BuaNews (Tshwane)
Gabi Khumalo
7 November 2008
Pretoria — The second cycle of Systemic Evaluations at the Foundation Phase shows a positive improvement in the performance of learners in both literacy and numeracy levels.
The report released on Thursday by Education Minister Naledi Pandor showed that the overall mean performance in literacy improved by 6 percent, from 30 to 36 percent while the numeracy levels improved by 5 percent, from 30 to 35 percent.
The baseline measures at Grades three and six were established in 2001, the second survey at Grade three levels was conducted late 2007.
The report covers the phase of reporting, which relates specifically to leaner achievement.
The second round of the Systematic Evaluations provides the department as well as schools and teachers who will be given extensive feedback on their results, with necessary information to guide ongoing interventions aimed at laying solid foundations for learning in the Foundation Phase by 2011.
About 53 952 Grade three learners from 2 328 primary schools participated in the survey in which written foundational skills of literacy and numeracy were tested.
During a survey, curriculum specialists from national and provincial levels of the department led and managed the process whilst JET Education Services provided technical assistance.
Commenting on the report, Minister Pandor said although the average score in the 2007 survey was a little higher than the baseline 2001 result, which was 30 percent, the scores are still unacceptably low.
She emphasised the need for a solid foundation phase noting that it was within the foundation-phase grades that basic literacy, numeracy and life skills are developed and advanced.
"In the foundation-phase learners must learn how to read, write, count and calculate confidently and with understanding," she said, adding that every teacher in foundation phase must teach reading, writing and numeracy everyday.
Ms Pandor noted that numeracy and literacy varied in relation to the language in which the learners took the test, which coincided with the language of instruction.
According to a report, English and Afrikaans learners did better, with average numeracy scores of 48 percent and 49 percent respectively and average literacy scores of 43 percent and 48 percent, respectively.
African language mother tongue speakers had lower average scores. "Afrikaans and English learners did better in numeracy than literacy in indigenous schools," said the minister.
Encouraging the use of mother tongue languages during the first to six years in school, Minister Pandor said if taught in their mother tongue the turn around in their performance would be amazing.
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