1. PRESENTATION OF THE META-ANALYSIS OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM NEEDU SYSTEMIC EVALUATIONS ( ): Planned time versus implemented time: Making every minute to advance learning South African Principals Association 26 May 2017

2. OUTLINE Purpose Systemic evaluations: 2012-2016 Focus areas
Centrality of teaching time
Factors that lead to loss of teaching time
A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings on teaching time
Implications of NEEDU findings for the sector
Concluding remarks

3. PURPOSE To provide opportunity to PASA representatives to:
note and discuss the NEEDU meta-analysis of the first five-year cycle systemic evaluations ( )

4. Systemic Evaluations: 2012-2016
Year
Semester
Location
School Phase
Province
District
School
2012
Second
Urban
Foundation (Grade 1-3) 9 15
134
2013
First
Rural monograde
Intermediate (Grade 4-6) 16 99
Rural multigrade
Multigrade (Grade 1-6) 18
120
2014
Urban and rural
FET (Grade 10-12) 12 93
Senior (Grade 7-9) 13 90
2015
Follow up visits 26
158
Special schools 27
176
2016 24
115 14 75
TOTAL
1 060
Data collection methods
Document review:
teacher and learner attendance registers
teacher punctuality time books
teacher early departures registers
a sample of learners’ written work
Observation of behaviour:
punctuality both in the morning and after breaks
use of time to provide meals through the NSNP
availability of reading materials in F Phase
Interviews with staff:
interviews with a sample of teachers and SMT members

5. Focus Areas Time Management Support Programmes for English LoLT
Support Programmes for Mathematics
District Support
Learning Outcomes in the LOLT
Learning Outcomes in Mathematics
Availability of LTSM
Staffing
In-service education
Initial teacher education

6. Centrality of teaching time
Time management
OUTPUT GOAL
To master minimum language and mathematics competence
Curriculum Implementation
Staffing
District Support
Strong predictor of higher achievement

7. Centrality of teaching time
Empirical evidence points overwhelmingly to the powerful link between more teaching time in school and better outcomes for learners
If time is not managed effectively, it has a negative impact on learner proficiency owing to limited learning opportunities (e.g., poor curriculum coverage)
More compelling research findings consistently argue that the impact of time loss is often more detrimental in schools serving economically disadvantaged learners
The meta-analysis of NEEDU findings shows that the amount of time that teachers and learners actually spend at school (implemented time) deviates substantially from the allocated time in the school calendar (planned time).

8. Factors that lead to loss of teaching time
The variation between planned time and implemented time among schools is attributed to the following factors:
non-adherence to notional time allocation prescribed in the curriculum,
learner and teacher poor attendance,
learner and teacher late coming,
teachers leaving school early for a variety of reasons,
teachers and learners returning to class late after break,
poor time management for the NSNP, and
Early commencement of June and November examinations.

9. A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings
Indicator 1: Adherence to notional time allocation in mathematics and the lolt:
Examined timetables in the 694 schools offering FP, IP, SP and FET Phases
Many schools allocated less than stipulated notional time in maths (4.5 hours in FET & SP, 6 in IP, 7 in FP) & LOLT
Concepts and content are not covered in sufficient depth
Attempting to cover the curriculum in less time suggests only superficial coverage

10. A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings
Indicator 2: Teacher and learner attendance:
Data collected from 694 schools through interviews and review of attendance registers
Teachers were asked to respond using the following rating scale:
If teachers are not at school, time is lost entirely for all their learners
Never a problem
Seldom a problem
Often a problem
Always a problem

11. A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings
Indicator 3: Teacher and learner punctuality:
Data collected from 694 schools through interviews, review of time registers and observations
Teachers were asked to respond using the following rating scale:
If the teacher does not arrive on time, the whole class misses out
Maths is mostly compromised; first periods are mostly allocated to maths lessons
Never a problem
Seldom a problem
Often a problem
Always a problem

12. A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings
Indicator 4: Teachers leaving school early:
Data collected from 694 schools through interviews and review of the so called “movement” registers
In over 20% of the schools, teachers left the school early before the official closing time frequently or on a regular basis
In 95% of schools, teacher early departure was the main reason for time loss
Reasons for early departure are discused next

13. A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings
Indicator 4: Teachers leaving school early (Reasons):
Almost half (47.7%) of the days in high schools lost were to teacher training
Union meetings and memorial services, which together account for a quarter (24.7%) add no benefit whatsoever to teaching and learning–they are time wasted
Some extreme cases: One high school reported having lost 13 days to music concerts and another three schools lost more than 15 days to sports events.

14. A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings
Indicator 5: Teachers and learners returning late to class after break:
Data collected from 694 schools through interviews and observations
Teachers were asked to respond using the following rating scale:
Much time is also lost between lessons & at the end of breaks
In schools offering SP and FET Phases teachers returned to class after break later than their learners
Lessons taught immediately after break were affected
Never a problem
Seldom a problem
Often a problem
Always a problem

15. A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings
Indicator 6: Poor management of the NSNP:
Data collected from 604 schools through observations
In most schools offering the NSNP, time for serving meals was well-managed and did not interfere with teaching time
Few exceptions are illustrated in the graph

16. A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings
Indicator 7: Early commencement of June and November examinations:
Suspension of classes early in June and in November to write examinations reduces the length of the school year
Schools start exams early for various reasons including:
marking, preparing and issuing learner report cards on time
allowing matric candidates to have enough space and furniture during the NSC exams
allowing teachers who teach Grade 12 and other grades to finish marking before they go to mark in the NSC examination centres
When internal half-yearly and yearly-examinations start, teaching is suspended
Further investigation is needed to establish the amount of time lost as a result of early commencement of exams

17. Case study (School X): Early departure

18. Case study (School X): Early departure
Factors that led to loss of teaching time
No. %
Learner and teacher poor attendance 21
 13.39
Learner and teacher late coming
1.98
1.26 
Teachers leaving schools early for different reasons
133.85
85.35 
Attending Workshops organized by the district 45
28.69 
Attending teacher union meetings 1
 0.64
Attending memorial services  0
Attending sporting or other cultural activities 16
10.20 
Early departure for MEDICAL reasons
Early departure for PRIVATE and PERSONAL
Other
71.85
45.81
Teachers and learners returning to class late after break
not calculated
Poor time management for the NSNP
Early commencement of June and November exams
TOTAL TEACHER DAYS LOST
156.83
Number of teaching days in Term 1= 48 days 48
100
Number of teacher days
528
Total time lost divided by total teacher days
0.35
35.03
Number of days lost
16.82
Total time remaining out of 48 teaching days
31.18
64.97
By the end of Term 1, 157 teachers days were lost
Teacher early departures accounted for 85% of teacher days lost
Number of teaching days (planned time) in Term 1 = 48 days
Number of teaching days used to teach (implemented time) in Term 1 = days or 70.30%
Number of teaching days used lost (wasted time) in Term 1 = days or 29.7%
Excluded time loss: late return to class after break, NSNP and early start of internal exams

19. Implications of NEEDU findings for the sector
A meta-analysis of NEEDU findings between 2012 and 2016 on the use of teaching time was conducted in order to highlight the implications of these findings for education leaders and policy makers
Factors that Lead to the Loss of Teaching Time
Implications for the Education System
Current Practice in Schools
Addressing Gaps in the Current Practice
Non adherence to notional time as prescribed in CAPS
Examination of the timetables showed that many schools allotted less than the stipulated notional time to mathematics and the LOLT
SMTs and Districts need systems to monitor timetables early in Term 1 to make sure that they comply with time allocations prescribed in CAPS.
Returning late to class after break
In more than a quarter of schools offering Senior and FET Phases, late coming after break is rife and teachers return to class after break later than their learners. This remains undetected because there are no systems to curb this practice.
Schools need a system to ensure that no time is lost when periods change, teachers and learners return to class after break and when NSNP meals are served.
Districts need systems to monitor if schools have systems to prevent unnecessary loss of time and that these systems are strictly followed.
Poor management of the NSNP
Time for serving meals interfered with teaching time in 9%, 5% and 2% of schools offering FP, IP and SP, respectively.

20. Implications of NEEDU findings for the sector
Factors that Lead to the Loss of Teaching Time
Implications for the Education System
Current Practice in Schools
Addressing Gaps in the Current Practice
Learner and teacher poor attendance
Most schools keep-up-to-date records on the following:
Teacher & learner daily attendance
Teacher late arrival/coming
Teacher early departure
Teacher leave
While schools keep the above records, they do not:
Analyse learner and teacher attendance and late coming patterns
Take disciplinary action against teacher habitual absenteeism and late coming
Many districts do not have systems to monitor time management in schools systematically.
Attending workshops, union meetings and memorial services are the main reasons why teachers leave the school early and abandon their classes.
Schools need a system and tools to: (a) analyse information collected through different registers or systems so that habitual late coming, early departure and poor attendance are identified quickly (at least on a weekly basis) and (b) teachers are held accountable within the confines of the Employment of Educators Act.
Districts also need systems and tools to systematically and, on a regular basis, monitor how principals handle teacher absenteeism and late coming.
Systems need to be put in place at all levels in the system to ensure that time loss by pulling teachers out of class to attend workshops is minimised.
Learner and teacher late coming
Teacher early departure from school

21. Implications of NEEDU findings for the sector
Factors that Lead to the Loss of Teaching Time
Implications for the Education System
Current Practice in Schools
Addressing Gaps in the Current Practice
Early commencement of half-yearly and yearly exams
The National Policy on Learner Attendance provides on paragraph 16 that “Except for Grade 12, a learner may not take leave from school to study for examinations or when examinations have ended.” This policy is not adhered to in many schools.
While some provinces have some guidelines or circulars as to when half- yearly and yearly exams should begin, many schools hardly follow them. Schools decide when to start exams.
As soon as half-yearly and yearly exams begin, teaching is suspended—teachers mark, learners stay home or idle at school or outside school premises.
Systems need to be put in place at all levels of the system to ensure that the National Policy on Learner Attendance is strictly followed.
There is a need for national guidelines that regulate the school-based half-yearly and yearly examinations.
The national guidelines regulating school-based exams must prescribe exam starting time and suggest activities that teachers can do during the exam time.
The amount of time lost as a result of early commencement of internal exams is unknown. Further investigation is needed.
Inadequacy of time to complete the curriculum
Anecdotal evidence suggests that curriculum is dense and that allotted notional time is not adequate to cover the breath and depth of the curriculum.
A thorough investigation is needed to test the validity of this claim.
A NEEDU study is underway to test validity of this claim in the F Phase

22. Concluding remarks
The finding that poor time management practices are common in low performing schools in South Africa confirms other research findings (e.g., the 2007 SACMEQ study and the 2010 HSRC report) and those of the DBE’s own monitoring.
The education sector has not been able to successfully turn the tide in respect of efficient and effective use of teaching time in schools. While some provinces have made some strides to guard and protect teaching time (e.g., Gauteng, Free State and Western Cape), in others (e.g., Eastern Cape and Limpopo), time is lost undetected and unabated.
All role players—including DBE, PEDs, HEDCOM and its sub-committees, district directors, Principals’ Association of South Africa (PASA), the consultative forum of National School Governing Body Associations and teacher unions—must work collaboratively to abate the loss of teaching time