The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) runs a special intervention programme known as the Learning Schools Project (LSP) for schools that achieve a pass rate of less than 60% in the Senior Certificate Examinations.

The number of schools in this category in the Western Cape declined from 39 to 34 in the 2005 matric exams.

LSP interventions included subject workshops for teachers, winter and spring schools for learners, leadership and management workshops, common September examinations, pace setting support and prioritised visits to schools by the WCED officials.

While the LSP is contributing to improving the pass rate on average, it does not address the issue of learners who drop out of school before matric.

Our Human Capital Development Strategy is looking at a range of systemic issues covering all aspects of education. We have to intervene much earlier in the school system to really make a difference.

For example, we are in the process of appointing 500 teaching assistants in 160 of our poorest schools to assist teachers as they seek to improve the reading, writing and calculating skills of Foundation Phase learners. This forms part of our Literacy and Numeracy Strategy to improve skills generall in this area, especially in Grades R to 9.