internal newsletter of the Department of Basic eDucation

PULApula • rain • imvula • reën • mvula • mpfula • iZulu February/March 2013

Pledging YOUR support to the Stop Rape campaign

Labour Tips

IRC Book ReviewEdutainment

New Sport and Recreation Executive Committee elected

G r a f f i t i Wall

Editorial: Pledging your commitment to the Stop Rape campaign Department honours exceptional

achievement in teaching

Early Childhood Development giving your child a

fair advantage

Holistic health Focusing on healthy nutrition practices

Facts About Textbooks And Workbooks

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CreditsReaders are welcome to send letters, news and information for publicationCover: Stop Rape and abuse campaign, by Boitumelo Moja Editor: Panyaza Lesufi

lesufi.p@dbe.gov.zaAssistant Editor: Yolanda Holden

holden.y@dbe.gov.zaSub editor: Ryan Hoffmann

hoffmann.r@dbe.gov.zaPhoto Editor: Tshepo Ramonoedi

ramonoedi.t@dbe.gov.zaContributions by: Motlatsi Kekana

kekana.d@dbe.gov.zaDesign and Layout: Kamogelo Makgoga

Address: Sol Plaatje House, 222 Struben Street, Pretoria, 0002Private Bag X895, Pretoria, 0001Please note that the Communications Directorate reserves the right of publication.Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Department of Basic Education.

Editorial: Pledging your commitment to the Stop Rape campaignSexual harassment and violence is too

common in our homes, our communities and in our schools. President Jacob Zuma, Basic Education Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga and Lead SA CEO, Mr Yusuf Abramjee, have therefore taken a public pledge to condemn sexual violence against all South African women and children.

Millions of learners all over the country also pledged their support for the campaign, which aims to raise rape awareness and educate the 10, 2 million learners in our schools. The campaign urges all South Africans to stand up and to act against those who continue to rape and abuse others and show no regard or respect for their fellow citizens. In order to win this battle everyone needs to take responsibility and report any sort of sexual violence to the police. As part of the Stop Rape campaign, Pula will also feature a regular column to empower those who suffer from abuse and violence.

Submit an interesting quotation or inspiring words of wisdom for our Graffiti Wall on the Stop Rape campaign, (Read all about this initiative on p3). The person who sends the best phrase will receive a prize and will be profiled in the next edition of Pula.

Congratulations to our Director-General, Mr Bobby Soobrayan, who won an Exclusive Books gift voucher for his entry on the Graffiti Wall: Basic Education is not for sissies. You can also be a winner!

The 2012 National Teaching Awards (NTAs) took place at the Gallagher Estate conference centre in Johannesburg on 7 March 2013.

Now in its 13th year, the NTAs aim to celebrate the exceptional achievements of teachers throughout the public education system.

We interview Allen Subban who provides fast facts about the delivery of textbooks and workbooks.

In 2012 Dr Patricia Watson undertook the development of the first of four titles in the Mind the Gap series for the subjects: Accounting, Economics, Geography and Life Sciences. The Mind the Gap study guide series is an innovative and committed attempt by the DBE to improve the academic performance of Grade 12 candidates in the National Senior Certificate examination.

According to statistics, children who have access to quality Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes have a smaller chance of dropping out of school and a better chance in life to advance. Read why ECD gives your child a fair advantage in life.

Grade 12 learners are urged to participate in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secondary Schools Essay Competition, which is open to all Grade 12 learners in the region. The closing date for entries is 15 April 2013.

In our new Holistic Health feature we focus on healthy nutrition practices. This new feature will provide you with interesting and practical ways of balancing your physical and mental welfare.

David Ntloana offers Labour Tips on poor performance, misconduct and setting practical workplans.

Meet the friendly ladies in the Information Resource Centre (IRC) and find out why their motto is People first, systems second. Familiarise yourself with the variety of services the IRC has to offer.

All work and no play leads to unbalanced lives. Creative individuals are welcome to send information about themselves and their pastimes for placement on our Creative Corner.

DBE staff – for the first time in the history of the department - elected the Executive Committee for Sports and Recreation during February 2013. This Committee is expected to serve at least for two years. Meet the faces behind the sporting codes!

Pula is set on continuing our “interactive conversational approach”. Enjoy the read!

Congratulations to our Director-General, Mr Bobby Soobrayan, who won an Exclusive Books gift voucher for his phrase on the Graffiti Wall.DG Soobrayan announced that he will donate his voucher to a needy school.

You can also be a winner! Submit an interesting quotation or inspiring words of wisdom for the Stop Rape campaign.

Send your contribution to Yolanda Holden at holden.y@dbe.gov.za. The person who sends the best phrase will receive a prize and will be profiled in the next edition of Pula.

G raff iti Wall

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By Tshepo Ramonoedi and Yolanda Holden

Sexual harassment and violence is too common in our homes, our communities

and in our schools. President Jacob Zuma, Basic Education Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga and Lead SA CEO, Mr Yusuf Abramjee, have therefore taken a public pledge at the Glendale Secondary School in the Western Cape Province on 27 February 2013 to condemn sexual violence against all South African women and children.

Minister Motshekga issued a directive to all Provincial Education Departments to instruct schools across the country to call special assemblies at 08:00 on Friday, 01 March 2013. “Following the singing of the National Anthem, we want principals, educators, learners or activists to address the assemblies for 15 minutes about rape and sexual crimes. The focus will be on education/awareness and more importantly what to do. We also want to appeal to our learners to report any form of abuse from anyone to the authorities,” said Minister Motshekga. “The DBE will provide guidelines for the talks to the education departments as part of the directive,” she added.

Millions of learners all over the country pledged their support for the campaign, which aims at raising rape awareness and educate the 10, 2 million learners in South African schools. The campaign urges all South Africans to stand up and to act against those who continue to rape and abuse others and show no regard or respect for their fellow citizens. In order to win this battle everyone needs to take responsibility and report any sort of sexual violence to the police.

A pledge based on the Bill of Responsibilities, which includes a statement on violence and rape, will also be circulated and educators and learners are urged to adopt it at the assemblies.

Now that the Campaign is launched, the perpetrators are warned that harsh steps will be taken against them, President Zuma assured learners. Those who continue violating human rights would face the full might of the law. “We have to build a more caring society in which the rights of all, especially the rights of women and children are respected,” the President said and added “While the statistics of the Police Service have shown a decrease in the crime rate in the country, the levels of sexual assaults were of serious concern with over 64 thousands cases of rapes reported to the police last year”.

The President encouraged those who were present, to read the Constitution, in which the rights on human dignity are embodied and to share the information with their family members. President Zuma applauded the DBE and Lead SA for launching the awareness campaign at a time when the nation will be celebrating Human Rights.

Other supporters of the pledge include Minister of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Mrs Lulu Xingwana, National Planning Commission Minister, Mr Trevor Manuel, Correctional Services Minister, Mr Sibusiso Ndebele, Justice Deputy Minister, Mr Carl Andries Nel, as well as Western Cape MEC of Education, Mr Donald Grant.

Addressing Strandfontein Learners in the Western Cape Province, Minister Motshekga said that improving the quality learning and teaching in schools is the Department’s responsibility. However, it is also the Department’s duty to remove all the stumbling blocks for every learner so that they all have a solid and favourable educational start in life. “A safe environment conducive for learning, a functional school, quality teaching and

learning, as well as love and affection, are the ingredients for your success and general enjoyment of growing up in a democratic society that really cares for its people,” remarked Minister Motshekga. The Minister told learners that the ongoing violence directed at women and children would not be tolerated. “With such levels of violence, sexual offences, abuse, rape and rampant bullying in our schools, it would be impossible to achieve the goal of securing peace and comfort for all our people as we declared in the Freedom Charter,” said the Minister.

“We all want a caring and prosperous society. And so, together we must find solutions to gender-based violence, abuse and rape of women and children,” explained the Minister. Speak out against abuse, speak out against violence, speak out against rape, speak out against bullying, and speak out against drugs!” Minister Motshekga concluded.

DBE employees are reminded that the Speak Out handbook on how to prevent sexual abuse in public schools is available on the DBE website for guidance on sexual harassment and violence. As part of the Stop Rape campaign, Pula will also feature a regular column to empower those who suffer from abuse and violence. Let’s assist each other to put an end to rape and violence and to encourage a culture of respect and tolerance.

Pledging YOUR support to the Stop Rape campaign

Speak Out Youth Report Sexual Abuse

A Handbook for learners on how to prevent sexual abuse in public schools

President Jacob Zuma with Basic Education Minister, Mrs Angie Motshekga, Deputy Minister Enver Surty, Lead SA CEO, Mr Yusuf Abramjee and

the Grendale High School Principal.

Dr Chupe Serote, Dr Shermain Mannah and Dr Charles Wilson during the launch of the

Stop Rape campaign.

Learners pledging their support for the Stop Rape campaign.

Stop Abuse

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By Allen Subban and Tshepo Ramonoedi

As all DBE employees are aware, it had been (last year) and recently claimed

in the media that many schools in Limpopo have not received prescribed textbooks for the schooling year. However, the DBE confirmed that all textbooks were delivered to all schools in the province. These misleading reports create misrepresentation of information regarding the delivery of textbooks in public schools.

Addressing the media, DBE spokesperson, Mr Panyaza Lesufi said that schools in Limpopo have managed to receive the textbooks as expected. “If there are any shortages, it would only be shortages as a result of learners’ migration from one school to another. This remains one of the serious challenges experienced in the process of textbooks’ delivery in this country”.

The Director for Evaluation of School Performance, Mr Allen Subban, told Pula that the National Department of Basic Education always relies on the Provincial Departments of Education (PEDs) for information. In actual fact, DBE collaborates with the provincial departments in ensuring that the correct

quantities of textbooks are delivered to schools. “Textbook delivery remains a provincial responsibility whereby schools order textbooks as per their subject choices, whilst workbooks delivery is a national responsibility to ensure that every learner in all public schools have workbooks as anticipated”.

“The workbooks are delivered from the warehouses in different provinces directly to schools. The DBE has appointed service providers to facilitate printing, packaging and delivery processes. However, Grade R workbooks, Natural Science and Technology workbooks, as well as Mathematics & Physical science workbooks (also known as Siyavula) are developed by the DBE in conjunction with the Shuttleworth Foundation,” Mr Subban added.

Explaining further, Mr Subban said that these workbooks were delivered to central warehouses in three provinces (Free State, Gauteng and the Northern Cape); to schools in five provinces (Eastern Cape, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Western Cape); and to districts in one province (KwaZulu-Natal). “In 2013 only Grade 11 Siyavula CAPS aligned Maths and Science textbooks were printed,” Mr Subban remarked.

Mr Subban stated that Circular 52 of 2012 to Heads of Provincial Education Departments, Heads of Provincial Curriculum sections, provincial LTSM Managers, District Directors, District Curriculum sections and school principals was sent on 31 August 2012. This circular outlined the expected procedure/process for the delivery of workbooks and textbooks for the 2013 schooling year.

Currently, there are supplementary study guides called Mind the Gap, which are printed and delivered to all public schools, specifically, for Grade 12s. These are available in Geography, Economics, Accounting and Life Sciences.

Although the DBE works tiredlessly to ensure that workbooks and textbooks are delivered to all public schools, the following challenges prevail:

• School data is verified and signed for by Provincial HOD’s, yet schools keep on reporting shortages;

• The migration of learners affects the delivery process;

• Checking of consignments by the schools - the majority of deliveries are signed without verification;

• Late reports on shortages;

• Queries regarding the delivery of the wrong language (workbooks);

• Call centre routes are not clearly defined; and

• Daily calls of shortages around textbooks (ordered by schools from the catalogue), which is a provincial responsibility.

“We should take ownership of these colourful and valuable assets (workbooks). Those of us who are parents to learners in public schools should familiarise ourselves with these workbooks so that we can assist our learners, where possible, during homework times,” Mr Subban concluded.

The Evaluation of School Performance team. The workbooks can be accessed on the Department’s website: www.education.gov.za.

From left to right: Spokesperson for the Minister of Basic Education, Ms Hope Mokgatlhe, Mr Allen Subban, Chief Director for Communications, Mr Panyaza

Lesufi and Acting DDG for Branch C, Mr Mathanzima Mweli.

Facts About Textbooks And Workbooks

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Department honours exceptional achievements in teaching

Bilkes Bhano Vawda was the Lifetime Achievement Award winner for her

continued dedication and contribution to quality education in South Africa at the 2012 National Teaching Awards held at the Gallagher Estate conference centre in Johannesburg on 7 March 2013. Vawda was one of 11 winners whose dedication to the profession was recognised in an event broadcast live on SABC 2. More than 1000 teachers from around the country attended the awards ceremony. Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga and President Jacob Zuma

presented the award to Vawda, who has been the principal at Marlboro Gardens Secondary School in Johannesburg since 1998 and has been at the school for a total of 20 years, with 38 years experience as an educator.

Now in its 13th year, the National Teaching Awards aim to celebrate the exceptional achievements of teachers throughout the public education system to inspire South Africa’s learners and deliver the (DBE) vision of quality education for all. The awards give recognition to teachers who promote excellence in the classroom.

The award honours educators in the following categories:

• Excellence in Primary School Teaching

• Excellence in Secondary School Teaching

• Excellence in Primary School Leadership

• Excellence in Secondary School Leadership

• Excellence in Grade R Teaching

• Excellence in Special Needs Teaching

• Excellence in ICT-Enhanced Teaching; and

• Lifetime Achievement Award.

For the first time the awards also recognised the Top Volunteer Educators and Top Supervisors for the Kha Ri Gude mass literacy campaign.

Speaking at the gala dinner Minister Motshekga said the awards celebrated the great and remarkable exploits of teachers who gave of themselves to the education of the nation and its children.

“We strive in this way to motivate teachers to do more to improve performance and learning outcomes. This we do for the sake and good of our children. I salute all schools and teachers, particularly the recipients of the awards and finalists, for their sterling efforts. Other teachers should not despair. There’s always room for improvement.”

President Jacob Zuma said the awards were one of the essential instruments to recognise and acknowledge teachers who had displayed excellence in the schools and classrooms.“Through these awards we are able to prove that the majority of teachers are professionals who are dedicated to their work,” said President Zuma.

Steve Mabua from Minister’s office with his guests at the event.

President Jacob Zuma and Minister Motshekga with the lifetime achievement winner,

Ms Bhano Vawda.

Deputy Minister Enver Surty, Mr Tony Howard, CEO of Independent Newspapers and Dr

Morongwa Ramarumo, CEO of Kha Ri Gude.

From left to right: Head of Telkom Foundation, Ms Sara, A/DDG, Mr Themba Kojana with Ms Anita

Van Vuuren one of the NTA winners.

Basic Education Director-General with his team during the 2013 NTA.

Attendees at the NTAs. Prof Veronica McKay and Ms Elizabeth Mokotong.

By Ryan Hoffmann

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The Mind the Gap study guide series is an innovative and committed attempt by the

Department of Basic Education to improve the academic performance of Grade 12 candidates in the National Senior Certificate examination.

In 2012 Dr Patricia Watson undertook the development of the first of four titles in the Mind the Gap series for Accounting, Economics, Geography and Life Sciences. These study guides are available in both English and Afrikaans. In 2013 the DBE is developing Mind the Gap study guides for English First Additional Language, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Physical Science.

Dr Patricia Watson began her career as a student teacher in Mpumalanga where she collaborated with the Storyteller Group to produce educational comics and classroom resources. While completing her PhD in Applied Linguistics, she lectured at the University of the Witwatersrand for nine years. After leaving lecturing, she ran her own publishing business focusing on educational media development and organisational learning. She joined the DBE in 2011 and is leading the Mind the Gap programme.

About Mind the Gap

The Mind the Gap study guides assist Grade 12 learners to mind-the-gap between failing and passing, by bridging-the-gap in learners’ understanding of commonly tested concepts so candidates can pass the National Senior Certificate (NSC).

Each study guide provides explanations of key terminology, simple explanations and examples of the types of questions that learners can expect to be asked in an exam. Model answers are included to assist learners in building their understanding. Learners are also referred to specific questions in past

national exam papers and exam memos.

Each of the study guides were written by four subject teams comprising teachers, examiners, curriculum officials and academics. The DBE would like to express great appreciation to the writing teams who made Mind the Gap possible, and who wrote the guides between May 2012 and Sept 2012, which was an astounding feat of efficiency.

Impact of Mind the Gap

In 2012 the distribution of the Mind the Gap study guides was not at scale nationally but limited to underperforming districts in Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Northern Cape between the prelim and the final examination.

The opportunity to scientifically track the impact of the guides was seized. Sharing a commitment to using an evidence base for policy interventions, Drs Watson and Taylor collaborated in designing an impact assessment which would show the causal relationship between the study guides and students results.

Dr Stephen Taylor works in the office of the Director-General as a researcher and policy advisor. He has completed a PhD in Economics in which he investigated the role of schools in South Africa’s economic development. He is a specialist in impact evaluation methods.

The impact assessment involved distributing the study guides to selected schools in Mpumalanga through a Randomised Control Trial in an effort to measure the causal impact of the study guides on performance in the National Senior Certificate. The final sample consisted of 318 ordinary public schools with 79 schools receiving the study guides and 239 schools allocated to the control group. Distribution took place in September 2012, approximately six weeks prior to the NSC exams. These two groups of schools were in no way systematically different – the only difference was that one group received Mind the Gap study guides. Therefore, any differences in performance in the 2012 examinations can be attributed to the causal impact of Mind the Gap.

The analysis of matric 2012 data indicated that the Geography and Life Sciences study guides positively impacted on performance in those subjects. However, in the cases of Accounting and Economics, no discernable statistical difference in performance between intervention and comparison schools was

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identified. This does not prove that the Accounting and Economics study guides had no impact – it only indicates that we are unable to quantify the impact at this stage.

In contrast, statistical evidence shows that receiving a Geography or Life Sciences study guide led to an increase in performance in those subjects of about 2 percentage points. This result is remarkable especially since the study guides were delivered late in the year (October/November 2012), and yet the guides still had a significant impact on learners’ results. We therefore expect them to have a bigger impact if the learners have more time to go through the material.

In 2013, the Mind the Gap study guides are being distributed nationally and learners can expect to receive the guides well before they write the prelim examinations.

Mind the Gap and the Impact on Passing Matric

A simulation exercise was conducted to estimate what sort of impact the Mind the Gap study guides are likely to have on the matric pass rate now that they are being distributed

nationally. If we assume, conservatively, that only the Geography and Life Sciences study guides have impacts on performance, and that those impacts are 2 percentage points in both cases, then it is possible to conduct a simulation of this scenario using previous matric data.

The matric data for 2010 was used since this was a year in which no children received Mind the Gap. According to our calculations (which differ slightly from official matric 2010 figures due to excluding certain unusual candidates), 367417 candidates passed matric in 2010 (a pass rate of 65.54%). Had children who took Geography and Life Sciences achieved 2 percentage points better than they did (as we predict the Mind the Gap study guides would have caused) then 373026 children would have passed matric (a pass rate of 66.54%). This means that 5609 children who did not pass matric in 2010 would have passed matric had the Geography and Life Sciences Mind the Gap study guides been distributed nationally. This impact is significant especially given how cheap and light an intervention Mind the Gap is compared with many of the other education programmes that operate in our schools.

Moreover, Mind the Gap is due to be rolled out in more than just these four subjects, so we can expect these study guides to make an even bigger impact on improving the quality of education in South Africa.

We received many positive messages via Facebook, SMS, and email, thanking the Department for providing the Mind the Gap study guides.

Here are some of the comments:

“This guide is really better than any approved textbook.” - Ronel Pretorius

“Very user friendly. Teachers felt that it is written in a way that most learners will easily grasp the content, even the difficult processes.” - Tommy Botha, Nontobeko Mjali, Jean Goliath, Jannie Gerber, Gillian O’Reilly and Alan Stevens

“You guys are great leaders who are working for the people” - Dadley Mashaphu (Learner)

“Thank you for renewing my faith in our education department” - Sheilagh Hardouin (Parent)

Deputy Principal, Peter Mohomotsi, of Mabothe Senior Secondary School, Phake Village, Mpumalanga,drove all the way to the DBE in Pretoria to get copies of Mind the Gap for his learners to use in 2012. He afterwards sent a certificate of appreciation to Dr Watson (above).

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By Tshepo Ramonoedi and Marie-Louise Samuels

Early Childhood Development giving your child a

fair advantage

The Education White Paper 5 on ECD (2001) defines Early Childhood Development (ECD) as “a comprehensive approach to policies

and programmes for children from birth to 9 years of age with the active participation of their parents and care givers”. Its purpose is to protect the child’s rights to develop his or her full potential on cognitive, emotional, social and physical levels.

Why is ECD important?

ECD prepares the child for school, while improving his or her capacity to develop and to learn. It is easier for children to engage in team work and problem solving and to develop confidence and basic life skills. According to statistics children who have access to quality ECD programmes have a smaller chance of dropping out of school and a better chance in life to advance.

The three ECD components are: birth to 4 years, Grade R (Reception year) and Foundation Phase.

Who is responsible for the ECD of your child?

The 0-4 programme is the responsibility of the Department of Social Development. DBE is responsible for training and the development and management of the curriculum.

The DBE is responsible for the Foundation Phase (1-3) as part of compulsory schooling as well as the phasing in of grade R started in 2001 with a vision of offering 80% in public ordinary schools and 20% in community and independent schools/sites. The aim is to offer universal access by 2014.

Age of Admission

The age of admission to grade R is 4, turning 5 by June of the year of admission. Children younger than that should be enrolled at an ECD centre registered by the Department of Social Development.

Requirements for teaching Grade R

Evaluations of well-conceived programmes designed to foster early development demonstrate that children who participate in these programs tend to be more successful in school, are more competent socially and emotionally, and show better verbal, intellectual and physical development during early childhood than children who are not enrolled in high quality programmes.

The minimum requirement for teaching a grade R class is an ECD (NQF) level 4 qualification. Practitioners are however encouraged to study further to meet the minimum requirements for teaching in the Foundation Phase. The Department is planning to improve the conditions of employment of grade R practitioners as part of the Higher Education Qualification Framework Policy and the Continuing Professional Teacher Development Plan.

To manage a Grade R programme, a practitioner must understand the programme, plan individual programmes and equip the classroom to expose learners to a variety of stimulating resources (literacy, creative, fantasy, science, music and movement, construction and out-door equipment). Furthermore a daily programme should be followed to ensure that learners are provided with a variety of experiences and techniques. Assessments should be done and attention should be paid to barriers to learning, while maintaining communication with parents, SGBs and the community.

A vast body of research has demonstrated that ECD programmes improve the parent-child relationship and benefit families and communities. These children achieve a greater adult productivity rate and higher levels of social and emotional functioning later in life: strengthening society as a whole by ensuring that individuals live up to their full potential.

Table 1: Number of Grade 1 learners who have attended Grade R per province, from 2009 – 2011.

Province 2009 2010 2011

eastern cape 151 697 149 923 153 044

free state 23 704 17 406 19 833

Gauteng 129 137 107 172 139 108

KwaZulu-natal 180 925 169 072 192 801

limpopo 108 795 90 827 87 825

mpumalanga 65 973 52 623 69 150

northern cape 15 365 16 125 14 613

north west 41 972 18 261 21 378

western cape 68 318 77 471 72 241

national 785 886 698 880 769 993

Source: Annual School Survey 2009 – 2011

Grade R learners in new ECD centre in KZN that was funded by the Shaduka

Foundation.

An ECD classroom in the Eastern Cape.

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Holistic health - focusing on healthy nutrition practices

The National Nutrition Programme (NSNP) is much more than just a school feeding

scheme. It is part of government’s plan, introduced in 1994, to alleviate hunger and to contribute to learning in schools by providing learners with quality nutritious meals.

The Programme continues to be a fundamental initiative towards improving learners’ health and general wellness and the annual National Nutrition Week celebrations, which promote healthy eating and lifestyles targets school going children between six and twelve, food handlers, teachers and parents.

Currently, the programme has been aligned with the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) ensuring that lessons on health are covered as part of school curriculum.

Last year’s theme was I am high on Life. I eat, learn and play for health.

The three pillars of NSNP are school feeding, nutrition education and sustainable food production. Now, it is all good and well that children understand the value of nutrition and physical activity. However, do we as parents and staff members understand the value of healthy eating? We are constantly rushing to and fro, driving to the office too early in the morning to eat breakfast or working too late in the evenings to prepare supper. The result of this is to take the quick and easy route by grabbing a burger and fries, pizza or potato chips on route. Did you ever stop to think that “you are what you eat”? Food is digested and assimilated with the tissue, blood and cells of the body and become the fuel you need to

keep your system going. Why not grow your own vegetable garden in your back yard? Fresh vegetables taste better than anything you will find at the local store (and you know where your food comes from)!

Even if you take time to eat three meals a day, you may still feel peckish at times. What is the answer? Healthy and smart snacking. Snacking on health bars filled with fruits, cereal and nuts can keep your energy levels high and your mind alert.

Your Holistic Health feature will provide you with interesting and practical ways of balancing your physical and mental welfare. Look out for more health tips in your next edition of Pula!

Information obtained from Inside NSNP, Issue 1

December 2010.

By Yolanda Holden

Regional economic integration remains a viable development strategy for Africa, a

continent characterised by small economies and markets. In an effort to encourage youth participation in regional integration affairs, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) annually hosts the Secondary Schools Essay Competition, which is open to all Grade 12 learners in the region.

The vision of SADC is to create “a common future, within a Regional Community” that will ensure the economic well-being and improvement of the standards of living and quality of life, freedom and social justice; peace and security for the peoples of Southern Africa. The Secondary Schools Essay Competition is organised under the aegis of the Public Relations Unit (PRU) of the SADC Secretariat.

The SADC member States are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

One of the important objectives of the competition is to achieve regional integration from a different perspective, involving both a bottom up and top-down approach, in the process providing a means

to address the challenges faced in achieving regional integration.

South Africa has participated in the competition since its inception 15 years ago and has done very well over the years. Every year there is a different thought provoking topic discussing socio-economic and political issues for regional transformation and integration.

Last year’s topic was meant to teach Southern African learners about the importance of knowing the history of Africa from colonialism, the formations of liberation movements and the struggle for freedom and independence in order to appreciate the challenges that Africa faces and inspire them to strive for improved socio-economic development:

“Liberation Movements came into being across the entire African continent as a political response to colonialism. In Southern Africa, Liberation Movements spearheaded the fight for freedom and national independence through political, diplomatic and military means. Discuss the role of Liberation Movements in Southern Africa in the struggle for independence; focusing on their origins, challenges and achievements during the liberation struggle, their ascendancy to government and their transformation into ruling parties.”

The national winners of the 2012 SADC Secondary School Essay Competition were awarded their prizes during the Minister’s luncheon with the top Matric Learners during January 2013.

We herewith encourage all Grade 12 learners in South African schools to participate in this regional competition to promote African values and knowledge of the continent. From Confucius we learn that “Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon and star”. We hope South African learners are not ignorant of the history and destiny of their beautiful continent.

Contact Mr Malesela Leso (leso.m@dbe.gov.za) or Ms Brenda Corke (corke.b@dbe.gov.za) should you require any additional information.

The deadline for submissions is 15 April 2013.

Grade 12 learners urged to participate in essay competitionBy Malesela Leso

10PULA

By David Ntloana

Labour Tips:Poor performance, misconduct and

setting practical workplans

Picture obtained at www.toolkit.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au

Many employers confuse poor performance with negligence, incapacity and misconduct because of a lack of understanding

of the clear distinctions that separate the various conditions. He/she only knows that what is happening is unacceptable, and that the employee must be dismissed or disciplined. The outcome is that the employee is dismissed and the trust relationship irretrievably broken down. Furthermore the employee could consult a labour lawyer, who, upon hearing the facts laughs gleefully and sends the employer an invitation to “have tea” at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

Problems of behaviour are addressed under misconduct. Poor performance looks at whether the job, which the employee is being paid to do, is being done properly (ability). Therefore, in establishing whether poor performance exists, one must ask the following questions in relation to the employee and the job :

� is the output sufficient?

� is the quality acceptable?

� are company operating procedures being followed?

� are costs kept within budget or is the amount of rejects unacceptably high?

� is the effort put in by the employee sufficient?

� Is it perhaps inability to do the job at the required level – can the employee perform satisfactorily at a lower level?

� is just plain incompetence? I.e. not insufficient effort, but a clearly a lack of ability to do the job?

� is it carelessness – lack of attention to detail?

� is it a form of negligence but not misconduct? In other words “I don’t care.”

Misconduct or unacceptable behaviour occurs when a rule is broken, or some other unacceptable behaviour happens, i.e. assault, swearing at a customer, theft, etc. Misconduct usually results in immediate and severe disciplinary action or even dismissal. Poor performance results in investigation, counselling, meeting and discussion with the employee, training and so on, before dismissal is even contemplated. The procedures for handling poor performance are completely different from the procedures for handling misconduct.

The employee cannot meet standards of quality and quantity when those standards have never been communicated to him/her, and likewise the employee cannot perform if no training has been given. If the required standards have never been communicated to the employee, and you have never taken steps to ensure proper training, your case of poor performance does not hold water.

The Labour Relations Act (LRA) and Schedule 8 in particular, does not differentiate between senior and junior staff when contemplating the pre-dismissal procedures, which must be adhered to render such a dismissal fair. The necessary, although at times tedious, process which must be followed is to counsel the under-performer and give reasonable time for him/her to meet attainable goals. It is important that each employee familiarise him/herself with the LRA and consult with Labour Relations officers when dealing with poor performance and misconduct.

So, managers and supervisors must sit down with their subordinates and set practical performance standards for their respective directorates and include them in their respective workplans for employees to perform efficiently and optimally.

Creative individuals are invited to submit information about themselves and their pastimes for placement in our Creative Corner. Send your contribution to Yolanda Holden (holden.y@dbe.gov.za) or Motlatsi

Kekana (kekana.d@dbe,gov.za) if you are an artist: musician, poet, painter, singer or dancer. We would like to hear from you. Let’s profile the talent that the DBE has to offer!

Creative Corner

11 PULA

Kamohelo | Le amogetswe | Rwa le amogela | Siyaalemukela | Siyakwamukela | U amukeriwile | Vho tanganedzwa | Wamkelekile

| Wamukelekile | Welcome |Welkom

Information Resource Centre

Our motto: People first, systems second

What can we do for you?

The Information Resource Centre (IRC) at the DBE is open every working day from 08:00 – 16:00, including lunch. It is freely available to all our DBE officials and everybody is invited to join – just fill in a membership form at the Issue Desk. This will allow you to borrow books.

Amongst our services, which include the provision of reference books (encyclopaedias, maps, dictionaries, atlases etc), non-fiction and fiction titles, daily newspapers, television, journals and other publications, we also have computers for access to the Internet (Facebook is very popular!) and our online journal database.

The IRC website is available on the Intranet and officials can also access the catalogue and the journal database from their work stations within the DBE. Instructions on how to reference academic works using the Harvard method is also available on our website.

You are also all invited to subscribe to our online bookclub at http://www.shelfari.com/infolink.

If you need tips and tricks around Internet searching, using online tools such as Twitter and Scoop It, using the computer e.g. file management, computer housekeeping, managing your iPad and training on the online journal database EBSCO, this is another service we have on offer. This is one-on-one training and you just need to make an appointment.

We have photocopying facilities, although not for bulk photocopying, and also provide an editing and formatting service for people working on documents such as guidelines etc.

How do you find information?

The IRC non-fiction books are arranged in numerical order according to the Dewey System of Decimal Classification. Basically this means that all of knowledge is grouped into ten main classes and each class has subdivisions in sets of ten. Every topic is assigned to a class and a sub-division:

Main Class Comment

000 General Works Encyclopaedias and the Internet e.g. Research and using computers

100 Psychology and Philosophy

To do with the mind e.g. 153 is practical psychology

200 Religion To do will all religions and faiths e.g. 296 is the Dewey number for African religions and faiths

Main Class Comment

300 Social Sciences To do with people e.g. Education is 370

400 Languages Includes dictionaries e.g. The number for African languages is 496

500 Pure Science To do with the natural world e.g. Maths 510, astronomy 520, the earth 550, birds 598, animals 590 and fish 597

600 Technology To do with engineering, machines, medicine, management, agriculture

700 Arts and Sport To do with creating and playing e.g. painting, games,

800 Literature To do with the writing, plays and poetry e.g. English literature is 820

900 Geography, Biography and History

To do with the world e.g. atlases and maps, biography is 920, South Africa geography is 916.8, South Africa history is 968

Who are we?

Nokuthula Khumalo (Thuli) is from Ezakheni in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, where she grew up and studied Library and Information Science at the Durban University of Technology. Thuli is interested in books, as they are a rich source of knowledge and information. She enjoys encounters with people of all ages and cultures. Her job as Librarian Assistant combines both her love of books with her communication skills. Thuli is responsible, amongst others, for the processing and cataloguing of new library materials and assisting in the creation of relevant library displays. She joined the DBE in 2010.

Joy Rosario is from Durban and originally qualified as an art teacher majoring in sculpture, she then did a post-graduate qualification in school library science at UKZN. She has a daughter who works for an online marketing agency in Johannesburg. Passions are people, books, reading, information and digital literacy, painting, mousebirds, Birman cats and travel. She started the Primary Immunodeficiency Network of South Africa in 2001 with 14 patients diagnosed, there are now over 200. She has sat on the Board of the International Patients Organisation for Primary Immunodeficiency since 2002.

12PULA

DBE staff – for the first time in the history of the Department - elected the Executive

Committee for Sports and Recreation during February 2013. This Committee is expected to serve at least for two years. The “free and fair” elections took place at the DBE conference centre. The newly elected committee is structured as follows:

According to the Committee, voting expectancy for these elections was 68 members. However, only 34 members participated in the voting process. There was a 50% turnout rate of the sporting code members who were eligible to vote and no irregularities were recorded.

The Committee faces one of the most difficult tasks, i.e. recruiting officials to participate in the various sporting codes. Commitment remains a challenge, but the Committee is ready and willing to try to make a difference.

Who are we?

David Maphoto Chairperson

“I work at the Donor Grant Management Directorate. As Chairperson of the Sports and Recreation Committee I have been leading the Committee for the past four years.

Currently I participate in soccer and athletics. I enjoy all types of sport and would like to see every official in the Department participating in recreational activities. It would be a good thing if we could see the establishment of a gym within the Department to assist officials to exercise in the morning and/or in the afternoon. I am also involved in community development through sport.”

Thato Mokoena Deputy Chairperson

“I am employed at the Dinaledi Directorate. I am passionate about being active and competitive in sports. One should always follow your dreams. Any individual with a strong

character, will power and courage to face and overcome adversities and eventually climb on top of the crest of success with humility – that is my hero! I would be very happy if team DBE and the Executive Committee could succeed to mobilise mass participation of internal employees in the active sporting codes. Winning matches would, of course, be the cherry on top! “

Sophie Khunou General Secretary

“I am Senior Secretary at the CFO’s Office. My interests include netball and interacting with different kinds of people through sports. My wishes for DBE sports and recreation are to see many colleagues joining sports activities within the Department and for new sporting codes to be introduced.”

Bongani Zondi Deputy General Secretary

“I come from KwaZulu-Natal. I joined the Department in September 2008 in the Enrichment and Sport in Education Directorate after being a Grade 12 Biology teacher. I started coaching and running whilst I was at University. I will be doing my sixth Comrades Marathon this year. Two athletes, Haile Gebrselassie and Hicham El Guerrouj, have inspired me over the years. Taking part in sport is beneficial to the body. Exercising causes the body to produce endorphins and chemicals that can help a person to feel more peaceful and happy. It also gives a person a sense of accomplishment and pride achieving a certain goal.”

Boitumelo Madie Treasurer

“I work at the Initial Teacher Education Directorate. My interests include athletics, tennis, reading and playing chess. I see myself as self motivated, expressive, adaptable and

adventures. I am an energetic, friendly and ambitious individual who has a clear logical mind with a practical approach to problem solving. I have a sound and optimistic outlook on all things in life. My hopes for DBE’s sports and recreation are to increase the participation of staff members and to secure sporting equipment.”

Dululu Hlatshaneni Kit and Resource Coordinator

“I am a total sport fanatic, not only in athletics, but in sport in general. Sports improve my health and confidence. Looking at those tall, muscular good looking guys gets my adrenalin working! I am inspired by the level of professionalism that is displayed in all our sporting codes. My hopes and dreams for team DBE and the Executive Committee are to excel in whatever they are undertaking, while my dream is to see the team being represented in the national and even international tournaments/leagues. I am working at the Social Cohesion & Equity in Education Directorate.”

Amos M Tabane Communication Coordinator

“I am Communication Coordinator for the Sports and Recreation Committee, working at the EMIS: Data Management Directorate. My interest in sports is all about participation, meeting people and enjoying the moment, whether as a fan or participant - that may include collecting water or coordinating the activities. Currently I participate in volleyball and I would like to see snooker being included as one of the sporting codes. I am inspired by good sportsmanship and joy behind every event. I would like to see the team participate in league games. It would be great to have a gym (sports area) within the building to allow for indoor activities such as aerobics, table tennis and snooker in order to ease off after work and to reload the energy required for a healthy mind and soul.”

By Motlatsi Kekana

EdutainmentNew Sport and Recreation Executive Committee elected