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KST has successfully implemented its comprehensive District Whole School Development Model in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and the Northern Cape, providing critical support to 109 schools—72 primary and 37 secondary. This model incorporated several essential components, such as stakeholder engagement and advocacy, situational analysis, and baseline data collection.

Through the initiative, KST facilitated learner and teacher assessments, conducted school leadership retreats, enhanced teacher development programs for both primary and secondary schools, and provided much-needed infrastructure improvements. Additionally, direct learner support was prioritised to ensure a well-rounded approach to education. The implementation of these interventions concluded in December 2023, marking a significant milestone in KST's efforts to improve the quality of education in the targeted regions. This initiative has laid the foundation for sustainable school improvement, positively impacting students, teachers, and communities.

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PROGRAM WRAP-UP AND SUSTAINABILITY EMBEDDING

KST played a crucial role in ensuring that schools transitioned smoothly from direct programmatic support to autonomous management of educational practices. KST closely monitored the integration of sustainability elements, ensuring that schools were prepared to carry forward the practices and methodologies introduced throughout the year.

For Foundation Phase programs, KST coordinated final meetings between service providers, Subject Advisors, Heads of Departments (HODs), and Lead Teachers (LTs). These meetings were essential in handing over programmatic elements, ensuring that the schools were fully equipped to maintain the Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) established as part of the teacher development program. The continuation of these PLCs is vital to sustaining the knowledge and skills imparted to educators during the program.

EXTENSION PROGRAM FOR "RED" TEACHERS

A key area of focus during the year has been the six-month extension program, designed to support teachers categorised as "red" based on assessments conducted by JET Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). These teachers were identified as having significant gaps in both content knowledge and pedagogical practices, particularly in Mathematics and English First Additional Language (EFAL).

The extension program aimed to address these deficiencies, with a targeted focus on critical areas such as writing and language structures in EFAL, as well as improving Mathematics teaching methodologies. The program provided tailored interventions, equipping educators with the skills and knowledge needed to improve learner outcomes in these core subjects.

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Grade 12 Support Programs

For Grade 12 learners and their educators, service providers concluded their support programs with a focus on final exam preparation. L&T Edu-Solutions, the Grade 12 learner support service provider, implemented the “Last Push” program, which was designed to offer intensive revision and support to learners taking Mathematics and Physical Sciences. This program ran throughout October and November, both at schools and in district camps, to ensure that learners were thoroughly prepared for their final exams.

Tsebo Education Network (TEN), which provided teacher development support for Grade 12 educators, completed its engagement with teachers by the end of October. In the remaining two months of the year, TEN shifted its focus to developing educational resources that will be used to support teachers in the upcoming 2024 academic year. These resources were aimed at continuing the work of improving teaching quality and learner performance in Mathematics and Physical Sciences.

The end of the 2023 academic year marks completion of implementation period for KST’s AASA programs. The efforts to ensure the sustainability of initiatives have positioned schools to maintain the benefits of the District Whole School Development (DWSD) model. Through targeted teacher development, focused learner support, and the embedding of sustainable practices within schools, KST has laid the groundwork for continued educational improvement. As we look ahead to 2024/25, the focus will remain on empowering educators and learners to achieve long-term success.