Mnr Llewellyn Brown,
IS: Voorlegging oor basiese onderwys
Sien aangehegte voorstel van SA Media om resultate by skole te
verbeter.
Vriendelike groete
Hester van der berg
Bestuurder: SA Media
051 401 2305
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mr. L Brown FROM: SA Media
Portfolio Committee
Operational Manager
For basic education 26
February, 2010
Parliament
PURPOSE OF SUBMISSION
1.To state the problem: SA education in a crisis
2.SA Media database: Potential to make a difference
3.Marketing proposal: -Department of Basic Education
-Department of Higher Education
-Other
1.EDUCATION IN A CRISIS
Continuous coverage in the news media, statements and statistics from
the Department of Basic Education and various other educational experts,
confirm this crisis. It is recently reported that the OBE school
curriculum be revised as a priority. South African learners that
participated in the International Progress in International Reading and
Literacy Study (Pirls), ended last out of 45 countries, 80% of S.A.
learners tested failed the international reading literacy standards.
The University of Cape Town’s National Benchmark Tests project tested
13 000 undergraduate students from Wits, UCT, UWC, Kwazulu-Natal,
US, Rhodes, in February 2009 and less than half obtained the minimum
acceptable standards of literacy and innumeracy.
One of the reasons for this poor standard of literacy is the lack of,
or accessibility of libraries. Out of the + 26 700 public schools, only
+ 8% have functional libraries.
Amidst continuous calls and protest action in the Western Cape for the
Government to provide school libraries, it is unlikely that this will
realize, even on long-term, considering the enormous cost of + R120 000
million (for example 24 000 libraries at approximately R5 million
each).
2.SA MEDIA: POTENTIAL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
●Founded in 1972
●SA Media is developed over years as a one of a kind information
service by the UFS and can be seen as a national asset that must be
utilized to its fullest potential and in this case an effective school
information service.
●6, 4 million articles are available on our website, updated with
+ 120 000 annually.
●Most newspapers/publications in South Africa are incorporated in
the database; articles are evaluated and analyzed according to a
specific keyword list (thesaurus).
●Articles are grouped into 23 categories, for example economics,
health, education, African affairs, foreign affairs, transport,
agriculture, sport, tourism, etc.
●Full-time subscribers to our service are (to name a few): The
National Parliament, Provincial Parliaments, almost all Universities,
HSRC, SABC, National Police Service, NIA, Sabinet, etc.
●Part-time users, such as learners, parents, teachers, students,
academics, attorneys, etc., enter the database + 1,5 million
annually.
●SA Media service is user-friendly and cost-effective.
●SA Media is not profit-driven and subscription fees are
reasonable.
3.MARKETING PROPOSALS
The Department of Basic Education
SA Media perceive the Department of Basic Education as a marketing
priority to implement a school service as an excellent alternative to
the shortages of school libraries. We consent the fact that the
provision of school libraries be the first priority, but that SA Media
can deliver a worthwhile service.
A pre-requisite for schools are computer internet accessibility as with
the implementation of the Gauteng Online project, most Provincial
schools have computer internet connectivity.
Schools (Provincial education departments) must budget for internet
accessibility and downloading of learning materials.