Education Minister Responds to Provincial Legislature Questions

We all have a duty to ensure the security of our schools, said Western Cape Education MEC Cameron Dugmore today in reply to a question in the Provincial Legislature when he revealed that the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spent R642,000.00 repairing damages done to eight schools during the December/January school holidays.

MEC Dugmore told the sitting that the department encouraged schools to work with neighbourhood watches, armed response companies, police, learners and parents to develop safety programmes during the holidays.

He said there have been creative examples of how some schools dealt with the issue. "In one instance a school in Mitchell's Plain gave a classroom to the local neighbourhood watch as a base, which meant they were on the premises 24 hours-a-day.

"In another instance a school in Lansdowne allowed an armed response company to set up base on their school premises, which also helped curbed vandalism and theft."

MEC Dugmore outlined the department's plans to improve the quality of outcomes this year and steps to support schools to improve matric results.

(a) How many schools were vandalised that had to receive CCTV cameras in November 2007 and (b) what (i) was the extent of and (ii) were the costs relating to this vandalism?

5. (a) 12 cases of burglary and vandalism, from 8 schools, were reported to the Safe Schools Call Centre during the December/January school holidays.

(b) (i) The majority of the reported cases were around copper theft, electrical wiring and cable theft, damage to classroom ceilings and toilets (not covered by an alarm system). One school reported theft of 2 PC boxes and 1 PC server. Other equipment stolen includes, a pump worth R60 000, feeding scheme supplies and 2 geysers. In most cases reported extensive damage was done. It was found that their alarm systems did not cover the vandalised areas. This includes bathrooms, some classrooms and buildings or objects situated outside the school building.

(ii) The extend of the damages varied between R2,000.00 and R120,000.00. However the total estimated costs incurred is about R642,000.00.

Honourable Members, during the holidays we have encouraged these schools to work with neighbourhood watches, armed response companies, the local police, school watches, learners and parents, to develop safety programmes.

We all have a duty to ensure the security of our schools. In this respect, there have been creative examples of how some of our schools dealt with the issue. In one instance a school in Mitchell's Plain gave a classroom to the local neighbourhood watch as a base, which meant they were on the premises 24 hours-a-day.

In another instance a school in Lansdowne allowed an armed response company to set up base on their school premises, which also helped curbed vandalism and theft.

The WCED has helped to secure school property as far as possible, but we also encourage communities to report suspicious persons, and to report vandalism and all crime to the Safe Schools Call Centre, toll-free number 0800 45 46 47.

Whether there is any realistic hope for improved and better matriculation results in the Western Cape this year; if so, what plans have been put in place by him and the Western Cape Department of Education with a view to realising this dream?

11. The Western Cape Education Department has and will be supporting the implementation of the NCS in. 2008 Specific emphasis will be placed on the preparation of the first Grade 12 cohort of learners. A comprehensive support strategy has been developed and will be implemented under the guidance and leadership of the Director: Curriculum: FET supported by the Chief Education Specialist: FET (Schools)

The Directorate: Curriculum FET is currently developing a concept document Curriculum Strategy Document that will guide curriculum support strategies for the short to medium term. Once finalised, this document will form the basis of all curriculum support and intervention strategies.

The following support strategies were developed during the last term of 2007 and will be implemented as from the first term in 2008.

1. Pace setters - Pace setters in all the NCS subjects have been drafted for Grades 10-12 and were distributed to schools in both English and Afrikaans in the fourth term of 2007. These were mediated by Curriculum Advisers at cluster meetings throughout the province.

2. Assessment exemplars - Examples of assessment activities including tests and examinations have been drafted in certain subjects. These have written placed on CD, distributed and mediated with teachers at cluster meetings.

3. Common examinations - These examinations will take place in June and September and are based on the Pace Setters supplied to all schools. The common examinations will be compulsory for the NSLA schools, but other schools who whishes to write them will be allowed to do so.

4. Focus schools - Dinaledi as well as focus schools for Arts and Culture, The technology subject, and the Business, Commerce and management subjects receive focused support by both Head Office and District officials. A cohort of Master trainers and mentor teachers has been trained in mathematics and science in 2007. These cadre of competent and skilled teachers will complement support to the Dinaledi schools

5. High Risk Schools - A number of schools at risk has been identified and will be carefully monitored and supported.

6. Professional development of teachers

6.1 Training in new content - Certain subjects have identified new areas within the curriculum or areas with which teachers are experiencing problems. New content workshops have been completed in 2006/7. Additional modular training programmes have been developed and teachers will attend afternoon or Saturday workshops.

6.2 Subject Conferences - Conferences are planned in the Focus and Dinaledi schools. These conferences focus on the sharing of best practices and inputs by subject experts.

7. Development of Subject heads - This cohort of subject specialists is crucial for the effective and efficient management of the subjects at school level and mentoring subject teachers. A need has been identified to empower these education specialists with cutting edge knowledge and skills as well as management and mentoring skills.

8. School visits by Senior Curriculum Planners - Senior curriculum planners will support teachers on site and in classrooms. The focus will be on schools in the 21 focus areas.

9. Supplementary tuition - Selected subjects will arrange holiday schools for learners from selected schools. These sessions will take place during June or September school holidays and will focus on revising and consolidating in order to prepare learners for the final Grade 12 examinations.

10. Supplementary resources - Tutorials for selected subjects and LTSM for smaller subjects will be designed in order to prepare learners adequately for the final examinations.

With reference to the fact that the pass rate for Grade 12 learners has declined by 3.1% provincially and 1.4% nationally in respect of 2007:

(1) (a) What is the impact on the results of the matriculation examination of the influx of learners into the Western Cape whose mother tongue is not English or Afrikaans, which are the languages used as medium of instruction at Western Cape high schools and (b) what measures have been taken to seriously address the lack of mother-tongue instruction in languages other than English and Afrikaans in the Western Cape;

(2) whether the pass rate in respect of the matriculation results is expected to increase or to further decline in 2008, based on these circumstances and the prevailing conditions?

13. (1) (a) Over the past few years the Western Cape has experienced a tremendous influx of learners from the neighbouring provinces whose language is neither English nor Afrikaans. The reason for this influx could be two fold:

• The parents of these learners might view the province as providing better work opportunities
• · Grade 12 results seen as an indicator for quality education.

The Western Cape Education Department has introduced a number of strategies in order to support all learners, for example, with the provision of:

• study guides
• Saturday classes
• Winter / Spring schools
• Radio programmes

No evidence points to the fact that the influx of learners from neighbouring provinces affected the WCED negatively. The decline in results was a national trend.

(b) Mother-instruction takes place in the GET band. However in the FET band these learners are being instructed in English. The WCED recognises the impact of teaching and learning in a second language and hence support strategies are implemented for both the teachers and learners:

Standardising of terminology across the content subjects - National and Provincial Departments of Arts and Culture, Education, Pan South African Language Board, Publishing Association of South Africa, Teacher Unions, Umalusi and other relevant stakeholders to guide the process.

Versioning and translation of tests, examination question papers for content subjects

Upskilling of teachers whose mother-tongue is not the medium of instruction - tertiary institutions to conduct fully accredited and intensive courses addressing teaching and learning methodologies for such teachers.

(2) The National Senior Certificate examination in 2008 will differ substantially from the Senior certificate examination (Matric) written in 2007. For one there would no longer be Higher grade and Standard Grade offerings. All candidates in a particular subject will be writing the same paper. And differentiation will be based on performance. Secondly, in 2008, the aggregate will no longer be a determining factor in promoting candidates, only their performance in the seven subjects taken.

Thus the performance or pass rates in the 2007 matric examination cannot be used to predict pass rates in 2008 NSC examination.

However it should be pointed out that the WCED is committed to support this first group of grade 12 candidates who will write the NSC examinations. Strategies and plans are in place and both Head Office and Districts will prioritise support to all teachers and learners in grade 12 to ensure that regardless of the context in which schools and learners find themselves, the opportunities to pass the final examination in 2008 are maximised.

These plans and strategies include supplementary tuition in the form of extra classes on Saturdays and during the school holidays for these grade 12 learners, provision of resources such as tutorials and other revision materials. Common examinations in the NSLA schools etc.

Given this support, it is not expected that the pass rate in 2008 should further decline.

15. Mr A Arnolds to ask Mr C M Dugmore, Minister of Education:

Whether he can make known whether school dropouts are accepted back to complete their schooling at a particular school, and in a particular grade, if the child is a year older than the appropriate age for that particular grade?

Answer:

15. Yes, learners of compulsory school-going age in Grades 1- 9 must be accommodated in a public school with the necessary support if the learner is older than his/her grade age. In terms of the WCED policy for Admission of Overage learners to Public Schools, which is based on the National Admission Policy prescripts, learners in Grades 9 - 12 who have left school for more than 6 months and are more than 2 years older than the grade age, are advised to go to a FET college or an AET centre to complete their schooling, especially where schools are full. Where space is available, principals may use their discretion.

Learners that are not more than 2 years older than the grade age may be accommodated in a WCED public school to complete their schooling, provided that the school has place to accommodate the learner. The learner will be accepted into the grade he/she was in when he/she left school or the grade determined in his/her latest school report.

Age group norm: The age that the learner must be in a grade - taken as the grade plus 6 years, e.g. 7 years in Gr 1 [1+6] and 15 years in Gr 9 [9+6].

Age group norm limit: The maximum age for admission to a grade - taken as 2 years above the age group norm, e.g. 17 years in Gr 9. Any learner above the age group norm limit [e.g. older than 17 in Gr 9] is an overage learner.

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For Enquiries:

Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Officer
Office of the MEC for Education
Western Cape
Tel: 021 467 2523
Fax: 021 425 5689
Visit our website: http://wced.wcape.gov.za

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