In April, MIET AFRICA was appointed as one of three implementing partners for the FNB Primary Education Project, the other two being the Principals’ Management and Development Programme (PMDP) and the Catholic Institute of Education (CIE). Some of the schools in this project are also part of an international research project called Innovative Learning environments (ILE).
ILE is an international study organized by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), with widespread engagement by different countries, regions, and organizations. It focuses on innovative ways to organize learning for young people and on how to stimulate and support such innovation.
In June, the South Africa country team of the ILE project, coordinated by MIET AFRICA’s Lynn van der Elst, took part in a two-day workshop that focused on monitoring the project implementation “as a learning laboratory of change”. Mr Edward Mosuwe, representing the KZN Department of Education, and MIET AFRICA’s Chris Ramdas also attended. Apart from South Africa, four other countries participated, namely Belgium, British Columbia in Canada, New Zealand and Peru.
What is exciting about the KZN FNB project is that is a combination of two interventions, both of which are designed to address barriers to learning: the ICT-education strand addresses the needs of learners experiencing pedagogical barriers and is directly linked to the outcome of improved learner performance; the care and support strand strengthens schools to address other barriers (socioeconomic, psychosocial and intrinsic barriers) experienced by learners, and which impact on their ability to devote attention to their studies.
