The Department of Education introduced the Outcomes Based Education just over a decade ago, and since then educationists have criticised it extensively.
The Department of Education introduced the Outcomes Based Education just over a decade ago, and since then educationists have criticised it extensively.
After noticing a series of poor results, especially in this year’s mid-year exams, the department reviewed the National Curriculum Statement of 2009 and agreed that the OBE syllabus will be changed later in the year.
The Eastern Cape suffered an 80% fail rate in isiXhosa in Xhosa schools, while only 39 percent of Grahamstown’s Grade 6 learners passed their mid-year exams.
Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga confirmed on Tuesday that the ministry has taken steps to provide short-term changes.
“We have reduced the number of projects for learners, and have done away with the need for portfolio files for learner assessments.
We have also discontinued the Common Tasks for Assessment (CTAs) for Grade 9 learners. Provinces have already informed their schools about the form of assessment that will replace CTAs,” said Motshekga.
Changes made by the Council of Education ministers include reduced the number of learning areas in the Intermediate Phase from Grades eight to six and it was confirmed that this can proceed without destabilising the system.
This means that certain subjects like Technology and Science, or Arts and Culture and Life Orientation would have to merge into one learning area.
Economic and Management Sciences will be taught only from Grade 7. After a countrywide visit to schools with Pravin Gordhan the Minister of Finance, Motshekga noticed a great lack of financial planning and suitable textbooks in the majority of schools.
She said that some schools use irrelevant textbooks that do not assist the teacher or the learner. Motshekga said, “Mindful of the need for teacher orientation and development of appropriate textbooks and learning and teaching support materials, we will start phasing in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements in the Foundation Phase in 2011.
We will phase in other grades in 2012 so that we can make the necessary preparations.” The department has developed a plan for the development of workbooks for Grades one to six in order to ensure the development, piloting, printing and distribution of the material early next year.
Motshekga said, “We will pilot the workbooks in schools in 2010 and they will be available for use in all schools in 2011.
The project will provide resource support to 6.5 million learners and approximately 180 000 teachers in nearly 20 000 schools.
This will place workbooks in the hands of each and every learner in the system.” Meanwhile, opposition parties have expressed their disapproval of the new curriculum changes.
In a statement made on Tuesday, the Democratic Alliance announced that though horrified, it is not surprised by the low pass percentages obtained.
The party argues that these results can only be ascribed to the poor adherence by educators concerned and the lack of assistance by departmental officials in terms of management, supply of learner-teacher support material and the overcrowding of classes.
The DA said it is now time that the National Government prioritise education by ensuring that every school has the necessary resources and that competent officials are appointed to ensure that education takes its rightful place in society.
UDM leader in the Eastern Cape legislature Masiza Mhlati said his party is concerned about the changes made by the department.
“The teachers were never informed, nor workshopped for this new syllabus, so how can they handle the changes?
Even the Bantu education that we fought for is much better than what is taught today: our children can’t read, nor can they calculate,” said Mhlati.
The council agreed on regular, externally set assessments for Grades three, six and nine in Literacy and Mathematics.
It also agreed on a weighting of continuous assessment and endof- year examinations for other grades so that there is consistency across the curriculum.
Motshekga said that updates on the curriculum will be produced and distributed quarterly to ensure that all teachers and officials are kept abreast of changes.
