Quality Primary Education for Rural Areas in Limpopo

November 01, 2014

Over the course of two years, this project aims to increase the quality of education in 30 primary schools in rural and neglected areas for an estimated 18,000 children. One of the primary objectives is to improve the communication, language, and literacy skills of learners. As part of this project, teachers receive training in effectively transitioning out of school children (OOSC) back to school, supporting at-risk, or struggling learners, implementing the curriculum, and monitoring students. This training and mentoring component involves all staff members, including school managers, the Heads of Departments, and the language and subject teachers and is intended to improve the communication, language, and literacy skills of learners. Language activities are provided to support the teaching of language and classroom resources are also provided to support the teacher implementation of resource-based methodology. Teacher and School Management Committees are made more aware of the likelihood that at-risk learners will drop out of school in the secondary phase and are guided on how to mitigate this trend. Lastly, clear standards are set and monitored for literacy training in these 30 schools.

As part of the goal of the project, it will build the capacity to sustain and further implement its program into the educational system. The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Limpopo Department of Education. Other mechanisms for sustainability include training school managers and Heads of Department, providing in-service teacher training, and sharing models of best practice.