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NPFTED REPORT-BACK. Portfolio Committee on Education 27 February 2007 Palesa Tyobeka Deputy Director-General: General Education Department of Education. Progress summary. Revision of policy framework almost complete Implementation is already under way Recruitment campaign
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NPFTED REPORT-BACK Portfolio Committee on Education 27 February 2007 Palesa Tyobeka Deputy Director-General: General Education Department of Education
Progress summary • Revision of policy framework almost complete • Implementation is already under way • Recruitment campaign • Fundza Lushaka bursaries • CPTD programme planning and development • Organisational support
Revised policy framework • Teacher education and the quality of teaching are rightly in national spotlight • Teachers are strategic national asset, so policy framework must empower them • Advice from stakeholders has been taken seriously • Likewise lessons from HEQF reviews of teacher education programmes
Revised policy framework • Revision of policy framework is well advanced • HEDCOM and CEM have been advised and consulted along the way • Final document should be approved and published very soon • Need to keep somewhat open-ended, to improve in light of experience
Framework implementation • Strong support for main components of framework, so • Early implementation possible on several fronts • DoE has moved ahead in partnership with provinces, HEIs and SACE
Recruitment campaign • Fundza Lushaka – educate the nation – is the banner under which our recruitment campaign is launched • We are promoting teaching as a career of choice for very able, committed young (and mature) South Africans • Watchwords: challenge, service, fulfilment
Recruitment campaign • Campaign targets • Top high school learners seeking a challenging and socially valuable career • Higher education students looking to put their qualifications to best use • Mature citizens wanting to switch to a more fulfilling career • Former teachers who would like to return
Recruitment campaign • Intrinsic incentives • Supreme challenge: good teaching demands exceptional intellectual and moral commitment from exceptional people • Fulfilment: teaching, guiding children and young people brings lifelong satisfaction • Social esteem: high quality, value-based teaching is backbone of social transformation
Recruitment campaign • Material incentives • Job security • Improved teachers’ pay and career prospects • Loan/bursaries from NSFAS for able but financially needy students • Fundza Lushaka Bursaries for able students in priority areas of need
Fundza Lushaka Bursaries • Fundza Lushaka Bursary Programme launched in December 2006 • Successful advertising campaign • R120 million this year = over 3 000 full-cost bursaries linked to service contracts • Excellent response: funds will be fully utilised
Fundza Lushaka Bursaries • Excellent collaboration from HEIs (VCs, Registrars, Deans of Education) • Outstanding co-operation from NSFAS which administers programme through hard-working student financial aid offices in HEIs • MECs for Education and PDE HoDs give superb support: Implementation Protocol ensures inter-provincial co-operation in placement of qualified bursary recipients
Fundza Lushaka Bursaries • Eligible students in 2007: • BEd (students in years 1, 2, 3 or 4) • BA/BSc/BCom/BTech (students in year 3 with majors suitable for admission to a PGCE, which students must commit themselves to enter after graduating) • PGCE students • Only in designated priority areas of need
Fundza Lushaka Bursaries • Priority areas of need in 2007 • Grades R-9: Foundation Phase; African Languages; English Language; Mathematics; Natural Science; Technology. • Grades 10-12: African Languages; English Language; Mathematics; Mathematical Literacy; Agricultural Sciences; Life Sciences; Physical Science; Agricultural, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Information and Computer Applications Technology; Engineering Graphics and Design.
Fundza Lushaka Bursaries • Eligible programmes and priority areas of need will be reviewed each year and amended if necessary • Bursaries convert to loans if students default • Defaulters must pay back according to NSFAS rules
Fundza Lushaka Bursaries • All HEIs apply national selection criteria: eligibility for academic programme + above average grades + interest in young people, commitment to teaching • Provincial education departments participate in selection with Faculties of Education
Fundza Lushaka Bursaries • R180 million committed for 2008 = 4 500+ bursaries • R400 million committed for 2009 = 9 000+ bursaries • Plus bursary recipients in pipeline • Adds up to massive national commitment to meet priority teaching needs
Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) • DoE/SACE working in partnership to plan and develop national programme • Est. 18-24 months before fully operational • But phased implementation necessary • Meanwhile priority in-service programmes continue (NPDE, ACE)
Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) • CPTD programme is based on • Supporting teachers’ own assessment of needs through IQMS • Addressing defined weaknesses • Using experience and expertise in the system as much as possible • School-based activities as much as possible • Developmental not punitive concept
Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) • SACE will be empowered to manage the national programme in terms of its statutory mandate • All SACE-endorsed professional development activities will earn PD points • All teachers will be expected to accumulate a target number of points each 3-year cycle
Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) • Success and risk factors are being studied by DoE/SACE task team to ensure feasibility of programme • Serious risks must be avoided • Less serious risks must be managed
Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) • Successful programme will require: • Confidence and support of teachers • PD points system that will serve real professional needs • Serious quality control and assurance • Strong support by provincial, district, school leadership • Robust, accurate databases for educators/programmes
Organisational support • Development and implementation of policy framework is getting strong support from • DoE Inter-Branch Committee on Teacher Education • DoE/SACE task team on CPTD • DoE interaction with Deans of Education Forum • CEM/HEDCOM oversight + HEDCOM Sub-Ctee on Teacher Education for provincial liaison
Organisational support • Need for stakeholder advisory body will be kept under review • Parliamentary oversight through Portfolio Committee on Education is highly appreciated
Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) • DoE will allocate R5 million to SACE for initial planning and development costs • Other grants will follow as development plans are approved • Investment cost of programme must be measured against total multi-billion Rand teacher salary bill • CPTD is an investment in education quality: the programme must produce more effective learning