th birthdays in July and October 2008 respectively. The main objective of this competition was to engage learners and educators in dialogue about the positive values that both the former President and Mrs Sisulu represent.

Approx 2000 entries were received from all parts of the country. Twelve winning learners from Grade R to Grade 12 had the honour of meeting Mr Mandela and Mrs Sisulu at a function at the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

* Youth Camps for learners
The department continued with youth camps for learners and teachers from the Ministerial Safe Schools focusing on rights and responsibilities. A camp was held in the Western Cape in September 2008, each with 150 learners and 32 educators. Further camps are planned when further funding may have become available. In addition, the Gender Equity Unit co-ordinates the Girls Education Movement and Boys Education Movement Clubs. The directorate has developed a data base of clubs and will be holding a GEM Camp with other representatives from some Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries in December 2008, which will be used as a further vehicle for peer education around issues of anti-xenophobia and tolerance.

* The Bill of Responsibilities document has been distributed successfully to all schools. The process of developing Learning and Teaching Support Materials is underway.

* Analysis of the public response to the draft National School's Pledge was reported to the minister. A new draft version of the pledge has been developed, to be presented to the minister, based on public opinion.

4. The South African Schools Football World Cup which was launched on 10 May 2008 by the Ministers of Education and Sport is underway. It is an important vehicle for raising awareness and understanding amongst learners and educators about anti-xenophobia issues because of its focus on understanding of other countries in Africa, as part of the competition programme. Provincial soccer elimination rounds are underway. Provinces have been partnered with participating countries and learners are required to learn about that country. An educational pillar has been conceptualised and schools are being encouraged to participate in a creative writing and art competition.

5. Social mobilisation campaigns

The Department of Education has hosted nine youth camps for young people at the 585 Ministerial Safe Schools to encourage responsible and active citizenship. The camps also focus on conflict resolution skills and the protection of human dignity. The hosting of Youth Camps continued during the recent school holidays in the Northern Cape and Western Cape respectively. An Exploring Humanitarian Law workshop was hosted in the Western Cape for schools most affected by the spate of xenophobia attacks which took place across the country.

A Guidebook on implementing the Girls and Boys Education Movement (GEM/BEM) Programme has been developed and printed for distribution to schools with active GEM/BEM clubs and those wishing to start the clubs. The GEM/BEM clubs are an avenue through which the DoE inculcates constructive values in learners, and fosters human rights and social responsibility. A national GEM/BEM empowerment camp is being held in December 2008.

The Department of Education launched the South African Schools' Football World Cup Competition in collaboration with the Department of Sport and Recreation, FIFA Organising Committee and South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) on 10 May 2008, in Soweto. This is part of an effort to mobilise and educate learners, teachers and parents about the 2010 FIFA World Cup^TM tournament.

More than 7000 schools have participated in the first phase of the competition, which is based on the Confederations Cup. Provincial finals have been held, and the finals of this first phase of the competition will be held on Human Rights Day in 2009. As part of the competition, provinces have adopted the identities of the eight countries in the Confederations Cup, and the 9th province has adopted the African Union. The participation of learners and teachers not involved in the soccer part of the competition will be sought through a linked arts and culture competition.

6. National school nutrition programme

The school nutrition programme provides daily meals to over six million learners in 18 000 public primary schools funded through a Conditional Grant with a total budget of R1,5 billion in 2008/09. This programme is a positive response towards meeting the basic needs of learners from extreme poverty providing an opportunity for teaching and learning.

The programme has been implemented with success except for the impact of high food prices earlier in the year with the cost of most staples that make up the backbone of the school nutrition programme soaring. The National Treasury has however responded positively with an inflation adjustment providing a slight increase in school meal costs in the current year.

As part of the programme, sustainable food production has gained momentum with 6 503 food garden initiatives maintained in schools. The department, in partnership with Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) is in the process of strengthening these initiatives through research and the development of training materials to build capacity of educators, parents and learners towards sustaining the school nutrition programme.

7. Drug and substance abuse prevention, awareness and education
Posters on the harmful effects of drugs were produced and distributed to provinces. In collaboration with the United Nations office on Drug and Crime, an Educator Manual has been developed and distributed to schools. A learner z-card has also been produced and distributed.

The Minister of Education has gazetted the ten devices for use for drug testing at schools and the procedure to be followed. Guidelines on drug testing and random searches have been developed and distributed to schools as an annexure to the gazette.

Educators in the Ministerial Project Schools as well as district and provincial co-ordinators have been trained on drug testing and random searches. The Department is supporting provinces in the roll out of the training.

8. Schools as centres of care and support school health screening
As a means of igniting the provision of care and support to vulnerable learners and facilitating the transformation of schools into inclusive centres of learning, care and support, the Department of Education has led integrated service delivery days with various government departments and civil society through the Lethimpilo Campaigns.

In these campaigns, learners between grades R and 4 are screened for minor ailments and social security needs and receive intervention on-site and/or referral to the nearest institution for further management. During the current financial year, approximately 18 000 learners have been reached in Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces through these campaigns to encourage early identification of health barriers to learning and teaching, and to promote healthy lifestyle amongst learners.

The first issue of Health Mate, an interactive quarterly health promotion newsletter aimed at learners in secondary schools, was published in the Daily Sun and City Vision (WC) newspapers in November 2008.

9. Adult education and training
In the State of the Nation Address in 2008 it was indicated that the Department of Education will implement the mass literacy campaign and continue with the revamp of the adult education and training system.

Arising out of the State of the Nation address 2008, the department set itself the objective of restructuring the adult education and training system as well as strengthening the implementation of the current Adult Based Education (ABET) system. These objectives are aimed at ensuring access to quality adult education in South Africa.

A ministerial committee was appointed to make recommendations to the Minister of Education with regards to the restructuring of the Adult Education and Training system. The Ministerial Committee has completed its work and submitted a report to the Minister of Education. The minister will consult with stakeholders in 2009 on the report. The key thrust of the report is around expanding the current ABET system in order to ensure programme responsiveness and diversity.

As part of strengthening the current ABET system, the Department of Education has put in place mechanisms for the absorption of learners from the mass literacy campaign. Learning programme development and materials development has taken place in anticipation of the increased demand for adult education provision in public adult learning centres.

The norms and standards for funding adult learning centres are being rolled out in 2009 as part of the continuing improvement of adult education delivery. Implementation plans have been submitted by provinces as part of preparing adult learning centres to fulfil the objectives of the funding norms.

The Department of Education has participated in African regional discussions around preparations for the International Adult Education Conference that is to take place in Brazil in 2009. The focus of the conference is around making international commitments around access to quality adult education. This international process is linked to the Education for All goals.

10. School safety and enrichment programmes
The department has put in place several interventions to address the incidence of crime and violence at schools. The interventions provided during 2008 included:

* CCTV systems to monitor access and behaviour
* Hlayiseka programme to assist with the management of school safety
* Exploring Humanitarian Law to develop social awareness and civic responsibility
* Youth camps to instil positive values
* Example of a Code of Conduct to support disciplinary procedures
* Sport for development to create sustainable extra-curricular activities, while at the same time addressing life skills
* Legislation for drug testing to enable schools to test learners where reasonable suspicion exists.

The above interventions have been reported to impact positively on the incidence of crime, violence and vandalism at schools, with some schools reporting a change of behaviour among the learners as well. During 2009 the department will be focusing on monitoring the implementation and impact of the various School Safety interventions and providing support to teachers to facilitate effective discipline and behaviour management in the classroom.

The department views the offering of school enrichment programmes as instrumental in encouraging social cohesion and a national identity among school-going learners. The department continued to host various annual national school enrichment events during 2008, including School Sport championships, the South African School's Choral Eisteddfod and the National School's Language Festival, in an effort to encourage the implementation of extra-curricular activities at schools. The department has also started a process to initiate and/or sustain the offering of school Sport at all schools. Progress to date includes:
* drafting of a school sport policy
* development of a physical education implementation plan
* compilation of a national School Sport Calendar for 2009.

The department intends to finalise the policy and to initiate teacher training in physical education early in 2009. The School Sport Calendar is to be distributed to all schools when schools open in 2009.

11. Recruitment of Foreign Teachers
The department developed a national educator recruitment and retention strategy, in order to address the shortage of especially Mathematics and Science educators. This includes the recruitment of foreign educators with first preference given to South African educators.

The main aim of the department is not be confined to only having educators in class for delivery of the subject matter, but to ensure that there is a transfer of skills from foreign educators to the local educators and learners. By doing so the Department is looking forward to employ appropriately qualified and competent educators, with special focus on Mathematics, Science and Technology subjects.

The following is a broad overview of the key activities and progress made:
* In March 2008, the department appointed Siyafika Recruitment Agency in partnership with Landelahni Recruitment Group as the Service Provider to assist with the management of the recruitment and selection process of foreign educators.

* In line with the appointment of the Service Provider, a National Educator Recruitment Task Team (NERTT) was established to coordinate the process leading to the successful recruitment of foreign educators. The NERTT comprises of officials from the Department of Education, Provincial Education Departments, one official from Department of Home Affairs and a representative from the South African Council for Educators (SACE).

* Upon the appointment of the Service Provider, several meetings were held with the Service Provider and NERTT members to discuss the action plan of this project.

* The most important responsibility from PEDs is to place orders, where upon the Service Provider would source educators from various countries.

* All MECs for Education and Heads of Provincial Education Departments committed their respective departments to utilize the services of foreign educators, but to date no orders/ formal requests have been submitted.

* To date the Education Sector has been awarded 4000 quota work permits by the Department of Home Affairs for utilization of which only 136 have been used. There are about 1345 foreign educators in the system, but they have not been recruited by the Service Provider and had been attracted via adverts placed by PEDs or they have been in the RSA for some time.

* Meetings were conducted with High Commissioners from Egypt, Kenya, India and the Netherlands where they were positive that their countries could assist in sourcing these educators. The Ministry of Education in Kenya confirmed that they placed our adverts and is now awaiting a response from interested teachers.

* Provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo promised to submit orders to the DoE by 31 October 2008. To date no order has been received from any province

Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme
The department has introduced the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme in order to increase the pool of quality teachers able to teach in nationally identified priority subject areas, in schools that are in most need of their services. This prestigious bursary aimed at improving the number and quality of teachers entering the system. This programme provides full cost bursaries which cover tuition, accommodation, book allowance and stipend to successful applicants. This bursary is awarded for studies in what are referred to as national priority areas. Grades R to 9, Foundation Phase, African Languages, English, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Technology. For Grades 10 to 12, the bursary is awarded for African Languages, English Language, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Agricultural Science, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Agricultural, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Information Technology, Computer Applications Technology, Engineering Graphics and Design. The bursary is administered by National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and is available at all in the country which offer initial teacher education programmes.

12. National Policy on Infrastructure and National Minimum Norms and Standards for Infrastructure. On the 5 September 2007, Cabinet recommended that the Department of Education must explore innovative ways of accelerating the provision of school infrastructure and eradicate school infrastructure backlogs.

In an effort to regulate and formalise the provision of school infrastructure, the DoE has developed and released, on 21st November 2008, the National Policy for School Infrastructure as well as the National Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure in Gazette No 31616 for public comment. The National Policy for School Infrastructure is published in terms of section 3(4) of the National Education Policy Act, 1996(Act No 27 of 1996).

Overall, the aim of the policy is to provide guidelines towards an equitable provision of an enabling physical teaching and learning environment for all learners in South Africa, indicate clear roles and responsibilities and unify accountability in the provision of school infrastructure. The policy outlines the following eight policy areas:
* Policy statement number one: Nationally established norms and standards for an enabling teaching and learning environment
* Policy Statement number two: Systematised establishment and prioritisation of infrastructure needs
* Policy statement number three: Planned development of an enabling environment
* Policy Statement number four: Standardised architectural designs
* Policy Statement number five: Management and Maintenance of immovable assets
* Policy Statement number six: Diversification of funding sources
* Policy Statement number seven: Demonstrated delivery capacity
* Policy Statement number eight: Systematised procurement management and procedures for the sector

The National Minimum Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure are published in terms of section 5A of the South African School Act, 1996 (Act 84 of 1996). The Norms and Standards provide a clear classification of schools and a minimum and optimum package that constitutes a functional and an effective school. The proposed norms and standards cover the following areas:
* classification of school types
* capacity of a school
* space norm per learner
* classroom size
* school site size and location
* accommodation spaces required by school type
* norms and standards for sports facilities
* norms and standards for basic services.

On implementation, the minimum norms and standards for infrastructure will ensure equity in the provision of the physical teaching and learning environment, facilitate quality of the teaching and learning environment and the consequent impact on learning outcomes and facilitate efficient use of resources.

Both documents are available from government printers as Gazette No 31616 immediately and from the web site of the Department of Education from Monday, 24 November 2008, namely www.education.gov.za

13. National Learner Unit Record Information and Tracking System (LURITS)
The Minister of Education launched the National Learner Unit Record Information and Tracking System (LURITS).on 29th September

The LURITS is a National Learner Unit Record Information and Tracking System which will contain the data of all learners in ordinary and specials schools in South Africa from Grade R to Grade 12. It is aimed at tracking the movement of learners from school to school throughout their entire school career.

The system seeks to enable education planners to ensure that education resources are distributed fairly and equitably to enhance our education system.

The objectives of the LURITS are to profile learners that exit the system early, to determine the rate and patterns of intra and inter school and provincial transfers and to develop an accurate master list of all registered schools in the country, among others. The system is expected to be fully operational in all provinces by March 2010.

14. Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa
The revised Human Resource Development South Africa (HRDSA) strategy was published on the 28 November 2008 in the government gazette for public comment.
"The primary purpose of this strategy is to mobilise multi stakeholder participation, and to encourage individuals and organizations to take on the challenge of improving the human resources stock of our nation," the strategy says.

The strategy is an update of the 2001 strategy, which detailed a number of objectives, indicators and actions. While there was significant progress in achieving most of those 2001 targets, little monitoring and evaluation was undertaken under the auspices of the strategy. In fact, little co-ordinated effort was made to collect and use data for planning in education and training. There were no mechanisms for integrated planning, co-ordination and reporting on the strategy. There was no mechanism in place to identify and address the short-term demands for the supply of priority skills.

Learning from this, the revised strategy is located within an expansive conception of human-resource development. "The strategy acknowledges that the contribution of each individual to South Africa's development agenda is a function of both ability and agency. The productivity of each individual is determined by, among others, her/his technical skills, the extent to which her/his basic needs are met, values and orientation, social inclusion and a commitment to advancing the public good."

Constructing a human resource strategy for a country is a task of huge scope and size. There is no other strategy in government that is as wide-ranging and as difficult to implement. It will require the co-ordination of all line departments at all levels of government, NGOs, and a multitude of private enterprises in the country. "Almost the entire population is the target of HRD, and the outcomes of the strategy will shape the conditions we create for future generations."

The strategy will after the public consulation process set annual targets, time-lines, and identify lead and supporting responsibilities attached to the commitments, strategic objectives and activities. In an effort to formalise the consultation process and to ensure that all stakeholders are consulted the revised human resource strategy is published in Notice 1488 in Government Gazette No 31646 for public comment.

The document is available from government printers immediately and from the Department of Education's web site from Monday 1 December 2008, namely www.education.gov.za on the homepage under "What's New". All interested persons and organisations are invited to comment on the strategy in writing and to direct their comments to: The Director-General, Private Bag X895, Pretoria, 0001, for attention: Mr E Sello, Tel 012 312 6042, E-mail sello.e@doe.gov.za, fax 012 312 5989. Comments must reach the Director-General on or before 31 December 2008.

Notes for editors
1. Cabinet adopted the Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa in 2001.
2. On 31 August 2005 cabinet asked the Minister of Education to revise the HRDSA in collaboration with relevant departments.
3. In September 2007 the Economics Cluster created A NHRD Task Team of the Skills Focus Group to provide a forum for revising the strategy.
4. The strategy consists of a 1 year, 5 year and 20 year perspective. The 5 year perspective consists of the following eight commitments:
* Commitment one: We will urgently overcome shortages in the supply of people with the priority skills needed to achieve accelerated and shared economic growth.
* Commitment two: We will increase the supply of appropriate skilled people to meet the demands of our current and emerging economic and social development priorities.
* Commitment three: We will ensure universal access to high quality and relevant education, purposefully focused on achieving an improvement in education outcomes for the poor, and on equipping learners to perused post-school education, including vocational education and training, or employment.
* Commitment four: We will urgently implement skills development programmes that are purposefully aimed at overcoming poverty and unemployment.
* Commitment five: We will ensure that young people have access to education and training that enhances opportunities and increases their chances of success in further vocational training and sustainable employment
* Commitment six: We will improve the technological and innovation capacity and outcomes within the public and private sector (including persons in employment) to enhance our competitiveness in the global economy and to meet our human development priorities.
* Commitment seven: We will ensure that the Public Sector has the capacity to meet the Strategic Priorities of the South African Development State.
* Commitment eight: We will establish effective and efficient planning capabilities in the relevant departments and entities for the successful implementation of the HRD Strategy for South Africa.
5. There have been extensive consultations with officials from the relevant government departments, including the Departments of Labour, Trade and Industry, Science and Technology, Public Service and Administration, Communication, Home Affairs, Health, Social Development and Premiers Offices, as well as other relevant departments through the NHRD Task Team of the Skills Focus Group and the Skills Focus Group of the Economic Cluster. Consultations were also held with the Economic and Social Clusters of Directors-General, National Treasury and Forum of South Africa's Directors-General.
6. Begin to implement the revised HRDSA to ensure co-ordination and integration of short, medium and long term provision of core, scarce and critical skills especially in priority sectors by government and social partners by:
6.1 implementing strategy on the 01 April 2009
6.2 setting up co-ordinating structures
6.3 conducting relevant research and
6.4 conducting effective monitoring and evaluation.

15. General Education Certificate (GEC)
A new certificate is on the way! In 2009 all Grade 9 learners in schools will be engaged in a full scale piloting of the assessment processes that will lead to a General Education Certificate (GEC) as from 2010. The assessment will be based on the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), the official curriculum for GET schools. The GEC is an affirmation of knowledge, skills and competencies acquired in the General Education and Training Band and is therefore not an exit certificate, but will give learners access to the Further Education and Training band.

In Grade 9, learners have to choose a learning pathway for Further Education and Training and appropriate subjects. Depending on the learning pathway chosen, learners may continue in Grade 10 at the same school, or attend a focus school such as a Dinaledi school that focuses on Mathematics and Science. Alternatively a learner may select to attend a Further Education and Training College or other FET learning institution. The GEC marks a critical point in the life of learners when they must make an informed decision about further study and career choices. For this reason the Life Orientation Learning Area in the Senior Phase focuses strongly on offering a career guidance programme that takes a learner's abilities and interests into account and guides the learner in making a choice that will give the learner the best possible future.

The GEC emphasises the need to be competent in Languages and Mathematics but assesses all eight Learning Areas in the GET band. Continuous Assessment (CASS) for Languages and Mathematics will take place in the classroom, and will include a standardised assessment, for 60% of the final mark for these Learning Areas. Learners will also write an externally set assessment in Languages and Mathematics at the end of the year for the remaining 40% of the marks. For the remaining six Learning Areas, 75% of the marks will come from Continuous Assessment (CASS) in the classroom, including a standardised assessment, and 25% from an externally set assessment at the end of the year.

There is an emphasis on Language and Mathematics in the GEC because learners who do well in literacy and numeracy at the end of Grade 9 achieve a far higher success rate in their studies in Grades 10 to 12.

16. Foundations for Learning
The Foundations for Learning Campaign launched by the Minister of Education in March 2008 focuses attention on offering quality teaching and learning in Grades 1 to 6. A target of an average learner performance in Literacy/ Language and Numeracy/ Mathematics of no less than 50% by 2011 has been set by the Department of Education and a range of measures have been put in place to support this initiative. In working towards our goal of improved Literacy and Numeracy, the following directives have been made known to the system:
* Firstly, every classroom is appropriately resourced. Each school must ensure that every teacher has at least the basic minimum resources in the classroom as listed in the government gazette of 14 March 2008.
* Secondly, teachers plan and teach effectively. Schools will put the core task of teaching at the centre of the stage. All teachers are expected to be in their classes teaching planned lessons during contact time. Every learner is to spend 30 minutes a day reading for enjoyment; do extended writing for at least one hour a week; and is taught mathematics for at least one hour a day 10 minutes of which time should be spent on stimulating mental mathematics.
* Thirdly teachers assess learner performance regularly Assessment frameworks detailing the milestones for Literacy and Numeracy per term have been provided to ensure full coverage of the curriculum and taking into account learner progression. These will assist teachers to plan, teach and assess appropriately.
These are the non-negotiables of the campaign.

17. Release of the National Senior Certificate Results
The National Senior Certificate Examinations officially ends today, December, 3 2008. Five hundred and ninety-three thousand (593 000) learners, 28 225 more than in 2007, sat to write these examinations for the first time. Marking commenced on the 2nd of December 2008 and is scheduled to be completed by December 11 2008. The individual results of the National Senior Certificate will be released to all schools on the 29th of December 2008.

The Minister of Education, Mrs Naledi Pandor, will officially release the national and provincial, 2008 National Senior Certificate Results, to the nation on Tuesday, 30 December 2008 in Pretoria. SABC will carry the Minister's statement live on television.

18. Opportunity to Complete Matric
A special matric examination will be administered in May/June 2009, 2010 and 2011, to accommodate all persons wishing to complete their matric. Candidates should visit the provincial Department of Education, a district office or their nearest school to obtain the necessary information and application forms. There is no fee to be paid to write this examination but candidates must have a copy of their ID to attach to the registration form.

All persons wishing to complete matric must take advantage of this opportunity as from 2012 only the National Senior Certificate (new curriculum) will be examined.

19. Support to schools and districts
1. Clear guidance through the gazette has been given to teachers in respect of time to be spent, each day, on teaching reading, writing and numeracy/mathematics, basic recommended resources and daily teaching activities to be implemented each day.
2. Assessment Frameworks that set out milestones for each term for Literacy and Numeracy for Grades 1 to 6 have been provided to all schools. These are being translated into all official languages between 1 to 12 December.
3. The average cost of resources as stipulated in the gazette have been made available to assist schools to enable principals to plan for procurement.
4. Standardised annual assessments for learners in grades 1 to 6 in all official languages have been provided by the Department of Education for the first time, this year to assist teachers to monitor learning outcomes of learners in Grades 1 to 6.
5. The results of these tests will provide us with a much needed baseline for which a support plan for improving learner performance can be developed.
6. Lesson plans for Literacy and Numeracy (grades 1 to 6) in all official languages are being developed and the lesson plans for the first term will be in schools early in 2009.
7. Posters on the non-negotiables for the campaign and basic resources are being printed and will be distributed to all teachers in the Foundation and Intermediate Phases.
8. A draft guideline document on establishing and maintaining district teacher forums has been developed.

Creation of a learning space on the website
1. Space on the Thutong has been created for the Foundations for Learning Campaign to offer users further support.
2. Resources have been uploaded, for everyone to access.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country report on the South African education system review

In 2006 the Department of Education requested the OECD to undertake a peer review of South Africa's education system. The final report of the review of South Africa's education system gave a brief overview of regional issues and the history of education in South Africa and describes the development of education in the country over the past 15 years.

It presents an analysis of the education system, identifying key directions for the reinforcement of the reforms in light of the challenges encountered by officials, communities, enterprises, educators, parents and students under very dynamic conditions. It concludes with a set of key recommendations concerning the structure of the system and its labour market relevance, access and equity, financing, governance and management, internationalisation, and research, development and innovation.

On 1 September 2008 the Department of Education convened a roundtable of fourteen (14) panellists who had been given the draft final report to sound out the kind of response to be expected from a close reading of the final report as well as recommendations that may emanate from the debate of the final report on 6 October. The public launch seminar of the OECD final report on the South African education system took place 6 October 2008. The following recommendations were tabled:
a. Recommendations on Financing

The OECD team suggests the following progressive steps:
* Remove remaining barriers to universal access and completion, whether they be in existing legislation or policy, in budgeting and targeting resources, in social exclusion, or as a result of a child's gender, HIV/AIDS status, mental or physical disability, nutritional deficiencies, or geographical location.
* Gradually abolish every form of school fees, whether they are overt or hidden, this includes explicitly discouraging schools from putting any pressure on families to make ad-hoc private contributions, with particular attention to hidden costs to poor families or those with several children of school age. Meanwhile, ensure that fee exemption policies and procedures are clear, fair and respectful of the dignity of applicants, and that assistance is given to parents (and to families headed by children).
* Prevent and reverse non attendance and drop out by learners by providing a child friendly environment, paying attention to such potential barriers as hunger or excessive fatigue due to travel to and from school, and by early identification of (and support for) any child at risk of failing or repeating a grade.
* Consider whether, post age 14, an alternative to the Child Support Grant (CSG) might encourage poor families to keep older children in school, especially because 2007 figures suggest that, for 78% of CSG recipients, this is the only source of income. One possibility might be to provide conditional cash transfers to families or caregivers living in poverty.
* Prevent the pushing out by schools of "inconvenient" children (fee exempt children, low achievers, children with special needs including those with behavioural problems, children affected by HIV/AIDS) by ensuring that curriculum standards are achievable by children of all levels of ability and by ensuring that assessment methods are fair, transparent, and designed to support learning rather than selection or competition.

b. Recommendations on curriculum, learning materials and assessment
* The OECD review team recognises the investment South Africa has made in developing and revising its curriculum. The team recommends that for the next substantial period the National Curriculum Statement remain, and that attention be focused on the three areas that will bring it to life, the development and distribution of teaching and learning materials, the professional development of teachers and the development of assessment tools. This is not to say that the team sees the current curriculum as perfect, but rather that little further gain in student achievement can be expected unless the focus shifts to its implementation.

* Ring-fence VAT returns on school books and school (and local public) library acquisitions, to be used solely to improve the provision of textbooks and reading materials to all learners.
* Tighten controls on textbooks issued to learners and improve retrieval rates to 85% or higher, introduce incentive schemes to encourage schools to raise their retrieval rates.
* Take a realistic approach to curriculum design and subject assessment guidelines. This means costing the learning and teaching materials needed to deliver the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), so that annual funding implications are clearly understood and are within affordable limits. A second element is stability of the curriculum, so that books and learning materials can be used for several years. Thirdly, curriculum design and instructional methods should recognise that few schools or provincial budgets can afford the individual purchase of reference and reading materials. Instead, a basic "school library package" could be designed, so that learners can use them as needed.
* Review procedures for approving textbook lists.
* Formulate textbook policies that aim to reduce the cost of LTSM to provincial budgets, and include libraries as an integral part of the package.
* Consider whether introducing eight learning areas from grade 4 onwards is too heavy a load for youngsters who, as available data show, have not mastered fundamental skills in literacy and numeracy.
* In making decisions about additional testing, ensure that learners have enough time and opportunity to learn what is required.
* Early diagnosis and prompt remediation of learning problems is preferable by far to grade repetition.
* Take great care before introducing a new external grade 9 examination and ensure that it does not, in effect, become a "selection" exam for grade 10.
* Provide additional chances for learners to obtain essential qualifications, for example, the early success of the Second Chance initiative for students who failed Matric in 2007.

c. Recommendations on early childhood education and adult and basic education and training
* Additional investment in ECD should focus on support for parents as early educators, through multimedia, multilingual programmes.
* All teachers of grade R programmes, whether the programmes are run in schools or ECD centres, should have access to the same professional development and curriculum support materials.
* Improve the accuracy of statistics regarding adult literacy levels and outcomes of programmes to enable policy design to target where the greatest needs lie.
* Prioritise investment in the development of programme support materials and assessment tools for the mass adult literacy programme to ensure those involved are able to deliver it appropriately.
* Plan for a longer term strategy to use the skills and knowledge of volunteers on the mass literacy programme in further upskilling the general population.
* Clarify the roles and responsibilities of national ministries responsible for ABET and ECD.

d. Recommendations for Further Education and Training
* Dialogue with the business community should be strengthened, as it is mentioned in many strategic documents, and a mechanism to monitor the process, particularly at provincial level, should be put in place.
* It is very important to make sure that schools are not considered by the young as places without hope, but, rather, the route to a professional career and, consequently, a place in society. Therefore, better links and partnerships between education and the world of work should be ensured.
* Priority should be given to solving the issues related to access to higher education and recognition by Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAS) in order make the reform really attractive, otherwise the set objectives risk not being reached. There is widespread concern in the country that the labour market is weak and cannot absorb the graduates, irrespective of their level of qualifications. Therefore, mechanisms should be established in order to make the demand in the labour market more dynamic and flexible and better linked to VET provision.
* The fact that practical training is mainly provided through simulation in the college does not give learners a picture of the real work environment.
* Partnerships between the world of education and the world of work are not part of the present system, but are mainly left to the initiative of the individual colleges and staff.

e. Recommendations on inclusive education

* Strengthen financial and methodological incentives and supports at provincial, local and school level, leading stakeholders to include inclusiveness for all in their strategies and empowering them to fulfil their missions and tasks.
* Support special schools more effectively in their new roles and missions by improving facilities, as well as by empowering teachers to provide high quality teaching and social workers to provide appropriate services and guidance.
* Make mainstream schools, full service schools and special schools accountable for their pedagogical, physical and social accessibility strategies, and link modes of funding with performance management.
* Training schemes offered to teachers, paramedical personal and social workers should focus on problem solving and methods focusing on the development of learners' strengths and competences rather than shortcomings.
* The Departments of Education, Health, Social Development and Labour should co-ordinate their policies at a national, provincial and local level in order to foster multisectoral approaches improving the appropriateness of services and increasing students transition opportunities between the types of provision, as well as to the various levels of education and to employment.
* Foster distance learning opportunities to overcome, on a short term basis, physical barriers and improve SEN learners education opportunities.

(vi) Recommendations for the teaching career and teacher education
* The Department of Education should produce a policy position paper that would set out a coherent and cohesive action plan highlighting policy initiatives that are being introduced, or in gestation, regarding the teaching career. Such a policy statement would include reference to such features as the recruitment campaign, the bursary scheme for student teachers, the 2007 salary scheme and the Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) plan, the Continuing Professional Teacher Development CPTD policy, the planned electronic database on teachers, the planned National Education Evaluation and Development Unit (NEEDU), the training plan for school leaders, and the planned reform of school districts.

The aim should be to demonstrate that the DoE is facing up to, and seeking to resolve, problems currently facing the teaching career, emphasising the significance it places on the well being and quality of the teaching force.

* In carrying forward elements of the policy paper, greater communication, consultation and collaboration should be promoted among the agents leading the initiatives.
* Faculties of education in higher education institutions need to be better supported and resourced so that they can satisfactorily fulfil their remits in the education of teachers over their full careers, and engage in educational research, which provides the well-springs for the future.

* Initial teacher education needs to be reformed to include more emphasis on practical teaching strategies, to prepare teachers better for the inclusive education policy and to provide more structured support for the classroom practice dimension of teacher education.

* Plans should be put in place to improve the quality of distance education provision relating to all forms of teacher education.
* Pilot schemes should be initiated for the induction of beginning teachers, which could pave the way for the induction of all new teachers, in a context suitable to South African conditions.

* South African Council of Educators (SACE) needs to be satisfactorily resourced to enable it to fulfil its important remit in relation to the teaching career and to undertake the new responsibilities being proposed for it.

* The planned initiative of employing teacher aides in the foundation areas of schooling should be monitored carefully with a view to its extension, in the first instance, to unduly large classes in disadvantaged areas.

* A more structured approach is needed to deal with the problem of chronically ineffective teachers.
* More training is required for school governing bodies to enable them to fulfil their responsibilities in a satisfactory manner.

(vii) Recommendations for higher education
More attention should be paid to the management of the change process in terms of detailed planning, budgeting and monitoring of change and dealing with change resistance.

* Comprehensive universities are advised to become "specialised" by focussing on particular "knowledge niches".
* Longitudinal and ethnographic/qualitative studies should be undertaken to provide a better understanding of the ways in which external and institutional factors affect student performance, in terms of high attrition and poor completion rates.
* A more proactive and long-term approach should be taken to the academic preparation and social integration of first year undergraduate students.
* Formal training in the pedagogy of higher education should be made available to academic staff, particularly junior lecturers.
* The New Funding Framework (NFF) should be reappraised with a view to considering a number of critical and practical issues which the review team highlights.

KHA RI GUDE
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, declares education as a right, including adult basic education. However, many adults are still illiterate as they were denied this right in the past.
* It was for this reason that on 3 February 2006 the Minister of Education established a Ministerial Committee on Literacy (MLC), which was required to inter alia to develop a strategic plan for a mass literacy campaign in South Africa.

* On 22 August 2007 Cabinet approved the operational plan of the Mass Literacy Campaign to enable 4,7 million unschooled or functionally illiterate adults to achieve a level of basic literacy.

* Cabinet noted that 80 000 volunteer educators would be engaged in 2009, 2010 and 2011 to reach 4,7 million unschooled adults by 2012, at a total cost of R6,1 billion.

* Cabinet agreed that an Inter-Ministerial Committee, chaired by the Minister of Education, will oversee the implementation, and that Campaign be launched by the Minister of Education.

* Cabinet approval provided the Minister of Education to determine an organisational structure and delivery modalities for the mass literacy campaign.