to new curriculum
5 December 2006
Schools in the Western Cape appear to be managing the transition to the new
curriculum for Grade 10 well, according to results reported to the Western Cape
Education Department (WCED) thus far.
The WCED has received reports of individual schools that have experienced
difficulties, while others have delivered results that show an improvement on
those of previous years.
Results have improved considerably since June, which shows that schools have
worked hard on bringing their learners up to speed for the end-of-year
examinations.
Some schools have not coped with the transition, and the WCED will pay
special attention to these schools to assist them in 2007.
Schools reported the results of about 20% of Grade 10 learners by noon on
Saturday, 2 December 2006. Moderated results from the province' seven education
districts indicate a pass rate so far of 74%.
The results so far show that schools and the WCED have succeeded in managing
the transition well, thanks to the hard work of all concerned. For example, the
WCED's South Cape/Karoo District has shown an improvement on previous
years.
We appreciate the special efforts of most of our schools to ensure that they
meet the challenges posed by the new curriculum.
We have raised the bar to ensure that our learners receive a quality
education. Our learners are showing that they can rise to this challenge. They
must now keep it up to ensure that they achieve quality results in matric in
2008.
Schools are still getting used to applying the standards involved in setting
papers and assessment on the new curriculum. We will have to moderate results,
as we have done in the past, to ensure that no learners are advantaged or
disadvantaged unfairly.
Schools and the WCED have prepared for the implementation of the new
national curriculum for Grades 10 to 12 for the past four years.
While we have prepared materials and conducted major training programmes, we
ultimately learn by doing. Our schools have generally shown that they can
manage this transition.
The WCED introduced a range of special measures in 2006 to provide
additional support for schools. These included distributing sets of examples of
Grade 10 examination papers, supplied nationally. Schools used the papers as
models to ensure common standards.
The WCED monitored and moderated these examinations to assure quality and to
identify issues that schools and the department must address in 2007.
In addition, ten schools wrote common national papers in selected subjects,
as part of a national pilot study. The national Department of Education
moderated and reported to inform planning for the 2007 Grade 11
examinations.
The WCED organised orientation workshops in June and July to consolidate
subject content knowledge and teaching and assessment practices for Grades 10
to 12 teachers. Teachers developed appropriate sample lessons during the
workshops.
The WCED prepared subject resource packs for teachers in collaboration with
the four local universities to build content knowledge and teaching skills of
non-qualified and under-qualified teachers.
The resource packs are pitched at first-year university level and will
provide teachers with the conceptual knowledge and understanding they need to
teach new curriculum content required in Grades 10 to 12.
The WCED provided a guide to all Grade 10 learners to provide advice on how
to study. Life Orientation teachers can use this guide to support learners as
they to prepare for assessment.
The WCED distributed teaching and learning support videos, developed by the
SABC, for Mathematical Literacy, English First Additional Language, Physical
Sciences and Life Orientation to all schools as a teaching and learning
aid.
The WCED developed a guide for teachers on how to set examinations that
effectively meet the requirements of the curriculum's assessment standards.
Support for Grade 11 learners
Learners who fail Grade 11 in 2006 have various options for continuing with
their studies:
* move to an Further Education and Training (FET) college where they will
have to register for the new FETC
* move to an Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) centre
* register as a private candidate for the 2007 Senior Certificate
* repeat Grade 11 at school.
All Grade 11 learners will have to follow the new national curriculum for
FET in schools in 2007.
Learners who are repeating will have to offer Life Orientation. If they do
not offer Mathematics, they will have to offer Mathematical Literacy.
The WCED has developed subject guidelines for both teachers and learners on
prior knowledge and skills required for the national curriculum in Grade
11.
The guidelines include appropriate teaching and learning strategies to cope
with the knowledge and skills gap, as well a time frame for completion.
Learners in Grade 11 in 2006 have already engaged with an outcomes-based
curriculum, namely Curriculum 2005, in Grades 7 to 9.
Preparations for FET in 2007
The national Department of Education (DoE) and the WCED have introduced a
range of measures to provide further support for teachers and learners in
Grades 10 and 11 in 2007. These include the following:
Reviewed Subject Assessment Guidelines (SAGs)
The DoE has reviewed Subject Assessment Guidelines for Grades 10 and 11 in
2007. The WCED is currently translating them into Afrikaans and isiXhosa. The
guidelines will become policy from 1 January 2007.
Pace setters for 2007
The WCED has developed pace setters for Grades 10 and 11 for 23 of the 29
matric subjects. The department has asked principals to use these pace setters
when planning for 2007 and to monitor their application carefully during the
year.
The pace setters are aligned to the subject statements and assessment
guidelines. If used properly, teachers will find that they will have sufficient
time for revision during the fourth term. The pace setters for Grade 11 will
also allow time for adequate preparation for a planned national examination in
2007.
Grade 10 examination setting guide
The WCED has developed and distributed guidelines for setting Grade 10
examinations to support the development of common standards. The department's
Education Management and Development Centres (EMDCSs) will discuss the
guidelines further with schools in 2007.
Teacher subject orientation 2007
The WCED will offer a range of subject courses in 2007, including Career
Guidance in Life Orientation, Economics and Business Studies to Numeracy
Consolidation in Grade 8 in preparation for compulsory Maths/Maths Literacy in
Grade 10.
In March and April 2007, the WCED will repeat orientation sessions first
provided in June and July 2006, in response to many requests from schools.
The national Department of Education will continue to provide orientation on
Information Technology (IT), Computer Application Technology (CAT) and the four
Technology subjects. The DoE will facilitate the workshops, while the WCED will
see to logistical arrangements.
Enquiries:
Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: 021 467 2523
Fax: 021 425 5689
Cell: 082 550 3938
Paddy Attwell
Cell: 083 261 7699
Issued by: Department of Education, Western Cape Provincial Government
5 December 2006
