The DBE’s MST, Curriculum Innovation and E-Learning Directorate hosted the first Bi-Annual Technology GET Conference to review and explore ways to accelerate the implementation of the Three Stream Model and contextualise the concept of Focus Schools and Schools of Specialisation across all nine provinces. The conference took place at Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in the Gauteng Province from 29 - 30 August 2022.

MST senior managers at national and provincial level are of the view that the number of learners taking up Technology subjects in the Further Education and Training (FET) band are not consistent with targets set in the National Development Plan (NDP). In addition, South Africa lacks tracking systems to succeed in producing 30,000 artisans per year by the year 2030 as outlined in the NDP. The number of girl learners taking up Technology subjects in the FET band raises a concern and collective efforts are required to empower young women academically, especially in the MST subjects. The Technology Conference was intended to unite PEDs in an all-inclusive drive to enhance the implementation of Technology in Grades 7-9 in all schools. The Conference was also used as an opportunity to strengthen accountability at all levels of the system to ensure the improvement of curriculum delivery and coverage, as well as School-Based Assessment.

In his opening remarks, Chief Director for MST Curriculum and Quality Enhancement Programmes, Mr Seliki Tlhabane, said that the NDP is a critical blueprint to ensure that various sectors of society are mobilised towards increasing participation and success rates in MST subjects. “The NDP targets include the improvement of Literacy, Numeracy, Mathematics and Science outcomes. The DBE aims to increase the number of learners in Grades 3, 6 and 9 who have mastered the minimum competencies in language and numeracy to 90% by the end of each year. The education system should work together, allowing learners to take different pathways that offer high quality learning opportunities. There should be clear linkages between schools, FET Colleges, Institutions of Higher Learning and other providers of education and training. There should also be clear linkages between education and training and the world of work,” explained Mr Tlhabane.

He further highlighted that the DBE was expected to increase the number of students eligible to study Mathematics and Science at universities. “In 2011, 120,767 learners were eligible for a bachelor's programme, down from 126,371 in 2010. The DBE's plan is to increase the number to 300,000 by 2024, with 350,000 learners passing Mathematics and 320,000 learners passing Physical Sciences. However, the NDP proposes a target of 450,000 learners being eligible for a bachelor's programme with Mathematics and Science by 2030. Action is required throughout the education system, but particularly in Early Childhood Development given that the cohort that will enter university in 2030 have already started primary school in 2019”.

During the commissions, participants indicated that, in its attempt to reach NDP targets, the sector should produce citizens with the requisite skills. The commissions recommended a relook at CAPS and to align teaching, learning and assessment to achieve MST objectives with special focus on knowledge, skills and values. Curriculum coverage must give a measure of quality, application and relevance of skills acquired, effectiveness and application of knowledge learnt. In addition, supporting and evaluation of curriculum delivery must be strengthened. The commissions further emphasised that the sector should adequately track individual learner performance for urgent intervention. Educators must be encouraged to conduct diagnostic question-by-question analysis that would reveal content and skills areas that challenge individual learners. Data collection must be more purposeful for learner support programmes to be informed by data collected, and analysed. Systems used for tracking individual learner performance must contain accurate, reliable and credible data.