10-point plan for Edu Department
The Department of Education said they have a 10-point plan in place to ensure educational material is supplied to schools in time for the 2018 school year.
POLOKWANE – This strategy aims to improve the results of mathematics and science in the programme.
Education Spokesperson, Dr Naledzani Rasila, said however, in order to do this the department needs the assistance of the School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and the School Management Teams (SMTs).
Rasila added the delivery of Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) and ensuring the National Schools Nutrition Programme (NSNP) is in place will help achieve these goals.
“Aside from SGBs and SMTs we also need the support of the social partners and communities in general,” Rasila said. He said the department’s 10-point strategy will ensure LTSM will be provided to its 3 818 qualifying schools before the end of the year.
The syllabus of the phasing-in technical subjects for Gr 10 and 12 has been confirmed and new material is being ordered.
A service agreement has been signed with the publishers and the ordering process has started and is expected to be finalised at the end of July.
Delivery of material to warehouses is expected to end in August. On the other hand, it is expected that schools will be able to reach 95% in the implementation of the textbooks retrieval strategy. Rasila said last year only about 85% of books were retrieved.
On the NSNP, 398 small and medium enterprises with 10 000 food handlers continue to provide the service to schools.
Thus far 1 222 schools have established kitchens and plans continue to provide to others, should resources permit.
Rasila said to improve academic achievements, the department will advertise 739 posts for subject advisors across the province. The department is preparing for SGBs elections for 2018 while Student Representatives Councils have been elected. “To assist learners who could not achieve the requirements of passing the National Senior Certificate (NSC) and those progressed, the department has established 48 Second Chance Matric Programme centres across the province.”
Rasila said to improve the teaching of maths and science, 324 natural sciences and 1 266 maths educators were trained.
A total of 12 Teach-SA ambassadors were also appointed at selected schools on a two-year contract to teach maths and science. A total of 558 foreign educators were appointed for teaching of the subjects with 55 students awarded bursaries to study towards becoming teachers in these fields.
He said the department is proud of learners in the province who are making their mark in different competitions, mostly those involving maths, science and technology.
“A total of 10 000 learners are registered to participate in various competitions and expo’s. Recently 40 learners participated in a maths and science talent development pogramme run by the University of Stellenbosch and the Department of Science and Technology and three learners from Lebeko Secondary School will represent the country in an annual Water Project Competition in Sweden.”
