Media Release
Minister of Education Donald Grant
Western Cape

19 February, 2013

WCED honours achievements in 2012 Language and Maths tests.

Speech by Minister Donald Grant - Western Cape Education Minister
at the 2012 Language and Mathematics awards - Western Cape - De Hoop PS

Head of the WCED Penny Vinjevold
Chief Directors, District Directors and officials of the WCED
Principals
Members of the SGB and unions
Ladies and Gentlema

It is with great pleasure that I am here tonight to celebrate the achievements of schools that have produced excellent results and improvements in our Grade 3, 6 and 9 language and mathematics systemic tests in 2012.

These tests are important to the Western Cape as they inform our language and mathematics interventions, and improve the management of education and learner performance.

They also give us the opportunity to assess where our learners' abilities lie and if we are improving the quality of education in the province.

While the 2012 tests have resulted in some pleasing improvements, we still face some tough challenges. There is still considerable work that needs to be done to ensure that these improvements continue to happen as we move towards acceptable outcomes for all our learners in the Province.

So tonight, let us celebrate the schools that have excelled in the tests and schools who improved their results.

However, as a Government, we go out of our way to honour and acknowledge individual achievements, schools and institutions that are examples of best practice in the Western Cape.

The entertainment and movie industry is not the only sector that is currently experiencing "award season." We have our own one right here in the Western Cape.

Within a week, I am attending not one, but three award ceremonies -The FET awards last tonight, the Literacy and Numeracy awards tonight and then finally our Adult Basic Education awards early next week. Just recently, we held the NSC awards.

None of these award ceremonies can be classified as the "Grammys" of education, as each sector and phase is as equally important to the Western Cape Government as the next.

However, personally, I am always most eager to find out the outcomes of our language and mathematics results as improvements in these areas affect the outcomes of learners in all other phases and in real life. They are truly the building blocks of education progress.

This year's testing was particularly valuable to us as the Department is now in a position to compare and contrast the 2012 results with those of the previous year. This has allowed the WCED to determine if its strategies in literacy and numeracy are yielding positive results.

Tonight, each of the schools represented here has either excelled or improved.

Special mention must be made to some of the schools present here tonight, such as Rustenberg Girls Junior for achieving a 100% pass rate in both Grade 3 and Grade 6 language and 81.1% in both language and mathematics in Grade 3 and Grade 6 in terms of their average mean scores. Their sister school, Rustenberg High School did equally well in Grade 9, with a 100% pass rate for language and a 98.7% for mathematics and an average mean score for both mathematics and language of 83.3%.

Congratulations to Hoër Meisieskool Paarl who achieved 100% pass rate in both mathematics and language in Grade 3 and a 95.1% mean average for Grade 3 mathematics.

Over 250 000 learners took part in the testing last October. Of these, 5 927 were learners from 100 independent schools. Independent schools were invited to participate in the Grade 6 and 9 testing in 2010, and Grade 3 testing in 2011.

We warmly welcome two of our independent schools here tonight - Springfield Convent of the Holy Rosary and Herschel Girls School. Springfield achieved a remarkable 100% pass rate for both language and mathematics in Grade 3 and 6. Herschel achieved 100% for language and 96.4% for mathematics in Grade 9, with a combined mean average of 85.4%. Well done!

I would like to congratulate all our schools in the category of excellence for their performance in these tests. If we consider the extensive expertise and experience in system level evaluation and assessment the CEA offers and that these tests instruments are in line with international systemic evaluations, results such as the one's achieved by schools in this category are most noteworthy.

Also noteworthy are the many improvements in performance.

Tonight, I am proud to honour some of our schools that have improved significantly within one year!

One of these schools is Nkazimlo PS in Khayelitsha. This morning I had the privilege to visit the school and meet their wonderful principal Mrs Futwa. The school produced improved results in both language and mathematics in Grade 3. Their language results increased from 2.6% in 2011 to 62.4% in 2012 - a 59.8% increase. In mathematics, the school improved its results by 29.5%. In 2011 it achieved 51.7% and in 2012, 81.2%.

This is a remarkable improvement in just one year.

I asked Mrs. Futwa what exactly was her secret to success. Her answer was clear and concise and what I can best describe as a 'handbook to best practice" in language and mathematics.

She explained, amongst others, their interventions, their extra programmes, increased testing, classroom monitoring and evaluation and measures to decrease absenteeism and latecoming.

But first and foremost, she said her school, learners, parents and educators needed a change in attitude. They were all encouraged to work positively together to make the changes necessary to improve their results.

It is evident that Mrs Futwa, who became principal of the school in the beginning of 2012, clearly brought with her a positive and willing attitude which has guided others in her school to participate as a team and ultimately to achieve improved results.

I am extremely proud of the achievements of Nkazimlo PS and all the other schools that saw improvements in their results last year who are here to celebrate with us tonight.

If we continue to have the right positive attitude, work together as teams, to plan suitably and implement those plans properly, we can improve language and mathematics results in this province.

I believe that we can make education BETTER TOGETHER if we all fulfill the roles that we are supposed to play.

I would like to end off by thanking all our principals and SGB members present. We appreciate and value your leadership and management of: our schools.

Our educators and curriculum advisors in your schools have also done us very proud and we congratulate them for their learner's achievements.

Congratulations and thank-you to you all.

With that said, let us continue with tonight's proceedings!

Unlike the Grammy's, Beyonce or Justin Bieber will not be popping up on the screen or the stage next.

Instead, we have a more important feature to show you - we have some of our own celebrity principals that will share their stories of success.

Thank-you.

YouTube Video: "Three examples of award-winning schools"


CRITERIA FOR THE PROVINCIAL LITNUM SCHOOL AWARDS BASED ON MERITORIOUS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE BY SCHOOLS IN GRADES 3, 6 AND 9.

CATEGORIES OF AWARDS

In terms of the 2012 Grades 3, 6 and 9 Language and Mathematics results, awards to schools are allocated in the following categories:

CATEGORY 1: EXCELLENCE IN OUTCOMES

Category 1 (a)
Overall Excellence in Outcomes: Grades 3 and 6

In this category, awards are made to the top ten (10) public ordinary schools with an enrolment of 30 learners or more and where the combined performance at Grade 3 and Grade 6 level in Language and Mathematics in 2012 illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the average of the mean scores in both Language and Mathematics.

Schools with an enrolment of between 20 and 30 learners and who meet the above criteria will also be considered for a special award.

All awardees will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R15 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

Enrolment 30 learners or more

School Name District Average %
Rustenburg Junior School for Girls Metro Central 81.1
Rondebosch Boys' Preparatory School Metro Central 79.9
The Grove Primary School Metro Central 79.3
Greenfield Girls' Primary School Metro Central 77.1
South African College Junior School Metro Central 76.3
Sweet Valley Primary School Metro South 76.3
Hoër Meisieskool Paarl Cape Winelands 75.9
Rhenish Primary School Cape Winelands 74.9
Bergvliet Primary School Metro South 74.2
Laerskool Welgemoed Metro North 74.2

Enrolment at between 20 - 30 learners

School Name District Average %
Oakhurst Girls' Primary School Metro Central 78.6
Llandudno Primary School Metro Central 74.3
Kommetjie Primary School Metro South 71.1

Overall Excellence in Outcomes: Grade 9

In this category, awards are made to the top ten (10) public ordinary schools where the combined performance at Grade 9 level in Language and Mathematics in 2012 illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the average of the mean scores in both Language and Mathematics providing the school has achieved a pass rate of 90% or more at Grade 9 level in 2012.

All awardees will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R15 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

Category 1(a)
Excellence of outcomes in Language and Mathematics: Grade 9

School Name District Average %
Rustenburg High School for Girls Metro Central 83.3
Rondebosch Boys' High School Metro Central 79.5
Westerford High School Metro Central 78.7
Hoër Meisieskool Bloemhof Cape Winelands 77.3
Hoërskool Lutzville West Coast 76.3
Wynberg Boys' High School Metro South 75.4
Paul Roos Gimnasium Cape Winelands 74.6
Wynberg Girls' High School Metro South 74.4
South African College High School Metro Central 74.1
Hoërskool Parel Vallei Metro South 73.7

Category 1 (b)
Excellence of outcomes in Language: Grade 3

In this category, an award is made to ONE (1) public ordinary school where the performance at Grade 3 level in Language in 2012 illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the mean scores in Language for Grade 3.

The school will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R15 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

School Name District Average %
Rustenburg Junior School for Girls Metro Central 84.4

Category 1 (c)
Excellence of outcomes in Language: Grade 6

In this category, an award is made to ONE (1) public ordinary school where the performance at Grade 6 level in Language in 2012 illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the mean scores in Language for Grade 6.

The school will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R15 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

School Name District Average %
Rustenburg Junior school for Girls Metro Central 79.4

Category 1 (d)
Excellence of outcomes in Language: Grade 9

In this category, an award is made to ONE (1) public ordinary school where the performance at Grade 9 level in Language in 2012 illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the mean scores in Language for Grade 9.

The school will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R15 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

School Name District Average %
Rustenburg High School for Girls Metro Central 88.1

Category 1 (e)
Excellence of outcomes in Mathematics: Grade 3

In this category, an award is made to ONE (1) public ordinary school where the performance at Grade 3 level in Mathematics in 2012 illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the mean scores in Mathematics for Grades 3.

Awardee will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R15 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

School Name District Average %
Hoër Meisieskool Paarl Cape Winelands 95.1

Category 1 (f)
Excellence of outcomes in Mathematics: Grade 6

In this category, an award is made to ONE (1) public ordinary school where the performance at Grade 6 level in Mathematics in 2012 illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the mean scores in Mathematics for Grades 6.

Awardee will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R15 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

School Name District Average %
Augsburg Landbougimnasium West Coast 79.2

Category 1 (g)
Excellence of outcomes in Mathematics: Grade 9

In this category, an award is made to ONE (1) public ordinary school where the performance at Grade 9 level in Mathematics in 2012 illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the mean scores in Mathematics for Grade 9.

Awardee will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R15 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

School Name District Average %
Rustenburg High School for Girls Metro Central 78.4

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

Category 1(h)
Overall Excellence in Outcomes: Grades 3 and 6: Independent Schools

In this category, an award is presented to ONE independent school in the province where the combined performance at Grade 3 and Grade 6 level in Language and Mathematics in 2012 illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the average of the mean scores in Language and Mathematics for Grades 3 and 6.

Awardee will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R10 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

School Name District Average %
Springfield Convent of the Holy Rosary Metro South 81.0

Category 1 (i)
Overall Excellence of Outcomes: Grade 9: Independent Schools

In this category, an award is made to ONE independent school in the province where the combined performance in Language and Mathematics illustrates meritorious outcomes. Excellence of outcomes is measured in terms of the mean scores in Language and Mathematics for Grades 9.

Awardee will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R10 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

School Name District Average %
Herschel Girls School Metro Central 85.4

CATEGORY 2: IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE IN GRADES 3, 6 AND 9

2 (a)   Improvement in performance: Language Grade 3

In this category, awards are made to three (3) public ordinary schools in each of the categories below that have shown the greatest improvement in Language at Grade 3 level over the period 2011 and 2012. Improvement is measured in terms of the greatest increase in the number of learners that achieved above 50% in Language in 2012 compared to 2011.

All awardees will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R20 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

Awards will be allocated in terms of:

(i)   Schools with an enrolment of 500 learners or more

School Name District Total no: increased
Nkazimlo Primary Metro East 102
Vukani Primary School Metro South 101
Umthawelanga Primary School Metro East 97

(ii)   Schools with an enrolment of less than 500 learners

School Name District Total no: increased
Ysterplaat Junior Primary Metro Central 34
Rahmaniyeh Primary School Metro Central 27
Leonsdale Primêr Metro North 23

2 (b)   Improvement in performance: Language Grade 6

In this category, awards are made to three (3) public ordinary schools in each of the categories below that have shown the greatest improvement in Language at Grade 6 level over the period 2011 and 2012. Improvement is measured in terms of the greatest increase in the number of learners that achieved above 50% in Language in 2012 compared to 2011.

All awardees will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R20 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

Awards will be allocated in terms of:

(i)   Schools with an enrolment of 500 learners or more

School Name District Total no: increased
Sobambisana Primary School Metro East 94
Ukhanyo Primary School Metro South 75
Nomsa Mapongwana Primary School Metro East 65

(ii)   Schools with an enrolment of less than 500 learners

School Name District Total no: increased
Thomas Wildschutt Senior Primary School Metro South 26
Zonnebloem Boys Primary School Metro Central 23
Pelican Park Primary School Metro South 20

2 (c)   Improvement in performance: Language: Grade 9

In this category, awards are made to three (3) public ordinary schools in each of the categories below that have shown the greatest improvement in Language at Grade 9 level over the period 2011 and 2012. Improvement is measured in terms of the greatest increase in the number of learners that achieved above 50% in Language in 2012 compared to 2011.

All awardees will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R20 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

Awards will be allocated in terms of:

(i)   Schools with an enrolment of 600 learners or more

School Name District Total no: increased
Tuscany Glen Secondary Metro East 89
Oval North High School Metro South 63
Strandfontein Secondary School Metro South 60

(ii)   Schools with an enrolment of less than 600 learners

School Name District Total no: increased
Pelican Park High School Metro South 47
Hoërskool Hopefield West Coast 34
Voortrekker High School Metro Central 27

2 (d)   Improvement in performance: Mathematics Grade 3

In this category, awards are made to three (3) public ordinary schools in terms of each of the categories (i) to (iii) below where applicable, that have shown the greatest improvement in Mathematics at Grade 3 level over the period 2011 and 2012. Improvement is measured in terms of the greatest increase in the number of learners that achieved above 50% in Mathematics in 2012 compared to 2011.

All awardees will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R20 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

Awards will be allocated in terms of:

(i)   Schools with an enrolment of 500 learners or more

School Name District Total no: increased
Nkazimlo Primary School Metro East 60
St. Mark's Primary School (Worcester) Cape Winelands 57
Umthawelanga Primary School Metro East 56

(ii)   Schools with an enrolment of less than 500 learners

School Name District Total no: increased
Ysterplaat Junior Primary Metro Central 27
Montagu's Gift Primary Metro South 25
Woodlands Primary School Metro Central 24

2 (e)   Improvement in performance: Mathematics Grade 6

In this category, awards are made to three (3) public ordinary schools in terms of each of the categories (i) to (iii) below where applicable, that have shown the greatest improvement in Mathematics at Grade 6 level over the period 2011 and 2012. Improvement is measured in terms of the greatest increase in the number of learners that achieved above 50% in Mathematics in 2012 compared to 2011.

All awardees will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R20 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

Awards will be allocated in terms of:

(i)   Schools with an enrolment of 500 learners or more

School Name District Total no: increased
Zanemfundo Primary School Metro South 92
Sobambisana Primary School Metro East 78
Nomsa Mapongwana Primary School Metro East 77

(ii)   Schools with an enrolment of less than 500 learners

School Name District Total no: increased
Zonnebloem Boys' Primary School Metro Central 27
Overberg Laerskool Overberg 25
Laerskool Noord-Eind Cape Winelands 15

2 (f)   Improvement in performance: Mathematics Grade 9

In this category, awards are made to three (3) public ordinary schools in each of the categories below that have shown the greatest improvement in Mathematics at Grade 9 level over the period 2011 and 2012. Improvement is measured in terms of the greatest increase number of learners that achieved above 50% in Mathematics in 2012 compared to 2011.

All awardees will receive a certificate as well as a monetary incentive of R20 000, 00 for the purchase of teaching and learning support material.

Awards will be allocated in terms of:

(i)   Schools with an enrolment of 600 learners or more

School Name District Total no: increased
Spine Road High School Metro South 98
Hoër Tegniese Skool Drostdy Cape Winelands 85
The Settlers High School Metro North 79

(ii)   Schools with an enrolment of less than 600 learners

School Name District Total no: increased
Hoërskool Swellendam Overberg 33
Hoërskool Hopefield West Coast 32
Hoërskool Overberg Overberg 24

For enquiries, contact Bronagh Casey:  072 724 1422 or bronagh.casey@westerncape.gov.za.


return to: Home page | Media Releases Index page
© 2013 Western Cape Education Department