ANC Roadmap For Education

ANC PRESS RELEASE

ANC urges public debate on a Roadmap for Education

16 November 2008

Since April 2007, the ANC Health and Education Committee has been involved
in a major policy review of education, implementing the resolutions of the
ANC’s 52nd National Conference, held in December 2007.

The conference declared education and health major priorities for social
transformation for the next five years.

This has been a seven-month dynamic and participatory process led by the
ANC, involving the Alliance and relevant government departments. The process
was further broadened to involve interaction with a range of stakeholders,
including teachers and student organisations, policy analysts, academics,
etc. Various technical teams were established to work on a number of policy
areas.

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) hosted both the education and
health policy review processes, which culminated in the release of draft
reports on roadmaps for education and health.

It is against this background that we publicly release the report on
education for purposes of public discussion and debate. This report only
covers the Ten-Point Plan for the schooling system – from early childhood to
primary and secondary schooling. Further reports on higher education and
skills development will be further communicated to the public once they are
ready. The report on Roadmap for Health is being finalised and it will also
released to the public as soon as its ready.

The full report on Roadmap for Education and a leaflet on the ANC’s ‘Quality
Education for All’ campaign, launched on 15 August 2007, will soon be
available on the ANC’s website: www.anc.org.za.

Review of our schooling system

The ANC government has recorded significant achievements since 1994 in
transforming our schooling system from its apartheid past. Access to our
primary and secondary schooling has reached near universal enrollment, with
the participation of girls the highest in the world. Participation rate for
children aged 4 and 5 (Grade R) in early child development has now reached
70%. The matriculation pass rate has increased from 58% in 1994 to 65% in
2007. Pupil-to-teacher ratios have improved from 43:1 in 1996 to 32:1 in
2006.

Despite these significant achievements, major challenges remain in the
quality of education. This is demonstrated by the fact that more than
5-million of our people cannot read and write and our school system performs
poorly in areas like maths and science. We have not produced enough skills
required for our economy. As a result, skills shortage has become a binding
constraint on employment creation and growth.

This raises serious concerns regarding teaching and learning in our
schooling system, and therefore the need to review the experience we have
accumulated, including the implementation of Outcome Based Education (OBE).
Contrary to press reports, no decision has been taken to scrap OBE. The
review process of the department of education will guide us on its future.

The infrastructure backlog has been highlighted. This requires more
resources and innovative ways to fund education system.

Ten-Point Plan for the schooling system

The report identifies key interventions – the 10-Point Plan – needed to
build on achievements made in the last 15 years, as well as addressing the
challenges going forward. The following constitute the proposed core
elements of interventions:

In-school

1. Teachers to be in-class, on time, teaching. Teachers to also be required
to have and use textbooks in class.

2. Focus efforts on improving the quality of early childhood education and
primary schools, including implementing the Foundations for Learning
Campaign emphasising the promotion of language and numeracy.

3. Conduct external tests for all grade 3 and grade 6 learners every year,
and provide the results to parents.

4. Ensure effective evaluation of all teachers based on the extent to which
learner performances improve, with results influencing occupationally
specific dispensation pay for teachers.

5. Enhance recruitment of quality teachers and strengthen teacher
development

Support to school

6. Strengthen management capacity to ensure working districts and schools.
This entails bringing in management capacity from the private sector, civil
society and elsewhere in the public sector:

• Phase in a process of measurable improvements through targeting efforts at
  selected education districts and dysfunctional schools.
• Use of infrastructure budgets as an incentive for schools that deliver
  improved teaching and learning.

7. Increase the use of ICT in education, including audiovisual teaching
materials in the classroom to supplement teaching and demonstrate quality
teaching to learners and educators.

8. Improve national-provincial alignment and efficiency of education
expenditure, through procuring textbooks nationally and allocating resources
to improve district capacity. In this regard, the use of conditional grants
is an important tool to ensure alignment.

Societal

9. Develop a social compact for quality education. This will include a
National Consultative Forum dedicated to clarifying the “non-negotiables”
and performance targets for key stakeholders, and the monitoring thereof.
Mobilisation of communities at all levels should be encouraged to raise
awareness and participation in education issues. Examples include graduates
assisting their former schools, corporate social investment, party branch
campaigns to clean up schools, and supporting food gardens, and encouraging
young graduates to enter teaching (“Teach SA”).

10. Implement poverty combating measures that improve the environment for
learning and teaching, such as a nutrition programme (cross-cutting
programme with health), basic infrastructure for schools, and social support
for children.

The ANC is upbeat and encouraged by the achievements of the education
roadmap process and wishes to acknowledge the contribution of the
participants. The public is invited to participate in the debate on
education as are structures and that of the alliance have already started .

Issued by
Zweli Mkhize
Chairperson:
Education and Health Committee

African National Congress