KEETMANSHOOP - Acting //Kharas chief regional officer (CRO) Benedictus Diergaardt expressed confidence that the 2024 academic year will be one of growth, achievement and fulfilment for both educators and learners.
He was speaking at the annual //Kharas regional principals’ gathering hosted by the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in Keetmanshoop last week.
“May the coming year bring you moments of inspiration, professional fulfilment and personal happiness, and continue to work hand in hand, supporting one another and achieving new heights as a team,” he advised.
The administrator also registered his profound gratitude towards the line ministry’s staff and management for their unwavering dedication, commitment and tireless efforts in making it possible for the region to secure the third-best position during the Senior Certificate Ordinary (NSSCO) examinations for 2023.
“To address the issue of Mathematics, we are also planning a Mathematics indaba for the region as an intervention to assist our learners,” he informed the stakeholders present.
“Similarly, I spoke to our Northern Cape counterparts to consider providing experts in this field to join us during this planned activity,” Diergaardt noted.
He emphasised the role of leaders as pivotal, observing that he has the unwavering confidence that together, all will steer their institutions towards new heights of excellence.
“As we gather here, let us not only celebrate our successes, but also reflect on the lessons learned from the challenges faced,” he continued.
The acting CRO then advised principals to, in the face of evolving educational landscapes, embrace change as an opportunity to adapt and grow.
“Our institutions are beacons of knowledge, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure they remain dynamic, inclusive and equipped to meet the needs of a rapidly-changing world,” he stressed.
Diergaardt likewise called on the group to foster an atmosphere which encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and a love for learning.
Delivering the welcoming remarks, //Kharas regional education director Jesmine Magerman congratulated the region’s learners who wrote the 2023 national examinations, reaping the fruits and successes of their hard work.
“In 2022, 208 learners qualified for the Advanced Subsidiary level, compared to 134 in 2023, which is a testimony of hard work and dedication by learners and teachers alike,” she proudly announced. Magerman said despite the region’s drop in national examination performance from second (in 2022) to third place a year later, the overall results at schools in the region improved from 32% to 37% for C-plus grading.
“Seen in the light that Mathematics and History were the two subjects in which learners performed the poorest, we need to focus on supporting our learners and teachers to improve accordingly,” she recommended.
The recently appointed education director also informed principals, inspectors and senior education officers to review the intervention strategies which were set to be implemented during 2023, challenges experienced and an evaluation of the impact thereof, as well as to analyse the 2023 results and discuss accompanying reasons. She added that they are working towards an improvement plan, where monitoring will be done closely by the education leadership, whilst regular feedback on improvements will be noted.