President Jacob Zuma will undertake a monitoring and evaluation visit to the Eastern Cape on 7 June 2011. The visit follows the President’s commitment that he will undertake monitoring and evaluation visits across the country linked to the five priorities of government.
The visits are meant to allow the President to experience firsthand progress government is making in the implementation of its programmes against the priorities.
The President has after the signing of performance agreements with ministers mandated ministers to develop and sign delivery agreements in line with the twelve outcomes. The outcomes are meant to increase the strategic focus of government in the delivery of five priorities. The delivery agreements are signed by line function ministers and other national departments, provinces and municipalities who have a role to play in the delivery of the set outcome. They are a charter between all the key role players who need to work together to achieve the outcome.
Since the signing of the delivery agreements the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation has started with the monitoring of the implementation of the outcomes. The first set of reports on all the outcomes were submitted to Cabinet in February 2011. The next reports will be presented to Cabinet during the month of June. These reports will be considered quarterly and incorporated in the Programme of Action and published on the government and Presidency websites.
The President will undertake visits to different provinces focusing on one outcome per visit. The Eastern Cape will be the first such province to be visited in line with this new approach. The focus on the Eastern Cape visit will be based on outcome one which is about attaining an Improved quality of basic education. In July the President will visit Limpopo province focusing on outcome two which is about attaining a long and healthy life for all South Africans.
During this visit the President will be accompanied by the Premier of the Eastern Cape, Ministers of Basic Education, Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Planning Commission, Higher Education and Training, Public Works, Finance, Sports and Recreation, Water Affairs and Environment, Energy and members of the provincial Executive Council indicating the inter-sectoral nature of the outcomes approach. The focus will be on progress both the province and schools are making towards improving the quality of basic education.
The President will visit three schools in King Williams Town district and East London. The visit will conclude with a meeting with the Eastern Cape Executive Council. The focus will be to get progress directly at the school level rather than relying on reports. The schools to be visited are Sobantu and Mzomhle high schools and Vulumzi primary. The three schools have been selected to expose the President to both challenges and successes.
Sobantu High School has been chosen because in the past three years it has performed consistently well. This is despite the fact that it is a rural school with very limited resources. Teachers in Sobantu have demonstrated dedication to teaching and learners are committed to their studies. Sobantu is a good example that shows that while resources are important in improving the performance of a school, teachers, learners and parents dedicated to education are even more critical.
Mzomhle High School was the first secondary school to be built in Mdantsane Township. Compared to Sobantu and many other township schools, Mzomhle possesses good resources and has a large number of teachers. Its performance however has not always matched the resource advantage the school has. While Mzohle’s matric results improved last year (2010), there is a lot more the school needs to do. Cognisant of the need to improve the performance of the school, the school community has developed a well thought out plan to turn things around.
Vulumzi Primary School is also based in Mdantsane Township. The school also draws its learners from very poor families. Vulumzi has had problems with crime committed against the school community, including its very young learners. The President is visiting Vulumzi to highlight the importance of primary education in improving the overall quality of education. Most importantly, the President wants to address the issue of crime with members of the community.
The school visits will serve to expose the President and his delegation to experiences of those who are using the service, the learners and parents. It will also give the President a chance to meet with the providers of education at coal face that is teachers, principals and members of the School Governing Body (SGB). He will also interact with provincial officials with the view of monitoring the provinces’ contribution to the delivery agreement.
The basic education delivery agreement focuses on the following four outputs:
Output one: Improve the quality of teaching and learning
Output two: Undertake regular assessments to track progress
Output three: Improve early childhood development
Output four: Ensure credible outcome focused planning and accountability
In terms of output one the President will be looking at whether teachers are exposed to teacher development, including whether teachers find it helpful, and whether the schools received their textbooks and stationery on time this year. At primary schools the focus will be on whether workbooks were delivered on time and are being used and that they are of the correct grade and language.
In terms of output two: The focus will be to understand how the schools performed in terms of Annual National Assessments (ANA) and matric results. In terms of matric the focus will be whether schools have an improvement plan, and how far they are in implementing their plan and whether they receive support from district on the plan. In primary schools the focus will be on whether the school sat for ANA, and what the results are.
In terms of output four: Management is a key issue which affects the running of the school apart from resources. The team will find out whether schools produce the required minimum set of management documents which will be confirmed by the district. The documents include budget, school development plan, teacher and learner attendance register. The SGB and the parent community will be asked whether teachers are on time and teaching the required hours.
Output three focuses on grade R related issues and will therefore be discussed in the meeting with the Executive Council looking at grade R coverage and its challenges.
The President will also examine progress following the Cabinet’s decision to invoke section 100(1) b and will discuss with the Executive Council progress made on this intervention.
Enquiries:
Harold Maloka
Cell: 082 847 9799
E-mail: harold@po.gov.za or Maloka.harold@gmail.com
Source: The Presidency
