Ministers (CEM) held at the Cullinan Hotel, Cape Town
23 October 2006
The Council of Education Ministers, today at its scheduled meeting in Cape
Town, discussed the following issues.
Safety in Schools
With regard to the matter of Safety in Schools, the Meeting noted concern
about the apparent erosion of discipline in some schools. In this regard, the
CEM agreed to the following measures:
* Focused interventions in each province will be supported through an
initial injection of R5 million.
* A national template for a code of conduct will be made available to all
schools and assistance will be provided to them on drawing up a code of conduct
and publishing it visibly in schools.
* The School Safety Regulations of 2001 will be made widely available.
* Schools will be encouraged to set up Safety Committees.
* A national Consultative Forum on school safety will be convened this
year.
* Guidelines on random drug testing within constitutional parameters will be
formulated in the next few weeks.
The CEM approved the Revised Assessment Policy for General Education and
Training Band Schools. The Guidelines correspond to the revised national
Curriculum Statement.
The revised Assessment Policy approved by CEM seeks to provide teachers with
a rigorous but administratively more manageable framework for assessment of
learner performance. The CEM also approved "An Addendum to the Policy Document,
national Senior Certificate: A Qualification at Level 4 on the National
Qualifications Framework (NQF)."
This policy relates to learners with special needs who encounter difficulty
in meeting the requirements of the National Senior Certificate. Learners who
have successfully completed the specially adapted programmes, in terms of the
above-mentioned policy will receive a National Senior Certificate (NCS) with
endorsement for learners with special needs.
Performance Rewards System for Institution-based Educators
The CEM approved the implementation of the performance rewards system for
institution-based educators from the R4,2 billion made available by the
National Treasury in 2005. All Provincial Treasuries were urged to ensure that
the money is made available as a matter of urgency to the provincial
Departments of Education as publicly stated by the Minister of Finance, the
Minister of Education and the President in Parliament.
Implementation of a national Learner Profile
CEM approved a standardised national learner profile instrument, which will
more easily facilitate the transfer and tracking of learners.
* Preparation for Grade 8 � 9
The CEM expressed concern with the non-availability and/or late delivery of
the Learning and Teaching Support Materials in some schools and requested the
Department of Education to initiate an immediate investigation into the
provision of Learning and Teaching Support Materials.
* Ensuring the Availability of Mathematics and a Science Teacher in every
High School
The CEM received a comprehensive report on the supply and demand of
mathematics and science teachers. This should be considered together with the
strategies contained in the recently released national Policy Framework for
Teacher Education and Development, which addresses the recruitment, training
and retention of teachers. This will be considered further by the provincial
departments, including the use of suitably qualified foreign teachers. The CEM
recommitted itself to improving the quality and qualifications of mathematics
and science teachers.
Enquiries:
Lunga Ngqengelele
Tel: (012) 312 5538
Cell: 082 566 0446
E-mail: ngqengelele.l@doe.gov.za
Issued by: Ministry of Education
23 October 2006
