W Cape wants to bring back school inspectors

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Published Aug 25, 2016

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Cape Town - Western Cape Education MEC Debbie Schäfer is proposing sweeping changes to the provincial school education act, which could see “inspectors” make a return to classrooms and their assessments of schools made public.

The proposed amendments to the Western Cape Provincial School Education Act of 1997 are scheduled to be published in the Provincial Gazette on Fridayand members of the public and organisations will have one month to comment.

Some of the key proposals include the establishment of the Western Cape Schools Evaluation Authority, which will conduct classroom inspections, and intervention facilities for pupils who have been found guilty of serious misconduct.

In terms of pupil discipline, she said that currently, if a school recommended the expulsion of a pupil and if she upheld the decision, there was still a legal obligation to keep the child in school.

The pupil would then have to be moved from the school from which he of she was expelled to a new school.

“So we are wanting to provide for intervention facilities to be an option instead of expulsion so the governing body can recommend that as an alternative punishment,” Schäfer said.

The head of the evaluation authority, who will be called a chief evaluator, and assessors will be able to, within two days’ written notice, obtain access to and inspect a school and any classroom in a school, observe lessons and gather evidence to inform their recommendations.

Among other things, the chief evaluator will also keep the MEC informed of the quality of education provided at schools, the financial resources available at a school and whether these are managed efficiently, and the quality of leadership and management at the school.

“It (the evaluation authority) will be as independent as possible. We don’t have all the details yet. We are still working on the model. The assessments of schools will be published for people to see and compare performances of different schools with the intention that it will drive improvement,” Schäfer said.

The proposed amendments also include provisions for the MEC to establish collaboration schools and donor-funded public schools.

Last year, the Cape Argus reported that the Western Cape Education Department had created a new school model, called collaboration schools, where donors, comprised of a group of private foundations, played a significant role in the day-to-day running of the school. The model is being tested in a number of schools.

Schäfer said proposed changes would allow for better regulation as well as for the department to compel a school to become a collaboration school if this was is in the interests of pupils.

“The intention is that this could be used in the case of underperforming schools.”

Another issue the amendments aimed to address was the “extremely restrictive legislation” regarding alcohol on school premises.

She said she has had complaints from schools who wanted to arrange fundraisers where alcohol was sold or consumed, but this was against the law. “The proposed amendment is to allow for the principal or governing body to approve the sale or use of alcohol on school premises, but subject to the provisions of the Western Cape Liquor Act and any conditions set by the governing body or principal. It will thus be up to the school if they wish to do this or not, and I trust it will be exercised responsibly.”

Jonavon Rustin, provincial secretary of the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union, said the union would get legal advice on the proposals as some of the proposals contradicted national agreements and legislation. “The department is abdicating its responsibility to provide quality education to poorer children.”

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Cape Argus

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