Programme aimed at unlocking an entrepreneurial mindset piloted in schools
18 July 2019
Twenty schools in the Western Cape are participating in a pilot to introduce the Department of Basic Education (DBE)’s Entrepreneurship and Employability Education (E3) programme.
The DBE aims to create a new culture in South African schools where the youth become more self-reliant, are solution-oriented, and develop proactive, entrepreneurial mindsets.
The target groups of the pilot are Economic Management Sciences (EMS), Life Orientation (LO) and Life Skills educators.
EMS educators received training last year. Grades 7 to 9 EMS educators, Grade 10 LO educators and Grades 4 to 6 Life Skills educators received training this year.
Tom Ryan, retired director of the University of Cape Town’s executive Master of Business Administration programme, volunteered his time and expertise to design and facilitate a training programme for educators on Project-Based Learning (PBL).
In keeping with global trends in education, PBL is used in E3 as the key methodology for developing 21st century skills in learners. Ryan feels he still has a lot to offer South Africa and has volunteered his expertise to help us empower educators to use this teaching methodology as part of the E3 initiative. He is a role model for using one’s time during retirement to give back to society.
During this term participating schools will implement projects such as:
- Creating cultural awareness through an intercultural event in which a culturally-rich recipe book produced by the class is launched
- Creating a tower garden to raise awareness of taking responsibility for your own healthy eating and building entrepreneurial skills
- Caring for animals club
- Planning a career expo: future-focused careers
At the end of the third term learners will host an event where the projects will be showcased to parents, learners and/or the community.
Some of the educators commented that as a result of the training, they will do the following differently in term 3:
- Teach less, coach more, allow learners to explore and learn
- Generate excitement and make lessons more fun
- More practical, less theory, make work more interesting, take a project-based approach to teaching
