The Eastern Cape Department of Education held a summit in East London at the Education Leadership Institute from 7 to 8 August 2009 with the objective of determining performance standards of all teachers. The summit was organised by the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) Chief Directorate.
The Free State IQMS co-ordinator Tello Khudumo explained the objectives of IQMS as being:
* a tool to determine performance standards of all teachers
* an instrument to measure poor performance of teachers and learners in order to recommend solutions to those challenges
* a means to make sure performance measures are clear and concise
* a device to intervene when the quality of education is declining, measure professional development and to hold schools accountable and
* the apparatus to ensure that learners get quality education.
The department is now looking at the quality of education throughout the province with a hawk's eye and is determined to leave no stone unturned in its endeavours to better grade 12 results. The launch of the IQMS and the Learner Attainment Improvement Strategy (LAIS) to improve learning and teaching across the province bear testimony to that.
Ms Nosipho Skenjane from the Institutional Management Development and Support condemns the fact that stakeholders within education are not working in unity. She added that as stakeholders you can serve and make a difference in enhancing the education of the South African youth.
Chief Education Specialist from IQMS, Nonkosi Dotwana, commended the department for staffing the IQMS unit.
"We need to be strong in pursuing a commitment in improving the quality of education in the Eastern Cape," Dotwana said. She urged IQMS members to change their attitude of looking at issues with hopelessness and stated that, "problems require to be viewed as challenges so as to deal with them effectively."
Issued by: Department of Education, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
19 August 2009
Source: Department of Education, Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecdoe.gov.za)
