This publication is based on data collected via the 2010 and 2011 Annual Survey for Ordinary Schools (ASS). The survey was undertaken by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) together with Provincial Education Departments (PEDs). The ASS is conducted in March every year in all ordinary schools, both public and independent. The data obtained for the ASS is from the survey forms completed by school. The ASS collects aggregated school-level data about the school and its learners as well as individual educator information.

This publication is based on data collected via the 2009 and 2010 Annual Surveys for Ordinary Schools (ASS). The survey was undertaken by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) together with Provincial Education Departments (PEDs). The ASS is conducted in March every year in all ordinary schools, both public and independent. The data obtained for the ASS is self-reported by school principals. The ASS collects aggregated school-level data about the school and its learners as well as individual educator information.

This report expands on a previous report titled Detailed indicator Report for Basic Education Sector and dated September 2013. This report presents further analysis using the same 2011 School Monitoring Survey (SMS) data used for the earlier report. The aim here is to plug further gaps with respect to key sector indicators.

This report represents an important milestone in the shift towards more evidence-based planning and management in the basic education sector. It moreover promotes the principles expressed in government’s 2009 Green Paper on strategic planning, including the promotion of holistic sector-wide monitoring; a focus on outcomes and making critical use of the available data. The report pays special attention to 18 indicators dealing with educational attainment and learner performance, many of which appear in the 2010 Delivery Agreement for the sector.

This report focuses on progress made in 2011 and the preceding years towards the realisation of the sector’s goals. An initial section titled ‘Educational Outcomes’ reports on trends with respect to enrolments, grade attainment and learner performance. Thereafter, progress with respect to the eight sub-outputs of the Delivery Agreement is described. Although the current report is a progress report, challenges are also discussed. Moreover, as far as possible, the report assesses whether what seems to be progress, is indeed progress and is indeed contributing towards the realisation of better quality basic education.