Description
A Strategic Drive To Improve Learner Performance In Kzn Operation Bounce Back
KWAZULU-NATAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Postal Address: Private Bag X9137 • Pietermaritzburg • 3200 • Republic of South Africa
Physical Address: 247 Burger Street • Anton Lembede Building • Pietermaritzburg • 3201
Tel.: +27 31 327 0462 • Fax.: +27 031 322 8408• Email: [email protected] •Web:www.kzneducation.gov.za
09 JANUARY 2015
MEDIA STATEMENT
A STRATEGIC DRIVE TO IMPROVE LEARNER PERFORMANCE IN KZN
“OPERATION BOUNCE BACK”
Following the steep decline of the National Senior Certificate results in KwaZulu-Natal, the MEC for
Education in the province, Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni, MPL and the HoD, Nkosinathi SP Sishi, PhD,
convened an urgent meeting to analyze the results as well as to come up with clear strategies to
improve the performance of the province in all Grades, especially Grade 12. Invited to the meeting
were the Members of Top Management, District Managers, Examination Section officials at a
provincial and district level as well as Circuit Managers responsible for curriculum.
What informed the purpose of the gathering is a bold statement by the Department that, “The
Province of KwaZulu-Natal cannot make excuses for the decline of results” and that the province
takes full responsibility for the National Senior Certificate results.
The Head of Department started his preliminary remarks by thanking all educators for their hard
work, dedication and their contribution towards improving the skills base of the province as well as
that of the country. “One of our immediate responsibilities is to come up with a well thought out
intervention strategy to assist the 31188 learners who qualify for the supplementary examinations
starting on the 2
nd
of February 2015,” said the HoD.
In her opening remarks, the MEC said, “we need to be turbo charged and we need to bounce back.
If anyone thinks that KZN is sinking, we need to tell them that KwaZulu-Natal is unsinkable.” In her
address, entitled “Operation Bounce Back”, the MEC called for honesty in the way the Department’s
analyses it performance. The MEC reiterated the HoD statement that the Departments’ need to
support those learners who are going to sit for supplementary examinations. “We need to look at the
possibility of re-admitting those learners who did not succeed during the 2014 National Senior
Certificate examinations. Most of these learners come from destitute families and we cannot leave
them just like that,” said the MEC.
KWAZULU-NATAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Postal Address: Private Bag X9137 • Pietermaritzburg • 3200 • Republic of South Africa
Physical Address: 247 Burger Street • Anton Lembede Building • Pietermaritzburg • 3201
Tel.: +27 31 327 0462 • Fax.: +27 031 322 8408• Email: [email protected] •Web:www.kzneducation.gov.za
The MEC urged all the attendees to be positive about what the Department is going to achieve in
2015. “We cannot afford to decline again, we need to move up. We need to convene a summit
where we will strategies once more together with our stakeholders,” said the MEC emphatically.
As per the MECs request for honesty during the deliberations, all contributors did so with “brutal”
honesty, with the view to contribute towards the improvement of results in the province. Issues like
budgetary constraints, insufficient tools of trade, lack of requisite skills in some instances and
various other issues were raised by the officials.
As a way forward, the HOD announced that all districts will have to face the panel of Top
Management members and present their turn around strategies. “This is going to start this Monday
12 January 2015,” said the Head of Department. “After the Top Management has met all the
districts, a team of Top Management members are going to draft the turnaround strategy which will
be presented to the bigger gathering that is going to include other social partners including SGB
formations, unions, business fraternity, academics, student formations and all other significant
stakeholders. After this meeting, the turnaround strategy is going to be presented to the MEC. “All of
this is going to happen within the period of a week,” said the HoD.
In the final analysis, it was agreed that the Department will have to do something out of the ordinary
to lift itself up from the current quagmire. It was agreed that KZN is going to have an immediate
programme to support learners writing supplementary exams. It was also agreed that l earners who
failed Grade 12 will be encouraged to re-register in the 2015 academic year.
Ends……
For more information contact: Muzi Mahlambi 082 519 1420
Sihle Mlotshwa 072 207 2018
Isaac Luthuli 076 132 5940
doc_626226052.pdf
A Strategic Drive To Improve Learner Performance In Kzn Operation Bounce Back
KWAZULU-NATAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Postal Address: Private Bag X9137 • Pietermaritzburg • 3200 • Republic of South Africa
Physical Address: 247 Burger Street • Anton Lembede Building • Pietermaritzburg • 3201
Tel.: +27 31 327 0462 • Fax.: +27 031 322 8408• Email: [email protected] •Web:www.kzneducation.gov.za
09 JANUARY 2015
MEDIA STATEMENT
A STRATEGIC DRIVE TO IMPROVE LEARNER PERFORMANCE IN KZN
“OPERATION BOUNCE BACK”
Following the steep decline of the National Senior Certificate results in KwaZulu-Natal, the MEC for
Education in the province, Neliswa Peggy Nkonyeni, MPL and the HoD, Nkosinathi SP Sishi, PhD,
convened an urgent meeting to analyze the results as well as to come up with clear strategies to
improve the performance of the province in all Grades, especially Grade 12. Invited to the meeting
were the Members of Top Management, District Managers, Examination Section officials at a
provincial and district level as well as Circuit Managers responsible for curriculum.
What informed the purpose of the gathering is a bold statement by the Department that, “The
Province of KwaZulu-Natal cannot make excuses for the decline of results” and that the province
takes full responsibility for the National Senior Certificate results.
The Head of Department started his preliminary remarks by thanking all educators for their hard
work, dedication and their contribution towards improving the skills base of the province as well as
that of the country. “One of our immediate responsibilities is to come up with a well thought out
intervention strategy to assist the 31188 learners who qualify for the supplementary examinations
starting on the 2
nd
of February 2015,” said the HoD.
In her opening remarks, the MEC said, “we need to be turbo charged and we need to bounce back.
If anyone thinks that KZN is sinking, we need to tell them that KwaZulu-Natal is unsinkable.” In her
address, entitled “Operation Bounce Back”, the MEC called for honesty in the way the Department’s
analyses it performance. The MEC reiterated the HoD statement that the Departments’ need to
support those learners who are going to sit for supplementary examinations. “We need to look at the
possibility of re-admitting those learners who did not succeed during the 2014 National Senior
Certificate examinations. Most of these learners come from destitute families and we cannot leave
them just like that,” said the MEC.
KWAZULU-NATAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Postal Address: Private Bag X9137 • Pietermaritzburg • 3200 • Republic of South Africa
Physical Address: 247 Burger Street • Anton Lembede Building • Pietermaritzburg • 3201
Tel.: +27 31 327 0462 • Fax.: +27 031 322 8408• Email: [email protected] •Web:www.kzneducation.gov.za
The MEC urged all the attendees to be positive about what the Department is going to achieve in
2015. “We cannot afford to decline again, we need to move up. We need to convene a summit
where we will strategies once more together with our stakeholders,” said the MEC emphatically.
As per the MECs request for honesty during the deliberations, all contributors did so with “brutal”
honesty, with the view to contribute towards the improvement of results in the province. Issues like
budgetary constraints, insufficient tools of trade, lack of requisite skills in some instances and
various other issues were raised by the officials.
As a way forward, the HOD announced that all districts will have to face the panel of Top
Management members and present their turn around strategies. “This is going to start this Monday
12 January 2015,” said the Head of Department. “After the Top Management has met all the
districts, a team of Top Management members are going to draft the turnaround strategy which will
be presented to the bigger gathering that is going to include other social partners including SGB
formations, unions, business fraternity, academics, student formations and all other significant
stakeholders. After this meeting, the turnaround strategy is going to be presented to the MEC. “All of
this is going to happen within the period of a week,” said the HoD.
In the final analysis, it was agreed that the Department will have to do something out of the ordinary
to lift itself up from the current quagmire. It was agreed that KZN is going to have an immediate
programme to support learners writing supplementary exams. It was also agreed that l earners who
failed Grade 12 will be encouraged to re-register in the 2015 academic year.
Ends……
For more information contact: Muzi Mahlambi 082 519 1420
Sihle Mlotshwa 072 207 2018
Isaac Luthuli 076 132 5940
doc_626226052.pdf