Lerato Mbhiza

THE Portfolio Committee members on Basic Education will this week visit schools to assess their state of readiness for the 2024 academic year.

Schools opened last Wednesday, and unlike previous years, all public schools in South Africa will resume academic programmes on the same day.

The  chairperson of the committee Rajaa Azzakani said the visit to schools is part of the committee’s programme to assess the readiness of the schools for the 2024 academic year.

“As part of the committee’s draft programme, committee members will engage stakeholders in the education sector to discuss the state of schooling for 2024”.

Azzakani  said the focus of the visit will include, among other things, assessing infrastructure; ablution facilities in schools, including pit-latrines eradication in the Eastern Cape; flood-damaged schools, especially school infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal after the floods; monitoring Grade R and early childhood development sites; the delivery of learner-teacher study material; school nutrition; learner transport and special schools support.

“The delegation will be in the North West until tomorrow. Later in the week, they will visit schools in the Eastern Cape. A second delegation of the committee is visiting Limpopo for the next two days and later  in the week will move to KwaZulu-Natal. Committee members are divided into two groups to ensure that they reach as many schools as possible in several provinces”.

She added that after they visit the schools, the delegation will also meet with the North West Department of Education, the National Department of Basic Education, including the Office of the MEC, HOD, Senior and District Officials, members of the Portfolio Committee on Education in the North West Provincial Legislature, Provincial House of Traditional Leaders, Student Governing Bodies Associations, Organised Labour and the South African Principals Association.

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Lerato Mbhiza

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi says every child must attend an Early Childhood Development phase of education and there must be no child left out just because they are poor.

Lesufi was speaking at the 2023 Gauteng  Matric Awards held at the Microsoft headquarters in Bryanston, Sandton, where the Gauteng Provincial Government celebrated the top matric learners who helped the province reach an 85.4% matric pass rate in the 2023 matric results.

Lesufi said: “There must be no child who cannot attend ECD because they can’t afford it. We want ECD to be exactly like Grade 1, all children must attend. If we don’t sign the law, we will be defeating the purpose of the BELA Bill on grounds of language. 

“Let our children go to school rather than spend time playing with bricks at informal settlements. As Gauteng, we are ready, we will unveil the crèche of the future, there will be no chalk, they will use the latest gadgets. 

“This is the foundation for the future. If we can’t get it right, we will fail. Mr President we are ready, sign the bill into law,” he said and added that education authorities are ready to meet those who oppose the BELA Bill in court. 

The National Assembly passed the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill  also known as the BELAl Bill  last year setting up a legal showdown with the Democratic Alliance and AfriForum who have vowed to fight it all the way to the Constitutional Court.

Lesufi had  earlier this week suggested on his X account that matriculants should write the same examinations instead of two separate exams – the Independent Examination Board (IEB) written by private institutions and the National Senior Certificate (NSC) for public schools. 

“I want to enter into this debate not influenced by emotions but to give practical examples. In 1995 the national matric results or pass rate was 53.4% and in 2023 the national matric results pass rate was 82%,” Lesufi said on Friday. 

He applauded the improvement in the results, where more than 57 000 learners in Gauteng passed with the Bachelors which allows them to study in a university or any tertiary institution .

“We want the best teachers to be where our learners are, what can we do when our best teachers produce 100% and they are recruited by the likes of Curro?” Asked Lesufi.

“It is within that context that we believe all our children should be treated equally and fairly and write one examination across the country to determine who is the best learner in our country.” 

He said there cannot be a situation where some children are perceived to have poor quality education and others quality education. 

“All these children are South African children. All these children are going to the same universities. All these children deserve quality if there is quality,” he said.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chilone said the GDE is one of the largest matric examination subsystems of the national system. “We pride ourselves that Gauteng produces some of the highest overall pass rates and bachelor pass rates in the country . 

“The class of 2023 achieved a pass rate of 85.4%. This is a 0.95% improvement over the 2022 achievement of 84.4%. Congratulations to the class of 2023. Your hard work and resilience has been justly rewarded”.

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The 18-years-old Zonke Thwala from KwaZulu-Natal told Inside Education that despite challenging home circumstances she had to find ways to get the best matric results. 

Thwala, together with other 33 matriculants, were awarded as top performers with multiple distinctions by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga on Thursday night.

Born in Verulam, she wants to study Bcom Accounting at the University of Pretoria.

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Lerato Mbhiza and Johnathan Paoli

Announcing the official release of the 2023 National Senior Certificate results at a briefing in Randburg on Thursday evening, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said the class of 2023 had done the country proud.

“The class of 2023 showed the greatest determination, fortitude, and resolve to overcome all odds, similarly to the class of 2022,” Motshekga said.

All the top achievers from across all provinces were accompanied by their parents at an earlier breakfast meeting with the minister and her senior officials.

Top student Melissa Muller from Rhenish Girls’ High in the Western Cape succeeded against all odds and was quoted as saying she kept going “even when the last thing she wanted to see was a textbook”. Muller said she wanted to study mechatronics engineering at Stellenbosch University.

The 2023 NSC examinations recorded the highest pass rate since SA’s democracy with 82.9% – an overall increase of 2.8% from last year’s results.

Best performing provinces in that order are the Free State, KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng, North West, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Northern Cape.

The minister said that there was no doubt that basic education had reached the desired level which was very important for the country.

Motshekga said that the quality of learner outcomes have seen significant improvement and that there was a high degree of stability within the system.

The minister awarded the top achiever of public schools, Melissa Muller from the Western Cape.

DBE deputy minister Regina Mhaule congratulated the award winners and said that it remained vital to equip the youth of the country with the skills required for achieving their dreams.

“Our education system is the cornerstone of society shaping our future leaders and providing them with the tools to meet the ever changing world,” Mhaule said.

The night ended with a performance amid jubilation and congratulations from parents, learners, department officials and supporters.

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Johnathan Paoli

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga addressed learners at Kgatoentle Secondary School in Ga-Rankuwa on Wednesday and said the department was working hard to ensure a diversified curriculum that included vocational skills as an option for learners.

Motshekga was joined by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane, who visited the school in order to monitor the reopening of schools for the new academic year.

“As a department we are very conscious of the fact that and we are working very hard with experts in the field that the world of work is changing very rapidly. We are working on ICC centres, we are working on diversified skills, and we have already introduced a number of different courses compared to our academic curriculum,” Motshekga said.

The minister said that the country required graduates with technical and vocational skills, and not simply academic.

“The economies that are successful in the world, harness their skills not only in one field, which is academic. Within the leading economies of the world, such as Germany, only a third of the children who complete schooling, go to university. Which means 75% of them go to technical and vocational careers,” the minister said. 

Motshekga previously said matric results for the last five years showed that the education system was stabilising, with over 900 000 candidates who wrote their matric exams between October and December last year.

Meanwhile, parents in some provinces are still struggling to obtain placements for their children in schools, with the department saying that its online admission system was not the problem but the lack of space at schools where parents want their children to be.

DBE spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said that even in a perfect system, the frustrations and delays would remain since logistics remain the cause.

“What the system does though is to help in allocating spaces to learners who have applied at a given period in the time frame that has been given by the provincial education department,” Mhlanga said.

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Inside Education Reporter

In times of rapid, constant transformation and unprecedented challenges that demand urgent solutions, the call for innovation and creative thinking skills in 21st Century workplaces has never been more resounding. As industries shift towards adaptability and agility, the ability to nurture creativity in the younger generation becomes a vital investment in the workforce of tomorrow.

Mark Anderson, principal and co-founder of Koa Academy, underscores the pivotal role of creative thinking in today’s fast-paced world: “Education must keep pace with the rate of change we see in the world and meaningfully reflect and address real-world needs. 

“Adaptability and innovative solutions are already paramount across all fields of human endeavour, and therefore, supporting children in developing their creative thinking skills is not just an educational ideal—it is a strategic necessity that will shape the leaders and problem solvers of the next generation. Both educators and parents play a vital role in championing learning and an upbringing that prioritises cultivating vital soft skills such as creativity.”

Shifting the Spotlight on Creativity

To truly harness the power of creativity, there needs to be a shift in mindset regarding what creativity is and how it manifests in the modern world. Traditionally, creativity has been strongly associated with the arts and natural talent for artistic endeavours. 

This led to the misconception that creativity could only be intentionally developed in the art classroom, music room, dance group, or drama club. 

However, creativity and creative thinking are critical components in Mathematics and Science, accounting, business studies, and entrepreneurship education. Moreover, it’s essential to emphasise that innovative thinking and skills are not innate; they are cultivated through experiences and in conducive environments. With the right opportunities, all children can develop creative skills.

Traditional Schooling vs. Creativity

Traditional schooling can inadvertently inhibit creativity in several ways:

1. Assessment Practices: Traditional tests and exams often prioritise memorisation, discouraging creative thinking by focusing on finding a single correct answer. Innovative approaches are needed to encourage ambiguity, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

2. Subject Silos: Early specialisation in subjects limits creativity by compartmentalising knowledge. Promoting interdisciplinary connections can encourage innovative thinking.

3. Prioritizing Hard Skills: Traditional education prioritises hard skills over soft skills, such as creativity. A critical shift is needed to regard soft skills, including creativity, as foundational skills that should be developed across all subjects.

Nurturing Creativity: A Collaborative Effort

Parents and teachers can play a crucial role in nurturing creativity in children. Here are eight ways to foster creativity:

1. Encourage Curiosity: Foster curiosity by asking open-ended questions, engaging in debates, and exploring new knowledge and experiences. Adults rekindling their curiosity can positively impact children.

2. Embrace Boredom: Allow children the space to think creatively by resisting the urge to provide instant stimulation. Boredom can spark imaginative thinking and problem-solving.

3. Solve Problems Creatively: Teach children to break down complex problems into manageable parts and creatively solve them step by step.

4. Nurture Passions: Support and encourage children’s interests, allowing them to develop soft skills associated with creativity as they explore their passions.

5. Reframe Failure: Shift the perspective on failure from an obstacle to an opportunity for reflection and growth.

6. Engineer the Environment: Create conducive physical spaces that enhance creativity through natural light, controlled sound, and flexible, personalised tools.

7. Intentional Discipline: Structure time for creative thinking or play, treating creativity as a muscle that benefits from intentional exercise.

8. Seek Diversity: Exposure to diverse experiences helps individuals see things from different perspectives, fostering new associations and connections.

In conclusion, nurturing creativity in the 21st century requires a collaborative effort between educators and parents. By redefining the role of creativity in education and implementing strategies to foster creative thinking, we can prepare the next generation of leaders and problem solvers to thrive in an ever-changing world.

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