–>
Country Director Kahkonen said:
“The World Bank is delighted to support efforts to enhance both the quality of and the access to education for young South Africans. We are proud to partner with the Western Cape Education Department to share international good practice and expertise tailored to the local context and challenges, which will empower young people with the relevant skills to realize their full potential and be active in the economy.”
The report indicates that the Western Cape has higher learning levels than other provinces in South Africa, according to international assessments, but that despite these achievements, we still face serious challenges in terms of learning in the province, as does the rest of South Africa.
The report proposes specific interventions to address this learning crisis:
–>
Strengthening the foundations of learning through access to better quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) services;
Support for teachers, with increased emphasis on early grades; focusing continuous professional development on how to teach to supplement what to teach (i.e., curriculum and assessment), and building teachers’ capabilities to address a typically diverse range of learner abilities within individual classes;
Implementing and testing innovations in education service delivery that would improve both learning and access, and leveraging public-private partnerships; and
Close monitoring of all initiatives to ensure implementation is on track and that data is used to assess progress regularly and course correct as needed.
–>
The report acknowledges our #BackOnTrack programme to reverse learning losses as an example of our Department’s “agility, strategic sense, and creativity in problem-solving”.
It also acknowledges our need to accommodate thousands of additional learners entering the system every year, and that our Rapid School Build program is potentially the most cost-effective way to expand the network of schools quickly.
Finally, the report highlights the role that our annual systemic tests play in highlighting the gaps in learning, and how they could be used to target resources to learners who need additional support.
Thank you to the World Bank officials and contributors who developed this report, and the WCED officials who assisted in the process.
–>
Our department will now analyse the findings and recommendations with a view to further improving learning outcomes and giving our children a better future in the Western Cape.
The World Bank’s report is available here: https://wcedonline.westerncape.gov.za/western-cape-education-sector-analysis
Statement issued by David Maynier, Western Cape Minister of Education, 17 September 2024
politicsweb.co.za
www.politicsweb.co.za
