System should be managed well

The National Letters

THE standard-based education (SBE) is here to stay after a sudden change from the outcome-based education (OBE).
The onus is now on all education officers and teachers in the classrooms. They have to take the right approach in the implementation of SBE.
SBE in schools and provincial levels need quality leadership.
A good number of schools lack leadership in the following areas:

  • CURRICULUM building or development, e.g. school policy manual, subject yearly and termly overview manual, subject lesson day book;
  • SUPERVISION and report writing;
  • EFFECTIVE functions of school operational plans;
  • SCHOOL budget focused on academic performance and administration to maintain consistent operations; and
  • SCHOOL learning improvement plans (Slip) to be done and implemented preparing for the 1.6.6 structure.

Some provincial education offices lack leadership in the following areas:

  • GENUINE appointments of school leaders who are academic oriented and capable of implementing SBE;
  • A GOOD monitoring system set up to give accurate feedback to the Education Department on the rollout of the SBE and SLIP in schools;
  • PROVIDING consistent guidance to schools in implementing the already developed curriculums by the Education Department and monitoring the progress; and,
  • STANDARDISED operations with standard policies.

All provincial authorities and schools need to step up in taking the right leadership approaches to SBE instead of doing nothing.
This is the only way to better benchmark certification of our SBE curriculums during this transitional period until SBE is fully established.

Joseph Dongari
NCD