NCS Implementation Review: Task Team Report- CEM Decisions Towards Implementation

1. NCS Implementation Review:Task Team Report-CEM Decisions Towards Implementation Presentation to the Select Committee 11 August 2010 1

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3. Overview of the Presentation Terms of Reference of the Task Team on NCS Implementation Review Recommendations of the Task Team on the NCS Implementation Review Comparison of selected recommendations with the current policy positions Curriculum Implementation changes effective in 2010 and beyond

4. Terms of Reference for the Task Team Identify challenges and pressure points in the implementation of the NCS Grades R-12 Investigate how challenges could be addressed Develop a set of practical interventions to respond to the noted challenges

5. A Clear, Simple Five Year Plan to Improve Teaching and Learning The plan should provide a vision of a bigger picture in terms of what education and the curriculum are set to do and achieve The plan must offer the support to teachers and the improvement of learner performance The plan to include external monitoring to assess whether it has the desired effects on learner and teacher performance

6. A Set of Simple and Coherent Curriculum Documents Develop a single Overview Curriculum and Assessment policy document for Grade R-12 that must ensure coherence The learning area and subject documents to be organised around knowledge (content, concepts and skills) to be learnt, with recommended texts, pedagogical approaches and assessment requirements Document to address knowledge gaps that have been identified Document to include simple and subject-specific assessment guidelines

7. A Set of Simple and Coherent Curriculum Documents Provide specification and support for effective teaching in Home Languages and English as a First Additional Language for learners in the early grades Develop separate, special guideline documents for learners with barriers to learning and multi-grade classes aligned to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy documents The Foundations for Learning should be replicated in all schools as soon as possible and be integrated as a programme into the curriculum.

8. Assessment Regular external annual assessment of Mathematics, Home Language and English FAL in Grade 3 & 6 & 9 Finalise promotion and progression requirements for Grades R-12 as well as grading descriptors for all grades The balance between year marks and examinations should be 50%: 50% for Grades 4-9 and 25% year mark and 75% exam mark for Grades 10-12 CTAs to be replaced with annual national testing for all Grade 9 learners in Maths, HL and FAL (English)

9. Teacher Training Targeted in-service teacher training must be provided where is it needed most Principals, HODs, District and Provincial Support Staff should be trained on curriculum and content and assessment requirements HEIs should be required to align their teacher training programmes with the national curriculum documents with national curriculum The DBE will align this process with processes in place following the Teacher Summit

10. Clarification of Roles with respect to Curriculum Production, Dissemination, Monitoring and Support Clarify the roles of curriculum advisors nationally, specifying the exact nature of the in-classroom and school support they should provide. Clarify the roles of the national, provincial and district level support for curriculum

11. LTSM Develop a national catalogue of textbooks and other LTSM aligned to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Document Reassert the role of textbooks and other LTSM Plan for the provision of a textbook for all learners (Grade 4-12) for every learning area / subject and relevant LSM (Foundation Phase) Develop mechanisms and guidelines to manage textbook pricing

12. Plans for 2010 Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement documents will be developed in 2010 and implemented in 2011 in schools In 2010, teachers will use the current NCS policy documents to plan and prepare for teaching The number of projects required for each learning area/subject will be reduced to one project per year per learning area/subject

13. Plans for 2010 Teachers will be required to develop a single �Teacher File� despite the number of subjects taught All learner portfolios as separate, formal compilations of assessment tasks will no longer be required. School-based formal assessment for promotion and progression to be kept in relevant mode. CTAs discontinued with effect from 2010

14. PLANNING FOR 2011 AND BEYOND 14

15. Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) The draft CAPS documents will be submitted to publishers at the end of July 2010 to facilitate the development of LTSM The CAPS documents will be published for public comment as required by the National Education Policy Act (NEPA) The CAPS documents will replace all previous NCS Policy documents The CAPS will be implemented in the Foundation Phase in 2011 and in Grades 4-12 in 2012 The CAPS will be called: National Curriculum Statement, Curriculum and Assessment Policy, as amended on 1 January 2011 A Technical Task Team will be established to manage the implementation of the CAPS