INCA Education around the world
South Africa: System summary
1. Control and organisation
The Minister of Education determines national norms and standards for education planning, provision, governance, monitoring and evaluation. The nine provincial Departments of Education are responsible for implementing these. In addition, the provincial departments make funding decisions and exercise responsibility for all general education and training (GET), as well as further education and training (FET), and for formal adult basic education and training (ABET) in their area.
Some responsibility is devolved to democratically elected school governing bodies (SGBs), consisting of parents, teachers, non teaching staff and (secondary) school students.
2. Public sector/private sector education
State funding for schools is organised on a five quintile system, in which schools are divided into five categories according to the poverty levels in the areas they serve; poor schools are given larger state subsidies ('school allocations'), while wealthier schools are given smaller subsidies. Public schools must supplement government funding by charging local fees and other forms of fund-raising. In the poorest areas of all, parents are exempt from paying school fees. Such no-fee schools receive all their required funding from the Government, and made up 40 per cent of all schools in 2007.
The South African Schools Act 1996 makes provision for the establishment of independent schools alongside public ones. Under certain conditions, independent schools may be eligible for state subsidy.
3. Language of instruction
South Africa has 11 official languages: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. Schools and universities generally use either English or Afrikaans as the language of instruction.
4. Compulsory education
The South African Constitution guarantees the right of every child access to education. Schooling runs from Grade 1 through to Grade 12. The Government began phasing the "reception year" or Grade R for children age 5 to 6 in 2002. It is intended that provision will be available for all children by 2010.
The table below shows the breakdown of phases:
|
Pre-compulsory pre-primary education |
|
Age 0 - 5 |
|
|
Grade Reception* |
Age 5 -6 |
|
Compulsory primary education |
Grade 1 - 6 |
Age 6 - 12 |
|
Compulsory secondary education |
Grade 7 - 9 |
Ages 12 - 15 |
|
Post compulsory secondary education |
Grade 9 - 12 |
Ages 15 - 18 |
South Africa appears to be close to achieving universal basic education. The 2007 General Household Survey states that overall attendance for the 7- to 15-year-olds has remained high and stable at 97.9 per cent. However there is a significant drop in attendance rates for 16-18 year-olds.
A parent may register his or her child at any public school if there are places available. Procedures are set down in case of over-subscription
5. Pre-school education
The education of children between the ages of 0 to 4/5 years falls within the pre-compulsory category and is offered privately by individuals and community organisations.
The Government began phasing in the "reception year", or Grade R, for children age 5 to 6 in 2002. It is intended that provision will be available for all children by 2010.
The development of a national curriculum for Pre-Grade R (birth to 5 years) is in progress. (The Grade R curriculum is part of the National Curriculum for the Foundation Phase and the Intermediate Phase of the schooling system.)
There is no formal policy on assessment in the (Pre-Grade R) birth-5 years phase. The draft birth-5 years curriculum proposes basic assessment methods that focus on observation and screening techniques. (Grade R assessment methods and approaches are stipulated in the National Curriculum Statement and the Assessment Policy.)
6. Post-compulsory education
Post-compulsory upper secondary or senior secondary education is known as further education and training (FET) and is provided in grades 10 to 12 for students aged 15 to 18 years. On completion of FET, students receive the Further Education and Training certificate, previously known as the Senior Certificate.
There are three different pathways during this phase of education: a general academic pathway, a general vocational pathway and an occupational pathway. The academic pathway (the only one covered on the INCA website) is available in schools and some colleges and provides learners receive a general formative/academic education based on a broad curriculum (the National Curriculum).
The National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12 (15- to 18-year-olds) represents a policy statement for learning and teaching in schools in the further education and training phase of education in South Africa. It consists of an overview document and 35 subject statements. The 35 subjects (24 subjects and 11 languages) are aligned to the eight fields in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
Subjects taken during this phase are generally determined by learners' choices for the Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC).
7. Special needs education
The Department of Education seeks to provide access to education for all children and learners, including those special educational needs. This is a basic right enshrined in the South African Constitution. The Department also aims to remove all barriers to learning so that children with special educational needs, including the most vulnerable, are able to participate fully.
8. School year
The South African school year begins in January and ends in December. All public schools follow a four-term system, whilst most independent (private) schools have three, longer terms. In public/state schools, student holidays last for two to three weeks between each term, except after the third term, when the break usually lasts 10 days, and at the end of the school year, when there is a long December to January holiday of around five weeks.
The 'National Policy for Designing School Calendars for Ordinary Public Schools in South Africa' states that the number of school days offered to students must provide sufficient time to enable the educational programmes of schools to be completed. It further recommends approximately 195-200 school days per year as sufficient for the purposes of teaching and learning, and that teachers and students, in each province, should be allocated the same number of days.
9. Statutory curricula
The South African National Curriculum (NC) consists of the National Curriculum Statement (NCS) and the National Policy on Assessment and Qualifications for Schools in the General Education and Training Band.
One of the key elements of the National Curriculum is outcomes-based education (OBE). Outcomes are the results learners are expected to achieve at the end of the learning process and these outcomes shape the learning process. The National Curriculum outcomes include core life skills for learners, such as communication skills, critical thinking skills, activity and information management, group and community work and evaluation skills.
In the foundation phase of compulsory primary education (Grade R - Grade 3, children aged 5 to 9), there are three compulsory learning areas, literacy, numeracy and life skills.
In the intermediate phase of compulsory primary education (Grades 4 - 6, children aged 9 to 12), languages and mathematics are the distinct learning areas. Schools decide on the number and order of other learning programmes/areas, based on the organisational imperatives of the school, and provided that national priorities and the developmental needs of learners are taken into account. These areas may include:
- Languages
- Mathematics
- Natural sciences
- Technology
- Social sciences
- Arts and culture
- Life orientation
- Economic and management sciences.
In compulsory secondary education (known as the senior phase), Grades 7-9 (ages 12 - 15), there are eight learning areas (as above).
10. Religious education
Almost all South Africans profess some religious affiliation. South Africa has never had an official state religion or any prohibition regarding religious beliefs or practices.
Some religious education is provided in the Arts and Culture area of study.
11. Citizenship education, personal, social and health education, work related education or careers education
There are five developmental outcomes within the National Curriculum Statement for the compulsory phase of education which are inspired by the South African Constitution and aimed at enabling learners to learn effectively and to become responsible, sensitive and productive citizens. They envisage learners who are able to:
- Reflect on and explore a variety of strategies to learn more effectively.
- Participate as responsible citizens in the life of local, national and global communities.
- Be culturally and aesthetically sensitive across a range of social contexts.
- Explore education and career opportunities.
- Develop entrepreneurial opportunities.
12. Textbooks
The procurement and delivery of textbooks and other learning support materials for Grades 1 to 9 is a provincial responsibility. Funds for school textbooks are allocated by provinces in accordance with the Norms and Standards for School Funding. All schools must adhere to the Preferential Procurement Policy of the province in the spending of allocated funds for textbooks and other books.
All textbooks must be aligned to the National Curriculum Statement (NCS).
13. Statutory system of assessment
The National Policy on Assessment and Qualifications for Schools in the General Education and Training (GET) Band standardises the recording and reporting of learner assessment for schools (Grade R - Grade 12, ages 5-18) within the framework of the National Curriculum Statements for Grades R - 9 and Grades 10 - 12.
All learning and teaching from Grade R to Grade 9 should contribute to developing the type of learner envisaged by the National Curriculum Statement (NCS). Assessment of this learning takes place on a continuous basis throughout the ten years of Grade R to Grade 9 education.
Systemic evaluation
Systemic evaluation is an integral part of ensuring that all learners derive maximum benefit from the education system. It includes the periodic evaluation of all aspects of the school system and learning programmes, and takes place in Grades 3, 6 and 9 (ages 8/9, 11/12 and 14/15). Systemic evaluation is conducted on a nationally representative sample of learners and learning sites.
14. Examinations and certification
Passing Grade 9 (age 15) results in the award of a compulsory secondary leaving certificate qualification which registers at grade 1 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). This qualification is a requirement for access to Grade 10 at a school, to NQF qualifications at an FET College, to other pathways in the FET band, or to access a different pathway at NQF level 1.
Assessment at the end of this phase comprises a nationally set Common Task for Assessment (CTA) (25 per cent) and Continuous Assessment (CASS) (75 per cent). The CTA is moderated and approved by the General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Council (Umalusi). CTAs are marked by teachers using marking guidelines supplied by the Department of Education. Marking is moderated by the Provincial Education Department.
National Senior Certification/Further Education and Training Certificate
Assessment for the National Senior Certificate takes place through a combination of internal and external assessment. In general, internal assessment accounts for 25 per cent and external assessment for 75 per cent of the final mark. In subjects with a practical component the internal assessment increases to 50 per cent of the final mark
Subjects taken during this phase are generally determined by learners' choices for the Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC). Emphasis in the National Senior Certificate examinations is on individual subject performance and not on overall performance (as was previously the case.
15. Initial teacher training
The aim of initial teacher training in South Africa is to achieve a community of competent teachers dedicated to providing education of high quality, with high levels of performance as well as ethical and professional standards of conduct.
There are two main routes for teaching training in South Africa, concurrent and consecutive.
For the concurrent model, trainee teachers complete a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree, comprising 480 credits (at National Qualification Level 7), which includes a practical component of 120 credits. The qualification leads to registration as a teacher by the South African Council for Educators (SACE).
For the consecutive model, trainee teachers usually complete a first degree, followed by a one-year Advanced Diploma in Education (120 credits at NQF level 7), including an appropriate practical component.
The concurrent model is currently the preferred model for teacher training in South Africa
