Western Cape prepares for Further Education and Training

The Western Cape is well on track towards building a Learning Home for All as we introduce Further Education and Training (FET) in schools and colleges designed to meet the needs of all our learners and our commitment to growing and sharing the Cape.

So says Education MEC Cameron Dugmore as more than 8,500 teachers are attending special workshops during the July school holiday as they prepare to introduce FET in schools in 2006.

On 17 May this year, Minister of Education Naledi Pandor confirmed in her budget speech that schools would introduce the national curriculum for FET in Grades 10, 11 and 12 over the next three years.

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has been preparing for the introduction of the new curriculum for the past three years. About two weeks ago the WCED has convened with all high school principals in the Province to inform them about the new curriculum. The preparations now will focus on workshops for 8,544 teachers in 134 venues across the Western Cape during this year's mid-year holiday.

The sessions will offer 32 hours of contact time and will specialise in orientation on specific subjects. The first workshops will take place from 27 June to 1 July in 80 venues in the four urban education districts and one rural district of the Western Cape, followed by a workshops in the two remaining rural districts in 54 venues.

The workshops will deal with most of the subjects covered by the new curriculum. The department is organising further workshops in September to cover the remaining subjects.

The WCED and the national Department of Education have trained a Provincial Core Training Team (PCTT) of 133 subject specialists, who are responsible for facilitating the subject orientation process. Some 68 subject lead teachers and four teacher union representatives are supporting the subject specialists.

The workshops are designed to assist teachers in their planning and preparation over the next six months. The WCED has also organised orientation programmes for school management teams and officials.

Meanwhile, the WCED is working hard to ensure that every high school has a computer laboratory by the end of the year, via our Khanya project, to support the implementation of the FET curriculum. Almost all FET subjects require computer-based support.

The WCED will issue all Grade 10 teachers and learners teaching or studying two home languages, Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy and Physical Science, with one text book funded by the WCED.

Learners are also being prepared for the transition to FET. For example, Grade 8 learners were assessed last year, with a view to providing specialised career guidance in Grade 9 this year, so that they can make informed subject choices for Grade 10 or for further study at FET colleges.

Said MEC Dugmore: "During the apartheid era, South Africa had 19 different education departments. We now have a single, coherent and well-integrated system designed to provide quality education for all.

"The introduction of the new curriculum in Grades 10 to 12 in schools marks the end of a long process of restructuring the education system in South Africa. Our new system in schools consists essentially of two phases. The first phase is General Education and Training (GET), which covers Grades R to 9.

"The second phase is FET and covers Grades 10 to 12 in schools and equivalent levels in FET colleges, previously called technical colleges. South Africa has already introduced GET in schools and has restructured our FET colleges. We will now introduce the new FET curriculum in schools.

"Schools will introduce the curriculum for FET incrementally, starting with Grade 10 in 2006. The FET Certificate will replace the Senior Certificate in 2008.

"We are encouraging our schools to focus on their existing strengths. Schools will only offer new subjects if they can demonstrate that they have the physical and human resources to do so.

"We are also encouraging our schools to implement new content incrementally, as they develop their resources to offer this content. We are working closely with principals and teachers as we enter the final stages of the implementation process.

"I am happy with the excellent response of our teachers, principals and schools. We commend them for their highly professional approach, and thank all those involved for working so hard to ensure that we are ready for 2006."

For enquiries, contact Gert Witbooi: 082 550 3938, or gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za

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

The Western Cape - A Home for All INtshona Koloni - iKhaya loMntu wonke Die Wes-Kaap - 'n Tuiste vir Almal