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 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 = bursaries R400 million committed for 2009 = 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 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