1 THE CIRCUIT TEAM CONCEPT REPLICABLE DEVELOPMENTAL MODELS Presentation to EMASA Conference Friday 11 th March 2011

2 STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION The GM South Africa Foundation The GM South Africa Foundation Current Education Crisis Current Education Crisis The Decentralised District Office Model The Decentralised District Office Model The Circuit Team Concept The Circuit Team Concept Practical Pilot Project Practical Pilot Project OECD – Organisation of Support Systems OECD – Organisation of Support Systems Systemic Change –WC/Gauteng/Free State Systemic Change –WC/Gauteng/Free State

3 Components of GMSA Foundation’s ‘Corporate Social Action’ concept Modest funding - R5.55 million for Modest funding - R5.55 million for Local (PE) pilot projects – GM employees’ communities. Local (PE) pilot projects – GM employees’ communities. Focus areas - Education system; subsidy housing. Focus areas - Education system; subsidy housing. Partnerships - From the outset. Partnerships - From the outset. Rigorous evaluation – Internal and external. Rigorous evaluation – Internal and external. Comprehensive documentation – ‘Models’. Comprehensive documentation – ‘Models’. Strategic marketing - Models and components. Strategic marketing - Models and components.

4 Overall objective: To achieve a national impact on SA society through Replication by other agencies. Replication by other agencies. Influencing new official policies. Influencing new official policies. Assisting authorities (local, provincial, national) with practical implementation. Assisting authorities (local, provincial, national) with practical implementation.

THE EDUCATION CRISIS 5

6 Crisis in Education Downward trend in Learner Performance (National and International test scores). Downward trend in Learner Performance (National and International test scores). Children leaving school without the essential skills needed to survive and flourish in a modern economy. Children leaving school without the essential skills needed to survive and flourish in a modern economy. All agree that there is an urgent need for radical change within the SA Education System. All agree that there is an urgent need for radical change within the SA Education System. “We need a fundamental shift in how we intervene in the system” – Bobby Soobrayan Feb “We need a fundamental shift in how we intervene in the system” – Bobby Soobrayan Feb 2010.

7 What schools can/cannot do All schools need to work harder at improving their levels of functionality All schools need to work harder at improving their levels of functionality Some (small %) schools can clearly operate without the DoE Some (small %) schools can clearly operate without the DoE Other (85%) are not so fortunate - they clearly need external assistance to provide better quality education for learners Other (85%) are not so fortunate - they clearly need external assistance to provide better quality education for learners Support for schools: DoE or Private Sector? Support for schools: DoE or Private Sector?

8 Improved support for schools

DECENTRALISED DISTRICT OFFICE MODEL 9

10 The Decentralised District Office Model New District Office model conceptualised by a ECED/ Foundation Task Team in New District Office model conceptualised by a ECED/ Foundation Task Team in Decentralised district offices bring service delivery into schools and provide them with effective on-going support Decentralised district offices bring service delivery into schools and provide them with effective on-going support District offices change from being ‘silo’ based to a far more developmental team based and school focussed approach. District offices change from being ‘silo’ based to a far more developmental team based and school focussed approach. The Circuit Team recognised as the most critical delivery mechanism of the District Office. The Circuit Team recognised as the most critical delivery mechanism of the District Office. Model accepted by ECED but never implemented. Model accepted by ECED but never implemented.

THE CIRCUIT TEAM CONCEPT 11

12 DEFINING THE CIRCUIT TEAM CONCEPT The Circuit Team concept allows for the most effective direct interface with schools. The Circuit Team concept allows for the most effective direct interface with schools. The make-up & operations of the Circuit Team are informed by the needs of the schools in their circuit. The make-up & operations of the Circuit Team are informed by the needs of the schools in their circuit. A paradigm shift is required from DO staff to move away from their current modus operandi to a ‘school-focussed team-work approach’. A paradigm shift is required from DO staff to move away from their current modus operandi to a ‘school-focussed team-work approach’.

13 Subject Advisor EDO DO Staff Service Providers A PARADIGM SHIFT Circuit 1 Circuit 3 Circuit 4 Circuit 2 Pilot Circuit (4 clusters of 6 schools each) Pilot Circuit Team EDO WSDs Curr Adv Special Needs Admin

14 A PRACTICAL PILOT CIRCUIT TEAM PROJECT Aim to establish a demonstration pilot Circuit Team to effectively serve a circuit of schools in PE. Aim to establish a demonstration pilot Circuit Team to effectively serve a circuit of schools in PE. DoE initiative supported by the GMSA Foundation. DoE initiative supported by the GMSA Foundation. Practical experiences to guide / shape / refine: Practical experiences to guide / shape / refine: Policies & procedures. Policies & procedures. Organograms. Organograms. Roll-out of Circuit Teams to other Districts. Roll-out of Circuit Teams to other Districts. Twinning arrangement secured with WC pilot project (relatively far advanced). Twinning arrangement secured with WC pilot project (relatively far advanced).

15 THE CIRCUIT TEAM CONCEPT

16 PE PROJECT TEAM Memo of Understanding

17 PE PROJECT TEAM Terms of Reference

18 PE CIRCUIT TEAM PROJECT Implementation Support obtained from all national and local key stakeholders. Support obtained from all national and local key stakeholders. Appointed researchers - identified needs of schools. Appointed researchers - identified needs of schools. Report back to stakeholders on research findings. Report back to stakeholders on research findings. Working group finalised TOR for pilot project. Working group finalised TOR for pilot project. Established Project Management Team. Established Project Management Team. PE District Officials visited Cape Town – Shadowed WC circuit team. PE District Officials visited Cape Town – Shadowed WC circuit team.

19 Established pilot Circuit Team with appropriately skilled members (PEDO & external). Established pilot Circuit Team with appropriately skilled members (PEDO & external). Finalised the pilot schools – Agreements signed. Finalised the pilot schools – Agreements signed. Team –building workshop for Circuit Team. Team –building workshop for Circuit Team. Finalised funding/resource arrangements. Finalised funding/resource arrangements. Proceed with Circuit Team school interventions. Proceed with Circuit Team school interventions. Some District Officials dropped off Circuit Team. Some District Officials dropped off Circuit Team. Working with willing and able officials – importing expertise from outside to replace DoE people. Working with willing and able officials – importing expertise from outside to replace DoE people. PE CIRCUIT TEAM PROJECT Implementation

OECD AND ORGANISATION OF SUPPORT SYSTEMS 20

21 Organisation of Support Systems Organisation of Support Systems What makes school systems perform? What makes school systems perform? OECD launched –PISA- Programme for International Student Assessment. OECD launched –PISA- Programme for International Student Assessment. Looked at top performing countries. Looked at top performing countries. Finland, Korea, Canada, Japan, France, Sweden, England and Netherland. Finland, Korea, Canada, Japan, France, Sweden, England and Netherland. These countries recognise the importance of strong support systems for schools. These countries recognise the importance of strong support systems for schools.

22 Strong Support Systems “In summary, these findings point to the conclusion that strong basic education systems tend to succeed by providing good quality support for students, teachers, and schools in the context of an integrated rather than differentiated school structure…. To perform these tasks successfully they need…special training for school management tasks and counselling and support from teams of experts based on evaluation by external agencies” “In summary, these findings point to the conclusion that strong basic education systems tend to succeed by providing good quality support for students, teachers, and schools in the context of an integrated rather than differentiated school structure…. To perform these tasks successfully they need…special training for school management tasks and counselling and support from teams of experts based on evaluation by external agencies”

SYSTEMIC CHANGE: A FEW ALTERNATIVES 23

24 Institutionalising Circuit Teams Western Cape in 2008 started implementing a slightly modified version of the GMSAF decentralised district office model. Western Cape in 2008 started implementing a slightly modified version of the GMSAF decentralised district office model. Operationalised the concept of the circuit team. Operationalised the concept of the circuit team. Eight Districts consisting of 49 circuit teams. Eight Districts consisting of 49 circuit teams. Highly skilled circuit team leaders lead multi- disciplinary task teams to interact with schools on a daily basis and apply appropriate programmes and support. Highly skilled circuit team leaders lead multi- disciplinary task teams to interact with schools on a daily basis and apply appropriate programmes and support.

25 MSED CIRCUIT TEAMS Organogram

26 GMSAF’s intentions with Circuit Team model GMSAF’s intentions with Circuit Team model Continue with PE pilot project. Continue with PE pilot project. Promote roll out of PE lessons into all 23 EC Districts. Promote roll out of PE lessons into all 23 EC Districts. Interact with all 9 Provinces via MEC’s / SG’s. Interact with all 9 Provinces via MEC’s / SG’s. Interact closely with National DoBE: Presentations made to senior officials and to Education Portfolio Committee. Interact closely with National DoBE: Presentations made to senior officials and to Education Portfolio Committee. Interact closely with Teacher Unions: Presentation made to SADTU Executive. Interact closely with Teacher Unions: Presentation made to SADTU Executive. Assist GDE to re-align according to circuit teams. Assist GDE to re-align according to circuit teams. Assist Free State following in principle decision to adopt the circuit team concept. Assist Free State following in principle decision to adopt the circuit team concept.

27 Thank you for arranging this opportunity for discussion.