CARGO: JEFE DE LA OFICINA GENERAL DE INFORMÁTICA

Evidence from both literature and the empirical study indicates the benefits and challenges that accompany governmental strategy in terms of the GPLMS. The strategy is commended for serving as an intervention for schools that are underperforming due to its multiple branched support strategy composed of recommended lesson plans facilitated by coaches with numerous relationship support meetings. It was also recognised that with the quality of supportive learning materials that were well arranged and the lesson plans and provision of coaching, the strategy appears to be a well formed and well calibrated intervention for improving the results of learners (c.f.2.3.2.3). Similarly most of the participants agreed that the GPLMS helped to improve their teaching practice and ease their workload with ready-made lesson plans and various teaching samples provided for them (c.f.4.5.3). At the same time, the strategy was noted for its flaws, which are: top-down decisions made from the MEC to teachers, the postulation that teachers need to train for ‘better knowledge-in-practice’, and the adoption of a generic approach in terms of ‘one size fits all’ for improvement of nonperforming primary schools. It was also noted that autonomy of provincial departments is severely limited because widespread policies are set by the national government. The Gauteng Department of Education may develop innovative means to a shared goal but they are basically implementing agencies which must work in the domain of policies set by the national department in Pretoria, not in the provincial headquarters in Johannesburg (c.f.2.3.2.3). In the same vein, the participants indicated that GPLMS did not accommodate learners especially those experiencing barriers because of the amount of work for learners, the pace at which it was running with limited time slots, and the way contents were sequenced in the strategy. (c.f.4.5.3). The fact that the participants attested to the positive side of GPLMS is a good sign. In the light of the above statements the following recommendation may be made:

 Given the fact that most of the participants testified to the benefit they derived from GPLMS, instead of the discontinuation of the strategy, the strategy should be reviewed to make provision for the slow learners and those experiencing barriers. Adequate time should be allocated for each topic which will enable teachers to have sufficient time to explain and assist those needing assistance. The workload at a given period should be spread apart to give room for learners experiencing barriers, and should be structured to consider individual learning pace. Regarding topics, it should be planned to feature more than one for example.

125 When dealing with a certain aspect for example money, each and every aspect should feature for at least a week for learners to have a grounded understanding.

5.4.1.3 Overcrowded

According to the research findings some classes are overcrowded and flooded with learners experiencing barriers and this situation hindered teachers from assisting individual learners especially the learners experiencing barriers. Some participants noted having more than 50 learners in a class while others indicated that more than half of the class were experiencing barriers to learning.

Recommendations:

 Schools should ensure they have in each of their classes’ limited numbers of learners which are manageable for teachers to handle, for example 30-35 learners in a class.

 In situation whereby a class contains a large number of learners experiencing barriers, assistance teacher may be recruited. In case of insufficient funds to recruit additional staff, parent or community members should be called upon to volunteer and assist in the classroom.

5.4.1.4 Resources/teaching aids

Teaching resources/aids are non-negotiable at the intermediate phase of education as most of the learners in this phase rely on concrete manipulative material to foster their learning. Piaget’s theory proposes that concrete operational children learn through the means of concrete substances that can be felt, touched and manipulated. He indicated that some children in the formal operation stage are still tied to the concrete level. The two stages are where the intermediate phase learners are located according to the age range specified in the stage theory of Piaget (c.f.2.2.2.2). There is an indication from the research findings that teaching resources/aids continue to pose a challenge to teaching and learning of mathematics: participants complained of the lack and inadequate supply of teaching aids (c.f.4.5.5). It was indicated in the literature that provision and allocations of resources in the apartheid era was exceedingly uneven and differentiated and the democratic government intended to close the gap by ensuring redress in unequal access to education with equity in resource allocation, with the districts being responsible for supply the learning support materials (c.f.2.6.3.2). However it was indicated from both literature and the empirical study that inadequate supply of resource materials was among the prime challenges facing teachers in their pedagogical practice.

126 Recommendations:

 The SBSTs should ensure adequate provision of resource materials to schools by the district through making necessary enquiries and follow up so that appropriate learning materials and teacher resources are made available to support the teachers and the learners.

 Likewise the SBSTs should solicit for funds from parents and community members to support the school in providing resource materials.