Value of E-Learning
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ict Development Associates ltd 145 Lower Camden Chislehurst Kent BR7 5JD United Kingdom TRANSFORMATION READY – EDUCATION COMPONENT DRAFT COUNTRY CASE STUDY ICT for Teaching and Learning in South Africa Submitted to the African Development Bank & partners 6 June 2011 Telephone: +44 (0)208 467 1148 or +44 (0)7764 819974 Fax: +44 (0)208 249 0891 Email: [email protected] Company registration no. 4603511 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 3 2 South African educational context .............................................................................. 3 2.1 Shape and size .............................................................................................................. 3 2.2 Curriculum .................................................................................................................... 7 3 Implementation of ICTs in education in South Africa ................................................... 7 3.1 Initiatives and successes ............................................................................................... 7 4 Challenges to implementation of ICT in education .................................................... 27 4.1 Differentiated provision of infrastructure and connectivity ...................................... 27 4.2 Lack of central coordination of initiatives .................................................................. 29 4.3 Limitations of modalities of teacher professional development ............................... 29 4.4 Lack of universal access to technologies by learners ................................................. 29 5 Conclusions: Lessons from SA ICT implementation .................................................... 29 2 ICT for Teaching and Learning in South Africa 1 Introduction South Africa has a population of approximately 50 million people distributed across nine provinces: Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northwest, Northern Cape, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, the Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal. The high prevalence of HIV and AIDS has significantly lowered the life expectancy at birth, which varies provincially. The average national life expectancy at birth is 54.3 years; 53.3 years for males and 55.2 years for females. The Free State province has the lowest life expectancy at birth, at 46.2 years.1 The literacy rate for adults aged 20 and above was 80% in 2009.2 South Africa has the most advanced telecommunications network in Africa, development of which was recently boosted by government investment of R300 million into broadcasting and telecommunications ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The telecommunications network ‘is 99.9% digital and includes the latest in fixed-line, wireless and satellite communications’.3 In 2009, South Africa had 4.3 million fixed line telephones and 46.4 million mobile telephones in use, as well as 4.4 million internet users. The South African Broadcasting Cooperation (SABC) operates four television and 18 radio stations.4South Africa also has subscription based digital satellite television (DSTV), launched in 1995, with over 50 channels with South African produced content, international syndicated content, sports, and news. DSTV has several educational programmes on some of its channels.5 2 South African educational context 2.1 Shape and size South Africa has one of the highest rates of public investment in education in the world. Education expenditure constitutes 5.3% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and accounts for 20% of total government expenditure.6 South Africa’s educational levels and qualifications are informed by the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The NQF is organized into three bands; general education and training (GET), further education and training (FET), and higher education and training (HET). Each band includes specific NQF levels. Table 1 reflects this structure. 1 Statistics South Africa. (2010). Statistical Release P0302, Mid-year population estimates, July 2010. 2 Department of Basic Education and Training. (2011). Macro Indicator Trends in Schooling: Summary report 2011. Available at: http://www.education.gov.za/DocumentsLibrary/Reports/tabid/358/Default.aspx 3 SA Government Communication and Information Service. (2010). South Africa Yearbook 2009/10, Communications, Chapter 5, pp108 - 128. 4 CIA, The World Factbook, South Africa. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world- factbook/geos/sf.html 5 SouthAfrica.info: http://www.southafrica.info/about/media/satv.htm 6 SouthAfrica.info, South Africa’s television channels: http://www.southafrica.info/about/education/education.htm. 3 Table 1 National Qualifications Framework7 School Band NQF Level Qualifications Grades 8 Doctor’s Degree Master’s Degree 7 Honours Degree Postgraduate Diploma General first degree Professional first degree 6 postgraduate Bachelor’s degree Certificate 5 Higher certificate Higher Education and Higher Training Education First diploma 12 4 Certificates 11 3 Diplomas Further Education Education andTraining 10 2 9 8 7 6 5 Grade 9/Adult Basic 1 4 Education and Training level 4 Training 3 2 General General Education and 1 R Basic education is compulsory for children aged 7 to 15. In 2009, almost 99% of children within this age range were enrolled in an educational institution.8 Basic schooling runs for 13 years or grades. It starts at Grade R or ‘reception year’, through to Grade 12, the year of matriculation, which leads to higher education. Schooling is compulsory from Grade 1 – 9.9 Basic education is divided into four phases: • Foundation phase (Grades R to 3); • Intermediate phase (Grades 4 to 6); • Senior phase (Grades 7 to 9); and 7 Adapted from the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA): http://www.saqa.org.za/show.asp?include=focus/ld.htm 8 Department of Basic Education and Training. (2011). Macro Indicator Trends in Schooling: Summary report 2011. Available at: http://www.education.gov.za/DocumentsLibrary/Reports/tabid/358/Default.aspx 9 South African Government Information. Education. Available at: http://www.info.gov.za/aboutsa/education.htm 4 • Further education and training (Grades 10 to 12)10 in an ordinary secondary school, as well as the equivalent NQF levels 2, 3, and 4 in FET colleges.11 Higher education and training takes place in universities, leading to the attainment of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. In 2009, the Department of Education was split into the Department of Basic Education (DBE); and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The DBE is responsible for all schools, from Grade R to Grade 12, as well as adult literacy programmes. The DHET is responsible for FET Colleges and universities.12 Responsibility for management of schools is shared between national and provincial government. The nine provincial education departments set their own priorities and programmes in line with national policy determined by the national Department.13 Schooling provision in South Africa takes place in public and private schools. Public schools are funded by, and receive teaching and learning materials from, the government, although parents have to pay some costs, such as uniforms and school fees. Public schools are classified according to quintiles, which denote poverty levels. Quintile 1 schools are those serving the most disadvantaged communities and quintile 5 those serving the most privileged, in terms of financial resources. Some quintile 5 schools are very well-resourced and can be at par with some private schools. Some schools within quintiles 1 and 2 have been designated no-fee paying schools.14 In 2009, there were 24,693 public schools in South Africa, enrolling 12 million learners who were taught by 386,587 teachers. Of the 12 million learners in public schools, 5.2 million were in 14,029 no fee paying schools. There are four types of public schools: • Primary schools only, offering education from grades R to 3, • Middle schools, providing education from grades 4 to 9, • Secondary schools, which offer education from grades 10 to 12, and • Combined schools, which offer education from grades R to 12 or R to 9. Private schools mostly cater for children of middle- to top-income parents and the elite. Historically, higher school fees have marked private from public schools, but a new category of low-fee paying private schools catering for low income learners is now emerging.15 Private schools include primary, secondary, middle, and combined schools. In 2009, there were 1,174 private schools enrolling 386,098 learners being taught by 24,557 teachers. 10 SA DBE: http://www.education.gov.za/EducationinSA/tabid/327/Default.aspx 11FET Colleges provide high-level skills training that integrates theoretical and practical elements aimed at meeting specific industry skills requirements to fulfil the skills needs of the country. http://www.capegateway.gov.za/eng/directories/services/11473/15016 12 DBE: http://www.education.gov.za/TheDBE/tabid/54/Default.aspx 13 GCIS. (2011). South Africa Yearbook 2010/11, Education, Chapter 7, pp150 – 169: http://www.gcis.gov.za/resource_centre/sa_info/yearbook/2010-11.htm 14 ETU. Education policy: School fees. Available at: http://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/government/schoolfees.html 15 Bernstein, A., & Schirmer, S. (2010). Hidden assets: South Africa’s low fee private schools. Available at: http://www.ieducation.co.za/hidden-assets-south-africa%E2%80%99s-low-fee-private-schools/ 5 Within the schooling system, South Africa