October 2023

Dear NECT Stakeholders,

The National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) extends its sincere gratitude for your invaluable contribution to the NECT 10th Anniversary Convention held 11-12 September 2023.

Your insights greatly enriched the convention as we explored the central theme of collaboration for educational reform in South Africa.

We brought together education stakeholders and partners to reflect on a decade of NECT work, envision the future of education, and discuss various topics categorised into four themes: District and School Improvement, Systemic Improvement Programming, Policy Instruments for Improvement, and Partnerships and Collaboration in Education.

The convention highlighted opportunities, challenges and commitments for collaborative education improvement. To solidify our collective commitment, a Convention Declaration was constructed, as presented in Chapter 6.

We look forward to continued collaboration for educational excellence in South Africa; your contributions are instrumental in this endeavour. We anticipate further engagements that will drive positive changes in the education sector.

Sincerely,

## FACT SHEET

## 2013 - 2014 Testing Phase

# 6,817

Schools reached in 4 provinces

# 26,000

Teachers reached

# 409

Schools introduced to the Fresh Start Schools Programme, which was later scaled-up into the current Schools and District Improvement Programme

## 2015 - 2019 Scale-Up Phase

# 17,645

(66%) schools reached in 9 provinces.

# 93,409

Teachers reached

# 679

Schools provided with ablution facilities thorugh the launch of the SAFE Project.

# 42,000

Teachers reached after introducing the Reading Improvement Programmes

- Established the Education Technical Assistance Officer (ETAO) to strengthen state capacity to deliver on strategic imperatives
- Introduced the modernisation of the school to advance data-backed decision making in education

## 2020 - 2021 COVID-19 Pandemic

NECT played a strategic role in supporting the DBE with learning continuity during lockdown, preparing for the safe return to school, and laying the foundation for recovery and rebuilding in the system.

# 13,000+

officials, teachers, parents, learners surveyed on the state of the school readiness to reopen safely

# R80+ Million

Mobilised to support the Education Covid-19 Response Plan

# R8+ Million

Mobilised to refurbish KZN schools affected by the July unrest

## 2022 Recovery and Rebuilding phase

Contributed to the recovery and rebuilding of the education system following the Covid-19 disruptions. This entailed:

- Providing technical support for the development of curriculum-strengthening strategy, including the SA Competency Framework

# 500+

Schools functionality studies conducted on the return to normal time tabling and levels of curriculum coverage

# 9,000+

Schools that launched the One Million African Storybook Project in all official home languages

## PULL QUOTES

##### Opening Remarks by the Minister of Basic Education Mrs Angie Motshekga

Several provinces have seen remarkable progress in education, with increased pass rates, improved curriculum coverage, and support for teachers through collaborative efforts.

The convention highlighted the resilience and robustness of South Africa's education system, particularly in the face of challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic.

NECT has engaged over 120 organizations, experts, and community leaders, reaching 115,000 teachers through its programs.

The NECT Collaboration between the public, private sectors, teacher unions and civil society was considered a gold standard for successful partnerships.

The NECT is unique globally in its collaborative structure for education improvement, aligning with SDG 17 on collaboration.

##### Facilitated Discussion: Provincial Reflections on the NECT Collaboration Showcasing NECT Work Done in Provinces, with Case Studies and Commentary from five provinces: EC, KZN, LP, MP, and NW

Collaboration efforts addressed not only academic aspects but also psychosocial support and community engagement.

##### Exploring the Future & Building Back Better in Education: Education Change

The Critical Skills List plays a crucial role in issuing work VISAs to foreign nationals in areas where South Africa lacks the required skills.

The advent of smart machines and AI systems is transforming data analysis. AI systems are already outperforming students in reading and science.

The proposed shift in education focuses on integrating character, skills, and values into the curriculum alongside traditional subjects.

AI is expected to create 97 million jobs globally by 2025, emphasizing the importance of reskilling and upskilling.

##### The Challenge of Early Grade Reading and Numeracy

The percentage of children unable to read for meaning decreased from 87% in 2006 to 78% in 2016.

The decline in African languages units and departments in higher education poses challenges for literacy pedagogies.

Japanese Karate's philosophy of "shu ha ri" suggests structured learning and gradual innovation—an approach applicable to teacher development.

Structured in-school training systems, as seen in Japan, could potentially improve teacher quality and collaboration.

#### Stream 2

##### System Programming: Designing and Implementing Large-scale change Initiatives.

Success in large-scale initiatives depends on clear objectives, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven decision-making.

Teacher development is a key factor in improving education outcomes.

Measuring learning levels is crucial for informed policymaking

## TABLE OF CONTENT

###### 1. Executive Summary

###### 2. Chapter 1

Day 1: Morning Session - Exploring the Future & Building Back Better in Education 5
Day 1: Afternoon Session - Reflections on Education Change 7

###### 3. Chapter 2

Day 2: Reflections on the Programming and Implementation of Education Change

###### 4. Chapter 3

Policy Analysis and Programming for Action

###### 5. Chapter 4

Reflections on the Programming and Implementation of Education Change

###### 6. Chapter 5

The Future of Education Improvement