The DBE visited the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province on 11 October 2024, for a GeoGebra Teachers’ Workshop at the John Ross College, King Cetshwayo District in Richards Bay to monitor and provide support in terms of the implementation of the Cuban Programme. The initial workshop was aimed at training Grade 8 and 9 and Grade 10 to 12 learners. The main objective of the visit was to observe the Cuban Specialists in action and assess their contributions to the educational initiatives in Mathematics and Science and to identify best practices and challenges to enhance the outcomes of their interventions for strengthening the project. The Cuban Specialist Programme is one of the vital components of the MST Conditional Grant Framework and must be monitored and supported in accordance with the Division of Revenue Act (DoRA).
Mr Tony Moodley, Chief Education Specialist from the King Cetshwayo District highlighted that Mathematics has the highest enrolment in the province, which aligns well with the Mathematics, Science and Technology (MST) Conditional Grant Framework’s goal of improving learner participation in these subjects.
Mr Sithembiso Mnqayi, Circuit Manager at Kwambonambi indicated that the Mathematics pass rate dropped from 74% in 2022 to 60% in 2023. The Cuban Specialists, Professor Yudeisy Cudina Guerrero and Mr Pedro Perez Campbell, were therefore actively assisting the circuit in their ongoing support towards improving learning outcomes in Mathematics.
The Cuban Specialists are supporting underperforming districts within the KZN province. Since February 2022, they have been working closely with rural districts, including Umgungundlovu, Umzinyathi, Zululand, ILembe, and King Cetshwayo, which had shown notable challenges in learner performance, particularly in Mathematics.
The Cuban Specialists have focused their efforts on developing and supporting mathematics materials and methodology sessions, whilst also facilitating mathematics subject planning sessions and conducting practical GeoGebra workshops with teachers. Their involvement has been crucial in enhancing teacher capacity and aligning the MST Conditional Grant's objectives with district-level outcomes, particularly in addressing the decline in mathematics learner performance. The DBE will continue to monitor progress and collaborate closely with district management to ensure the sustainable impact of these interventions.