As from 1 April the DBE will implement the 1+4 Teacher Development Plan aimed at boosting Maths performance in the senior phase. Consultation at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) has been completed and teacher unions have expressed support for the 1+4 training programme to be promoted as the best model to implement the project and monitoring sessions are to be held every 3 months.

In recent years the performance of learners in Mathematics and levels of competency of Mathematics teachers in South Africa in Primary Schools have been under scrutiny. The recent Task Team that was appointed by Minister Motshekga to investigate challenges that hamper performance in Mathematics, Science and Technology (MST) revealed that “MST educator capacity has been found to be wanting at all levels”.

The ‘1+4 Model’ is based on and supports the concept of the Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), which was launched on 07 August 2014. The added benefit of the ‘1+4 Model’ is that teachers meet on a pre-determined working day. This methodology works on the assumption that teachers need assistance with the entire curriculum and not just certain sections of the curriculum, which they presumably have difficulties teaching. The DBE will issue a circular to communicate the implications of this initiative and to request SMTs to adapt their time tables accordingly.