A Vision of the South African Department of Education for Schooling in South Africa
Schooling 2025 is a long term plan for the basic education sector which will allow for the monitoring of progress against a set of measurable indicators covering all aspects of basic education including amongst others, enrolments and retention of learners, teachers, infrastructure, school funding, learner well-being and school safety, mass literacy and educational quality.
Making sure that every young South African receives quality schooling is an urgent need. Yet we realise that this cannot be realised overnight. We need a clear vision of where we want to be in 2025, or before then if possible. And we must make sure that every year we move a bit closer to our vision, recognising that a large improvement is an accumulation of many smaller changes.
By 2025 we must see the following in every South African school:
- Learners who attend school every day and are on time because they want to come to school, the school is accessible and because they know that if they miss school when they should not, some action is taken. These learners understand the importance of doing their schoolwork, in school and at home, and they know their school will do everything possible to get them to learn what they should. Much learning happens through the use of computers and from Grade 3 onwards all learners are computer literate. Part of the reason why learners want to come to school is that they get to meet friends in an environment where everyone is respected, they will have a good meal, they know they can depend on their teachers for advice and guidance, and they are able to participate in sporting and cultural activities organised at the school after school hours.
- Teachers who have received the training they require, are continuously improving their capabilities and are confident in their profession. These teachers understand the importance of their profession for the development of the nation and do their utmost to give their learners a good educational start in life. They are on the whole satisfied with their jobs because their pay and conditions of service in general are decent and similar to what one would find in other professions.
- A School Principal who ensures that teaching in the school takes place as it should, according to the national curriculum, but who also understands his or her role as a leader whose responsibility is to promote harmony, creativity and a sound work ethic within the school community and beyond.
- Parents who are well informed about what happens in the school, and receive regular reports about how well their children perform against clear standards that are shared by all schools. These parents know that if something is not happening as it should in the school, the principal or someone in the Department will listen to them and take steps to deal with any problems.
- Learning and teaching materials in abundance and of a high quality. The national Minimum Schoolbag policy, which is widely understood, describes the minimum quantity and quality of materials that every learner must have access to. Computers in the school are an important medium through which learners and teachers access information.
- School buildings and facilities that are spacious, functional, safe and well maintained. Learners and teachers look after their buildings and facilities because they take pride in their school.
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