PRELIMINARY SUMMARY OF PROPOSED CURRICULUM CHANGES ANNOUNCED BY THE MEC ANGIE MOTSHEKGA ON TUESDAY 06 JULY 2010:

GENERAL CHANGES:

• Curriculum would no longer be referred to as OBE, but as the New Curriculum Statement  (NCS).
• From next year, what were known as learning areas and programmes will be called subjects.
• Reduced the number of projects for learners. The NPRR has been repealed and new
• New, clearer assessment standards will be drafted.
• The need for portfolio files of learner assessments has been done away with.
•  Every subject in each grade will have a single, comprehensive and concise Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement that will provide details on what teachers ought to teach and assess on a grade-by-grade and subject-by-subject basis.
• Outcomes will be absorbed into more accessible aims, and content and assessment requirements will be spelt out more clearly. 

FOUNDATION PHASE

• Phasing in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements in the Foundation Phase in 2011. We will phase in other grades in 2012. 
• A plan for the development of the Work Books for Grades 1 – 6   in order to ensure the development, piloting, printing  and distribution of  learner workbooks early in 2011. 
• Increased and improved use of textbooks. 
  • Language chosen by the learner as a Language of Learning and Teaching shall be taught as a subject, or as a First Additional Language, from Grade One (1) and not from Grade 2 (What this means, for instance, is that the teaching of English will occur alongside mother tongue instruction for those learners who choose English as a language of learning and teaching. English will not replace the mother tongue or home language in the early grades, as some commentators have interpreted the recommendation.)
  • Externally-set assessments at grades 3 in literacy (in home language and first additional language) and numeracy/mathematics.
  • Weighting of continuous assessment and end of year examinations as follows:    Grades R-3: 100% continuous assessment  
  • Symbols or rating scales used to rate learner performance in Grades 10-12 will, from 2011, be extended to Grades R-9, so that there is consistency across the curriculum. Thus meaning a 7 point scale. 

INTERMEDIATE PHASE

• Reduce the number of learning areas in the Intermediate Phase from eight to six. 
•  That means that in grades 4 to 6 technology will be combined with science.
•  Arts and culture will be combined with life orientation.
•  Economic and management sciences will be taught only from grade 7.
• Phasing in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements in the Intermediate Phase from 2012.
• A plan for the development of the Work Books for Grades 1 – 6   in order to ensure the development, piloting, printing  and distribution of  learner workbooks early in 2011.
• Increased and improved use of textbooks.
  • Externally-set assessments at grade 6 in literacy (in home language and first additional language) and numeracy/mathematics.
  • Weighting of continuous assessment and end of year examinations as follows:    Grades 4-6:     75% continuous assessment: 25% end of year exam.  
  • Symbols or rating scales used to rate learner performance in Grades 10-12 will, from 2011, be extended to Grades R-9, so that there is consistency across the curriculum. Thus meaning a 7 point scale.

SENIOR PHASE

• Discontinued the Common Tasks for Assessment (CTAs) for Grade 9 learners with effect from January 2010. Provinces have already informed their schools about the form of assessment that will replace CTAs in 2010.
• Externally-set assessments at grades  9 in literacy (in home language and first additional language) and numeracy/mathematics.
• Weighting of continuous assessment and end of year examinations as follows:    Grades 7-9:     40%: continuous assessment: 60% end of year exam.
• Symbols or rating scales used to rate learner performance in Grades 10-12 will, from 2011, be extended to Grades R-9, so that there is consistency across the curriculum. Thus meaning a 7 point scale.

FET

• Weighting of continuous assessment and end of year examinations as follows: Grades 10-12: 25% continuous assessment  : 75% end of year exam.

NB Externally-set assessments at grades 3, 6 and  9 in literacy (in home language and first additional language) and numeracy/mathematics will be taken into consideration for payment of subsidies to subsidised schools.

Michael B. Essenburg has developed teacher training kits designed to help teachers integrate faith and learning.

• Each kit have 7 lessons.
• During a lesson, participants will report on action steps, read something, talk together to learn, commit to action steps, and pray.
• Below you can find the initial participant guides/readings for each of the 4 kits.