I’m privileged to have known Kobus van Wyk, former director of the Khanya Special Project, for a number of years. The Khanya Project has been by far the most successful project of it’s kind in South Africa, overshadowing anything other education departments have attempted. The project, which is coming to an end in March 2012, was tasked with installing ICT infrastructure, from computer labs to interactive whiteboards, in every school in the Western Cape Province. The statement on the Khanya web site reads: “By the start of the 2012 academic year, every educator in every school of the Western Cape will be empowered to use appropriate and available technology to deliver curriculum to each and every learner in the province.”

Kobus van Wyk

With the wealth of information and experience Kobus has gained about ICT in schools while heading up the Khanya project, I though it would be a good idea to ask him to share his thoughts and opinions with Teacher’s Monthly readers. Following is an interview with Kobus.

What were the major difficulties you encountered while managing the Khanya Project?

Kobus: Managing the Khanya project was not all that difficult. I had the privilege of working with a team of dedicated project managers and facilitators on whom I could depend to make things happen. Similarly, I established solid partnerships with service providers who gave me incredible and invaluable support. The major difficulty I experienced was the general lack of understanding among many teachers and school principals – but mainly among education department officials – of the important role ICT can play in education.

What were some of your most joyful moments?

Kobus: The joy to see little ones engaging with technology can’t be described in words! Many of them do not even have a single book at home, and to see them work with technology, which gives them access to a wealth of material, made me feel that the whole effort was worthwhile. Just contemplating the fact that, without the Khanya intervention, many of these children would never have had the opportunity to access technology is a humbling experience.

In hindsight, what would you have done differently?

Kobus: I made many mistakes along the way and would certainly have avoided them if I knew better. For example, we spent too much time trying to help teachers who were not interested in using technology at all. There is an obsession about equality in education: giving each one equal attention and resources. I believe that our efforts would have been far more productive if we focused on those teachers who displayed a desire to come to grips with technology. In hindsight, I would also have spent much more time with education department officials, helping them to see the value of technology in education.

What are the major successes of the Project?

Kobus: ICT in education on the African continent has a long history of failures, particularly where attempts were made to implement technology on a large scale. In my view, the major success of Khanya was that it proved, beyond a shadow of doubt, that technology can be implemented on a large scale in Africa. I believe that Khanya has laid a solid foundation of technology in schools – every school in the province has at least one form of technology, providing access to all learners. Over 27 000 teachers received some form of technology training. This places the Western Cape in a most advantageous position. Now that the Western Cape Education Department officials have taken over the responsibility to support technology in schools my hope is that they will not allow this platform to erode, but that they will continue to build on it.

What does a principal need to do to ensure the successful deployment of ICT at the school?

Kobus: Principals play a key role. They must lead by example, showing their staff that they are serious about the use of technology. Principals also need to ensure that all teachers are adequately trained to use technology optimally.

Hypothetically, you are appointed at a school that has no ICT infrastructure. The SGB informs you that the school has budgeted R250,000 for this year and another R250,000 for next year for the implementation of ICT. How would you utilise this funding?

Kobus: The first thing I would do is to determine what the educational needs of the school are, and then decide which manifestation of technology would meet those needs. Based on these facts, I would develop a project plan, which would inform me how to spend the available funding. In all likelihood, most of the first year’s allocation would go towards establish a solid infrastructure, as well as teacher training.

ICT for computer literacy or for curriculum delivery?

Kobus: I can answer this one without hesitation: for curriculum delivery. The focus must always be on curriculum. Computer literacy is essential, but it is of secondary importance. Learners are so quick to pick up computer skills – if the spotlight of the technology in the school is on learning, the learners will most likely pick up the computer skills by themselves.

A primary school has a well-equipped computer lab. As the principal what would you do to ensure that it is best utilised?

Kobus: Draw up a schedule and insist that teachers adhere to it.  When a teacher is reluctant to use technology, determine the reason for it.  If teachers feel inadequate in any way, ensure that they receive the necessary support and training. A principal should also visit the computer lab on a regular basis, showing personal interest in what is happening there.

How important is training in ensuring the effective use of ICT at a school?

Kobus: Teacher training is a critical success factor for the effective use of ICT at a school. Most of our teachers never had the opportunity to use technology as a teaching and learning tool. It is unreasonable to expect them simply to dive in and be effective. It has been said that the three most important things in ensuring effective use of ICT at a school are: teacher training, teacher training and teacher training.

What is your opinion of CAT as a subject at high schools?

Kobus: CAT is an important subject. Even though learners pick up computer skills while using computers for learning, the subject CAT focuses on the formal use of ICT in the work place. I can hardly imagine a job today where digital literacy skills are not required – CAT equips learners with those skills.

How essential is it for a teacher to have a laptop?

Kobus: It is essential for teachers to have personal access to technology, preferably at home. A laptop is the most convenient form of technology, since it can be taken with them wherever they go; for example, a teacher can prepare a lesson at home and then take the laptop to school to present the lesson. I think that many teachers would prefer an iPad … if I were a teacher that would have been my choice.

Rental or purchase of hardware? If you were a principal what would your preference be?

Kobus: This is a complex matter. Rental of ICT equipment is always the best option – this ensures that your equipment stays up to date and that the technology vendors assume responsibility for maintenance. But this option requires that the school has an ICT operational budget. Unfortunately, the state does not provide schools with regular financial resources to enter into a rental agreement. The result is that the only option for schools is to purchase hardware; this is often made possible through sponsorships. That is one of the problems I faced in Khanya – I had a capital budget, but not an operational budget. The only way open was therefore the purchase of hardware, which has severe sustainability implications.

Given unlimited funding and resources, describe your ‘ideal’ ICT deployment at a school.

Kobus: Many people are of the opinion that computer labs are outdated and that one should now rather focus on technology in the classroom. I agree with this statement only partially. I believe that the real value of technology is experienced when it is used in the classroom. However, I also believe that a computer room has a valid place in a school since it allows learners hands-on access. So, my ideal scenario would be: a well-resourced computer lab; an interactive whiteboard in every classroom, and a laptop for each child. With cell phones becoming powerful mobile ICT devices, I believe that soon the one-laptop-per-child concept – also referred to as one-to-one computing – could soon become a reality through the use of these mobile devices.  In fact, affordable mobile technology and low cost internet access would probably change ICT in schools dramatically over the next few years.

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You can follow Kobus on his blog, e4Africa or on Twitter @kobusvanwyk.

With Khanya coming to an end, it remains to be seen whether the plans the Western Cape Education Department have for the current ICT infrastructure will be successful. However, in all likelihood Khanya will remain as the most successful and ambitious projects ever attempted by a provincial education department.

One of the great boons of being an ICT teacher is that all my classes take place in the computer room. I don’t have to wait for the school to adopt a laptop per child programme to get computers into my lessons. In my classes I place all the course content, together with tutorials, SCORMs and instructional vodcasts on the course Moodle page. If a student is absent they have all the resources at their disposal to complete whatever assignment has been set. In this way it might even be possible for a student to miss all my classes, and study entirely online. Blended or Hybrid Learning, as it is often called, refers to any course which is conducted partly online, and partly face-to-face. With my Moodle pages accessible both from on campus and off-campus, all my classes are now organized as blended learning.

A recent report suggests that by 2019, 50% of all American High School courses will be delivered online. There is some research, also, to suggest that Blended Learning is more effective than either Online Learning or Face-to-Face Learning. Even if this is not the case, it is clear that Blended Learning is now an important part of teh educational landscape.

I have not researched this, but it seems to me that my classes can roughly be divided into three groups. About a third of the class seems to enjoy the online aspect of my classes. Some of them arrive in class with much of the work already done. The Moodle activity logs show that some of them log on in the evenings from home and view content or submit assignments online. Others work ahead of the pace, physically present in the classroom, but working as if the content were online. That does not mean that they don’t ask questions in class. They usually ask for clarification, for reassurance that they understand what they are meant to be doing, or for clarification around aspects of the tutorialized online content.

Another third, however, clearly prefers to access the course content mostly offline. They seldom log on to Moodle from home, and appear to need me to explain the content to them, in a very traditional manner. When I withhold this instruction they appear lost and become extremely anxious! It is fashionable to rubbish teacher talk, and too much teacher talk is bad. But for a large number of kids, teacher talk appears still to be necessary. Particularly they need teachers to model the thinking process. You can pause and rewind a vodcast or SCORM, but you can’t ask it a question, or ask it to explain in another way. It is easy to miss the why you are doing something part of a vodcast or SCORM. Teachers are usually quite good at putting things in a way which makes it easier to understand, and many children rely on this.

A number of my lessons consist of going over, with the whole class what was posted online before the lesson. This allows me to talk through the bits that are missing from the tutorial video or SCORM. Some students listen to the instruction, and use the online tutorials to review or revise the content afterwards.

But there is a final third of the class which comprises students who do not seem able to work on their own, or be able to get what they need from whole class instruction. They appear to need personal attention. Sometimes it is just that what was written on the class Moodle or said in class needs to be re-phrased. Often it is because it was not understood and the teacher needs to find a way of explaining it more clearly. Often it is because of lacunae in the student’s baggage, the need to take a step back and consolidate past knowledge before the student is ready to move on. Often these students do not really listen to whole class instruction, but wait for the personal attention.

I have found that leaving out any of the above methods of delivery leads to students getting left behind. About a third of the class is basically able to teach themselves. Before computers they probably read the chapter ahead of class, and seldom needed the teacher to explain much at all. A third are able to get what they need from whole class instruction, be it teacher talk or handouts or video clips or whatever. And the last third need individual attention to master the content.

Before any lesson I make sure that I have uploaded any resources related to the lesson on the relevant class Moodle page. This includes a full description and rubric for any task set, handouts, exemplars or documents students can download, video clips or SCORMs which tutorialize the content and a link which allows the student to submit the assignment online. During the lesson I take some time to explain how to perform the task, and where to find tutorialized content. I then circulate around the room continually, answering individual queries, showing particular students how to do this or that. I demonstrate particular aspects of the content that the class as a whole appears to be stuck on.

What I am describing is of course a blended learning situation in which the classroom has been partially flipped. Much of the teacher instruction is housed in tutorialized material stored online accessible both from home and at school. The role of the teacher then is to spend the majority of her time helping children negotiate the process of solving problems. In my experience though, classrooms can only ever be partially flipped, at least for the moment. A significant number of children still need teacher talk to help them assimilate the content and manage how to use the content to go about solving the problem or task set.

It seems to me that this suggests that the best teaching environment is one in which all three modes of delivery are optimized. The classroom needs to operate with many channels going on at the same time.

There is always much debate about the education system in South Africa. There are many positive and negative arguments, for and against our education policies, the Department of Education, schools, teachers, principals and learners in general.

There is certainly no doubt that there is a massive difference between the level of education at our former ‘model C’ schools and of our disadvantaged schools. I call them disadvantaged schools because that’s what they are – disadvantaged.

What really constitutes an advantaged and a disadvantaged school though? Is an advantaged school one where you walk into every classroom and see an interactive whiteboard and a laptop in front of every learner? Is an advantaged school one that is built out of bricks and has airconditioning, electricity and running water?

Personally I think that there is more to being an advantaged or disadvantaged school than just what the school ‘owns’ or ‘has’.

People were created with a natural instinct to do great things even without great resources at their disposal. There are countless success stories of disadvantaged schools making education happen without having all the fancy gadgets (or even the basic necessities!) that their counterparts have in the leafy suburbs.

But why then is there still such a high percentage of learner failures, particularly from the disadvantaged schools?

I was watching an episode of Special Assignment a while back, and something that a black teacher said really struck a cord with me. I don’t remember her name or what school she was from, but the gist of her argument is that the poor quality of education happening at disadvantaged schools is a legacy of the old and racist ‘Bantu’ education system in which for every R10 spent on a white learner, only R1 would be spent on a black learner.

Quite shocking, but if you think about it, it makes sense. People are quick to blame teachers for incompetence and laziness, but many of the teachers at disadvantaged schools are themselves a product of Bantu education. Of course, this doesn’t make teachers from advantaged schools any better, but the past is the past, and there is nothing we can do to change it. However, there is a lot we can do to fix it.

In a September 2010 article on Teacher’s Monthly, Dr Malcolm Venter writes:

The recent public servants’ strike was perceived to have been mainly about money – about increased salaries and better conditions of service. However, that is not the real issue. Underlying it all there was a deeper, more sinister, issue.

The State’s argument that it could not afford more was ludicrous and insensitive in the light of its wasteful spending on fancy cars, homes and hotel stays, its corruption, the unaccounted-for millions, etc. So much so that it became evident that the strike was about the perceptions of the populace that the high-ups in government were only concerned with feeding at the through, of the tendency towards ‘a predatory elite’ (as Vavi of COSATU put it so accurately).

Lester Venter, in his book When Mandela Goes (1977), writes:

South Africa has now experienced a political revolution, and is confronting the early stages of a social revolution. The first prepared the way for the second.

He points to the ’development gap’ between the two worlds that make up South Africa—the first world and the second. He then goes on to say:

The change has still to come. And come it will. Moreover, change will not come primarily through the actions and policies of government. It will come from underlying forces to which governmental action will usually be a confused response.

Expectations have been aroused. Those in whom they have been aroused will not tolerate the frustration of unfulfilment for ever. Even if a present, older, generation is—to some degree—resigned to the immutability  of life and acceptant of a pitiable fate, the sons and daughters of the next generation are not. Expectations are self-fulfilling, at least partially. A process of change is already in motion. Change in South Africa didn’t end when the results of the 1995 election were announced, as many people seem to think. In truth, that’s when change began.

I don’t think that giving a disadvantaged school an airconditioner, a computer, a brick hall, or a jungle gym suddenly makes that school any more advantaged. I think that the Department of Education needs to focus on strong training and retraining of existing teachers, and make the teaching profession something that people really admire and look up to. I believe that is crucial for the improvement of education.

Watching Top Billing’s recent episode on Mandela Day, it is obvious that Nelson Mandela considered education to be one of the strongest weapons in fighting for freedom. Not just politcal freedom, but also the greater freedoms that education gives. The ability to be successful, to help others, to understand the world and make a real difference. These things come from learning.

Lets face it, one can say that talking like this amounts to racism or whatever, but the point is that nothing will change until South Africans face facts and start talking. For all his obvious rudeness, media blunders and now possible corruption charges, at least Julius Malema has made people start seriously thinking about the differences between the rich elite and the derelict poor.

Over the past few months there has been a fair amount of media coverage on Finland’s education success. Bert Maes wrote an article regarding this:

Explaining the excellence of the schools in Finland is extremely complex. They have beautiful school buildings, well-trained teachers, state-of-the-art technology any fancy textbooks, but that doesn’t explain everything. I will not present an exhaustive or exclusive explanation for Finland’s success, but 10 CHARACTERISTICS MAY BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND:

1. When Finnish kids turn 7 years old they go into compulsory primary school during nine years. All kids start at the same level, no matter what socio-economic background they have. They learn the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes of lifelong learning, which is consistently paying off with better academic achievement in later grades. These primary schools are places where playing and learning are combined with alternative pedagogic approaches, rather than mere instructional institutions.
2. All teachers are prepared in academic universities. Teachers are highly respected and appreciated in Finland, partly because all teachers need a master’s degree to qualify for a permanent job. And the selection is tough: only 10% of the 5000 applicants each year are accepted to the faculties of education in Finnish universities. Finland improved its public education system not by privatizing its schools or constantly testing its students, but by strengthening the education profession and investing in teacher preparation and support. Their high level knowledge and skills makes that Finnish teachers:
   - can have considerable independence in the classroom to choose their preferred appropriate pedagogical methods;
   - are very willing to continuously update their professional skills via post-graduate studies;
   - are more willing to work on themselves, are open to new ideas and developed broader perspectives;
   - are eager to be involved into the school development processes in their own schools as well as in national and international projects.
3. Since the 1960s political authorities always have seen education as the key to survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive world. All governments, from left to right have respected over the past 4 decades, that economic growth is the primary goal, with education as the critical driver (according to some researchers, education explains 25% of Finland’s growth): “Investment in people is the best investment”.  To be competitive, the governments concluded, Finland has to substantially boost investments in education and research to foster innovation and cutting-edge development.
4. Because the central government ensured sustainable funding to ensure FREE education for all, i.e. took care of ALL costs of tuition, warm school meals, learning materials, text books, transportation, new equipment, new facilities, student counseling, etc,  the teachers are able to focus on teaching and learning, and bringing new ideas and practices in schools.
5. There are no mandatory tests or exams; except for the nationwide National Matriculation Examination, in mother tongue, foreign language, mathematics and social/natural sciences, at the end of the upper-secondary school (from 17-19-year-old). Teachers make their own assessment tests, not quoting numeric grades, but using descriptive feedback, no longer comparing students with one another. This helped teachers and students focusing on learning in a fear-free environment, in which creativity and risk-taking are encouraged. Teachers have more real freedom in time planning when they do not need have to focus on annual tests or exams.
6. Trusting the schools and teachers is a common feature in Finnish schools. Schools receive full autonomy in developing the daily delivery of education services. The ministry of education always believed that teachers, together with principals, parents and their communities know how to provide the best possible education for their children and youth. Except for guidelines for learning goals and assessment criteria, The National Board of Education (taking care of curriculum development, evaluation of education and professional support for teachers) doesn’t dictate lesson plans or standardized tests. School can plan their own curricula to reflect local concerns.
7. For Manufacturing Education: In higher education, Finland offers university level studies or the polytechnics insitutions.  The polytechnic system was the focal point of education policies in Finland during the 1990s and the top priority for regional development. There is a wide consensus on increasing technology, environmental sciences and entrepreneurship education – all of which seem to contribute positively to economic development and growth. As a result regional support networks are developed to help schools and teachers to adopt new technology in education and incorporate technology into classrooms.
8. Building upon the expertise of local players, whose experience, opinions and abilities allowed them to indicate the best ways forward. The teacher unions and the educators themselves have always had the opportunity to be heard, to help crafting a blueprint of the reforms.
   - The key to get their commitment and support was tapping into and welcoming their expertise as professionals in laying the groundwork of reform. Expert committees of teachers, union representatives, university researchers, textbook authors and government officials designed the new frameworks, hashing out their differences and using each other’s valuable and varied expertise.
   - Another key was reassuring teachers would not lose employment security and salaries. Before the reforms even commenced the teacher trade organization achieved this in negotiating higher teacher compensation for the extra more demanding work.
   - Also experiments and pilot programs in developing curriculum reforms have helped ease concerns and win the teachers’ professional commitment. All experimental projects, coming from bottom-up as well, were monitored by university researchers, bringing a consistent culture of innovation in the Finnish education system.
   - Education reform could only have proceeded if it gave the teachers a way to maintain their pedagogical freedom, creativity and sense of professional responsibility, by allowing them to choose textbooks and learning materials, and to determine the best way to cover the curriculum.
   - he execution of new curricula, learning materials and new instructional methods was always carefully planned, province by province. Provincial Offices approved the plans from every municipality. The switch to a new reform was also guided by in-service training by a network of national level instructors.
9. Political consensus and the capacity of policy makers to pursue reform: governments, trade unions and employers’ organizations form a tripartite in Finland, closely coordinating, communicating and heading to a common goal. In many countries the opposing-parties usually polarize debates and public opinion. Since the beginning of the 1970s until 1987 the ministry of education had two ministers from the main parties, requiring close political cooperation, resulting in workable solutions as both parties could endorse them. This proved to be the key factor behind the continuity of Finnish education policy. The parties detached from their populist political objectives and strategic maneuvers and began focusing on the subject-matter, on cooperating and acting together. Via the close partnership between the labor organizations and the governments, between the employees and the employers, in both planning and implementation stages, the teacher union changed from external political pressure group into a stakeholder in government decision-making, i.e. into one encompassing labor organization, that looks at the interest of the COMPLETE SOCIETY, just like the government. This key element in good quality of governance and public institutions turned out to be the driving force of education performance and economic competitiveness in Finland.
10. Regional development and networking: Today the most important component of providing good education is the management and leadership skills of local political authorities, experts and school principals (carefully selected for their understanding of education development, their experience in teacher-education and their solid proven management skills). The key in the educational reforms was ‘how to find ways to help schools and teachers come together and share what they have learned about productive teaching techniques and effective schools’. The result was the creation of multi-level, professional learning communities of schools sharing locally tested practices and enriching ideas, and matching the needs for local economic development.

I do not necessarily agree to all of the above, but it makes an interesting comparison on the freedom the Finnish education departments give to teachers coupled with the importance they place on very high standards of initial teacher training as well as ONGOING teacher training.

So to answer the initial question, “Are South African teachers lazy?”: No. But many are poorly trained and poorly supported by the Department of Education. The Department of Education should be there to support teachers. Teachers should be there to educate and support learners. Right now I get the feeling that the Department of Education places more value on the learner than the educator. Without the educator, there is no learner.

When will the South African Department of Education realise that good education starts with the teacher?

Click here to watch a video on Finnish education by the BBC.

This article was written by Heather Wolpert-Gawron and originally published at Edutopia.org. I came across it while searching for reasons why our schools SHOULD push for ICT integration.

We speak about the achievement gap between the different cultures in our schools. Meanwhile, however, many of the stakeholders in education have created a vast trench that lies between those who accept the inevitability of technology and those who still refute its place in our classrooms.

Policymakers demand our schools must reflect the 21st century, yet continue to deny schools the funding to do just that. Additionally, our districts block many of the online sites for collaboration from our schools.

It is fear that guides many of the decisions about educational technology: fear that we will be left globally behind by countries more committed to technology integration and also fear that our students will somehow be scarred its use.

Frankly, there are many reasons to avoid providing technology as a more common and frequent tool in education. However, as stated in “Strictly Ballroom,” one of my favorite movies, “a life lived in fear is a life half lived.” Fear cannot shut us down from our mission: to educate students for their future.

For the Naysayers

Here are some typical arguments against technology in schools — and better ones for using it:

1. The legal issues are daunting: what if a student writes inappropriate content online? Answer: Our job is to teach them how to use the tools of the real world. After all, using a circular saw is dangerous too, but only through shop class have many students learned to build a birdhouse safely. So is it with technology. Parents and teachers must be a part of monitoring and modeling. It may be scary, but without teaching students about appropriate use, they will surely encounter exactly that which we are most scared of.

2. How ever will we train all those teachers? Answer: It’s simple. Have teachers train teachers. Give teachers who know how the paid release time to be trainers during their contracted hours of those who don’t know how. There are willing teachers on every site, at every district, teachers willing to take on hybrid roles in education that allow them one foot in the classroom and one foot working to improve the pedagogy and practice of those who need to learn. For those who train, they will, as a result, avoid burnout by being permitted ways to utilize their other skills, all the while helping other teachers improve their own 21st century knowledge.

3. Where does the time come from? How can we add more to a teacher’s plate? Answer: How ’bout this? Don’t. Instead, take something off teachers’ plates rather than put more on. We have to prioritize, and including technology is too important. We can’t continue to have teachers waste their time on the curricular needs of yesteryear. We need to redefine how a teacher spends their time during the day and redefine the curriculum of tomorrow.

4. Some students don’t have access to technology at home so how can we expect them to use it for assignments? Answer: To this I say, many homes don’t have libraries either, but we still teach how to read. The fact is that it’s a school’s job to step up to provide and instruct. Even though some students may not have access to a computer at home, the school needs to see its role in equalizing the differences between those who have and those who don’t. It’s also society’s role to find a way to provide for those homes in a more equitable way or our country’s children will be left behind. Some districts are already working in conjunction with phone providers and computer companies to help bridge this gap. Those districts should not be few and far between, but should be commonplace.

5. It’s expensive. Answer: Nevertheless, we cannot afford to fall any more behind in our comfort and use of technology. Policymakers need to start backing up their demands with funds. Parents need to be a part of monitoring their student’s use at home. Teachers must continue to develop the skills that make them the technology guides in the classroom. For as the gap gets ever wider, the money it will take to fill the divide will increase. We are already in the red. Our reluctance to think and plan ahead has already created a debt of technological knowledge.

Taking Action

We can’t allow fear to dictate our progress, nor can we allow those who won’t move forward to dictate whether we do move forward. We cannot allow policymakers to insist on adoption and not provide for it, or worse yet, tentatively provide it and not find bravery and support by those within education’s walls.

Teachers need to be on the forefront of curriculum, not in its wake. We need to be leading the charge towards preparing our students for their future, not hindering our march towards tomorrow.

The following article by Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, landed in my inbox a few days ago. I though it deserves a read, as it highlights the glaring misgivings of our current education system here in South Africa.

By Jonathan Jansen

I have in front of me the 2010 “Statement of Results” for the National Senior Certificate statement of a youngster who demands to study at university.

They are: Afrikaans 43, English 39, mathematical literacy 38, life orientation 78, business studies 41, computer applications technology 31, life sciences 28.

At the bottom of the certificate is this unbelievable statement: “The candidate qualifies for the national senior certificate and fulfils the minimum requirements for admission to higher education.”

Understandably, this young woman takes these words literally, and correctly demands a seat in any place of higher learning. With the young woman’s claim to study I have no problem. With the society that sets the bar for performance so low, I have serious problems.

Slowly, slowly we are digging our collective graves as we fall into a sinkhole of mediocrity from which we are unlikely to emerge.

We make excellence sound like a white thing. Behind a massive wave of populism, and in the misguided name of regstelling (setting right the past), we open access to resources and universities to young people without the hard work necessary to achieve those gifts and to succeed once there. Of course, you’re a racist if you question this kind of mindlessness; how else do you, as a politician, defend yourself against the critics of mediocrity in an election year?

I miss Steve Biko. In the thinking of black consciousness, he would have railed against the low standards we set for black achievement, in the language of the 1970s.

This young (incidentally black) person did not achieve anything above 50% in her Senior Certificate results for any exam subject, but we tell her she can proceed to higher studies. What are we saying? That black students are somehow less capable and therefore need these pathetic results to access higher education? No, I am sorry, but today I am angry about the messages we send our children.

I saw black parents and students squirm the other night when I addressed a racially diverse group of parents and students and made this point clear: “If a black student requires from you different treatment and lower academic demands because of an argument about disadvantage, tell them to take a hike.” (Okay, I used stronger
language.)

I saw white teachers squirm when I made the other important point: “If you have lower academic expectations of black children because of what they look like, or where they come from, that is the worst kind of racism.”

Our society, schools and universities have adjusted expectations downwards, especially in relation to black students, and that is dangerous in a country with so much promise for excellence.

As stories come rolling in from across the country for our Great South African Teachers book, I am struck by one thing. That many black professionals who are chartered accountants, medical scientists or corporate lawyers tell of attending ordinary public schools under apartheid, often in rural areas, and having teachers at the time who, despite the desperate poverty and inequality, held high expectations of their learners. There was no compromising on academic standards; there was homework every day; there was punishment for low performance; and there was constant motivation to rise above your circumstances.

Not today. Mathematical literacy is a cop-out, a way of compensating for poor maths teaching in the mainstream. Parents of Grade 9 children, listen carefully – do not let your school force your child into mathematical literacy because they will struggle to find access to academic degree studies at serious universities. Insist your child does mathematics in Grade 10 for that important choice determines what your child writes in Grade 12.

It is not, of course, mathematical literacy that I am concerned about; there are good teachers of the subject. It is about the message we send: that children can’t do maths.

In other words, a message again communicated of low expectations. Do not buy into this culture of mediocrity in the way your child makes subject choices. Also, tell your child not to take life orientation seriously; as you can see in the above results, there is no positive relationship between high marks in academic subjects and this thing called life orientation.

Small wonder young people with better results than those above are without work. The marketplace, and serious universities, know this child will not succeed with these kinds of results, even if Umalusi does not “get it”.

Past exam papers are normally a mission to find. TestGrab, a new service launched recently by EvaluNet, offers past exam papers for download from their web site, all based on the grade 12 matric exams for South Africa.

Subjects included are:

• Accounting
• Afrikaans
• Business Studies
• CAT
• Consumer Studies
• Economics
• English
• Geography
• History
• Hospitality Studies
• IT
• Life Science
• Mathematics
• Maths Literacy
• Physical Science
• Tourism

These past papers are based on the 2010 March and November matric exams. The past papers can be accessed from the Free Stuff section of the TestGrab web site.

A few days ago I was chatting to an IT administrator at a very prominent private school near Cape Town. The school in question has 4 beautiful computer labs and a very elaborate server setup. Even the tuckshop has a dedicated server to log and track transactions. So in the minds of computer nerds, this school setup is super cool.

As we chatted about education, it became very clear that the IT administrator is an advocate for open source software. The school uses Moodle for instance, and I’m sure they’ve dabbled in a number of other open source products. The IT administrator told me that open source solutions are the way of the future and that systems such as Moodle are replacing propriety software such as EvaluNet XT.

For those of you who don’t know, “open source” refers to free software where the code can be freely edited and customised. “Propriety” refers to software that you pay for, and which you cannot edit yourself.

Without giving the matter much thought, one would immediately and without question say that free software which can be edited and customised to suit your needs is a much better way to go than having to pay for software that cannot be edited or customised. And bear in mind, when I say “customised”, I am not referring to the content of the software (e.g. curriculum), but rather to the actual software code. The “inner workings” of the software.

But give the matter a bit more thought and you will begin to notice the very glaring pitfalls that open source software solutions pose, very specifically to schools …

1. Open source software is NEVER plug and play. It requires experience and a knowledge of servers, networks and connections to install and setup.

As a teacher, have you ever tried to install Moodle, WordPress, Drupal or Joomla? No? Well, do you know what Apache, PHP, C++, Java, Perl or Python are? I didn’t think so.

Let’s go back to the IT administrator I referred to above. I asked a simple question: “Do you have a teaching degree?”. He answered by telling me he has an engineering degree and experience with setting up of networks for prominent schools and businesses across the country. A more direct answer to my question would just have been “no”. With no teaching degree, this IT administrator punting open source solutions to the school management committee and governing body, has very little knowledge of what it means to be a teacher and the struggles and issues teachers face on a day-to-day basis WITHOUT the extra pressure of having to design and customise open source software.

2. Normal teachers do not (and are not expected to) have knowledge of servers, networks, connections and all that other programming language the nerds talk about.

By making the school reliant on open source software, the IT administrator is essentially ruling out the option of having a normal teacher replace him if he ever decides to move to another school or retire. Coding, customising and managing of open source software is not a very simple thing and not something your average teacher has time to learn about. Someone with this kind of experience is going to cost. And this is money that average schools cannot afford to spend on a non-teaching staff member.

3. Open source software does not have dedicated support channels.

Open source generally attracts a large community of users and fans. However, what most people don’t realise is that there is no “support hotline” for open source software. Why? Because if the software is free, then no one is going to sit manning a technical support centre! Of course you can rely on support forums and chat rooms, but as a teacher, when you have a problem with the software you’re using, you want immediate help. Propriety software (software you pay for) always has dedicated support channels to help you whenever you need it. If something goes wrong, the company is obliged to assist you. With open source, if something goes wrong, you normally need to figure it out on your own or wait until a more experienced user is willing to help you.

Can you hear the warning bells going off here? As a teacher, wouldn’t you rather be teaching, marking, doing admin and then going home to be with your family, instead of having to sort out software issues in your computer centre?

Let’s continue …

4. Open source can be great for businesses, or schools with lots of money and lots of time to waste.

Let’s say your school is a Michaelhouse or Bishops of this world, then sure go ahead and try open source. If however, your school is an Edgemead High of this world (which is where I matriculated from), then for the love of education, please do not waste your time with open source!

Seriously, how many schools can actually boast that they have successfully setup and use an open source software solution to the REAL benefit of learners and teachers? A couple, I’m sure. However when it comes to the majority of schools, open source is just not a viable solution. A school is an institution of learning. Yes, many people say that schools should be run like businesses, and I agree. But, and this is a BIG BUT – I don’t believe that schools should be spending time or money trying to develop or customise open source solutions when excellent quality, easy to install and use, propriety software solutions are available that do NOT require technical know-how in order to use properly.

Many teachers struggle enough with learning how to use computers and integrate IT into the classroom, so why make them struggle more with open source software?

5. There is no on-site training available in open source solutions.

Have you ever heard of a Moodle Trainer coming to a school to show the teachers how to use the system? Or a Joomla Representative presenting a workshop on new features? No? Not surprising considering that such things do not exist in the world of open source. Sure, the Shuttleworth Foundation has invested in getting schools and teachers to use open source solutions, but they are a very long way off the mark. Most propriety software solutions have training options available for teachers and many even present free hands-on workshops. Why? Because you have paid for the software. But at least you’ll know how to use and implement it properly!

6. Open source is NOT free and is normally NEVER ‘finished’

Open source software solutions will do much better when the open source advocates start acknowledging that open source is not actually free. A lot of time and effort needs to be put in place in order to use open source software, and as I mentioned, you DO need to be a “techie” in order to know what is going on when something breaks or doesn’t work as it should. Many open source solutions are only half-finished products.

Don’t waste your teachers’ time. They deserve better. Invest in propriety solutions until such a time comes that South African schools are ready for ‘open source’.

My challenge … if you are a school that has successfully implemented an open source solution, write your story in the comments box below.

Until next time – Microsoft rules and open source sucks!

South Africa’s education system has come under scrutiny over the years with some analysts questioning whether its early childhood education programmes meets the educational needs of all children and whether the school system is capable of producing students who can cope with tertiary studies.

But with the Department of Basic Education finalising a comprehensive turnaround plan for teaching in schools called: Action Plan 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025, there is a ray of hope that South Africa’s education system will be transformed and receive the holistic approach it required writes Gabi Khumalo.

Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, and several other ministers, recently pledged to ensure South Africa’s children get only the best education at school – one of government’s top priorities.

Along with the Ministries of Home Affairs; Communications; Health; Public Service and Administration; Science and Technology and Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities; Motshekga co-signed a Delivery Agreement for Outcome 1. Its objective is to improve the quality of basic education. It’s the first of the 12 Outcomes approved by Cabinet earlier this year to improve performance and service delivery.

The agreement is based on four outputs including improving the quality of teaching and learning; undertaking regular assessments to track progress; improving early childhood development and ensuring a credible, outcomes focused planning and accountability system. The four outputs are followed by eight sub-outputs, which relate to the 27 goals of the Action Plan to 2014.

The sub-outputs include improving teacher capacity and practice; increasing access to high quality learning materials; establishing a world class system of standardised national assessments; extracting key lessons from ongoing participation in international assessments; universal access to Grade R; improving the quality of early childhood development; strengthening school management and promoting functional schools as well as strengthening the capacity of district offices.

Motshekga said the delivery agreement was a negotiated charter reflecting the commitment of the key partners involved in the direct delivery process, adding that it was a milestone in improving the schooling system of the country.

“Our children and young people need to be better prepared by their schools to read, write, think critically and solve numerical problems. These skills are the foundations on which further studies, job satisfaction, productivity and meaningful citizenship are based,” she said.

Outlining each output, the department’s Director-General, Bobby Soobrayan said improving the quality of teaching and learning is informed by the pressing need to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

He said the national Systematic Evaluation programme and the Grade 12 examinations have demonstrated that learner performance is well below what one would expect given the resources available to the schooling system.

The 2009 Teacher Development Summit acknowledged the gravity of the problem and served as an important catalyst for taking teacher in-service training in South Africa to new levels.

Currently, policies are being finalised that will see the department developing new training packages through distance education and e-Education, and the development of relevant training programmes by universities and private training providers.

“National standardised workbooks of a high quality are to be introduced in all public schools for all learners in Grades R to 9. These workbooks represent a cost effective means of ensuring that minimum standards with respect to depth of learning and scope of subject content are communicated to teachers and learners and are upheld,” Soobrayan explained.

In addition, clearer guidelines on which currently available textbooks are suitable in particular contexts will be released soon by the national department in an attempt to improve the provincial and school selection processes.

Following the introduction of universal and standardised testing in Grades 1 and 6 in 2008, Grade 9 learners will also participate in the Annual National Assessments as from 2011.

The assessments will become a cornerstone of quality improvements in South Africa’s schools, providing important information to teachers, parents, district officials and the country as a whole.

“Targets based on performance in assessments have already been set at the national and provincial levels. Moreover, targets based on performance within international testing programme have been determined.”

Soobrayan noted that although Grade R will be universal by 2014, the task of improving the quality of Grade R and Early Childhood Development (ECD) generally is a task that will extend beyond 2014.

In the coming years, there will be a stronger focus on consolidating the quality of Grade 1 and ECD, following the enrolment successes of the last few years.

The department is currently distributing resource packs to all schools with Grade R, which contain teaching and learning materials specifically for Grade 1 use.

On the outcome: Ensure a credible, outcomes- focused planning and accountability system, Soobrayan said it emphasises the need to make schooling more accountable.

He stressed the importance of knowing where under performance occurs and the underlying reasons so that the department can intervene on time.

“The logic is that neither poor performance nor outstanding performance should go unnoticed. Effective teaching and learning requires a school that is functional, a school where people’s rights and responsibilities are clear, the leadership of the school principal is respected and the school is valued by the community,” he said, stressing the need to focus on school management and strengthening of school functionality.

Time management is among the required improvements and a new national monitoring system is expected to equip district offices with new tools that will be used when visiting schools to assess programme completion in both quantitative and qualitative terms.

The district assessments will lead to both provincial and national reports tracking progress against key indicators.

The department also acknowledged the problem of over sized classes and admitted that the issue has not received enough attention in the past.

“Over sized classes have been found to be a result of teaching posts not being filled; insufficient classrooms, but also to a large degree poor management of the time of teachers.

“Incentives for teachers to work in rural areas, a policy which has existed since 2007, will be used to greater degree than before, moreover, the system whereby teaching posts are distributed to schools has been redesigned to deal more directly with the reduction of over sized classes.”

Further Education Training Director in Gauteng, Don Haripersad, commended the department for coming up with a clear plan.

“They must do things different and productively like building professional competitiveness, provinces to ensure that the School Governing Bodies are functional, look at successful institutions as well as developing schools’ cultural songs,” said Haripersad.

University of Pretoria academic, Dr Muavia Gallie, described the agreement as ambitious.

Gallie advised the department to look at having a system where they will be able to check how many teachers they have in the system.

“We need intellectual systems that will keep everything together, we should be able to know how many teachers are present in the system today and have a potential to have a system where you’ll be able to access every education information.”

- BuaNews

It was previously announced by the Minister of Basic Education that the new curriculum (the CAPSs) would be introduced in 2012. We have now learned that all that is definite at this stage is that the CAPSs for the Foundation Phase will be implemented then.  The Minister is due to make an announcement in the near future about the other phases.

At a teachers’ Conference held on 23 October, the SG for Education in the KZN, who serves on the Ministerial Project Committee, the committee revising the curriculum, gave assurances that all comments submitted by teachers and others would be taken seriously.  He did, however, indicate that they often receive conflicting comments, which causes some people to complain that the department did not listen to them.  Time will tell …

Here is the latest information from the Government Gazette regarding the curriculum revision. Click to download the file:

GOVERNMENT GAZETTE – Curriculum Revision (PDF format)

Post your comments and thoughts below …