Media Release
Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape

29 June, 2016

Programmes for over 1500 Western Cape teachers on offer this winter.

Statement by Minister Debbie Schäfer, Minister of Education

In order to improve learner outcomes in the province, the WCED is hosting a number of seminars, conferences and workshops for educators to improve their teaching and leadership skills. More than 1500 educators have signed up for the various programmes on offer at the Cape Teaching and Leadership Institute (CTLI) this winter. The programmes are being run from 27^th June - 16^th July 2016.

The CTLI focuses on the professional development of teachers and school management in the Western Cape. The CTLI is a dedicated directorate of the WCED, aiming to improve the quality of education in Western Cape schools through its programmes.

The in-service training and development programmes are aimed at both content knowledge and methodology, with special emphasis on literacy and numeracy.

The seminars on offer during the holiday period include a 2 day "Maths Solutions" Conference which will give our mathematics teachers helpful advice and provide practical examples of ways in which Mathematics can be effectively taught.

Other courses offered at the CTLI include a School Management Team Training Workshop, a course for Grade 8 & 9 teachers on Financial Literacy Teacher Professional Development, as well as a course on the Roles and Responsibilities of HOD's Level 2.

I am also pleased to see that 300 teachers have signed up to the ICT conference that is scheduled to take place on the 15^th July 2016. eLearning is a priority for the WCED and will not succeed if our teachers do not know how to use the technology that is being provided. It is therefore critical that teachers are trained in the integrated use of the technology that has been introduced at their schools.

Training of educators for e-learning began at the beginning of 2015 at the CTLI and has so far included:

• basic training for educators on how the smart classroom technology works,

• sessions with principals so as to provide them with tools to ensure that the technology is utilised and that it's sustained,

• content development courses focusing on developing skills to produce content for lessons for the teacher, by the teacher, and

• courses for educators on basic ICT skills

We've also introduced a course which is aimed at providing teachers with a deep understanding of the nature of eLearning and eTeaching and the role that technology can play. It will focus on teachers producing eLessons, and will be applicable to all subjects.

NAPTOSA is also hosting a 1 day course called Progro which focuses on positive discipline in the classroom.

A 5-day course will also be offered to women that aspire to be school managers and leaders. This course aims to facilitate and enhance the leadership development of women within the WCED and to develop their leadership skills.

Today I dropped in on the 'Women in and into Management and Leadership Positions' Workshop and was pleased to see this important topic being discussed.

The purpose and objective of the 'Women in and into Management and Leadership Positions' Workshop is:

• To facilitate and enhance the leadership development of women within the WCED

• To develop leadership skills within the organisation

• To empower women to deal with gender inequality and prejudice to empower career barriers

• To create confident and capable women leaders and managers within the WCED

I think that for too long women have not occupied leadership and management positions, not because we are not capable, but because we are products of our society and do not always have confidence in our own abilities.

I really hope that this workshop will help change that.

Media enquiries:
Jessica Shelver
Spokesperson for the Minister of Education, Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape Education Department
Tel: 076 175 0663