Speech by the Superintendent General Nomlamli Mahanjana at the Education Management Indaba at Bhisho Stadium on the 14th January 2008.

Programme Director
MEC for Education, Johnny Makgato
Members of the Executive Council here present
Chairperson and Members of the Portfolio Committee
Leadership of Union Formations
Senior Management of the Department
Education Development Officers, Chief Education Specialists
Our Principals
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good Afternoon

Introductory Remarks
I have the unenviable task of having to present after the Honourable MEC has laid out quite comprehensively the rationale behind today’s historic gathering. Nevertheless the essence of my presentation is to complement the MEC’s address, giving a status quo report that outlines achievements, future plans as well as reflect some of the challenges along the way.

Programme director the rationale behind this indaba is that the school is as the centre,  if not the heart of the education system. It would therefore be foolhardy for us to ignore the fact that the functionality of the education system can only be measured by interrogating the performance of our schools.

As we are all congregated here, we are all products of one school or another, therefore what happens in a school is a priority for any self-respecting nation, and ours is no exception.

Teamwork
As leadership of the department at Head Office we are charged with the responsibility to ensure that the education system is functional and effective in this province. The education system consists of all of us, it is therefore imperative that we hold hands, walk together, and confront challenges together, so that our children can reap the benefits of our collective effort. For schools to be effective, all role players must work as a team, towards a common objective. Schools do not belong to individuals, or cliques, they are a platform for a national transformation agenda of the country, where everyone must be allowed to make their contribution.

Regulatory Framework
Programme Director, we operate in a regulated environment, our roles and responsibilities are enshrined in the Constitution of this country. It is therefore not optional but obligatory that in discharging our duties, in the office and at school, all of us subscribe to the provisions of the legislative framework. We are also mandated with the responsibility to transform education in this country, naturally this is not the sole responsibility of the Department of Education, but all stakeholders, including Unions, School Governing Bodies,  Faith formations, Traditional leadership, the private sector and so on.
Ownership
We are here today for a new beginning. We are here today to acknowledge that we need one another for support. We are here to commit to rolling our sleeves, to stop blaming one another but to find solutions in order to repay the confidence government and the society at large have placed on us. Sometimes you hear school managers and even District Directors exclaiming that “it is the department’s fault”, ladies and gentlemen the department is all of us. It is not the MEC, the SG or Head Office, it is all of us. We must find one another, by emphasizing commonalities and eliminating differences for the good of the education system in the Eastern Cape.

On a more positive note, we have some wonderful people in the system who make us proud, individuals and teams who go beyond the call of duty because they recognize the bigger picture, they are driven by conscience, they want to make a difference. There are good schools with sound and committed leadership; we note your achievements and take pride in the work that you do, you can only be proud of yourselves.

It may well be part of the legacy of our country or beyond that at times you have a school that is performing well in close proximity to one that is underachieving. I want Districts and Circuits to identify schools that are performing well and declare them “Centres of Excellence”. Those schools must be used as a resource to engender the same spirit and culture and for others to learn best practices in order to improve. Our school managers must take responsibility by being proactive and report matters that hinder progress so that timely interventions can be made. This therefore means school managers must go back, facilitate and conduct a SWOT analysis of their school and submit reports with recommendations.

In order to sustain school functionality, the Department of Education develops programmes and projects in line with the declared government priorities. The Honourable MEC has already outlined them, social partners have also acknowledged some.  My responsibility as Head of the Department is to ensure that such policies, programmes and projects translate to school functionality and effectiveness.

Post Provisioning for 2008
Programme Director I would now like to take this opportunity to zoom in on some of the critical areas that affect our performance as a Department. It is a fact that our schools have been unable to function properly due to non-declaration of pots in the Eastern Cape. This is largely as a result of an impasse or disagreement between labour and the Department. This is a matter that is extremely crucial and adversely affects our performance. Discussions are still ongoing with the resolve to undo the blockages and find a workable solution within a week, given the urgency of the matter. The adverse implications of non-declaration cannot be over-emphasized and you probably know them better than I do. We have an obligation by law to provide teachers and non-teaching staff to schools and offices for better service delivery in education.

The extent of the impact of non-declaration has led to instability in the system which is characterized by both temporary and double parked educators. As a department we have vowed that 2008 should be the year when we stabilize the employment status of our educators. You must remember that last year 2580 temporary educators obtained permanent status, that number has since increased to 3717.

Improving Systems
The Eastern Cape Department of Education for a number of years did not release employment bulletins. In 2008 bulletins will be released quarterly so that we work towards the elimination of the temporary educators as a feature of our education system. All existing temporary educators will remain in the system until posts advertised in the bulletins are filled. As a matter of urgency, schools must go back and identify posts to be released as per their staff establishments, so that after declaration they can be advertised by the end of March of this year. Our post provisioning model for 2008 is very clear on small schools including farm schools.

Rationalization and Reorganisation of the Schooling System
The pupil complement in our schools in the Eastern Cape is generally very small. According to our data, out of 6000 plus schools around 740 have a number of learners below 100. Essentially this means these schools are not viable. In 2008 the process of rationalization will commence and a project plan to that effect has already been developed. As highlighted by the Honourable MEC this is a delicate process that means intensive consultation with the community is critical. We must then be able to decide on the utilization of resources or infrastructure in instances where decisions have been taken to closed down schools.

We have also established that our schooling structure is not in line with the rest of the country. You will recall that the Eastern Cape Department of Education is an amalgamation of a number of different entities with different schooling structures. These structures have not been tempered with since 1994, and time now is opportune to review them. The proposals to move Grade 8 and 9 to Senior Secondary Schools are in place in order to fall in line with the rest of the country.
Consultation will commence soon as informed by action research on the matter. We still have to apply our minds and satisfy ourselves that such a move will really improve learning outcomes. Districts and schools should begin feasibility studies therefore, and identify new possibilities in this respect.

District Development
The District Model is a product of decentralization policy as espoused by National government. Government works in an integrated fashion  and we have since been instructed to realign as the MEC has indicated. The proposals regarding organizational realignment of Districts in tandem with Local Municipalities are in place, consultation is ongoing with a view of having it finalized by the end of this year.

We are aware that there are cross-boundary schools in terms of municipalities and we need to identify such schools so that we allocate them to correct municipalities by 2008. We are strengthening the capacity of the districts to deliver and 1447 posts have been advertised and are in the process of being filled.

Curriculum Transformation and Delivery
Transformation of Curriculum has now reached Grade 12 and as of this year all our learners are expected to be taught in line with the National Curriculum Statement and Outcomes Based Education. For progress and optimal performance, this requires school principals who understand curriculum transformation and how it should be delivered in the classroom.

The fundamental feature of the new curriculum is the implementation of continuous assessment. We know that some schools have limitations in this regard. In 2008 all Grades will implement Continuous Assessment , as part of which schools are expected to incorporate school based moderation. Tracking of learner performance will be prioritized, we expect schools to develop schedules from Grade R to Grade 12. When we announce results in December 2008, a summary of performance from Grade R to Grade 11 will be presented. This reinforces the view that Grade 12 is a culmination of a process and not a stand alone.

Language Policy
In 2008, Implementation of Language in Education Policy will be prioritized. Offering of Indigenous Languages as medium of instruction from Grade R to Grade 3 will be implemented I am quite aware that there is a challenge in the Ex Model C Schools in relation to offering Indigenous Languages at Home Language Level. We need to prioritize transformation of such schools for them to conform to the South African Schools Act and the implementation of transformation projects. The implementation of the New Curriculum Statement

requires strong and ongoing teacher development. In 2008 our districts will strengthen monitoring and support of the New Curriculum Statement.

LTSM
The supply and delivery of Learner Teacher Support Materials is a key ingredient for the success of learning and teaching in all schools. For 2008 our system of providing such resource have improved tremendously. To date the  delivery of textbooks for Grade 12 has been completed except 4 schools that are being investigated. Therefore we are at 99 percent.

The orders for Grades 4,5,6,8,9 and 11 have commenced already in December and to date we are at 54% and these are to be completed by the end of January. The stationery for other grades have been awarded to 7 manufacturers at a cost of R56 million and deliveries are continuing to be completed by the end of this month. The requisition cycle for 2009 will commence in February of 2008 and are to be completed in May 2008. Orders will be released by June and deliveries must commence in September 2008. This is an indication of our readiness.

Information Communication and Technology
As a department we are an integral part of the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) revolution led by National government. Our schools will be supplied with computers for teaching and learning as well as administrative purposes. This will be coupled with training of educators on ICT. A number of these projects are already underway. Districts must identify schools that can be used  as centres of Excellence in ICT.

Further Education and Training
Government has prioritized establishment of Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges to provide much needed skills to our communities. The funding for this programme has increased considerably this year and this will enable our young adults to benefit from this sector. As the sector is also undergoing transformation as prescribed in the FET Act 16 of 2006, College Councils will be trained to act as employers for staff. The transfer of staff cannot be done haphazardly, educators will therefore be placed colleges for a period of six months whilst the department is preparing the landscape for taking over this responsibility eventually.

Grade R Implementation
The 2008 Grade R learners will be in Grade 12 come 2020. At the same time our system is characterized by a high drop-out and repetition rate throughout the system. Schools must be able to monitor and detect such trends so that interventions can be made.

We have a responsibility to manage throughput throughout the system, therefore the number of learners who enter Grade R must correlate with those who enter Grade 12 in the corresponding years.

Teaching of Grade R will be regularized in 2008 using Standardized Grade R Guideline Document. The introduction of Grade R is compulsory for all learners who will join formal education. The Department of Education has commenced a process of attaching Grade R classes to formal schooling. Grade R educators have been included in the Persal system fore payment at the end of each month and the stipend has increased to R1600. The infrastructure for Grade R will be improved by providing every school with a specialized classroom.

For the first time we shall offer the National Senior Certificate. We expect each Principal to take full responsibility for correct Curriculum Streams and subject combinations at school that will ensure learners fulfilling the National Senior Certificate requirements.

We must ensure that each leaner offers 7 subjects of which 4 are compulsory. Learner results can be withheld due to non-submission of Continuous Assessment marks. Such occurrences should be avoided at all cost as it will disadvantage the learner and also compromise the school and the province.

Information Management
I must acknowledge that a sample of schools has been provided and trained on SASAMS. This system has not been utilized fully and in 2008 we expect schools to use this system and submit their 10th day and Annual Survey forms. We need to improve on the reliability of data submitted by schools and principals have a responsibility to ensure that this information is accurate and reliable. You are responsible for the wrong data that we receive and that is an act of misconduct. We must stop inflating numbers of our learners and this upsets planning and decision making.

IQMS
For a school to know whether it is improving or regressing, Institutional Quality Management System (IQMS) should be implemented effectively at school level. Whether we like it or not, for a number of years, teacher incentives based on performance have paid by default. I want to commend schools that have shown a vast improvement in that regard. There is gradually a clear semblance and preparedness to implement IQMS. We must be able to improve IQMS.

Systems and processes to be able to respond to frequently asked questions. It is evident that the quality of scores provided present some challenges as they do not reconcile with school performance. For example some schools presenting Grade 12 results obtain 30% pass whereas educator performance is said to be satisfactory.  These are issues that we need to confront in 2008.

The IQMS has been interpreted as judgemental at the expense of development and hence there have been challenges of payment. We have paid educators through  default and we have since stopped that practice. This has posed backlogs which we have since paid to a certain extent. We have paid 1% pay progression to 55700 educators. We will pay 1545 educators grade progression, 24651 educators for accelerated pay progression – Salary levels 1-10 and 417 Salary levels 11-12.

Norms and Standards for School Funding
The challenges that we face in terms of allocating quintiles will be addressed by developing  new criteria which take into account all schools operating under same or similar conditions. It is in this vein that the current quintiles will be reviewed.

We shall continue in 2008 to declare quintile 1 and 2 as no fee schools. We want to reiterate our instruction that schools that have been declared as no-fee schools should not charge schools at all. It is also true that learners who are unable to pay school fees are still victimized by principals. No school has a right or prerogative to suspend or expel learners for non-payment of school fees irrespective of the school status. No school has a prerogative to deny a learner the right to sit for exams due to non-payment of school fees. Simirlarly no school has a right to withhold a learners progress report or deny them Learner Teacher Support Material as a result of non-payment of fees. In 2008 as before learners who are unable to afford should be exempted from paying school fees. Guidelines have been developed on how to utilize the 10% allocation and we expect schools to abide by them. Accountability for funds given by government will be prioritized this year.

School Management and Governance
One of the most critical areas in our system is school management and governance. The absence of authority in schools whilst principals are employed is serious cause for concern. We want you as principals to regain your authority and direct schools to deliver on their mission and vision.

Despite the fact that there is legislation currently providing direction on the establishment of school based democratically elected structures of governance; some schools still continue with old undemocratic structures like the Prefect system, Parents Teacher Association, Boards of Governors etc. We shall ensure that these practices are eliminated and legislated structures  become entrenched in the system. These practices undermine the transformation agenda of the country in general and education in particular.

Infrastructure Delivery
As the MEC has indicated the elimination of Mud structures are a top priority this year. We shall soon intervene in the schools that have been affected by disasters  and it is the position of government that assistance is sought and found immediately a place has been a victim of disaster. It is our view that water and sanitation are critical for health promotion purposes in our schools. This area will also be closely monitored this year.

The number of schools that have been completed thus far is 128 and 130 are still under construction. 70 schools are currently being provided with water and sanitation. 982 have been provided with non-grid electricity. A roll-out plan for eradication of mud structures including provision of 100 ECD learning centres has commenced already. Mud structure eradication is in 3 phases with 30 schools in phase 1, 27 in phase 2 and 47 in phase 3 and 13 ideal schools have been identified. The Premier of the province identified 60 schools in Lusikisiki for Infrastructure delivery.

Partnerships
The Departrment has engaged in joint ventures with Vodacom to build Ikhwezi Lokusa at a cost of R14 million, Impala Platinum is to revamp two schools at a cost of R2 million.; and 14 schools are being built by Eskom to the tune of R14 million. Already 51 schools have been handed over to Coega including 100 ECD centres and 250 to Amatola Water and 200 are receiving security upgrade.

Schools are expected to participate in Infrastructure planning, delivery and management. This then compels us to establish Infrastructure Delivery structures for co-ordination purposes.

A disaster management programme has been developed for all schools that have been affected by tornaodes. Therefore districts must facilitate the repairing of such schools before the end of March.

The Department has had a history of payment backlogs and still continues to do so though it would be fair to say that in the last 14 months major strides have been made in this regard. Delegations to districts will be increased so that they are able to fast-track payments.
Key administrative and financial appointments are being made in order to strengthen capacity in the districts. Other key delivery programmes like Scholar Transport, School Nutrition, will be decentralized and monitoring of suppliers on the ground critical to the success of these programmes.

In Conclusion
We have identified a number of policy gaps, which will receive immediate attention. These include Section 38 A dealing with the Powers of School Governing Bodies for additional remuneration of educators. We currently have 200 schools that remunerate educators without authority.
Due regard will also be given to a number of proposed Amendments to various pieces of legislation that have a bearing on how we discharge our responsibilities as custodians of education in this province.

It is my view that the year 2008 will be a fruitful year given the co-operation of our social partners, granting authority to principals and strengthening of district support. Let us make this a year to remember.

Thank You.