Does the Department of Basic Education Take the International Call to Provide Quality Education for all Seriously?

Abstract

Governments, across the globe are accountable for training teachers to provide learners with quality education to face the challenges of globalisation and curriculum change. Arising from this challenge, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in South Africa introduced, over the last decade, several curriculum changes, which had an influence on the delivery of quality education for all. The present research focuses on the question of whether the DBE can train in-service teachers and provide quality learning and teaching support materials (LTSM) to comply with the challenges of the implementation of a new national curriculum, the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). The theoretical frameworks for this study are based on social constructivist and critical theory constructs. A qualitative research approach has been employed in this study. Data collection consisted of a literature review, document analysis and collection of empirical evidence. The findings revealed that CAPS is being implemented impulsively, without proper in-service training or the provision of quality LTSM to schools. This paper concludes with recommendations concerning the DBE's role in assistance of in-service training.

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“…There have been several changes by the Department of Basic Education to the overall curriculum which had an impact on the delivery of quality education for students (Du Plessis and Mbunyuza 2014). The new Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) was implemented as follows: Grade 10 only in 2012, Grade 10 and 11 in 2013 and the entire FET phase in 2014 (Rajoo 2012).…”

“…A study conducted to evaluate the implementation of CAPS found the Department of Basic Education implemented the curriculum hastily without proper training to educators and schools (Du Plessis and Mbunyuza 2014). Whilst the previous authors showed that there was a lack of support from the Department of Basic Education, Rajoo (2012) showed that there was also a lack of leadership and guidance from the school management, especially with the implementation of the new CAPS curriculum.…”