The Basic Education sector is making inroads in terms of laying a solid foundation for the effective implementation of the Three Stream Model from the General Education and Training (GET) phase to Further Education and Training (FET) phase. Through the Business Plan/Master Implementation Plan, developed in-line with the European Union (EU) initiated Education for Employability (E4E) Project, the DBE and partners have seen progress in accelerating full scale implementation of the Three Stream Model in South Africa.

 The Project Manager for the Three Stream Model and the DBE E4E Project, Mr Sello Mabathoana, said that the introduction of the Three Stream Model at various levels of the schooling system will assist the DBE in drawing in critical insights to scale up its efficacy.

“The General Education Certificate (GEC) is being piloted in more than 277 schools across all Provinces.   2023 will see sampled schools in the pilot being increased to 1000, with 126 of these being Schools of Skill. The GEC intend to recognise the holistic skill set for learners over schooling in the GET phase, including setting appropriate curriculum standards to be achieved at the end of Grade 9; enable learners to access further education linked to the Three Stream Model; integrate and facilitate the assessment of 21st century skills (critical thinking; creative thinking; collaboration; and communication); and award learners a report card/certificate that reflects the skills, talents and competencies that will be inclusive to all learners and assist them transition from school to work or further education.

 The Occupational Stream pilot in the FET Phase at Grades 10 to 12 is planned to commence in 2024. Planning for the strengthening of the conceptualisation of the Occupational Stream in the FET phase is underway. The planning involves the establishment and putting together of a team of experts/Think Tank, who will be tasked with the building of a planning framework for the introduction of Occupational subjects in the   FET phase. The strengthening intervention will also involve the development of an overarching curriculum framework for each of the TSM streams, while defining their subject combinations and content as well as articulation options for learners.

The DBE, in collaboration with the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) recruited a suitably qualified Technical Advisor (TA) to deliver on a comprehensive planning framework for the implementation of the Occupational Stream in the FET phase, as part of the Three Streams Model, as per the agreed Terms of Reference (ToRs). The ToRs laid out the terms and conditions, including the desired deliverables for the development of a Concept Paper for the strengthening of the conceptualisation of the Occupational Stream curriculum, with particular focus on the FET Phase.

The Occupational Stream working group has initiated the process of the Think Tank establishment, a team of stakeholder representatives and various experts, which will be tasked with the interpretation of the research findings from the consultative process via a facilitated process, and to make inputs into the design of the Competency Framework,” explained the Project Manager, Mr Mabaathoana.