##### Day 1: Morning Session - Exploring the Future & Building Back Better in Education

The first day of the NECT 10th Anniversary National Convention was marked by insightful discussions about the future of education and the essential role of technology and innovation. Speakers from various fields shared their perspectives on key topics, and policy recommendations were presented to guide future decisions in the education sector.

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.

##### Opening and Welcome

The Chairman of the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) highlighted the remarkable transformation of South Africa's education system over the past decade. The Chairman's insights underscored significant progress in addressing educational challenges and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.

Key insights revealed substantial improvements in the South Africa's education sector over eleven years. Learners and teachers now spend more time in school, resulting in a higher percentage of learners passing with university entrance qualifications.

The NECT played a pivotal role in creating an extensive collaborative network of over 120 organisations, experts and community leaders. This collaboration enhanced teacher knowledge and connected national education policy with global developments.

Dialogues organised by the NECT have clarified the vision for education, mitigated misunderstanding and ensured a focused approach. The structured response to the COVID-19 pandemic also revitalised the schooling system and established remote and digital learning initiatives.

Recommendations from the Chairman's address include sustaining collaboration, committing to long-term development plans for education, exploring innovative solutions, and extending the NECT's lifespan.

##### Opening remarks from the Department of Basic Education

The Minister of Basic Education celebrated 10 years of collaboration between the basic education sector and the private sector. The anniversary was marked by reflection on achievements, partnerships and challenges. Collaboration among government, civil society, academia and the private sector has introduced innovation and efficiency into education. It has improved infrastructure, curriculum delivery and overall teaching and learning environments.

The Minister emphasised the resilience of the basic education system, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, attributing this resilience to collaboration. Principles of inclusivity, equity and excellence have been foundational in shaping the education system.

Acknowledging contributions from various stakeholders, the Minister pledged to continue nurturing inclusive and empowering partnerships, ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed through education. This commitment reaffirms the importance of collaboration in further improving South Africa's basic education system.

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.

##### Reflection on 10 Years of Social Capital Building

After the Minister’s address, the Chief Executive Officer of the NECT presented a comprehensive overview of the NECT's journey from 2014 to 2023, highlighting key insight and critical moments.

He began by acknowledging the evolution of the NECT's founding documents, emphasising their role in shaping the organisation's mission and objectives. He then emphasised the importance of personal social capital in fostering collaboration and garnering support for NECT's initiatives, citing examples from the initial dialogue to the Presidential Guest House launch.

One central insight in his presentation was the critical role of on-the-job professional development for educators. Drawing from the experience of training over 115,000 educators, he underscored the importance of addressing pre-service readiness gaps, adopting systemic approaches, staying updated with educational developments, optimising personnel spending and strengthening the social contract within the education system.

Another key focus in his presentation was the optimisation of school management to enhance education quality. He highlighted the significance of school management in reform initiatives, the importance of maximising teaching time, fostering instructional leadership, optimising school investments, harnessing community potential and leading the professionalisation of teaching.

He also stressed the need for a systemic approach to building state capacity for sustainable improvement, highlighting the importance of addressing complex improvement challenges in education through long-term strategies. The presentation touched upon effective design and implementation of booster initiatives within the government, with prerequisites including theoretically sound initiatives, a conducive organisational environment, optimal resource allocation, strengthened system capacity, and fostering government "absorptive capacity" through constructive dialogue and relationships.

He also discussed the reorganisation and extension of the NECT's mandate, which now includes greater contribution to education recovery, strengthened systemic approaches, support for policy-to-administration transitions, enhanced collaboration among education stakeholders and building upon past successes.

The presentation concluded with a vision of massive transformation through collaboration, aiming to benefit 13 million learners and over 400,000 teachers. He expressed gratitude to NECT's trustees, patrons and funding partners for their invaluable support and contribution to the organisation's success.

The CEO’s presentation on "Sustained Fostering of Education Improvement" exemplifies the NECT's key role in South African education reform. The organisation's commitment to on-the-job professional development and long-term sustainability reflects its dedication to driving positive change in the education sector. For detailed statistics, please refer to the Fact Sheet on page 2.

##### Facilitated Discussion: Provincial Reflections on the NECT Collaboration - Showcasing NECT work in Education, with Case Studies and Commentary

Following the CEO’s reflections, the NECT's 10-year collaboration with five South African provinces was discussed, offering insight into their experiences. KwaZulu-Natal highlighted the "Jika Mfundo" programme, focusing on curriculum coverage and teacher support. Their efforts to engage circuit managers, enhance district leadership and facilitate collaborative improvement planning led to significant pass rate improvements.

Collaborative initiatives like "Demystifying Assessment" tackled workload concerns and aligned assessments with 21st-century skills.

The “Fundamentals of Performance” (FOP) initiative assessed district functionality, with progress evident in Northwest districts.

The NECT's renewed focus on teaching and learning included reading clubs, book initiatives, university collaborations and infrastructure improvements.

Limpopo introduced "Courageous Leadership" training, enhancing math education and ensuring curriculum implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recommendations emphasised SGB involvement, guidance for reading clubs, addressing infrastructure issues and localised research for targeted improvements.

In conclusion, NECT collaboration has positively impacted South African education, with local engagement, curriculum enhancement and infrastructure development as key drivers of progress.

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

##### Day 1: Afternoon Session - Reflections on Education Change

The session began by exploring the evolving landscape of education, emphasising the need to adapt to rapid technological changes. Artificial Intelligence (AI) was a central theme, with discussions focusing on how AI can be integrated into education while preserving the essential role of teachers. The consensus was that AI should enhance and personalise the learning experience rather than replace educators.

One striking discussion revolved around the preservation of indigenous languages. AI was acknowledged as a valuable tool for preserving linguistic diversity by aligning all languages, including indigenous ones. It was noted that limited data in African languages is a challenge, but initiatives are underway to use AI to train translation models between these languages.

Teacher development was another crucial aspect of the conversation. There is shared belief in the significance of ongoing teacher professional development, which should include technology integration and modern pedagogical approaches. The consensus was that teachers should be equipped to impart 21st-century skills to students.

Curriculum modernisation emerged as a key theme, with a focus on integrating interdisciplinary themes and 21st-century skills into the curriculum. The discussions stressed the importance of making education culturally relevant and accessible to all students, regardless of socio-economic background, in order to promote equity.

Several policy recommendations were put forward during the session. These recommendations included the development of policies to promote AI integration into the education system, curriculum reforms to modernise traditional and emerging disciplines, comprehensive teacher professional development programmes, policies for language preservation, and measures to enhance inclusivity and equity in education. Collaborative efforts between the education sector and various stakeholders were encouraged, along with sustained funding for education to ensure its resilience in the face of economic challenges.

The session concluded with remarks emphasising the power of collaboration and unity in addressing education challenges and broader societal issues. The importance of a comprehensive system-wide approach to education, similar to South Africa's democratic breakthrough achieved through unity, was highlighted.

In summary, the first day of the NECT 10th Anniversary National Convention provided valuable insights into the future of education, with a strong emphasis on the role of AI, language preservation, teacher development, curriculum modernisation and equity. The policy recommendations presented intend to guide future decisions and ensure that education remains adaptable and equitable in an ever-changing world.