In line with the national priority to improve maths and science education, the Gauteng Education Department has developed a revised comprehensive maths, science and technology education improvement strategy.
This maths, science and technology strategy is the result of wide consultations with school principals and teachers, departmental officials, universities and local experts in maths and science education. Their collective experience of what to and importantly what not to do has resulted in a realistic and feasible approach to the task.
The intervention is multi faceted and includes formulating strategies for teacher pre-service and in-service education and training. Speaking during a media briefing at the Gauteng legislature, the province’s Education MEC Barbara Creecy said:
“The new approach to science, maths and literacy aims to give concrete expression to ensuring that our schools are effective learning institutions and that our head office and districts provide relevant and appropriate support to schools.”
MEC Creecy said with regards to literacy, government research has shown that the majority of learners in the Gauteng province are not able to read or write at the levels required by the national curriculum. She explained that targets have been set by the Presidency and Department of Education.
“Specifically, by 2014 60 percent of grade 6 learners in Gauteng will be at or above the national literacy achievement standard.”
MEC Creecy said to accomplish this, the Gauteng primary literacy strategy is built on four pillars: annual external assessment of all grade three and grade six learners, the provision of high quality literacy textbooks, workbooks, readers and teacher guides for all learners in 790 underperforming primary schools, the provision of learner support and improvement of district and school management of primary literacy practice.
In terms of support to learners, MEC Creecy said the strategy includes a social marketing campaign to encourage parents to read to their children in the home and support their children’s reading and writing homework, coordination and alignment of the work of the literacy non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the province and the development of primary school libraries in 790 underperforming primary schools in the province.
Issued by: Department of Education, Gauteng Provincial Government
25 February 2010
Source: Department of Education, Gauteng Provincial Government
(http://www.education.gpg.gov.za/)
