The Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign (QLTC) in the North West Province is managed from the office of the Head of the Department (HOD) and accounts on its operations and progress to the MEC on a quarterly basis. The all-inclusive QLTC stakeholder structures are represented at all levels, i.e. provincial, district, area office and school levels; and comprises of a variety of entities, such as Teacher Unions, Community Leaders, School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and Associations, Representatives of Learner Councils (RCLs), Sister Departments and Non-Government Organisations, to name but a few. The North West Provincial Cabinet has mandated the Provincial Department of Education and Sport Development to work with all stakeholders towards achieving the Province’s vision: Towards Excellence in Education and Sport Development. The Provincial QLTC team has in turn been mandated by the MEC and HOD to spearhead this directive to ensure that all stakeholders pull together in one direction under the theme: Saamtrek; Saamwerk.
North West cascading model
In striving to implement the QLTC in the North West Province, a cascading model has been adopted where structures have been established and strengthened at school level for optimal impact. Since 2013 a model of sampling schools was initiated for the effective training of all stakeholders over a three day period from Fridays to Sundays, to ensure the successful management and co-ordinated establishment of QLTC structures at school level. In order to ensure that the campaign’s effectiveness is reflected across the system, 120 schools have been selected to focus on establishing and strengthening the QLTC across the Province.
Other stakeholders that are invited to these training sessions include LoveLife Trust, Community Development Workers (CDWs), the South African Police Services (SAPS), community leaders and religious leaders. These stakeholders make use of these opportunities to share and commit to the role that they can play, in partnership with schools, to improve learner performance. QLTC champion schools also share their respective best practices with other schools in order to allow everyone to benefit from what has been learnt through the campaign. Through implementing the lessons that have been imparted, there has been an improvement in learner and teacher late-coming and absenteeism; learner performance; parents are now also involved in monitoring their children’s work at home; and there has been a decline in social ills such as drug abuse, learner pregnancy and vandalism of schools.
Other QLTC programmes in the North West Province include community reflection meetings and accountability sessions; the training of newly elected SGBs and principals; the adoption of underperforming schools in line with the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) Accord on basic education and partnerships with schools; the Plough Back Initiative, which includes cleaning up campaigns; the signing of pledges by Grade 12 learners and their parents to commit to perform in line with the North West Province’s target of 82% in 2016; the Read to Lead Campaign; and the mobilisation of communities to participate in the Kha Ri Gude Mass Literacy Campaign.