NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 287
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 01/03/2013
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 04/2013)
Mrs A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Basic Education:
(1) (a) With reference to her reply to question 452 on 18 May 2012,
on what date was the national literacy and numeracy strategy
developed and (b) what are the details of the roll-out of the
strategy referred to in her reply;
(2) what (a) are the major components of the strategy and (b)
research at (i) provincial or (ii) national level formed the
basis of the strategy;
(3) has the strategy been implemented; if not, when will it be
implemented; if so, when was the strategy implemented;
(4) what (a) provinces have a literacy and numeracy strategy and (b)
action has been taken to provide a workable strategy to
provinces without a strategy;
(5) whether her department (a) has instructed a team to visit each
province to assess the probable efficacy of each provinceâs
literacy and numeracy strategy and (b) will make a decision on
the necessity for a national strategy based on its findings in
the province; if so, what are the relevant details? NW363E
REPLY:
1) (a) The National literacy and Numeracy Strategy was developed in October
2011 in response to strengthening learning outcomes in Literacy and
Numeracy from Grades R to 9. It has given impetus to the implementation
of Action Plan 2014 towards Schooling 2025.
b) The Strategy has been aligned to the National Strategy for Learner
Attainment (NSLA).
Communication and advocacy for the strategy took the form of provincial and
district
road shows that were conducted in April-May 2012 as well as the
NSLA MAGOTLA
that took place in February and October 2012. The roll-out of the
Strategy in 2012, highlighted Literacy and Numeracy interventions and
gave effect to provincial, district and school improvement plans.
2) (a) The major components of the strategy are written into a short to
medium term implementation plan in pursuit of attaining the literacy and
numeracy targets that have been benchmarked for Grades 1-9 as outlined in
Action Plan 2014, Towards Schooling 2025. The components are as follows:
- Integrate several sub-strategies , specifically teacher development
and support, provisioning and utilisation of Learning and Teaching
support materials(LTSM), ICT in education and accountability systems ;
- Prioritise poor performing schools in poor performing districts for
special and sustained monitoring and support;
- Strengthen Early Childhood Education (ECD) by improving quality of
learning and teaching programmes and the qualifications and training
of teachers and practitioners;
- Strengthen classroom practice by supporting and coaching teachers on
the use of the Workbooks, analysing of continuous diagnostic learner
assessments, implementation of appropriate methodologies to improve
the teaching of Reading, Writing and Mathematics;
- Provide support programmes for School Management Team(SMT) on
curriculum management, leadership and implementation at school level;
- Provide Teacher training and support programmes aimed at improving
teacherâs conceptual knowledge, pedagogy and curriculum delivery at
classroom level;
- Provide and monitor the effective utilisation of Learning and Teacher
Support Materials (LTSM);
- Strengthen district development and support by skilling and training
district officials to take a leading role in providing support to
schools;
- Improve the level of accountability amongst school and district
managers for learner performance and school functionality;
- Strengthen oversight, monitoring , support and intervention activities
that will focus on provincial plans, district support initiatives and
school implementation plans for effective delivery of numeracy and
literacy programmes;
- Strengthen advocacy amongst parents such that parents and caregivers
are persuaded to get involved in improving their childrenâs literacy
and numeracy abilities:
- Mobilise NGOs, business and social partners to support the roll-out of
the implementation plan.
b) Research:
i) At National level the research findings of the Annual National
Assessments (which have been conducted from 2008), the Progress in
International Reading and Literacy Study(PIRLS), the Third
International Mathematics and Science (TIMSS) and Southern and
Eastern Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) have
informed the interventions of the National Literacy and Numeracy
Strategy.
ii) At Provincial level, the research studies conducted by the Western
Cape to evaluate the effectiveness of their Literacy and Numeracy
Strategy have been used to inform the National Literacy and
Numeracy Strategy. It is evident from the Western Cape experience
that improvement in learner performance is a slow and painstaking
goal and that there must be a concise and coherent plan of action
that will enable continuous oversight, monitoring and support
across all levels of the system.
3) Yes. The interventions in the implementation plan feature in Provincial
strategies and have been implemented across the system since 2011.
4) All (9) Provinces have a Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. The challenge
is that most Provinces have not set aside a dedicated budget to implement
the interventions.
5) (a) A National Ministerial Task Team conducted a National Reading Audit
in all Provinces in November âDecember 2012 and is currently engaged in
National Mathematics, Science and Technology Audits. The audits are aimed
at gathering information from provincial, district officials, as well as
School Management Teams and Teachers. The National Reading Audit Report
has been analysed and a Reading Remedial Plan for each province has been
developed and disseminated to all Provincial Heads.
b) The recommendation of the National Reading Audit Report has given
impetus to the strengthening of the implementation of the interventions
of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy across all levels of the
system. Individual Provincial Remedial Reading Plans aligned to the audit
findings have been drawn up for each province. These Reading Remedial
Plans have been submitted for approval to HEDCOM.