| 1. |
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) embarked on a Qualifications Database Project (QDP) pilot in 200 schools in 2008. The purpose was to collect data in respect of the qualifications, skills and experience of educators at those schools. This pilot was completed very successfully, because of the cooperation of the principals and staffs of those schools. For this we would like to thank the schools that were involved. |
| 2. |
The data-collection tool has since been enhanced and is now ready to be rolled out to all schools in the Province of the Western Cape in order to capture all the qualifications, experiences and skills of all employees working in institutions under the auspices of the WCED. Phase one will deal with the capturing of the qualifications and skills of the educators (state-paid, as well as school governing body paid, and permanent, as well as contract and substitute educators) in the system. |
| 3. |
The WCED will be conducting a series of roadshows during the month of May 2009 at different venues in the education districts. |
| 3.1 |
Your school must be represented at one of these workshops by at least one of your staff members (school principal or a representative on the school management team, and possibly the secretary or the person that will be responsible for the capturing of the data onto the tool). |
| 3.2 |
You will be informed by your education district of the venue, time and date of the roadshow closest to your school. Please find attached a schedule of the dates when we will be in your education district. |
| 3.3 |
For information regarding the logistical arrangements for the roadshow, please speak to your Circuit Team Manager (CTM). For information about the project, please feel free to contact the Directorate: Human Capital Planning at 021 467 2073/2053/2288. |
| 4. |
This project will ensure that the WCED has reliable information to make informed decisions on strategies to apply and appropriate interventions to embark on to assist our employees and the school governing body paid employees to be better prepared for the challenges they face in schools. |
| 5. |
Information regarding the exact number of educators teaching a specific subject or learning area in the system will also assist the WCED to plan and forecast better for the future human resource needs of the education system in this province and to identify the kind of interventions needed currently and in the future to address possible gaps. |
| 6. |
The WCED has embarked on this project in response to the schools' struggle to find qualified educators in certain subjects and because this information is required by the standing committee in education and the office of the Auditor-General. The WCED will therefore be sharing this data and our plans with other stakeholders in education e.g. the provincial legislature's standing committee on education. |
| 7. |
Attached please find a DHP QDP - 1 form (in case your school does not have a system in place at this moment), which your educators must fill out in preparation for the project. Once the staff member has filled in the form, s/he must submit this to the school principal before 29 May 2009, who must arrange for the information to be captured on the tool before 26 June 2009. |
| 8. |
The DHP QDP - 1 form currently contains the minimum information that the WCED will require from an educator. Although we request that the educator fills in his/her personal details on this form, it needs to be mentioned that this information will be imported into the tool from PERSAL, which information will then be updated during the capturing process. |
| 9. |
All the information of all educators must be captured by 26 June 2009. |
| 10. |
Phase two and three (to be implemented later in the year) will deal with the verification of the information supplied. During phase two, the educator will certify that the information supplied by him/her is correct. |
| 11. |
We further request that all educators submit certified copies of all their qualifications or certificates to the school principal by Friday, 15 May 2009. These copies must be kept in a safe place at the school on the file of the educator. |
| 12. |
Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Margaret Delo at tel. 021 467 2073/2053/2288. |
| 13. |
Please bring the contents of this minute to the attention of all personnel and school governing body members, and request that they sign an acknowledgement of receipt. |
| 14. |
Your co-operation is much appreciated. |
SIGNED: WILLIAM JS JANTJIES
HEAD: EDUCATION
DATE: 2009:04:24
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