The following measures are outlined to ensure a smooth transition with respect to the National Strategy for Learner Attainment processes and procedures in view of the re-design process currently under way in the WCED.

They also aim to improve, strengthen and tighten existing procedures in order to ensure that schools that achieved less than 60% in the 2007 Senior Certificate examination show clear evidence of improvement in the areas identified.

1. Continuation of existing NSLA programmes
1.1 Please be advised that interventions and programmes that have already been planned by district officials who have been working at the schools up this point must continue and be allowed to run their full course. This means that even though some NSLA schools might now find themselves in new districts or circuits, it would be in the best interest of the school to maintain the course that has been set up to this point.
1.2 New circuit teams and/or district officials will take over the reins in certain cases and continue with these programmes and, if needed, supplement, improve or add to, but not discontinue what has been put in place. Any deviation from the programme must be approved by the Chief Director: Districts.

The above refers to interventions such as the following:

  • Allocation of funds for specific identified programmes
  • Implementation of the School Improvement Plans
  • Mentorship programmes
  • High visibility monitoring weekly visits
  • Extra classes / Saturday classes / Winter & Spring Schools
  • Provision of extra LTSM and resources
  • The NSLA Visible Difference - school clean-up campaign
  • Teacher and learner motivation
1.3 The NSLA co-ordinators must provide a full brief on each school and convey all the information pertaining to NSLA programmes, key priorities and the district NSLA strategic plan to the officials taking over in the new districts. Districts should endeavour to minimise the impact of the re-design on support for existing NLSA programmes as far as possible.

2. Key deliverables for the 3rd quarterDue Date
2.1 Ensure weekly monitoring school visits take place (District officials of each pillar)Once per week
2.2 Submission of results June common exam to H/O and DoE Thurs, 17 July
2.3 Audit of Learning Programme completion (In terms of WCED pace-setters) Mon, 18 August
2.4 Monthly monitoring of educator & learner absenteeism Monthly
2.5 Records / Statistics & brief details of visits of officials (per pillar) to LAS schools Monthly
2.6 Biweekly circuit team updates. See due dates
2.7 Monthly progress report on all the planned interventions (Include details e.g. Timetables) Monthly
2.8 Quarterly progress review meeting with the staff of each NSLA school and circuit team to be conducted. End of 3rd Quarter
2.9 Conduct Provincial September common exam & submission of results September
2.10 Identify and report all under-performing principals and educators to Head Office 21 August 2008

3. Details

In terms of paragraph 2.10 above, principals and educators who deliberately continue to contribute to the under-performance of the schools on the programme must be clearly identified and a report submitted to the Head Office on this date for the attention of the Directorate: Labour Relations.

4. Reporting
4.1 The circuit team manager is the accountable officer for the NSLA programme.
4.2 The circuit team manager will be required to submit a biweekly status report to the district director in order to update TOPCO on the development of each NSLA school.
4.3 Procedure
  • Circuit team manager submits an update to the district director on a biweekly basis.
  • District NSLA co-ordinator compiles a biweekly update on NSLA matters for the district.
  • The update is submitted by the district NSLA co-ordinator to the provincial co-ordinator, who compiles a provincial report.
  • The report must be submitted 2 days prior to the TOPCO meeting via the Chief Director: Districts.
4.4 Due dates for submission of biweekly updates
  • Fri, 25 July 2008
  • Fri, 8 August 2008
  • Fri, 22 August 2008
  • Fri, 5 September 2008
  • Fri, 19 September 2008
  • Fri, 10 October 2008 Final Report
5. Monitoring of School Improvement Plans
5.1 All NSLA schools have been thoroughly trained and supported to develop comprehensive SIPs. These have been moderated by district officials and have been approved and signed off by each district director. Each member of the circuit team should be in possession of the school's Improvement Plan as well as a copy of their strategy to improve their results.
5.2 Circuit teams are requested to ensure implementation of the plans that have been submitted. A progress report with respect to how much of the school's SIP has been achieved will be requested at the end of each term.
5.3 Copies of these documents can be obtained from the district NSLA co-ordinator or the above-mentioned office contact.

6. Monitoring of allocated funds for improving senior certificate results
6.1 Each NSLA school was allocated a specific amount of funds during the period February to March within a specific framework. School submitted detailed business plans, which were moderated and sent back to schools before these plans were approved at district level.
6.2 Funds for the period 1 April 2008 - 31 March 2009 have also been released and each district must manage these funds in terms of the NSLA and PFMA framework. District co-ordinators have developed a detailed business plan in this regard.
6.3 Circuit teams and school-based management are requested to strictly monitor the use of these funds. A report on the expenditure to date must be submitted by 21 August 2008.
6.4 One of the key priorities for the use of the funds is that the school must be clean. Classrooms, toilets and playground areas must be clean. Circuit teams are asked to ensure that this deliverable has been met.

7. Schools at risk

All districts have also identified schools at risk of under-performing in 2008. These are schools that show signs of achieving low results or where there is growing evidence that the school is not being managed properly. Circuit Team Managers are advised to review the current list of schools at risk and ensure that they have identified and monitored the schools at risk in each circuit. The list of secondary schools identified should be compiled with a brief comment as to why it appears that the school is at risk. This should be included in the district report due on 21 August 2008.
8. The role of the NSLA co-ordinator and circuit teams
8.1 The NSLA co-ordinator is tasked with co-ordinating, reporting and fully driving this programme at district level to ensure that the deliverables are met.

8.2 The NSLA co-ordinator works closely in conjunction with all circuit teams to ensure that interventions happen as planned. However the NSLA co-ordinator must not be left to run the NSLA programme solely in the circuit. Circuit teams are entrusted to support under-performing schools in a holistic, coherent and integrated manner. Circuit teams will therefore play the key role of developing under-performing institutions into functional and dynamic organisations.

9. The role of the circuit team manager
9.1 One of the primary functions of the circuit team manager is to develop and turn around under-performing institutions in a holistic, coherent and integrated manner. Therefore circuit team managers are entrusted to ensure that there is visible movement at under-performing institutions in comparison to where they were at the start of this process.
9.2 The circuit team manager is the responsible official in this regard. The MEC has signalled his intention that circuit team managers will be required to sign a performance agreement that specifies the names of NSLA schools to be turned around for the 2008/9 period as of this point.
10. A meeting with the circuit team managers and NSLA co-ordinators is being planned to consult with colleagues on the way forward in terms of NSLA and to ensure that the above-mentioned is fully discussed in terms of the relevant policy frameworks. Details of this meeting will be forwarded to all concerned shortly.


SIGNED: S. LINGELA
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2008:07:14