Statement by Cameron Dugmore, Provincial Minister of Education in the Western Cape

Most Grade 6 learners in the Western Cape could not perform at a Grade 6 level in literacy and numeracy last year (2003), according to a study commissioned by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).

The WCED commissioned the study as part of a strategy to develop literacy and numeracy skills in the province. The strategy includes a programme of regular diagnostic testing to identify areas for special attention.

A similar study of Grade 3 learners in 2002 found that learners in Grade 3 could not perform at Grade 3 level.

We are not surprised by the latest results. They reflect trends that we are picking up in our own studies and those by other agencies.

We have already introduced a variety of programmes to address the issue of under-performance by most of our learners.

Poverty in all its manifestations is the single most important factor associated with the results. There are no quick fixes, but the results do show that we have to do everything possible to ensure redress and access to quality education for all.

The results reflect the stark contrast between schools run previously by the Department of Education and Training (DET) and former Model C schools, and the massive inequality we still have to deal with in education.

The Premier has identified the WCED has the primary driver of the province’s human resource development strategy to "grow the Cape", in line with our iKapa Elihlumayo policy.

The WCED’s strategy in turn is to ensure that General Education and Training (GET, Grades R to 9) provides the foundation for Further Education and Training (FET), Higher Education and general skills development.

We can only build this foundation if we tackle this challenge honestly and openly, by understanding clearly what our learners are capable of, and what we have to do to bring them up to speed.

If we do not build this foundation, a large number of learners will continue to drop out of high school without furthering their studies or developing skills that would ensure meaningful employment.

The study of Grade 6 performance was the largest of its kind ever undertaken in the Western Cape.

The WCED commissioned service providers to assess 34 596 Grade 6 learners in 1 079 schools. The survey included every school with more than five Grade 6 learners.

The study followed a pilot study in 30 schools in the Western Cape, to fine-tune the tests. A consortium of research agencies conducted the pilot test, consisting of Education Services of the Joint Education Trust, the Schools Development Unit (SDU) and the Evaluation Research Agency.

The SDU, with the support of the School of Education and the Department of Statistics at the University of Cape Town, conducted the main assessment late last year.

The study has provided a wealth of data, which provides insights into a wide range of factors that help to explain the results. These factors former education departments that managed schools, school districts, poverty indices, age, medium of instruction and home language. The study compared results with required Grade 6 outcomes.

The most significant results were that:

• Only 15.6% of the learners passed the numeracy test at the Grade 6 level.
• Only 35% passed the literacy test at the Grade 6 level.
• About 63.3% failed both tests at the Grade 6 level.

An analysis of the results has revealed the following:

• Learners at former Cape Education Department (CED) schools achieved the highest results, followed by schools of the former House of Representatives (HoR), and those of the former Department of Education and Training (DET).
• The study has shown a clear relationship between poverty and performance, with more affluent schools achieving the best results.
• Home-language instruction was not a significant indicator of success, which suggests that factors other than language have influenced performance.
• Most classes surveyed were larger than the recommended maximum (49.4%). Results declined sharply in classes comprising more than 32 learners.
• There were marginal differences between girls and boys in the numeracy test, while girls outperformed boys by about 10% in the literacy test.
• Overage learners (older than 14) performed badly, while underage learners could hold their own up to a Grade 5 level.

We are implementing a range of interventions designed to develop the numeracy and literacy skills of primary school learners. These include:

• Providing detailed results from the Grade 6 survey to schools on the performance of their learners, highlighting areas needing special attention.
• Providing 100 books to every primary school classroom in the province, with programmes to ensure that every primary school learner reads at least 100 books during the year.
• Providing mathematics, science and technology kits to every primary school to support conceptual development of primary school learners, supported by teaching materials and lesson plans for teachers.
• Continued training for teachers on the revised national curriculum. The WCED will train about 6 000 Intermediate Phase teachers (Grades 4 – 6), and about 1 000 principals and school managers, on the curriculum during the July school holidays.

The training forms part of broader strategies to improve numeracy and literacy skills, that include teacher training, development of learning and teaching materials, regular diagnostic testing and special interventions.

In addition to the existing strategies, we need to do the following:

• Expand Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) and Early Childhood Development (ECD). In addition to encouraging adult learning, ABET will build parent literacy which will encourage reading in the home. ECD must lay an increasing role in preparing children for school, particularly in our poorest communities.
• We will appeal to NGOs involved in literacy programmes to work with us in increasing the scale of their operations. The READ programme, for example, is engaged in distributing books to rural schools via the "Rally to Read" initiative.
• I plan to call and urgent meeting with civil society to discuss ways in which we can work together to improve reading and numeracy of our learners.
• We will appeal to businesses to adopt schools needing support to improve skills in reading and mathematics. We can make a considerable difference is we can adequately service 600 of our poorer schools in the province.

These results illustrate the tremendous task we have ahead of us to provide access to quality, basic education for all. We have to confront these realities honestly and transform our whole education system to deliver results.

We have to grow the Cape, in line with iKapa Elihlumayo, to provide a home for all in education in this province.

Everyone – in every school, every home and every community- has a role to play in bringing our learners up to speed. This is not an impossible task, but we have to work together to ensure success.

Further inquiries:  Cameron Dugmore  021 467-2378