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NECT partners with South Africa’s largest Iron Ore mining company to improve performance of schools in Thabazimbi

NECT partners with South Africa’s largest Iron Ore mining company to improve performance of schools in Thabazimbi

Collaboration with Sishen Iron Ore Company (SIOC), a subsidiary of Kumba Iron Ore, to deliver tangible benefits for 21 schools

[5 February 2015 – Thabazimbi, Limpopo] The National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) in collaboration with Sishen Iron Ore Community Development Trust (SIOC-CDT) launched a teacher and school management capacity development programme in the Thabazimbi Circuit of the Waterberg District, Limpopo province.

The NECT is already operational in parts of the Limpopo province, including the greater Vhembe District and other parts of the Waterberg District, reaching over 1000 and 365 schools respectively. This launch is an augmentation of the District Intervention Programme, funded by SIOC-CDT in the Thabazimbi Circuit, covering 21 schools. The collaboration will deliver educational benefits focussed on developing and empowering teachers and schools managers (SMTs).

The teacher development element of the programme includes interventions focussed on improving content knowledge, curriculum coverage and classroom coverage of mathematics, science and languages for teachers in both primary and secondary schools. Teachers and Heads of Departments (HODs) will receive curriculum trackers and lesson plans which will help them plan, monitor and track their curriculum coverage over the year.

The SMTs (Schools Management Teams) interventions include improving the effectiveness of school managers through leadership training and coaching programmes. They will also receive leadership and management training through specific modules.

“This is indeed an important occasion in education for our district, and I hope that the custodians of the programme will use this opportunity adequately to benefit our children. By the end of this year we will be proud of ourselves as the Waterberg District, for committing to this intervention, with a positive outcome”, said Patricia Moshito, Mayor of Thabazimbi.

“We are happy to be part of this programme, and we are interested in seeing change in educational outcomes. We fully support the NECT systematic programmes because we understand and believe that they will bring about sustainable improvement in the Waterberg District”, said Anthea Muofhe, Programme Manager SIOC-CDT.

SIOC-CDT is mainly focussed in three main pillars in development: education, healthcare and enterprise development. The trust has so far spent over R600m in educational development programmes in communities where their mines operate. Education is their biggest spend.

“Let us pull together to ensure that we build a nation that reads, writes and counts”, added Anthea.

“We fully support this collaboration and are happy to be part of this programme, as it will benefit our children”, Ally Pole, Chairperson SADTU Waterberg District.

“If we all pull together, there is nothing that can successfully stop us from achieving positive educational outcomes. Let us all work together to improve education”, concluded John Dombo, Chairperson of the NECT District Steering Committee in Waterberg District.