“Consolidating our collective efforts”: Care and support for teaching and learning conference, Pretoria
The need for care and support for children within the education setting has been well established. It is in this regard that the Department of Basic Education in partnership with UNICEF and MIET AFRICA will be hosting the Inaugural National Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) Conference on 12-13 June 2018 at the St George Hotel and Conference Centre in Irene, Pretoria. The conference is being convened in recognition of the number of initiatives that have over the years enabled children to access school, stay in school and achieve to their full potential by addressing the wide-range of barriers to teaching and learning.
Towards this end, the conference has two objectives, namely: to share the DBE’s nationally adopted framework for care and support including its vision and purpose; and to provide an opportunity for role-players to showcase the range of initiatives currently being implemented in schools under the ten priority areas of CSTL in order to strengthen collaboration and co-ordination in the sector.
Approximately 230 delegates ranging from CSTL policy implementers, policy makers, policy influencers, learners, and educators will attend the conference.
The CSTL is not a new policy or programme. Rather, it provides an overarching framework to cohere the range of existing care and support initiatives led by the Department and other partners. The integrated package of services represented by the ten priority areas of CSTL have been identified as effective in addressing common barriers that many learners face. These are: (1) a rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school; (2) nutrition; (3) health promotion; (4) infrastructure, water and sanitation; (5) social welfare services; (6) psycho-social support; (7) safety and protection; (8) curriculum support; (9) co-curricular support; and (10) material support.
The conference takes place in the year in which we celebrate the 100th year of Nelson Mandela’s life. Given his lifelong struggle for the freedom and wellbeing of children, and the focus of the centenary celebration of inculcating a values-based society and of confronting and eradicating poverty and inequality, the conference will foreground these messages in delivering on children’s right to basic education.
Enquiries:
Elijah Mhlanga
Cell: 083 580 8275
E-mail: mhlanga.e@dbe.gov.za
Troy Martens
Cell: 079 899 3070
E-mail: martens.t@dbe.gov.za
Sudeshan Reddy
Cell: 082 561 3970
E-mail: sureddy@unicef.org
Shéla McCullough
Cell: 082 749 1082
E-mail: shela@miet.co.za
