WCED & EE Service Providers Meeting
15 March 2011, 14h00-16h00
Centre for Conservation Education, Wynberg
Minutes
Attendance list
Name
Organisation
E-mail
Alice Ashwell (AA)
Carole Olivier (CO)
Linda Rose (LR)
Sigi Howes (SH)
EnviroEds
SANCCOB
Western Cape Education Department
Centre for Conservation Education
alice@enviroeds.co.za
carole@sanccob.co.za
lrose@pgwc.gov.za
admin@cce.wcape.school.za
Name
Organisation
E-mail
Esmay Swarts
City of Cape Town / EE Friends coordinator
Esmay.Swarts@capetown.gov.za
Apologies
Welcome
SH made us feel very welcome with refreshments at the Centre for Conservation Education.
Discussion
1.
EE Friends & Bridge website
1.1. AA gave LR feedback on a meeting with Bridget-Ann Woods from Bridge regarding the
capabilities of their website. Bridget has created an EE Friends Group on the website, and
minutes of EE Friends and WCED discussions have been up-loaded. The EE Friends database
will be loaded as a Wiki, so Friends will be able to update their details as required.
1.2. EE Friends are encouraged to set up their individual pages within the EE Friends Group on
the Bridge website. See www.bridge.org.za.
1.3. Notices of meetings and events, documents like minutes, photographs, and PowerPoint
presentations can be loaded on the Bridge social networking platform. The EE Friends
coordinator will be able to contact Friends through the website.
1.4. Bridget will give a presentation on the website at the next EE Friends meeting (20 April
2011, 13h30 for 14h00-16h00, Centre for Conservation Education).
1.5. LR offered to inform teachers once the EE Friends database is loaded on the Bridge website.
2. Improving coordination between WCED & education service providers
2.1. LR has informed District officials of her interactions with EE Friends. She emphasised that
both parties must benefit from the relationship.
2.2. LR proposed an annual meeting between EE Friends and the WCED Chief Curriculum
Coordinators, and possibly District Office representatives, at which issues of common
concern may be discussed. This could include an opportunity for service providers to
display and familiarise curriculum staff with their programmes and materials.
2.3. LR will convene a group of WCED officials to meet with a small group of experienced EE
providers to develop:
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•
clear guidelines regarding service provider involvement with schools
•
criteria that WCED officials and EE providers can use to plan and evaluate programmes.
The WCED will include curriculum coordinators from rural and urban districts, GET and FET
specialists, a curriculum planner, and relevant subject specialists. These guidelines / criteria
can be posted on the Bridge and WCED websites.
EE Friends wanting to participate in this discussion: please contact alice@enviroeds.co.za.
2.4. Some of the guidelines / criteria already discussed include:
•
Service providers initiating new programmes must consult LR; if the application is
successful, LR will inform the relevant district officials.
•
Schools must apply to their district offices for permission to participate in programmes
/ excursions at least six weeks in advance; once permission is granted, schools may
register for programmes.
•
Service providers must ensure that excursions and school-based projects are relevant
to the curriculum, and that the duration of the intervention is proportional to the time
set aside for this topic in the curriculum.
•
Service providers must publicise their programmes far enough in advance for schools
to obtain permission to attend. Ideally a calendar of events should be drawn up and
publicised (e.g. on the Bridge website) by the end of the previous year.
•
The WCED discourages multiple excursions by a class to the same venue during a year.
•
School-based projects that involve learners should not disrupt classes for extended
periods of time (e.g. half to full school day).
•
Teachers must be actively involved in projects and excursions. They must be
encouraged to learn, develop skills and take over projects from service providers. The
WCED does not approve of projects that keep teachers dependent on service providers.
•
The WCED is concerned that some service providers may be trying to maximise the
number of learners they engage with at the expense of the quality of programmes; LR
asks service providers to educate funders that quality is more important than numbers.
•
The WCED asks service providers to help them promote high standards of teaching,
professional development, dedication and commitment in schools.
•
It is important to put monitoring and evaluation programmes in place that can show
how interventions help to improve professionalism and the quality of teaching and
learning in schools.
2.5. WCED Circuit Teams now have to deal with fewer schools than in the past, so there are
more opportunities for officials to interact with service providers and provide feedback.
Circuit teams consist of the following:
•
Circuit Team Manager: A circuit comprises approx. 30 schools
•
2 Integrated Management & Governance (IMG) Managers: each responsible for approx.
15 schools
•
Each IMG Group consists of Advisors for: Foundation Phase, Intermediate Phase,
Learning Support, and Administrative Development (ADA), plus a Psychologist and a
Social Worker.
At the District Office there is a GET (Foundation / Intermediate Phase) Coordinator who
coordinates the Circuit Teams’ FP & IP Advisors, and SEN/FET Curriculum Advisors who
support the various Subjects for Senior Phase and Further Education & Training (Gd 10-12).
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2.6. LR alerted us to the opportunity of supporting Learners with Special Educational Needs
(LSEN). There are 102 LSEN units in ordinary schools in the province.
3.
Working with schools
3.1. LR reported that the Khanya Project (ICT in schools) will be coming to an end soon, and the
function will be mainstreamed into WCED. Curriculum Advisors will be required to support
ICT in their particular subjects / phases. Service providers should consider the role of ICT in
learning.
3.2. LR informed the Districts that EE Friends felt that a two month application period for
excursions was too long. WCED has therefore reduced this to six weeks, and this will be
implemented from the second term. A shorter application period will apply during the first
term.
3.3. The designated official in each District (yet to be tasked) will be required to give feedback
to the school within three days. LR recommended that in principle permission be obtained
before schools try to book the excursion, to reduce cancellations and delays.
3.4. SH explained that schools sometimes cancel bookings at relatively short notice, and service
providers need to be able to fill these places as they depend on income from courses for
their survival. Schools also need to be able to respond occasionally to unexpected learning
opportunities. LR agreed that, although the WCED expects schools to plan excursions well
ahead of time, they must also allow for flexibility in the six-week application period. The
designated District official will make these decisions in collaboration with the school.
3.5. LR confirmed the WCED’s guideline of a maximum of two excursions per learner per year
(including all subjects). Dysfunctional schools will not be permitted to take learners on
excursions. District officials have already started informing these schools, and will monitor
this via the excursion application process. Dysfunctional schools are being told that they
will be allowed to go on excursions once their performance improves.
3.6. If service providers want to invite schools to participate in events / projects, they should
approach the relevant District office for approval before contacting schools.
3.7. SH presented a draft application form that she had drawn up in an attempt to standardise
and simplify across districts the procedure of schools requesting permission to go on
excursions (Appendix A). By recording the dates when schools apply and when permission
is/not granted, the response time can be monitored. SH requested that if permission is
denied, the district official must give the relevant service provider feedback so that they
know if the WCED has any concerns about their programmes.
Please send feedback on this form to Sigi at: admin@cce.wcape.school.za.
3.8. AA suggested that it would further streamline the granting of permission if district officials
had a list of approved programmes (this would need to be reviewed annually). The
proposed annual meeting between WCED and EE Friends (point 2.2) might be an
opportunity for Curriculum officials to scrutinise programme outlines and materials, and
satisfy themselves about the quality of programmes on offer. LR felt that this would be
possible once the list of programme criteria has been developed.
3.9. LR noted that many teachers appear to need help preparing for excursions and integrating
these into their work plans. SH mentioned that the Centre for Conservation Education had
published a booklet on this through Edu-Media, and run workshops for teachers.
3.10.
After the meeting SH sent a list of guidelines to help teachers select appropriate
excursion venues (Appendix B).
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4.
Working with learners after school
4.1. There was insufficient time to discuss this matter in detail; however, it is clear that, for the
reasons listed in previous Minutes, it is impractical for most service providers’ programmes
to be offered in the afternoons.
4.2. LR asked service providers to consider offering programmes on weekends and during
school holidays to involve youth in positive activities. She offered to encourage support via
the District offices, e.g. requiring teacher participation in activities.
4.3. LR suggested engaging with Nariman Khan of the Safe Schools Project re: weekend and
holiday activities.
4.4. EE Friends who do manage to work effectively with schools during these times are asked to
share their ideas and strategies on the Bridge website.
4.5. Guidelines for after-school programmes should also be drawn up in collaboration with the
WCED. Interested EE Friends may like to form a Group on the Bridge Website to take this
discussion further.
5.
In-service teacher professional development
5.1. The CAPS documents have not yet been published. The first training session for Curriculum
Advisors will take place from Wed 7 – Fri 9 September 2011. Teachers will receive training
in the holidays from 3-5 October, in the various circuits.
5.2. Service providers are welcome to attend either / both training sessions. Genevive
Koopman of the WCED will notify us once the programme is finalised.
5.3. CAPS implementation will be phased in as follows:
•
2012: Foundation Phase & Grade 10
•
2013: Intermediate & Senior Phases (Gd 4-9) & Grade 11 (Note that the number of
subjects in Intermediate Phase has been reduced to six: Home Language, First
Additional Language, Maths, Science & Technology, Life Skills (incorporating Life
Orientation and Arts & Culture), and Social Sciences.
•
2014: Grade 12
5.4. The Cape Teaching & Learning Institute (CTLI) is focusing on Foundation Phase Literacy and
Numeracy training in 2011. There is little opportunity for EE providers to participate this
year. In 2012 there may be opportunities. This needs to be discussed with Eddie Kirsten at
CTLI. Interested EE Friends may like to form a Group on the Bridge Website to take this
discussion further.
Closure
Thanks were expressed to:
•
Linda Rose for her time and determination to improve interactions between WCED and EE
Friends.
•
The Centre for Conservation Education for hosting this meeting.
Alice Ashwell, 17 March 2011
Appendix A
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Draft application form for permission to go on school excursions
Sigi Howes, 15 March 2011
See form on next page.
Please contact Sigi with comments on this draft form: admin@cce.wcape.school.za.
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Application by a school to go on an educational outing:
This application should be submitted to the IMG Manager at least 6 weeks prior to the outing.
Name of School:
Tel number:
Fax number:
Grade:
Number of learners involved:
Teacher(s) involved:
Place of outing:
Physical address:
Tel number:
Date(s) of outing:
Transport arrangements:
Programme/lesson:
Duration of outing:
Link(s) to curriculum:
Motivation:
Opportunities for LitNum?
Preparation:
Follow-up activity(ies):
 This booking is for a vacancy that has arisen at the institution. We would really like to make use of it.
Principal’s name:
Signature:
Date:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISTRICT OFFICE: METROPOLE SOUTH (or other)
 The outing has been approved.
 There are some concerns. Please supply me with the following a.s.a.p:
 A Lesson Plan from the institution above
 A Safety Plan from the institution above
 A copy of the Pre-Visit Activity Sheet or Worksheet
 A Safety Report from the bus company / taxi company / MetroRail
 Other:
 The outing has not been approved for the following reason:
_____________________________________________________________________________

In this case, the institution has been informed accordingly by this office.
Signed: ______________________________________
Date: ____________
IMG Manager / Circuit Team Manager
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Appendix B
Guidance to teachers on choosing an educational school outing
Some considerations:
1.
Will this excursion provide my learners with an experience that I cannot replicate in the
classroom?
2.
Is the programme linked to the curriculum, and does it tie in with what I am doing in the
classroom?
3.
Are the presenters Education Officers; experts in their field of knowledge; or even qualified
Educators?
4.
Is it possible for me to speak to the staff prior to my visit?
5.
Is there some way that I can prepare my learners so that they derive maximum benefit from the
outing?
6.
Are they able to speak the language of my learners?
7.
Is it a safe place for my learners, especially during break?
8.
How accessible is the venue? Is there parking?
9.
Will my learners be able to meet their daily reading, writing and calculating practise?
10. Will we be given a worksheet or something we can follow up at the school?
Sigi Howes, 22 March 2011
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