The Eastern Cape Department of Education Office of the Superintendent General (SG) has embarked on a Last Push Programme, which aims at monitoring and supporting districts to increase the quality of 2017 matric pass rate.  This programme is set to run from the 17-23 August 2017, in all 12 Education Districts. 

With the ECDoE Superintendent General, Themba Kojana in the forefront, he is encouraging circuit managers and principals to work together in reaching a minimum of 52 000 National Senior Certificate (NSC) passes and 16 000 Bachelor passes. 

The programme is designed in such a way that it brings about change through intervention strategies framed within these Last Push gatherings.  Some of the critical points that are looked at are: an analysis of Grade 12 results, term 1 and 2 with a Provincial overview of the results as presented by Acting Chief Director for Assessment and Exams, Mzimhle Mabona, suggesting to the district offices to maximize the efficient use of applications provided to collect and analyze DATA.  The Department is making strides in ensuring that information is available at their fingertips, hence the launch of the Data Driven Districts programme (DDD).   

According to Mabona, one does not have to be physically present at schools in order to access information on what is happening in Eastern Cape schools.  This allows the Provincial Office to get a true reflection of what goes on, on the ground and provide assistance where needed.   

Mabona further stressed that the importance of communication between principals, circuit managers and District offices for proper and balanced information flow.  

SG Themba Kojana addressed the officials, highlighting three main issues that need to be strengthened and focused on, which includes:   

• Channels of Communication 
• Performance Management 
• Strengthening Accountability 

“We are learning about the new interventions that districts are going to undertake for the Last Push, as head office we will be supporting the initiatives of the districts after they have been discussed between the senior management with the principals at schools,” said Kojana as he pointed out the following three concepts with circuit managers and principals: 

• School Administration (Leadership and Governance) 
• Effective Monitoring and Support to Schools 
• Curriculum and Assessment 

He went on to say, “We will ensure that we support learners in our endeavors to ensure that we have quite a number of our learners who pass matric with quality passes.”

 “The rise and fall of us depends on you,” concluded Kojana.

By:  Nobulali Sigabi and Cheera-Dee Robinson