Key Outcome One: Quality Basic Education

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Key Outcome One: Quality Basic Education

Presentation to

Ad Hoc Committee

03 February 2010

Cape Town

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Topics to be covered

Challenges in Basic Education

Main causes of the problems

Outline of outputs and targets identified

Key interventions and activities to realise outputs and targets

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What are the causes of the problems?

High level of consensus that we face a crisis in basic education that require urgent remediation

Need accurate diagnosis of problems and causes of failure if we are to design effective solutions

Failing in primary objective: most schools do not have conditions required for effective attainment of learning outcomes

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What are the causes of the problems? (continued)

• Key factors contributing to system failure: Socio-cultural environment within and outside schools; enabling policy context coupled with capable bureaucracy to support schools effectively; school management and governance; teacher capability and commitment; parental involvement; adequacy of fixed infrastructure; and adequacy of teaching and learning inputs

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What is to be done?

• Past efforts have not been effective - need fundamental shift in how we intervene in the system

• Two key dimensions to approach:– Strategic interventions designed to promote

effectiveness in the delivery of the basic education mandate – balance short- & long-term interventions

– Leveraging accelerated delivery through focus on performance management, accountability and remediation through The Presidency

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KEY OUTPUTS AND TARGETS FOR OUTCOME: “QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION”

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> Focussing on outcomes

107,000 175,000 Number of learners qualifying to study

at the Bachelors level af ter Grade 12

Bachelor’s Degree Qualifiers

Mathematics passes3

Physical Science passes

Maths and Science pass rate

MetricCurrent Value1

Target Value2

136,184

149,676

250 000

171,600

Note: 12008 or 2009 value unless otherwise indicated; 22014 value unless otherwise indicated; 3Mathematics does not include the subject Maths LiteracySource: Education Statistics in South Africa, 2007; Expert Interviews; Dept of Education; Monitor Analysis

Better Senior Certificate Exam

Performance

3 Performance is major determinant of access to tertiary level Improved performance is indicator of better-educated young people who are therefore more capable of

finding a job Improved country competitiveness and greater innovation in all spheres results from having more

graduates with higher levels of academic and practical skills

This increase will bring overall maths pass rate up to ~50%, requiring an YOY increase in students who pass of 13%

Physical science pass rate to rise f rom 70% to 80% (2.8% YOY)

Implies a 10% increase per annum

This will increase competition for places at university, thereby raising the calibre of students at both universities and non-degree tertiary institutions

Rationale

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> Focussing on outcomes

36%

35%

60%

60%

Percentage of learners functioning at the required level in Literacy

Percentage of learners functioning at the required level in Numeracy

Grade 3 Literacy and Numeracy3

Percentage of learners functioning at the required level in Language

Percentage of learners functioning at the required level in Maths



Target Value2

Note: 12008 or 2009 value unless otherwise indicated; 22014 value unless otherwise indicated; 3Based on scores attained in systematic evaluations of Literacy and Numeracy administered by independent bodies commissioned by the Dept of EducationSource: Dr A Kanjee, HSRC; Dr V Reddy, Dept of Education; Dept of Education Staff; Expert Interviews; Monitor Analysis

Improved Literacy and Numeracy at

Schools

2 Literacy and numeracy are important building blocks in establishing an educational foundation for later learning

Improved literacy and numeracy at schools are important to improve overall levels of literacy in society, which results in social benefits, such as health benefits

Higher numeracy and literacy will reduce dropouts and grade repetition and thus increase efficiency of educational system

Percentage of learners functioning at the required level in Language

Percentage of learners functioning at the required level in Maths


Testing both literacy and numeracy at the end of each of the major phases of the education process will indicate the ef f icacy of teaching and learning within each phase, and indicate where further work needs to be done

Over 5 years it should be achievable to raise the proportion of students operating at the required level to 60%,

– This will particularly apply if the focus of attention and resources is the bottom 80%

– The dif ferentiated targets take into account the large disparities that continue to exist in the system

Rationale

60%

60%

60%

60%

38%

27%

N / A

N / A

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> Activities that will improve the quality of schooling

Not known4 100%

Easy-to-use LTSMs3 available to teachers at bottom 80% of schools

– Lesson plans, Gr. 1-9

– Gr. 1-6: Workbooks

– Gr. 7-12: Workbooks and textbooks

– Teacher Manuals

Delivery of LTSMs3

Average % scores attained by teachers in IQMS5 evaluations

Average % scores attained by teachers in independent evaluations

Curriculum coverage

Pedagogy assessment

Teacher Quality Improve-ment


Target Value2

Not known

Not known

Not known

Not known

No target

TBC

100%

70%6

Note: 12008 or 2009 value unless otherwise indicated; 22014 value unless otherwise indicated; 3Learning and Teaching Support Materials – workbooks ,lesson plans and teacher manuals; 4No value for LTSM delivery as this is a new initiative, however, distribution of textbooks to schools is currently at 98%; 5Integrated Quality Management System, which is an internally administered assessment by schools; 6Achievement in Assessment of essentials of pedagogy, however 100% of teachers should attain this required level in knowledge and practice of teachingSource: Expert Interviews; Dept of Education Staff; Monitor Analysis

High Quality of Teaching and

Learning

1 Higher curriculum completion levels and increased teacher attendance will result in better learning

High availability of LTSMs3 and standardized lesson plans will reduce teacher inconsistency and mitigate low teacher quality

Knowing that objective evaluations are conducted, teachers will be motivated to absorb the subject material, and as a result should be better able to teach their classes; furthermore, teachers will be empowered to identify and address areas in which they need to improve

Consistent provision of LTSMs3 that are accessible to teachers and learners will provide crucial support to both parties

Rationale

These metrics need to be measured in order to establish an appropriate

baseline and target

Teachers (continued)

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> Activities that will improve the quality of schooling

~70%

17,600

95%

TBC

Number of children registered for Grade R as % of the age 5 population cohort

No. of schools offering Grade R

National Participation of Grade R Learners


Target Value2

Note: 12008 or 2009 value unless otherwise indicated; 22014 value unless otherwise indicatedSource: V Reddy, HSRC; Dept of Education Staff; Monitoring the Wellbeing of Children: A Rights- and Evidence-based Approach for South Africa, A Dawes; Scaling up Early Childhood Development (ECD) (0-4 years) in South Africa: ECD In South Africa, Biersteker and Streak, 2008; Expert Interviews; Monitor Analysis

Early Childhood Development

4 Grade R is a critical preparatory period for a child’s time in school, as participation in Grade R is thought

to be a crucial determinant of success in the first years of primary school

Other factors such as nutrition and health status are influential factors on early educational development

It is imperative to accelerate access for all children to this opportunity

A 13.7% YOY increase in the number of children in Grade R facilities is a high, but achievable target

Rationale

375,000

16% (2006)

12%

Avg. 30:1

N / A

600,000

22%

60%

8:1 (<3y)20:1 (3-5y)

TBC

Children in subsidised facilities

Enrolment in (subsidised) ECD facilities

% of staf f trained to standard levels

Child:Staf f ratios

% of facilities offering nutritional support

Access to and Quality of ECD Facilities

2010/11 target f rom 2006 was 560,000

This is the original 2011 target (Biersteker & Streak, p.71)

Ambitious target necessary to stimulate EPWP training

Impact of ECD is diminished where ratios are too high

Nutrition is a major factor in successful development

N / ATo be

measured

% of children who spend 20 hrs of educationally stimulating time with caregivers (e.g. playing games with shapes and colors, rawing) per week

Home Environment Stimulation

Much of childhood development occurs outside formal educational contexts

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KEY INTERVENTIONS AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO

ACHIEVE THE OUTPUTS AND TARGETS IDENTIFIED

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Ensure credible outcomes-focussed planning and accountability system

• Necessary condition for effective turnaround

• Critical to establish comprehensive and contextually-relevant accountability system

• Standardised and credible learner performance assessments in Grades 3, 6 & 9. Ensure parents and other stakeholders use this for school improvement and accountability

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A basic education sector plan

• Key innovation for 2010: Basic Education Sector Plan.

• Will contain clear outputs, targets and activities

• Will form basis for sector accountability as well as all levels of system down to school level

• Will serve to purposefully marshal stakeholder involvement in practical implementation

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Ensure minimum threshold of school functionality

• Single most important factor if one excludes socio-economic factors from equation

• Establish – in collaboration with provincial education departments – national education management development academy

• Establish adequate capability in districts to effectively support schools – marshal private sector and NGO support

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Ensure all teacher have required capability, commitment and practice

• Too many teachers cannot pass tests that their own learners are expected to pass

• Serious problems related to commitment and practice

• This despite significant investment in teacher development

• Strategy 2 dimensions: – Labour peace and stability– Dedicated teacher development Institute

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Ensure effective implementation of the curriculum

• 2009 review led to important revisions: Streamline learning areas, teacher administrative burden, development and supply of textbooks and other learning and teaching support materials

• Focus on numeracy and literacy in early grades plus maths, science and languages in senior grades

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Ensure effective implementation of the curriculum (continued)

• Supply workbooks and other resources that compensate for challenges in teacher capability and school/system functionality

• Improved capability at district level to support curriculum implementation

• e-Learning strategy

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Ensure bureaucracies have capability to support school improvement and

accountability

• Serious weaknesses in this area, especially in provincial and district structures that serve areas catering for high concentrations of poor learners

• All education departments need to reconfigure themselves to be more capable of direct support, ensuring accountability and undertaking required interventions

• This is a key priority for the basic education sector going forward

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Improve learner retention

• Important issue that has attracted much interest• Gross enrolment is about 88% but only 50% of

youths reach Grade 12 and about a third of youths obtain a NSC

• We compare favourably to other countries (Brazil, Botswana, Thailand) but clearly situation not ideal

• Two-fold strategy:– Quality and pass rate throughout schooling system– More post-school alternative pathways

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Achieve universal and quality Grade R and ECD

Aim of universal Grade R in 2014 stands.

Serious concerns around the quality of Gr R in many schools – poorly paid and under-qualified teachers in some schools, excessive number of learners per class in others. One intervention currently under way is increase in number of teachers with at least level 4 (Gr 12) training. Further quality improvement strategies will have to be developed

Increase coverage of children in subsidised ECD sites and improve practitioner training

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Ensure adequate resourcing of schools

• Had huge investment, but too many learners continue to experience conditions that are unacceptable. Two main reasons for this:– Below adequate funding and resource inputs

– Poor capacity to convert financial resources to required inputs, effective utilisation and maintenance thereof

• Research shows No Fee policy working well

• Will develop a comprehensive infrastructure development action plan during 2010 to deal with pressing shortcomings

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Conclusion

• Contents of presentation has drawn from discussion in HD Cluster, Council of Education Ministers and with stakeholders

• Further development will happen following January 2010 Cabinet Lekgotla and CEM

Documents

Key Outcome One: Quality Basic Education