Speech by Minister Donald Grant:
Western Cape honours excellence in literacy and numeracy
18 February, 2014

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

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 2013.

The Western Cape Government believes in the value of providing diagnostic assessment of the provincial education system so that we can improve the management of education and learner performance.

These tests inform our language and mathematics interventions, and a basis for the improvement of 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 2013 tests have resulted in some pleasing improvements, such as increases in mathematics across all three grades, we still face some tough challenges in both language and mathematics.

We do, however, remain positive as these tests allow us to evaluate the reasons for any decreases and to formulate new strategies to improve on these results.

The fact that there is year on year comparability makes it possible for the WCED to draw constructive conclusions and develop corrective measures for classroom practice.

The important thing is to know where we need to provide support.

But tonight, it’s all about those schools that have done us and themselves proud. I should like to congratulate the schools that have excelled in the tests and schools that improved their results.

Special mention must be made of some of the schools present here tonight, such as Oakhurst Girls Primary and Rustenberg Girls Junior for achieving a 100% pass rate in both Grade 3 and Grade 6 language and mathematics tests.

Over 98 independent schools took part in the testing. We warmly welcome Herschel Girls School here tonight. The school achieved a 100% pass rate for both language and mathematics in all grades.

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 West End PS in Lentegeur.

This morning I had the privilege of visiting the school to hear first-hand how they improved on their results.

The school improved in both language and mathematics in Grade 3 and 6.

Their language results in Grade 3, for example, increased from 27.7% in 2012 to 46.6% in 2013. In mathematics, the school improved its results substantially from 36.9% in 2012 to 69.7% in 2013 in Grade 3. In Grade 6, results improved from 14.8% in 2012 to 28% in 2013.

This is a remarkable improvement in just one year.

I asked their Principal Mr. Arries what exactly was their secret to success.

From the moment you arrive at the front gate of the school their secret is evident.

There is teamwork from A-Z, led by innovative servant leadership. Everyone is engaged in this school, from the parents, to the learners, the educators and SGB. They are a prime example of BETTER TOGETHER.

In addition to teamwork, the school engaged in a number of activities to improve their results:

• Developed new teaching strategies based on their ANA and Language and Mathematics results.

• Appointed additional teaching assistants in Grade 2 and 6.

• Teachers took part in skills development programmes.

• Ensured that each grade had a mathematics kit.

• Worked closely with WCED curriculum advisors.

• Additional lessons on Saturdays for Grade 3 learners.

• Exposed learners to creative teaching methods.

• Created a "buddy system" which included both learners that were excelling and struggling in order to assist one another.

I am extremely proud of the achievements of West End 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, 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 should like to end off by thanking all our principals and SGB members present. We appreciate and value your leadership and management in our schools. Without your direction and support our schools would not be the places they are.

Our educators and curriculum advisors in your schools have also done us proud and we congratulate them on their learners’ achievements.

Congratulations and thank-you to you all.

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

Thank-you.

Western Cape School Awards for Meritorious Performance 2013 (Grades 3, 6 and 9)