The Institute of Training and Education for Capacity-building (ITEC) envisages a child-friendly South Africa where all children are able to access opportunities for optimal development.
We believe that children have the right to live in a safe, caring, and stimulating environment, and that they deserve the care and education that will equip them for tomorrow's world.
If you would like to donate, please contact us at 043 7438333. We have Section 18A status - your donation is tax deductible.
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We are excited to be holding a Golf Day to raise funds for our children’s projects! The Golf Day is a part of ITEC’s birthday celebrations – we have been putting children’s education and development first for 30 years!
Giving a book to a child is so simple, and can make such a difference.
14th February is International Book Giving Day, when people around the world make an extra effort to provide children with books. Stories and books are not only a source of joy and pleasure to children (and adults), but also support language and concept development, and critical thinking.
In South Africa, only about one in five children* has more than 25 books at home, and very few schools** have functioning school libraries.
At ITEC, we are trying to make a difference. We work with schools from disadvantaged communities to set up classroom libraries.
If you would like to help make a difference too, donate good quality books you no longer need, or perhaps a book voucher. If you would like to know more, call the ITEC Librarian at 043 7438 333.
And start thinking about World Read Aloud Day on 16 February!
* Source: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2015. You can download the latest South African reports on Grade 5 and Grade 9 here. The Grade 5 study found that children with access to more than 25 books at home achieved 45 points (equivalent to a grade) higher for mathematics and science (see page 8). Grade 9 learners with more than 25 books at home achieved 47 points more for maths and 58 points higher for science. You can download the latest South African reports on Grade 5 and Grade 9 here.
**Information about school libraries:
The State of School Libraries in South Africa (2013), published in the Journal of Education, University of Kwazulu-Natal.
The State of Libraries in South Africa (2015), jointly published by the Department of Arts and Culture and the Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA).
Equal Education is a good source of information about the campaign for all schools to have libraries.
We were excited to have Brian Ramadiro, Deputy Director of the Nelson Mandela Institute for Education and Rural Development, give the keynote address at ITEC’s Annual General Meeting in September.
Brian’s powerful talk resonated with everyone in the room. He spoke of the enduring link between early literacy, poverty, and social inequality in modern South Africa. Brian sketched out some of the almost intractable systemic challenges that hinder young learners, and called on us all to strengthen our resolve, and become more imaginative in our proposed solutions to the issues. His talk is available for download here.
Despite the gravity of Brian’s talk, we remembered the child in all of us. Each group of people built a LEGO model of Brian’s key points. The picture gallery below shows some of the scenes from a memorable AGM.
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Brian Ramadiro giving his keynote address
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Our Chairperson, Greg Webb, congratulates a staff member on her long service at ITEC
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Caroll Warmberg, MD of ITEC, reporting on ITEC’s performance over the past year
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Our Auditors reported on how we spent our money
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Creating a LEGO’model’ of some of Brian’s key points
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The ITEC AGM
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The ITEC AGM
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Listening intently
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The ITEC AGM. ITEC staff dressed in traditional clothes to celebrate Heritage Day.
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The ITEC AGM
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Listening intently
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Serious topics, but room for fun
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Building a model with LEGO
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Fun, but serious thinking while building a LEGO model
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Building a LEGO model
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Building a LEGO model
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Building a LEGO model
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Building a LEGO model
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Reporting on the group’s reaction to Brian’s talk
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One of the LEGO models depicting the inequalities in the education system
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Explaining the group’s LEGO model
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Building a LEGO model
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Building a LEGO model
How do we ensure that all children can read fluently by the end of Grade 3?
- That was the key question discussed by primary school principals, heads of the Foundation Phase, and Uitenhage Education officials at the ‘Leading for Reading’ Imbizo in Jeffreys Bay on 21 September.
In his keynote address, Professor Brahm Fleisch of Wits University, drew our attention to the evidence that a combination of good teaching practice and appropriate resources improves learner performance.
Prof. Fleisch pointed out that the teaching of reading in the Foundation Phase requires professional, committed staff. As a start, school leaders can prioritise early grade reading by
- placing their freshest, most committed, professional teachers in the Grade 1 class
- deciding to have smaller classes in the Foundation Phase.
After discussing the essential components of reading, and the core methods for teaching reading, delegates deliberated on what is working in their schools, the challenges they face, and plans for improving reading in the Foundation Phase.
The Imbizo was part of the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm Reading Coach programme.
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Mr Gorgonzola, Acting District Director in the Uitenhage District, welcomed delegates.
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Prof Brahm Fleisch gave the keynote address.
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Ms Marion Green-Thompson represented the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm, funder of the project.
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Delegates at the Imbizo.
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Questions and discussions…
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Delegates listened attentively.
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Delegates at the Imbizo
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Delegates at the Imbizo
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Delegates at the Imbizo
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District Officials attended
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Prof Fleish demonstrates Shared Reading
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Ms Qongqo, DCES Curriculum, thanked the speaker
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Principals and officials with Ernest Gorgonzola (Acting DD), Marion Green-Thompson of Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm (front row, second from left), Prof Brahm Fleisch (front row, second from right) and Caroll Warmberg, Managing Director of ITEC (front row, right).
The new National Integrated Early Childhood Development policy was up for discussion at the ECD Forum meeting on 19 July, 2016, which was co-hosted by the Network of Early Childhood Training Agencies (NECTA). The Forum Chairperson, Ms Michele Kay, gave an overview of the policy, after which participants explored the implications of the policy. We identified some concerns, many opportunities, and began to map some proposed actions for ECD stakeholders.
Click on the pictures below to scroll through the gallery.
We were extremely proud of some of the primary schools we work with in the Kouga area in the Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm’s Foundation Phase Reading Coach Programme. Foundation Phase learners took part in a creative writing and art competition to mark Global Wind Day on 18 June.
The newspaper cutting below shows learners and staff at Patensie Primary School with ITEC staff member, Mr Zukile Ningi. Click on the picture to enlarge it.
A very vibrant and participatory meeting of the Eastern Cape Early Childhood Development Forum was held on 13 April 2016 at ITEC.
We discussed the soon-to-be published National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy, which was approved by Cabinet in December 2016 and should be publicly available shortly. The policy provides for a Comprehensive Package of services for all young children in the longer term, with Essential Components that must be provided in the short to medium term. The Policy reflects the worldwide understanding that our experiences during our earliest years affect our future lives profoundly, and that positive experiences have the potential to transform society for the better.
We were also excited to be involved in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality’s development of their new Child and Youth Strategy. For the first time, this will include a strong focus on the needs and rights of the youngest children. May this be the start of putting young children first in every Municipality in the province!
The University of Fort Hare also had wonderful news to share. In honour of the University’s centenary, the Nelson Mandela Institute for Education and Rural Development is holding a Children’s Festival that will focus our attention on children, education and our multilingual future. Much of the Festival will focus on the language and literacy development of the youngest children.
The University is also making great strides in promoting development during early childhood. The UFH ECD Centre of Excellence has completed the first year of planning, and aims to provide a transdisciplinary focus for innovation, teaching and learning, research, and community engagement.
Documents from the meeting are available for download on our ECD Forum Meeting page. The next meeting will be on 20 July, 2016.
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