finalists
23 November 2006
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) submitted eight of the 13
finalists for the 2006 Premier's Service Excellence Awards.
Premier Ebrahim Rasool will host an awards ceremony tonight, Thursday, 23
November 2006, to recognise civil servants who have excelled at providing
outstanding services to citizens of the Western Cape.
The awards ceremony will take place at the Cape Town International
Convention Centre.
Judges shortlisted 13 out of 55 projects submitted by provincial government
departments after a rigorous selection process. The eight WCED finalists
are:
* Cape Teaching Institute
* Curriculum Information and Communication Technology Knowledge Management
(ICT)/KM Unit
* Khanya Project
* Learners with specialised educational needs (LSEN) Advisors (Metropole
East)
* Teaching Assistant Programme
* WCED Client Services
* Western Cape Movement Education Association.
The following are descriptions of these projects:
Cape Teaching Institute (CTI)
The CTI was launched on 4 September 2002. Its purpose is to provide focussed
in-service training to teachers of the WCED based on research needs identified
by national and provincial studies as well as the roll out of the New
Curriculum Statement (NCS).
The CTI has offered training to many educators in the field of numeracy,
mathematics, literacy, life skills, natural sciences, arts and culture,
technology and mathematical literacy. In addition, training of school
management teams (principals and heads of department, has sought to ensure that
teachers in turn are supported by competent and knowledgeable managers and
leaders. Conferences are also presented to enable teachers to fully interact
with each and share best practice in the classroom.
Leadership development at all levels of the system has been repeatedly
identified as a weakness in the system. Staff members are promoted into
positions which demand leadership and management skills of a high standard. To
respond pro-actively to this need the CTI has also offered induction programme
to newly appointed principals and deputy principals and courses to aspirant
principals.
Special attention is also paid to the training of women in and into
leadership and management positions to eliminate the huge disparity in
management posts in terms of gender. The ultimate goal is to develop and offer
leadership and management training to all staff that occupy or aspire to such
positions.
Teachers attending the CTI courses are identified by education District
Office (EMDC) officials and invited to attend courses during school term.
Replacement teachers are employed in their positions at schools to allow them
ample time to concentrate on the training.
Delivery of development has been the responsibility of expert service
providers who are selected through a tender process and CTI staff is
responsible quality assuring the delivery of the programmes.
Impact studies have been conducted to measure the value of the
programmes.
Curriculum ICT/KM Unit
THE ICT KM Unit is an integral part of the curriculum development
directorate of the WCED.
As such, it is at the forefront of providing teachers and officials with
digital curriculum resources and training for teaching and learning. The three
members of the unit network widely and work in partnership with a range of
others to achieve this end and to ensure that educators have access to our
products and services.
Our partners are the curriculum planners of the directorate; other
directorates within the WCED, other provinces and the national Department of
Education, the Khanya Project of the WCED, the Centre for e-Innovation of the
Premier's office, Associated Distributors of Educational Supplies in Southern
Africa (ADESSA), tertiary institutions and other leading role players in ICT
such as Cape Town Iron and Steel Works (CISCO), HP, Intel, Microsoft and the
Shuttleworth Foundation.
A visit to our website (http://www.curriculum.wcape.school.za)
shows our involvement in the critical areas of teaching and learning. There are
about 50 sub-sites representing each learning area and subject of the national
curriculum as well as a number of specialist sites like assessment and Adult
Basic Education and Training (ABET).
Through these sites, teachers can access digital resources for the
classroom, news and photographs, discussion forums, mailing lists and
recommended print resources. Links to other educational websites such as
Thutong, the national education portal, Khanya and international sites give
teachers an easy introduction to the best worldwide resources. The site has had
over five million hits.
Through curriculum minutes sent to schools, teachers are made aware of the
digital resources developed for the classroom on compact disc (CD). These
include such titles as the Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) resource kit, NCS
database and tables for planning and barriers to learning. In partnership with
Sherston Software and Edit Microsystems, the Literacy Banks series in four
South African languages was developed and readers in isiXhosa are under
development with Edumedia in the WCED. Processes, policy documents and
guidelines created by this unit are being used in other directorates, provinces
and the national Department of Education.
Our annual planning which dovetails carefully with current curriculum
priorities sets our key objectives driven by the iKapa Elihlumayo Human and
Social Capital principles of the province and Batho Pele Principles.
The Khanya Project
The Khanya Project is an initiative of the WCED to support teaching and
learning using information and communication technologies.
The WCED established Khanya in April 2001 to determine the contribution that
technology could make towards addressing the increasing shortage of educator
capacity in schools.
With many skilled educators leaving the profession, fewer ones were entering
it and AIDS already starting to take a significant toll amongst educators, it
was necessary to explore alternatives. One of these alternatives is to use
technology already being used extensively in other disciplines as an aid to
augment teaching capacity.
The emphasis of the Khanya project is not on providing computer technology
for the sake of making learners computer literate but rather to use technology
as a teaching aid, hence to improve curriculum delivery.
Khanya has installed computer laboratories at 613 schools to date with
projects in various stages of completion at a further 241 schools.
Khanya has installed a total of 23 948 computers and has so far trained 15
773 teachers in how to use technology optimally for curriculum delivery. A
total of 524 179 learners are already reaping the benefits of the project.
The provincial government of the Western Cape provides the core funding for
the project. Khanya also approaches donors. Given the success of the project to
date, more and more donors are willing to support the project.
Khanya has also actively developing partnerships with local communities to
contribute to establishing technology in schools on the premise that education
is a shared responsibility by the State, local community and parents.
The methodology developed is based on international best practice. Khanya is
a programme of projects where the engagement with a specific school is viewed
as a unique project, based on the premise that one size does not fit all.
Khanya projects are typically introduced in two phases at Khanya schools,
the first being to establish the facility and the second is to establish an
"e-school".
LSEN advisors: learning support - Metropole East
The aim of the LSEN in the Metropole East District of the WCED is to equip
educators with the necessary skills to support learners with learning barriers
in literacy and numeracy.
The strategic goals and mandates of the team are to:
1. manage and support literacy in the mainstream schools
2. development, support and training of LSEN teachers with main focus on
assessment, error analysis and planning
3. development of Individual Education Development Programme (IEDP) LSEN
teachers
4. advocacy and promotion of inclusive education
5. support mainstream teachers regarding intervention in literacy and numeracy
6. assist mainstream educators with lesson planning that includes
differentiation
7. literacy intervention, managing language across the curriculum.
The team's services for LSEN teachers include error analysis, assessment
planning and development and translation of learning support materials into
isiXhosa.
The team assists teachers at mainstream schools in implementing literacy
half hours, interventions designed to overcome learning barriers and to improve
literacy and numeracy, advocacy for inclusive education and workshops for
isiXhosa speaking teachers.
The LSEN team assists foundation phase teachers in lesson planning ensuring
collaborative support, LSEN teaching assistance and specialised assistance for
isiXhosa speaking teachers.
Intermediate phase and high school teachers receive assistance in
alternative assessment and in managing language use across the curriculum.
WCED Teaching Assistant Programme
The WCED deployed 510 teaching assistants in poor schools across the
province in 2006 to help improve learner performance in literacy and
numeracy.
The WCED appointed the teaching assistants as from 15 March to 30 November
2006 to support foundation phase teachers.
The Department decided to appoint the assistants after conducting surveys
which found that learners in grades three and six are struggling to meet the
requirements of the national curriculum, especially in poor communities.
The appointment of teaching assistants is a pilot project at this stage
involving 163 schools. If the project is successful then the Department will
consider expanding this form of support.
The teaching assistant programme forms part of the WCED's broader numeracy
and literacy strategy, which in turn forms part of the Department's Human
Capital Development Strategy (HDS) for the Western Cape.
Teaching assistants are required to assist the class teachers to improve the
numeracy and literacy skills of learners in the foundation phase which covers
grades one to three.
The duties of the teaching assistants include listening to learners'
reading, working with groups and individuals to improve literacy skills,
numeracy skills and assisting teachers with classroom organisation and
management.
The teaching assistants are helping to supervise class activities to allow
teachers to teach groups of learners.
They are working closely with teachers on support programmes designed to
develop the skills of learners with special problems and will support learners
who are not learning in their home language.
The teaching assistants attended a 34-day course provided by Further
Education and Training (FET) colleges. The colleges provided the course in
seven week long segments.
The WCED is investigating the possibility of establishing a teaching
assistant qualification and a course accredited with the South African
Qualifications Authority (SAQA) for teaching assistants. The Department will
encourage teaching assistants wishing to obtain full teaching qualifications to
enrol for part time, full time or distance courses.
The external evaluators have reported that the project is making a
difference in most schools. The assistants are working well with the teachers
they are supporting and they are keen to make a difference in the reading,
writing and numerical skills of the learners in their care. Schools are already
requesting that the project should be continued in the new year.
WCED client services
WCED client services of the WCED offers comprehensive client support at its
walk in and call in centres in central Cape Town.
The vast majority of the WCEDs clients are teachers employed by the
Department. Members of the public also contact the service mainly on issues
relating to the senior certificate examinations.
The WCED employs about 30 000 teachers and about 8 000 public servants.
Given the size of the staff, the Department receives a steady stream of
inquiries every month on employment benefits and salary issues.
A total of 60 890 people visited the client services walk in centre from
April 2005 to March 2006, accounting for an average of 5 074 visitors a
month.
The client services call centre received 145 112 between April 2005 and
March 2006, an average of 12 092 a month. The call centre assisted 96 percent
of these callers immediately while escalating four percent of calls to back
offices for further assistance.
The Batho Pele Principles provide clear guidelines for client service by
client services staff to put people first. The WCED ensures that staff members
are trained to provide information and services in a friendly and professional
manner to ensure that dealing with the WCED is a pleasant experience.
Typical queries received by both the walk in centre and the call centre
include questions around appointments, medical aid, pensions, leave, bonuses,
home allowances, acting allowances, debt repayments and general salary queries,
among others.
Highlights for the walk in centre over the past two years have included the
services the team has offered to unemployed teachers.
The walk in centre has initiated a database of unemployed teachers and
actively seeks places for them in contract posts, temporary posts, posts at
private schools and in the private sector where other opportunities may
exist.
The walk in centre found employment for 3 834 teachers in schools and other
organisations between April 2005 and March 2006.
The team has engaged is fund raising for the disabled over the past two
years and raised more than R20 000 for the disabled by selling Casual Day
stickers in 2006.
Western Cape Movement Education Association
This programme was first mooted by Doreen Solomons, now Senior Curriculum
Planner: Life Orientation at the WCED, in the Mitchell's Plain area to enhance
the interest and understanding of the then physical education programme for
girls among teachers. National dance classes led to the hosting of Eisteddfods
in 1982.
Ex-colleagues, Dulcie Davids and Spasie Adams became involved in their
respective areas soon afterwards.
In 1990 schools were invited and the physical education advisers were
instrumental in running the programme. This application is to share and of Team
Western Cape Movement Education Association (TWCMEA) celebrates its successes
because of the passion, commitment and drive displayed by the co-ordinators,
secretaries and adjudicators.
In 1991 the association was instrumental in starting the schools gymnastics
programme as well as the gymnaestrada held in 1993 at the Bellville Stadium,
where 3 000 participants were involved.
The national dance programme has been running non-stop throughout the years
and the grade R to grade 12 educators have been attending workshops and the
learners participating at the eisteddfods every year.
Last year, Ms Solomons presented a paper at the International Association of
Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (IAPESGW) Conference held in
Edmonton University, Canada highlighting the development of this programme over
the years. Eighteen educators affiliated to this association accompanied her to
demonstrate five dances. The work done in holistically developing our learners
were acknowledged internationally by the Audrey Bambra dance award bestowed
upon the association at this conference.
For enquiries contact:
Paddy Attwell
Director of Communications
Cell: 083 261 7699
Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: (021) 467 2523
Fax: (021) 425 5689
Issued by: Department of Education, Western Cape Provincial Government
23 November 2006
