10 Wednesday 29 March 2023 The Herald

In paid partnership with the Eastern Cape department of education

Drive to ECD
ECDfunding
fundingfocuses
focuses on
on expanding
expanding services
services for needy children
roll out ICT
The Eastern Cape department of dent Cyril Ramaphosa an- “Similarly, addressing a lack of the processes,” Gade said. Report, the Eastern Cape is home In recognition of ECD as a pub-
education has focused its fund- nounced that ECD responsibility, optimal cognitive and psycho- In 2023, Gade said, the focus to 839,000 children under the lic good, Gade said, “the com-
ing for Early Childhood Develop- from age 0 to 4, would be migrat- logical development during this for ECD funding is on three ob- age of 5, and 77% of the counted bined evidence supports the ar-
ment (ECD) in 2023 on expand- ed from the department of so- crucial period becomes increas- jectives: children live below the poverty gument that the government

services across
ing coverage of services for chil- cial development to the depart- ingly difficult and expensive as ● To expand coverage of ser- line. should invest in subsidies target-
dren aged from birth to nine to ment of basic education, thus children age. Consequently, the vices from 0-9; “27.4% of the children in the ed at the poorest children in or-
ensure the inclusion of needy making ECD services to be from less it costs and the narrower the ● To ensure that poorer children, province do not achieve the ex- der to achieve the highest social
children. age 0 to 9. gap, the less intervention is re- and children with developmen- pected score for social relation return on investment”.
The first priority is the estab- “As of April 1 2022 the Eastern quired,” Gade said. tal difficulties and disabilities, are with peers and adults. “To ensure that all children re-

2,000 schools
lishment of a viable institutional Cape was able to assume full re- The province currently has not excluded because of the cost “ECD can therefore be concep- ceive an equal start in life, the en-
framework for the rollout of ECD sponsibility for the ECD func- 5,323 ECD centres in operation, of services; and tualised as a social obligation to tire country has to transform its
programmes, including establish- tion,” Gade said. with 2,786 of these centres reg- ● To improve the quality-of-ser- ensure that every child has an ECD service delivery.
ing a provincial institutional struc- “The rationale being that the istered and funded by the de- vice provision across the equal opportunity to reach his or “Despite the challenges the de-
ture that defines roles and re- period between birth and age 9 partment, Gade said. province. her full potential. partment faced when the func-
sponsibilities at ECD centres. is a crucial and elusive window of He said 514 centres were in The policy recognises that ECD “Due to the unavailability and tion was shifted, the [provincial
The MEC for Education in the “The other cohort of schools to This is according to education opportunity, as brain develop- the process of registration while cost structures include both poor quality of ECD services for education department] can be
Eastern Cape, Mr Fundile Gade, be trained is from all schools to MEC Fundile Gade who delivered ment after this period occurs at a 2,025 were not registered as ECD fixed and variable costs, some of children from low-income fami- commended for its ability to en-
has announced the intensifica- be resourced in 2023/2024 — the department’s policy speech significantly slower rate and centres. which are proportional to the lies, ECD services offered by the sure that the payment of centres
tion of the rollout of the ICT pro- 130 schools + 12 schools = 142 in the Eastern Cape Legislature builds on the foundation estab- “In the 2023/2024 financial number of children utilising the Eastern Cape department of ed- has been seamless and that cen-
gramme in the province. This schools,” Gade said. this week. lished in early childhood, such year, 390 centres are targeted for ECD services. ucation are notable for their abil- tres are paid in time to benefit
time around 2,000 schools are The MEC said the department During the state of the nation that acquired competencies be- registration and support from in- The MEC said according to the ity to bridge the poverty gap,” he the 83,150 children of the
targeted for the rollout. would revamp two virtual broad- address in February 2019, Presi- come cumulative. tersectoral partners will expedite Thrive by Five April 2022 Index said. province,” the MEC said.
The roll-out is part of the pro- casting studios in Cofimvaba Sci-
gramme to improve school func- ence Centre and Mandla
tionality in public schools with a Makupula Education Leadership
focus on school administration
and enhancing curriculum deliv-
ery and management, through
Institute with stable connectivity
and modern broadcasting equip-
ment.
Three Stream
Three StreamModel
Modelaimed at boosting
aimed at Intensive training to
the department’s Education Sys- The studios are equipped with
quality skills
boosting programmes
quality skills programmes
tem Transformation Plan and
Digital Transformation Strategy.
“The support is inclusive of all
cameras, production system,
sound proofed microphones,
desktop LED screen and comput-
teach reading for meaning
ICT infrastructure at schools and
is thus structured to enable ef-
fective and efficient physical and
remote ICT support,” Gade said
ers, sound proofed walls, pro-
duction room with sound
proofed glass, carpeted floors,
studio furniture and air condi-
The Eastern Cape department
of education has introduced a
Three Stream Model aimed at
increasing the number of
in home languages
in his policy speech in the East- tioner. learners participating in quality
ern Cape Legislature this week. “The department will also re- skills programmes and the The department of education in the practice in the teaching of reading and
He said the project was target- vamp the studios to ensure qual- number of schools offering a Eastern Cape is set to conduct inten- language skills, encourage an enthusi-
ing to have a minimum of 500 ity lessons broadcasting as part core skills-based curriculum. sive training to approximately 4,000 asm and desire for reading and im-
schools fully enabled and bene- of the E-Learning solution,” Gade “The department is conduct- educators for grades 1 to 6 on how to prove the reading ability of learners so
fiting from the ICT support ser- said. ing a pilot project in 10 public teach reading for meaning in all the that they are able to contribute to eco-
vices by the first quarter in the He said ICT was a key focus and ordinary schools to introduce home languages of the province. nomic growth.
coming financial year and the the biggest drive and investment the technical occupational This is in addition to a total budget “[It is also seeks to] build teachers’
department aims to have 2,000 was now “towards integration, stream,” MEC Fundile Gade of R24m that has been secured by the capacity to provide top quality teach-
schools fully supported in the effecting change management said in his policy speech this department, for the first cohort of 400 ing in all grades, provide teachers with
medium term. to achieve improved electronic week. schools to purchase grade appropriate the necessary reading resources to
“The department will finalise administration through max- “The pilot begun in 2021 readers for Grades 1-6 to support teach reading effectively and provide
the www.ecdoe.online platform, imised usage of the Office 365 with an intake of grade 8 learn- reading in 2023/2024. the foundation of digital literacy that
which will be a provincial Learn- suite”. ers and proceeded to grade 9 This was announced by education will enable learners to embrace the
ing Management System (LMS) “The department will explore in 2022.” MEC Fundile Gade when he delivered technological world.”
with content cutting across all more opportunities for new ed- He said the 10 schools intro- the policy speech in the Eastern Cape Gade said the overall design of the
grades. ucational technologies and duced at least one technical Legislature this week. strategy was based on a campaign
“This will be finalised in a pe- search ways to utilise ICT in im- occupational subject from the In June 2019, President Cyril model and a detailed strategy.
riod of five years, incrementally proving our administration sys- list of 13 approved subjects Ramaphosa announced in his state of “The campaign part suggests an on-
including grades and selected tems, supporting teachers and and dropped one general ed- the nation address that one of govern- going community driven and home
subjects, starting with exit grades learners at schools. ucation and training subject, ment’s “five fundamental goals for the embedded campaign that keeps the
[like] grade 12, 9, 6 and 3 in “Education Management Infor- either technology, creative arts next decade” was that all children strategy alive by celebrating it at reg-
2023/2024, then all other select- mation Systems (EMIS) will con- and economics or manage- should be able to read for meaning by ular intervals so that we do not forget
ed subjects and all grades in the tinue to serve as a central hub for ment sciences. the age of 10. its importance.
outer years 2025-2027,” the MEC data management, and its goal is “The pilot is enabling the In response to the call by the pres- “The strategy part assumes that
said. to position the system to serve province to determine a full- ident, the Eastern Cape developed a schools are drivers of implementation,
Through the E-Teaching and as a more proactive source of da- scale roll-out of the technical reading strategy and a campaign to and the department provides sup-
Learning Strategy, Gade said, ta for the department, assisting it occupational curriculum to fur- improve reading that will be imple- port.
there would be a deployment of in making quick and informed ther public ordinary schools in mented over the next eight years “In line with professional capacity
an E-Learning solution (E-Library decisions across the sector. 2023. The development and EASTERN CAPE EDUCATION from 2022 to 2030. development needs of teachers, the
Solution) to 130 schools as per “As our sector plan states, ap- expansion of skills is another MEC FUNDILE GADE Gade said: “As the department in- department will be launching an East-
the 2023/2024 budget alloca- propriately planned and utilised, priority area for the Eastern vests in this project for the next few ern Cape Reading Academy, an online
tion, inclusive of multigrade, spe- digital learning can lead to high Cape,” Gade said. years it is hoped that the province will Teacher Training Model whose pur-
cial schools and mainstream learning outcome achievements. “Investment in a vocational mitted to levitating the notion nents of the occupational sub- It is clear that reap the benefits of learners who are pose is to train, develop and support
schools from primary to high. “The department of education or occupational pathway is of the Three Stream Curricu- jects. a basic able to read with meaning by the re- foundation phase teachers on the
“The E-Learning solution in has developed and will opera- seen not only as a means of lum Pathway as it would cre- “It is also the intention of the quired age and as we improve read- methodologies and strategies of
each school is to be used as a ro- tionalise its Digital Transforma- giving learners a good start to ate opportunities for many department to provide bur- academic ing. teaching children to read with mean-
tating mobile solution among tion Strategy to utilise digital their future but is also a means learners to pursue careers that saries to qualified artisans to qualification “We know that we will also improve ing.
teachers and learners in each tar- technologies to improve learning of developing learners to sup- can benefit both the individual complete the Post Graduate learning in the lower grades which will “It’s implemented on the Moodle
geted school.” outcomes for the province for port themselves, their families and the economy. Certificate in Education (PGCE) today is not ultimately have benefits for learning in platform where it practically demon-
Gade said the deployment of the next five years. and the economy of the “To this end the department to be able to formally teach in enough to the higher grades. There is much that strates these methodologies with the
smart classrooms would be ex- “This will entail the deploy- province. is proud to announce that for schools,” Gade said. be said about performance improve- use of videos that are part of the
tended to 20 more schools in ment of digital technologies for “It is clear that a basic aca- the first time we have secured He said the province was also
find ments, but the key is in the reading ca- course content,” Gade said.
the province, one per district in education including virtual learn- demic qualification today is a budget of R25m for schools expanding the training of both meaningful pabilities and culture of reading in gen- He said the department was also
2023, over a period of two years ing, electronic distribution of not enough to find meaningful with occupational and voca- educators and learners to re- employment eral.” preparing the system for 2023 to roll
(2024-2025) where the number learning materials and collabora- employment as is evident in tional subjects to improve and spond to emerging technolo- He said the presidential call for all out Incremental Introduction of
of schools expected to benefit tive platforms for learning,” Gade the high unemployment rate augment the infrastructure gies including the internet of as is evident children to “read with meaning” by the African Languages (IIAL) in Grade 4 and
will be at least three schools per said. that is being faced by many and equipment used in occu- things, coding and robotics and in the high age of 10 has led to the launch of an Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Educa-
district. graduates today. pational and vocational sub- artificial intelligence, in line with Eastern Cape Reading Strategy in tion (MTBBE) in Grade 8.
“The department will provide “With the advent of the jects before the implementa- the framework for skills for a unemployment 2022. “The department of basic education
digital content software from The support fourth industrial revolution tion of the skills subjects from changing world. rate that is “The strategy goes beyond the call sector plans agree on following mat-
grade R to 12 so as to support (4IR) it has become imperative grade 8 in 2024/2025. “The department has to this of ensuring 10-year-olds can read, but ters to champion a meaningful imple-
schools that have been re-
is inclusive for young people in particular “Plans are also in place to end invested in training and
being faced by extends itself more to include the mentation on use of isiXhosa,
sourced with tablets and other of all ICT to constantly reinvent them- train educators in the new oc- equipment in grades R to 3 in many reading needs of all learners from Sesotho, promotion of the use of
ICT devices for teaching and infrastructure selves in order to stay relevant cupational subjects and the 25 schools and in grades 4 to 7 graduates grades 1-9. The need has become South African Sign Language (SASL)
learning in the 2023/2024 finan- in the job market,” the MEC department is still pursuing in 111 schools and have plans more dire in the aftermath of the and Khoi and Nama language as lan-
cial year. In 2023/2024, 142 at schools said. ways to bring specialist educa- to extend the training of coding today Covid-19 pandemic. guages of teaching, learning and as-
schools will be trained on ICT Gade said the the Eastern tors and artisans on board to and robotics to more schools in “The strategy seeks to build best sessment.”
professional development. Cape government was com- teach the practical compo- the new financial year.”

Partnership Indaba bears fruit with investment in education initiatives

The Eastern Cape department of ners ranging from industry play- Air School, based in Port Alfred, “In particular, the two institu- several partnerships with entities subjects such as mathematics, with tablets loaded with their said.
education successfully hosted its ers, higher education institu- have also been resuscitated to tions identified mathematics as such as Cell C, MTN, Snapplify and physical sciences, languages, life reading eggs software. Gade said Stats SA donated
first ever Partnership Indaba last tions, education stakeholders, look at the best partnership the main enabler towards the re- Click Foundation, Old Mutual, skills and also E-Learning solu- “An additional 40 schools will 8,000 tablets, “which were dis-
year from October 27 to 28 community organisations, model for provision of quality alisation of this goal. Stats SA, Seta, and Nuddle Group. tions,” Gade said. be added in the programme in tributed in 14 schools per dis-
themed “to invest in education is NGOs, sister departments and aeronautical and maritime edu- “The subject will be supported “These partnerships assisted He said the Eastern Cape Gam- 2023. trict”.
to invest in the future”. all stakeholders with interest in cation in the province. from senior primary, grade 9, the department in resourcing bling Board assisted with the pro- “MTN donated 50 tablets to a “Enduku JSS in Chris Hani East
The purpose of the indaba, basic education were invited “In 2023/2024, the depart- and secondary schooling sys- schools with ICT devices for vision of science kits which assist- school, Mdibaniso in Amathole District was one of the first
said education MEC Fundile Gade and attended,” Gade said. ment plans to hold partnership tem, grades 10-12 for interven- teaching and learning, and access ed in subjects like physical and West, for grade 12 to have access schools to receive Stats SA tablets
during his policy speech this He said a smart classroom engagements with different in- tion. to educational software. technical sciences. to the MTN online school. More- on February 9 2023.
week, was to appreciate and ac- was donated by Nuddle Group, dustries in the province to iden- “Through this intervention, it is “The National Development “These partners were helpful in over, Cell C donated a computer “These were launched togeth-
knowledge the role partners play a company specialising in digital tify opportunities that can ben- envisaged that by the time learn- Plan (NDP) highlights the impor- the organisation and co-ordina- lab to Gobizizwe Agricultural High er with coding and robotics re-
in the department and to identify education, as a result of the part- efit learners of the Eastern Cape ers write the NSC (National Se- tance of partnerships between tion of extra tuition classes and School in OR Tambo Inland. source roll-out.
key areas of collaboration for nerships. and reduce unemployment in nior Certificate) they will be both education and stakeholders with Differentiated Additional “Also, Old Mutual runs a literacy “On aggregate, Stats SA donat-
partnerships. “The smart classroom was the province. academically and emotionally across society. The province en- Learner Support Materials. and numeracy programme in 50 ed 50 tablets per school for the
Gade said the indaba was also launched on March 3 2023 at “The Eastern Cape department prepared to take up career op- joyed support from various or- Other partnerships like Snap- GET schools, divided among 25 168 schools across the districts
to enhance the quality of educa- Richard Vara Technical High of education and the Automo- portunities in the technical disci- ganisations that provided sup- plify will give learners access to schools in Amathole East and 25 which are currently being dis-
tion given to learners through School (in Dimbaza). tive Industry Development Cen- plines of science, technology, en- port in various districts. their e-library having access to an schools in Chris Hani East. tributed.
partnerships, through a variety of “More pledges were also tre EC have agreed on a plan that gineering, and mathematics. “These organisations include array of content as from 2023. “This programme is imple- “On top of these tablets, 108
means such as enhancing public made to collaborate with the seeks to collaboratively support “The official launch of the part- Maths & Science Infinity, Jenn “On the other hand, Click Foun- mented by Jumpstart and Class schools will receive Seta donated
relations, seeking additional department in the delivery of learner education in a way that a nership will take place in July Consulting, NECT, Eskom/ TracSA dation is operating in 26 schools Act and comes with an e-Learn- tablets, comprising of nine
funding, and jointly working to- improved quality education in creates value chain from basic 2023,” Gade said. and Kutlwanong. and giving access to a literacy and ing element as tablets and edu- schools per district, with a con-
wards a particular cause or issue. the province.” education to active economic The MEC also announced that “These organisations focused numeracy programme — provid- cational digital content is being signment of 80 tablets per
“Partners and potential part- The MEC said talks with the 43 participation. the department has secured on various support areas and key ing each school with an ICT lab used in these schools,” the MEC school.”

In paid partnership with the Eastern Cape department of education

The Herald, Page 10, Wednesday 29 March 2023