Project / National Learner Unit Record Information And tracking System.
Document / Guidelines On Capturing Data via a Spreadsheet Option
Date / July 2009
Action Required / Implementation at provincial level
Compiler / National LURITS Administrator

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION:

1. Getting started:

2. Viewing the LURITS spreadsheet structure and its components:

2.1Ms Excel Standard Toolbar

2.2 School details

2.3Summary Table:

2.4Worksheets:

INTRODUCTION:

The LURITS is the National Learner Unit Record Information and Tracking System which will contain the data of all learners in ordinary and special schools in South Africa from Grade R to Grade 12. Each learner is assigned a unique tracking number and the system will track the movement of learners from school to school throughout their school career.

The LURITS will perform an important strategic and planning function for the education system as a whole. It will enable education planners to ensure that resources are distributed fairly and equitably and will assist with forecasting and future planning. The system will provide an accurate profile of learners in order to identify learners that exit the system early and thereby ensure the planning of appropriate interventions. The system will also assist other departments such as Social Development to identify needy learners and Home Affairs to identify learners without national ID numbers.

The planned outputs of the system are:

• an accurate master list of all registered schools in the country;

• an accurate record of learner numbers in all relevant education institutions;

• an accurate profile of the individual learners in the education system;

• an accurate profile of individual learner progression through the system;

• the patterns and trends of learner cohort progression through the education system;

• the rate and patterns of intra- and inter- school and provincial transfers;

• the trends relating to and the rate at which learners leave (exit) the education system;

• the profile of learners that exit the system early;

• an accurate profile of educators in the education system.

There are two ways for a computerized school to send data to Lurits:

a) Schools with computerized school administration packages:

Any school that has a computerized school administration system will be able to generate the required electronic xml files from the school administration programme such as SASAMS, and these files will be uploaded into LURITS. This reduces the burden on schools as data does not have to be recaptured into LURITS, but can be sent directly from the school’s own administration software package.

The accuracy and reliability of the data on LURITS depends on accurate information being collected and captures on the spreadsheet. This manual is for the use of computerized schools that need to submit data using the specially designed spreadsheet .The spreadsheet will be copied into a CD or sent via email to the Provincial Education office/ District office.

b) Schools without computerized school administration packages:

Schools that do not have computerised school administration packages will be provided with specially designed OMR enabled forms for each learner and educator. Educators are requested to complete OMR scan forms for learners and themselves and the completed forms will be scanned into the system to avoid manual data capture.

1. Getting started:

  1. Insert the spreadsheet CD on your computer’s CD Rom drive;
  2. The CD will open automatically;
  3. Double click on the file names “Sample Spreadsheet”, then the spreadsheet will be displayed in your computer screen.

2. Viewing the LURITS spreadsheet structure and its components:

2.1Ms Excel Standard Toolbar

2.1.1Components of the Excel Window

In order for the user to be able to use the spreadsheet, this guide has also included the various components of excel so that one should understand the program she/he is using. Besides the usual window components (close box, title bar, scroll bars, etc.), an Excel window has several unique elements identified in the screenshot, below.

2.1.2 Standard toolbar

The Standard toolbar, located beneath the menu bar, has buttons for commonly performed tasks like adding a column of numbers, printing, sorting, and other operations. Excel let's you customize the toolbar or even display multiple toolbars at the same time. The Standard Excel XP toolbar appears in the figure below.

2.1.3Formatting toolbar

The Formatting toolbar, located beneath the Standard toolbar bar, has buttons for various formatting operations like changing text size or style, formatting numbers and placing borders around cells.

2.2 School details

This component is catered for the school to enter its own details as per the requirements in the spreadsheet.

2.2.1On the heading “Province” click on a blank field and a drop down arrow will appear.

2.2.2Select the name of the province in which your school is located.

2.2.3Type the name of your district into the “District” answer cell. (You will notice that next to the answer field is marked with a red star; this means the field is compulsory it is compulsory that the district should be entered.)

2.2.4Enter your NATIONAL 9 digit school EMIS number into the EMIS number answer cell. This cell is also compulsory.

2.2.5Enter the school name into the School Name answer cell. (You will realize that the answer cell size is bigger than the other ones, this is done to cater for name of the school to fit.)

2.2.6Enter the date on which the spreadsheet should be submitted to the provincial department of education offices.

2.2.7Select the Highest Grade offered in your school from the drop down list and then

2.2.8Select the Lowest Grade offered in your school.

Once this section has been completed, please save the spreadsheet, in a different drive (remember you are viewing it from a CD and therefore it is a read only file, you will need to save it in a different drive so that you are able to work on it).

2.3Summary Table:

  1. The function of the summary table is to display automatically all the data that has been captured on other worksheets.
  2. Please observe this function as you start capturing data on your spreadsheet. For example the number of educators and learners per grade will be automatically displayed on the menu as data rows are completed on the individual worksheet.
  1. The second thing is that the menu in this table can be used as alternative way (shortcut) to view theindividual worksheets listed, in which data should be captured.

2.4Worksheets:

The spreadsheet layout has been categorized in order to cater for different data to be captured in different individual worksheets. For instance school details data is captured separately etc. The worksheets start from the school details up to grades.

2.4.1School details Worksheet

This worksheet is like a main page, because when the spreadsheet is opened, it will open automatically. This is where school details should be entered. Please refer to paragraph 2.2.

2.4.2Educators Worksheet

This is the section in which all educators’ data, employed in the school should be captured.

  1. Click on the worksheet named “educators” at the bottom of your spreadsheet. OR
  2. On school details’ summary table click on an educators’ link and the educator page will open as shown in the screen shot below:

  1. In the first column marked “Identity Number”, enter the identity number of each educator.( Please note that if the Identity number is typed incorrectly an error message will be displayed that reads as follows: “ID Number not Correct”).

  1. The error message will prompt the user to choose two options: “Retry or Cancel”.
  2. Choose “cancel” and the incorrect id numbers you’ve entered will be cleared.
  3. Type in the ID number again and make sure it is typed correctly.
  4. Press the tab key and then type in a valid persal number. If it is invalid, an error message will be displayed just like when an invalid ID is typed.
  5. Press tab key and then enter the surname of the educator
  6. Press tab enter the name, initials,gender , race in different columns
  7. In the date of birth column, please start typing the year, the month and the date. If this procedure has not been followed an error message like the one on a screen shot below will be displayed:
  1. Click on cancel and the incorrect birth date will be cleared. Type the date of birth again, correctly.
  2. Press Tab key from your keyboard and then enter the Home language in the cell below the home language column.
  3. Press the Tab key and then type in the date in which the educator joined the school. Please follow the same procedure as in the date of birth column.
  4. Press Tab Key, in the cell below the nature of appointment column, there is a drop down arrow, click and then select one option that relates to the educator’s state of employment.
  5. Press tab Key, in the blank cell below the “Duration” column, click on the drop down arrow and then select the option that is relevant to the educator’s employment duration. Then press the tab key.
  6. In the blank cell below the Personnel Actual Position column select, the option from the list which is relevant to the educator’ employment position from the drop down arrow. Then press tab key.
  7. In the following column on “acting” in the blank cell below, there is a drop down arrow, select the option that best describes the acting position held by the educator.
  8. Press the Tab key, enter the educator’s post level press tab
  9. Type in the educator’s years of teaching experience as required by the “Years of teaching experience column”.Press the tab key
  10. Select one option that best describes the state in which the educator is paid under the remuneration column.
  11. Press the tab key, then on the blank cell below the “REQV” select from the list provided in the drop down arrow, the relevant option.

Continue capturing the educators’ details until all the educators employed in your school have been captured.

REMINDER:USING YOUR MS EXCEL STANDARD TOOLBAR, CLICK SAVE (all your educators’ details captured will be saved)

2.4.3Grade Worksheets

-The grade worksheets have been designed in the same manner. They start from grade R to grade 12.

-A school will use the grades that are applicable to their school environment.

-The worksheets require the learner and the parent’s details.

-All the columns that require learner details are highlighted in gold and the columns that require the parent’s details are highlighted in lime.

-All the grade worksheet columns require the similar information from grade R up to grade 12.

Entering learnerdetails:

  1. To open a grade, click on a grade worksheet or use click on a grade link in the menu of the summary table.
  2. The grade will be opened, in the first column labelled “Class”, type in the class in which the learner is in;
  3. Press the tab key, and then type in the accession number. Then press the Tab key;
  4. Type in the surname of the learner, in the cell below the surname column, and then press the tab key;
  5. Type in the accession number, and then press tab key;
  6. Type in the learner’s first name in the blank cell below the “first name” column and then Press the tab key;
  7. Type in the second learner’s name if applicable, in the blank cell below the “2nd Name” and press the tab key;
  8. In the cell below the “Gender” column select an appropriate/relevant learner’s gender in the options listed from the drop down arrow, then press tab key;
  9. Select the appropriate/relevant option for the learner’s race from the list displayed in the drop down arrow from the blank cell below the “Race” column. Then press the tab key;
  10. Type in, the learner’s date of birth starting with the year, the month and the day. If this procedure has not been followed, an error message as in paragraph 2.4.2, screen shot below number j.
  11. Once the learner’s date of birth has been typed, press the tab key;
  12. In the blank cell below, “learner’s home Language” column, select the learner’s home language from the list provided in the drop down arrow, the press the tab key;
  13. Type in an invalid ID number in the blank cell provided below “Identity Number” column; if the ID number provided is invalid an error message will displayed. If this occurs, follow the instructions on paragraph 2.4.2.c
  14. Press the tab key; In the Hostel Border column select a relevant option applicable to the learner from the drop down list. Press the tab key;
  15. Your cursor is now below the “Receiving Social grant” column; select an option applicable to the individual learner’s social grant status. Press the tab key;
  16. The tab key puts your cursor below the column on “Registered for social grant?” Select an appropriate answer from the options provided in the drop down arrow which is relevant to the learner. Press the tab key;
  17. Below the ‘Type of address” column, please select the option that is applicable to the learner’s address.
  18. Provide a street or box number in the blank cell provided below the “ Number Box or street” column, press the tab key;
  19. In the three address columns (Address line1, Street address line 2, address line 3, the postal code) please provide the learner’s address and the postal code. Then press the tab key;
  20. Select the relevant learner’s orphan status applicable to the learner from the list provided in the drop down arrow below “Orphan Status” column. Press the tab key;

REMINDER: PLEASE CLICK SAVE TO SAVE YOUR SPREADSHEET

Entering the Learner’s Parent details:

  1. Select the relevant parent’s relation to the learner from the list provided in the drop down arrow, below the “relationship to learner column”, then press the tab key;
  2. Type the relevant title for the learner’ parent marital status, in the blank column below the “Title” column, press the tab key;
  3. Type in the learner’s parent’s initials in a blank cell provided below the “ Initials” column, then press the tab key;
  4. In the blank cell below “Gender” column, select the appropriate gender status applicable for the learner’s parent from the list provided in the drop down arrow. Press the tab key;
  5. In the blank cell below “Race” column, select the appropriate learner’s parent race from the list displayed in the drop down arrow. Press the tab key;
  6. In the blank cell below “Home language” column select the appropriate learner’s parent language from the list displayed in the drop down arrow. Press the tab key;
  7. Type in the identity number of the learner’s parent. The ID number should be valid if invalid an error message will appear. (Refer to paragraph 2.4.2 C.) Press the tab key;
  8. Enter the learner’s parent home telephone number under “ home telephone number” column, then press the tab key;
  9. Type in the learner’s parent work telephone number in the blank cell provided below the “ telephone Number “ (work) column, press the tab key;
  1. Enter the learner’s parent cell number in the blank cell provided below the “Cell number” column,

REMINDER: PLEASE CLICK SAVE (your recent captured data will be saved)

Then using the vertical scroll bars, click on the vertical scroll bar arrow pointing to the left, as demonstrated by the screen shot below,

you will be at the beginning of the spreadsheet and in the learner details column,

follow the same procedure until all your grade learners and learner’s parents details are captured.

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Guidelines On Capturing Data via a Spreadsheet Option