  Restructuring: view from the top
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Two of many thousands of pupils whose educational future lies in the hands of these managers and their teachers. |
There’s a new-look curriculum management with many new faces among the veterans. Who’s who? What can we expect?
The curriculum is now served by five directorates within one branch (deputy director general indicated in brackets): Curriculum Management (Brian Schreuder), two chief directorates (chief directors in brackets): Curriculum Development (Dr Sigamoney Naicker) and Assessment & Examinations (Tina Singh), three curriculum directorates (director in brackets): Curriculum GET (Genevieve Koopman), Curriculum FET (Phumla Satyo) and eLearning & Library Services (Mike Chiles) and two assessment directorates (directors in brackets) Assessment Management (Zodwa Madmimokwane) and Examinations Administration (André Clausen). See also: http://wced.wcape.gov.za/home/components/organo.html
To give you a sense of what lies ahead, we asked each manager to respond to a number of questions in true Twitter style, i.e. in <140 characters per question. Below are their responses.
If you have any questions you would like to ask any of them please post your question in the feedback section at the end of the article and we’ll do what we can to have them answered. Conversely you can contact the person directly by following the e-mail link next to her or his name.
Brian Schreuder, Deputy director general Curriculum Management - bschreuder@pgwc.gov.za
What is the most important outcome you wish to have achieved by 31 December 2011?
- ALL schools delivering the Curriculum in such a way that ALL learners in ALL schools get good, quality education so that they can all achieve optimally.
What haunts you?
- That we are not succeeding in ensuring quality education for all. Learners in poor communities (townships and rural areas) especially black learners, are still not achieving excellent educational outcomes.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
- Do your Best. Do it with integrity and commitment. Be guided by principle. Be spurred on by adversity...
What book would you recommend to your best friend?
What is your all-time favourite and/or most important film?
- Stand and Deliver: This is a film based on a true occurance, about a teacher in a Southern Californian school in a poor area that turns around learner achievement in Mathematics (calculus), through his attitude and approach and belief that learners in poor socio-economic conditions (poverty, pregnancy, gangsterism) can also achieve.
What CD will you be listening to this evening as you drive home?
- Classical or Light Classical music.
Dr Sigamoney Naicker, Chief director, Curriculum Development - smnaicker@pgwc.gov.za
What was your previous position?
- I was Chief Director: Education Planning before the redesign of the Western Cape Education Department.
What is the most important outcome you wish to have achieved by 31 December 2011?
- To create the conditions of the awareness that education is important. That must be the point of departure for all learners, teachers and other people involved in education. That each person has an important part to play in the development of her or himself and the nation. It is only in this way that South Africans can play a role in a very competitive and oppressive world.
What haunts you?
- Complacency! The lack of human agency. That for me is a huge problem. We can do anything if we try hard.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
- Reading is the key to your success
What book would you recommend to your best friend?
What is your all-time favourite and/or most important film?
What CD will you be listening to this evening as you drive home?
As a post script I would like to add: The resolution to the challenges facing us is about understanding the nature and the extent of the problem. We need to rely on research and develop an open mind in this regard. Only by identifying the problems that confront us, we will be in a position to find solutions.
Tina Singh, chief director: Assessment & Examinations - tsingh@pgwc.gov.za
What was your previous position?
- Chief Education Specialist at the National Department of Education.
What is the most important outcome you wish to have achieved by 31 December 2011?
- That the majority of teachers are able to implement assessment as an integral part of the teaching and learning process.
What haunts you?
- Having to rewrite my matric examination.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
- That you can be robbed of your wealth and possessions but the one thing that cannot be taken away from you is your knowledge and skills.
What book would you recommend to your best friend?
What is your all-time favourite and/or most important film?
- Love to watch Bollywood movies
What CD will you be listening to this evening as you drive home?
Genevieve Koopman, director: GET Curriculum - gkoopman@pgwc.gov.za
Phumla Satyo, director: FET Curriculum - psatyo@pgwc.gov.za
Mike Chiles, director: eLearning & Library Services - mchiles@pgwc.gov.za
What was your previous position?
- Director: Information & Technology Services.
What is the most important outcome you wish to have achieved by 31 December 2011?
- A wide area network set up in the Western Cape so that all education institutions can access the Internet and benefit from the bewildering array of opportunities presented by it.
What haunts you?
- The high cost of bandwidth and access to it in South Africa and the lack of commitment by the relevant government department to resolving this matter.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
- Treat others as you would have them treat you.
What book would you recommend to your best friend?
What is your all-time favourite and/or most important film?
What CD will you be listening to this evening as you drive home?
- Am a talk-radio fan and so rarely listen to music on the drive home. On longer journeys Freddie Mercury and Queen, big band hits, light classics, classic rock.
Zodwa Modimokwane, director: Assessment Management - zmodimak@pgwc.gov.za
André Clausen, director: Examinations Administration - apclausen@pgwc.gov.za
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