ANALYSIS OF EXAMINATION RESULTS AND THE LEARNER ATTAINMENT STRATEGY

Introduction

National pass rates - not enough to provide useful information on the following key priorities: 1. Access and retention of learners in the education system 2. Improved quality 3. Gateway subjects 4. National Strategy for Learner Attainment- dealing with under-performance The approach on this analytical effort focuses: 1. Access - Numbers passing 2. Quality - Numbers passing with endorsement 3. Gateway subjects especially in Mathematics and Science 4. Under-performance in all schools

2006 School Realities DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, RSA 1.Learners (97.2%) public schools (2.8%) independent schools 2.Teachers (95%) public schools (5%) independent schools teachers for learners in secondary schools-Matric Results 3.Schools schools public 95.8%) independent (4.2%) 4.Learner to teacher ratio 32.6 public schools 17.5 independent schools

Class of The cohort that began formal schooling in Have had 12 years of schooling in a democratic, non-racial, transformed single education system 3.First group of learners to write 11 subjects set nationally 4.Highest number writing the Senior Certificate Examination since : : : : :

Examination Administration Examination Statistics No. Wrote: No. of Exam Centres:8 124 No. of Marking Centres:81 No. of Markers: No. of Question Papers:1 489 No. of examiners:1 492 No. of Internal Moderators:554

Examination Administration Examination Process: 1.Setting and moderation of Question papers. 2.External moderation of Question papers by Umalusi. 3.Editing, translation and printing of question papers 4.Registration of Exam Centres. 5.Registration of candidates. 6.Distribution of question papers. 7.Writing of the examination. 8.Marking 9.Standardisation 10.Processing and Release of results

Quality of Examination Papers 1.First Senior Certificate examination where eleven of the subjects were set nationally. 2.Panels of examiners with internal and external moderation. 3.More cognitively demanding question papers.

STATEMENT BY HIGHER EDUCATION SOUTH AFRICA (HESA) 1.“Congratulates the Department of Education on the strides made in securing the integrity of the examination process” 2.“The challenge well-recognized by the Department of Education is to shift the focus to issues of quality, language and the need to produce high level outcomes and disparities in provision 3.“Evidence need to be produced that there is an increase in the cognitive and conceptual demand on exam papers and that examiners and markers are well prepared that set new levels of engagement for learners and that these new demands are reflected in classroom practices and a strong focus on teacher development” HESA-29 December 2006

Approval of the 2006 Senior Certificate Examination 1.Umalusi approved the 2006 Senior Certificate Examination on 20 December In the approval of the results, Umalusi noted the following: Improved Administrative Systems. improvement in the quality of question papers. Increase in the number of learners writing the Senior Certificate

Increased Cognitive Demand Statement from the Umalusi report notes : ‘ …. an increase in cognitive challenge of the national question papers. This has been a welcome move, and it will very well assist in preparing the learners for the challenges of the 2008 curriculum and the new National Senior Certificate (NSC)

Irregularities 1.Most irregularities- administrative in nature. 2.All irregularities- reported to the National Examination Irregularities Committee (NEIC). 3.Most administrative irregularities- dealt with prior to the release of the 2006 results

Umalusi Declaration “ On the whole Umalusi is satisfied that the 2006 examination were conducted in a manner that renders them fair, valid and reliable. Umalusi wishes to report that there were few reported irregularities but these were addressed appropriately, and therefore Umalusi endorses the fact that the credibility of the 2006 examinations is above reproach” Umalusi report on the 2006 SC examination

RESULTS

ProvinciaL Efficiency gains EASTERN CAPE FREE STATE GAUTENG KWAZULU- NATAL LIMPOPO MPUMALANGA NORTHERN CAPE NORTH WEST WESTERN CAPE National

Passes per Gender 2001 – 2006 Narrowing the gap towards gender parity YEARMALE % FEMALE % DIFF. %

Passes per Gender from 2001 – 2006 Narrowing the gap towards gender parity

DISTRIBUTION OF DISTRICT PERFORMANCE Province No. DistrictsLess 50 % %61-70 %71-80% % EC none FS 05 Nonenone none GP 12 none 01 02none KZN 12 none Nonenone LP 06 none none MP N/A 03none020301none NC 04 none NW 05 none none WC 07 none 01none

SUBJECT RESULTS

Dealing with under- performance in all schools

National Strategy for Learner Attainment NSLA An overarching or transversal programme directing the focus of the system to the achievement of all learners “A programme: –A planned and sustained series and set of related operations, projects, activities, strategies, interventions with short and long term objectives of raising learner performance and ensuring improved quality learner achievement –Not once-off, cosmetic, response to crisis or isolated/silo feature Integrates nine provincially driven complimentary strategies An overarching / is by design rather than by default and that it is a true reflection of the health of the system – achievement / performance must be guaranteed

NSLA In schools – seeks to raise learner achievement from Gr. R to Gr. 12 Initial focus on foundation and FET phases May need to employ different strategies, approaches for different learners All learners can learn therefore all learners can achieve –Move beyond the narrow constraint of only academic, scholastic, theoretical knowledge… –Learners can achieve at a variety and at varied levels –Must at least ensure that learners perform optimally / achieve within current programmes Therefore there is still a role and place for “special or specific” interventions, remedial and corrective strategies The institution (schools) remain the central place for the execution of our core mandate and for executing the NSLA A strategies, interventions (education system) t Not once-off, cosmetic, response to crisis or isolated/silo feature Integrates several complimentary strategies

NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR LEARNER ATTAINMENT (NSLA) Strategic site-based focus: Comprehensive, integrated, diagnostic and targeted approach 1. Improving the overall performance- across all schools. 2. Improving the quality of learner attainment- Increased numbers of Learners passing with endorsements. 3. schools performing below the national average 4. All learners in the system- a fair chance to succeed (Integrated and comprehensive intervention to link NSLA with the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategy in GET) 5. Link with Mathematics, Science and Languages interventions 6. Monitoring and reporting (monthly HEDCOM and CEM reports): A teacher in the classroom - a textbook for every learner in each subject 7. Diagnostic and targeted specific projects and interventions- Increased numbers passing Science, Mathematics and gateway subjects, Eliminating lowest 20% performance in each province, more than 10% below previous performance; New teachers and first matric classes in the schools; Increased endorsements in schools with 100% passes, More HDI learners in the top 50 in each province and more quality and consistency in well endowed schools Ministerial Remit to the IPEC Lekgotla I. Academic and situational analysis of schools that performed badly II. Some typical questions: Did they have learning resources; Are all management and teaching posts filled; What subjects were failed and do the schools have teachers for these subjects; What parts of the syllabus give more problems; How does 2006 compares with previous performances and District offices-does it have staff, resources and can it provide support.

School Development Teacher Development Learner Attainment NSLA

SCHOOL Province DISTRICT INTERVENTIONS Monitoring visits Reporting to HEDCOM and CEM PIPPIP DIP MAKING THE NSLA NATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN WORK S chool D evelopment S trategy School self-evaluation SDPSDP

MAKING NSLA WORK Educator development –Integrate with School Improvement Plan –Focus on IQMS – responding to development needs; –Establish SMT responsibility; –3-year plans for educator development & curriculum training –Focus on content of learning areas/subjects 1.School Visits 2.Appropriate monitoring tools 3.Teacher orientation Workshops 4. EXAM Feedback/ ITEM ANALYSIS

MAKING THE NSLA WORK Learner achievement: –Grade 1 – 12; –Focus on ; –Focused and targeted interventions; –Teaching and learning time, actual learner activity, assessment, remedial/intervention work; –Access to LTSM;

MAKING THE NSLA WORK Reporting Parental involvement Increased visits to schools – Learning Area Managers and Circuit Managers Intensify all services and support to schools

Computerized system for tracking learner achievement and early interventions towards 00% success rate by 2014: IECS –All information relating to learner progression collected; –Includes all learners in the system; –Integrated database developed MAKING THE NSLA WORK

PROGRAMME FOR NSLA School Development Educator Development Learner Development School Dev Strategies School Dev/ Evaluation 9 Focus Areas IQMS Educator Dev. Needs Individual/ General N C S Learning Area/Subject/ examinations Learning Interventions Monitoring Value AddednessFair chance to succeed for all learners Target driven Use of examination and other credible data Integrated NSLA Programme

STRATEGIC IMPACT Enables every child to fulfill his or her potential Matches challenging targets with appropriate resources Achievement makes it easier for learners to go to HEIs or to access good jobs Decreases disengagement from education and from wider society Direct impact on Human Capital development initiatives

Schools with pass rate below 20%

Number of schools below 50% pass rate Province ChangeLER EC FS GP KZN LP MP NC NW WC NATIONAL

Dealing with under-performance in the system in schools-in an NSLA project of selected schools under 20% in schools – improved (87% success) 3.Improvement categories: 20 – 40% = 49 schools 41 – 60% = 25 schools 61 – 79% = 18 schools 80 – 100% = 7 schools 4.Transfer of lessons and experiences across all schools in 2007

CONCLUSION a national picture

YEARS IN COMPARISON Number enrolledNumber WroteNumber passedNumber with endorsement Number enrolled, writing and passing SC 2004 to 2006 examination