Strides made in improving curriculum - Motshekga

Angelina Motshekga (Image:GCIS)

Speaking at the Unisa Curriculum Transformation Conference underway in Pretoria, Motshekga said the National Curriculum Statement has been strengthened through the development of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS), which specify content and establish a sequence and pace per grade.

"Additional support has been provided through the CAPS orientation process for subject advisors," she said.

Motshekga said provinces have trained teachers in CAPS and the incremental implementation schedule was on target. This included implementation in the foundation phase and in Grade 10 last year; the intermediate phase and Grade 11 this year and in the senior phase and Grade 12 next year.

"This was a major achievement for education. What should be noted is that the revised CAPS did not replace the National Curriculum Statement. They were developed specifically to strengthen the National Curriculum Statement," she said.

Although challenges remain, Motshekga said these were systematically being addressed.

Goal: quality teachers at all schools

Another priority that the ministry has identified is to train and provide teachers to all districts and schools around the country.

"Our department has initiated programmes to resolve this matter as it is key to ensuring that there is a quality teacher in every classroom, teaching for at least seven hours on every school day," Motshekga said.

She said her ministry was working closely with the Department of Higher Education and Training on teacher development by, among other things, providing bursaries to student teachers.

The Funza Lushaka bursary programme is now in its seventh year and currently supports abut 14 000 student teachers in identified priority areas.

Motshekga says another area of development is the new curriculum for Early Childhood Development (ECD), which is in line with the objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP).

Progress has also been made through Kha Ri Gude Adult Education and Training (AET) and matric rewrite programmes, which target the adult population.

Looking ahead, Motshekga said government aimed to improve the standard of English language use among most learners at both school and tertiary levels. The department has partnered with the British Council in the development of a teacher training programme -- the Certificate in Primary English Language Teaching (CiPELT).

She said the goal to spread the use of African languages was going ahead and a pilot programme in teaching different African languages will begin in some schools next year.

"We've planned for this, consulted broadly and, as agreed with education MECs, we will start with a pilot in 2014 in Grade R & 1 with 10 schools in each of the 86 education districts," said Motshekga