Business Plan

PRODUCED BY: Kobus van Wyk
DATE: 26 March 2002
Version 4.1

INDEX

1. Orientation
   
2. Project Principles
   
3. Project Scope
   
4. Strategic Framework
5. Implementation Framework
6. Recommendations

ORIENTATION

Background

At a Provincial Cabinet meeting on 1 November 2000 (Minute no 392/2000) under the item of "Khanya ' Improving Education Through the Use of Technology", it was resolved that:

1. Approval be granted to the WCED to proceed with the planning of the project
2. A business plan be submitted to Cabinet for final approval to proceed with the project
3. The name of the project be changed to one that is clearly understood and leaves no doubt as to the aim of the project


Purpose of Document

The purpose of this document is to present the required Business Plan to Cabinet for approval.

Furthermore, this Business Plan serves the purpose of providing a framework that will enable the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to manage strategically and to coordinate the implementation of technology in schools for the purpose of delivering curriculum in a manner that is effective, systematic, efficient and sustainable.

It should be clearly understood that this Business Plan is dynamic and will be continuously re-assessed on the basis of action research. It will therefore be adjusted from time to time as more information about the readiness of schools to receive and effectively implement technology to enhance curriculum delivery becomes available, as well as when new technology developments present opportunities.


Business Drivers

The reasons for this project have been described in detail in previous submissions. The main factors driving the business need for the project are repeated here:

1. Shortage of teaching capacity: Both the continuous decrease in the number of adequately qualified educators (particularly in the learning areas of Mathematics and Science) and the reduction in the number of entrants to the education profession, require the WCED to harness technology in order to support and strengthen a system which is at risk. A need therefore exists, not to replace teachers with technology, but rather to assist them to increase their capacity through the use of technology.
   
2. Need for co-ordination of efforts: The business sector is well aware of the problems in education and realises that unless they make a significant contribution, there will not be an adequately qualified workforce in the future. The business sector, as well as various NGOs, national and international donors and other stakeholders, is keen to make a contribution. In the past, these efforts were unco-ordinated and in most cases resulted in wasted investments. There is a clear indication from these bodies that they will only be willing to continue contributing if all efforts are co-ordinated properly. In order not to lose out on these significant financial contributions, it is important that the WCED assumes this responsibility to create a structure within which such co-ordination can take place.
   
3. Bridging the Digital Divide: In some schools parents have contributed liberally to creating an environment in which technology is being integrated into the curriculum delivery process. However, in most schools parents cannot afford this. The result is that the digital gap between the "haves" and the "have-nots" is forever widening. A concerted effort is needed to reverse this situation.
   
4. Preparing the Western Cape for the Knowledge Economy of the 21^st Century: In view of the vision of the province to become a "leading learning region which successfully equips its people and businesses to acquire and apply knowledge effectively in a rapidly changing world" (White Paper: Preparing the Western Cape for the Knowledge Economy of the 21^st Century, May 2001) it is important to use all available means, including technology, to achieve this goal.
   

 

PROJECT PRINCIPLES

This section contains the goal, objectives and key principles on which the strategic and implementation frameworks of the project are based.

Goal

The goal of this project is to promote learning and maximise educator capacity by integrating the use of appropriate, available and affordable technology into the curriculum delivery process.

Objectives

Primary Objectives

• Increase educator capacity and effectiveness by means of technology
• Harness the power of technology to deliver curriculum
• Enhance the quality of the learning experience in the classroom, providing an opportunity for learners to benefit from a variety of learning styles
• As different technologies mature, integrate appropriate and available technology into the curriculum delivery process
• Use technology to assist all disabled learners to maximise learning
• Improve Senior Certificate and FETS results, as well as learner outcomes in all grades, in terms of number of passes and quality of results
• Increase the number of learners taking Mathematics and Science on the higher grade and coping successfully
• Increase the number of learners qualified and competent to enter tertiary education institutions after obtaining their Senior Certificates and FETS
• Improve numeracy and literacy in lower grades in order to build a stronger foundation for future matriculants

Secondary Objectives

• Prepare all learners for the Information Age
• Narrow the digital divide
• Create a technology rich province
• Provide all educators and learners in the province with an e-mail address

Project Principles

The following nine key areas have been identified to provide a strategic and project implementation framework:

• Project management and administration
• Needs analysis
• Curriculum
• Educator education
• Technology deployment
• Project staffing
• Project funding
• Partnerships
• Project assessment



These key areas have been expanded into the following more specific principles:

Project Management and Administration
• A Steering Committee oversees the project at a high level and acts as decision maker
• An Executive Committee co-ordinates the project
• A Project Champion drives the project and encourages the teams
• A Project Manager manages the project and ensures co-ordination and completion of deliverables on time, within budget and meeting the required specification
• The project is implemented through a series of discreet, well-defined sub-projects, where each one of these sub-projects is defined in terms of scope, deliverables, required resources and time frames
• Sub-Project Managers manage the sub-projects and ensure deliverables
• A Project Support Office administers the project
• Pilot projects are initially used to gain insight and test assumptions
• A methodology for introducing technology in a school is developed by the Project Support Office, based on insight gained through the pilot projects
• Ongoing evaluation and quality assurance of project deliverables take place throughout the duration of the project

Needs Analysis

• Each school is viewed as a separate entity in terms of requirements
• A full analysis of all schools in the province is required to provide information for final implementation plans
• Schools need to be assessed for readiness to receive technology (including required infrastructure and efficient management)
• Assessment details determine the order of priority between schools for technology installation
• Where a school is already using some technology, plans need to be devised to ensure that it is used for curriculum delivery, thus capitalising on existing investment
• In many instances the needs analysis may identify the need for preparatory work before technology installation, eg infrastructure and management improvement

Curriculum

• The Khanya project is curriculum driven
• No technology installation takes place unless it can be linked, directly or indirectly, to curriculum delivery
• Since the goal of Khanya is to integrate technology fully into the curriculum delivery process, the ultimate aim is to make technology available in each classroom
• A Curriculum Management System (CMS) must be developed to make curriculum content available to all schools
• Close cooperation with the Curriculum Directorate is required in order to develop a CMS
• The Curriculum Directorate has the responsibility of ensuring the quality of curriculum content in the CMS
• The most appropriate, cost effective and efficient curriculum content is sought from a variety of sources, such as packaged software and web-based material
• Where no required curriculum content is available, sub-projects are initiated to develop such content
• Year and term plans, lesson plans, and other material useful in teaching, are also included in the term "curriculum content"
• Where curriculum content has been provided, it is made available to all schools of the WCED

Educator Education

• Educating educators in the use of technology for the delivery of curriculum is a key activity of the Khanya project and must be ongoing.
• Educators within the WCED must be:
  • sensitised to the use of technology
  • equipped with the basic technology skills
  • provided with functional training in the integration of technology with other modes of curriculum delivery
• In order to improve the quality of teaching, educators must have an adequate knowledge of their subject content
• It must be acknowledged that educator education is a vast, time-consuming and labor intensive exercise
• Educator education is an ongoing process where experience gained will be ploughed back into the project

Technology Deployment

• The term "technology" is used here in the broad sense of the word, including Information Communication Technology (ICT), Audio-Visual Technology (AVT) and any other form of technology that can possibly be harnessed for curriculum delivery purposes
• Schools that do not have access to basic technology aids such as overhead projectors, TV sets, video equipment and radio, are to be supplied with these where required and appropriate and must be trained to maintain such equipment
• Initially, the major emphasis will be on computer technology, but other technologies are also to be rigorously explored
• Technology is not implemented merely for the sake of implementing technology but is always linked to the objective of curriculum delivery
• Technology is only implemented when a school is ready for it, ie when the infrastructure is adequate and the school is managed responsibly and effectively
• The ever-changing nature of technology, as well as the vast and rapid improvements made on technology fronts, makes it impossible to develop a technology plan for the full duration of the project and likewise makes it necessary for a very active research and development component of the project to continuously monitor technology developments for relevance to the project
• Technology implementation is outsourced (either to internal or external agents) in all cases where it proves to be cost-effective
• One of the first sub-projects of Khanya must be to consider alternative technologies

Project Staffing

• Khanya is a labor intensive project
• The WCED does not have adequate staff to roll out the project
• Where possible, WCED staff are used, in consultation with their line management, to fulfill essential functions on the project
• Suitably qualified staff are to be employed on a contract basis to supplement WCED staff
• Skills transfer must take place between contract staff and WCED staff
• Where feasible, some functions are outsourced to qualified organisations which can carry out the function efficiently and cost effectively

Project Funding

• The extent of required funding can only be known once a full analysis of requirements of schools throughout the province has taken place
• While core funding for administering the Khanya Project is provided by the WCED, available funding from this source will never be adequate for the complete Khanya implementation
• All alternative legal forms of funding should be sought
• The Western Cape Education Trust enables donors to contribute towards the project
• When donors contribute directly to schools, the Khanya project acts as facilitator to ensure alignment with Khanya objectives
• A school must contribute as much as possible to the implementation of technology at that school
• While considering the poverty indicator of a school, funds will only be spent if there is a reasonable chance that technology implementation in such a school will be successfully utilised
• A sustainability plan is developed for each school for continuous funding

Partnerships

• The WCED alone does not possess the capacity required to implement all aspects of the project
• There is co-operation with internal agencies (directorates of WCED and other bodies within PAWC)
• External agencies, functioning within the guidelines provided by the WCED, are required to execute some functions, either in partnership with the WCED or as fully outsourced activities
• A protocol for the management of external support service providers must guide the partnership arrangement
• Within the framework of national and provincial legislation, public-private partnerships are to be established
• Partnerships are also sought with NGOs and other donor organisations, provided that these bodies are willing to align themselves with Khanya objectives

Project Assessment

• The term "project assessment" is used here in the sense of assessing the results of the Khanya Project against its stated objectives
• Owing to the vast scope and projected cost of the Khanya Project, a mechanism must exist whereby it can be assessed, on an ongoing basis, whether the project remains cost justifiable
• Criteria that are in harmony with the assessment methodology of the WCED must be used to assess whether the intervention of technology justifies the related expenditure
• Project assessment is necessary to:
  • Justify the expenditure of public funds
  • Demonstrate the effectiveness of the project in order to attract additional private donor funding
  • Feed back into the project so that timely adjustments and improvements can be made

 

PROJECT SCOPE

The intended scope of the project, as outlined below, indicates what will be included in the project, as well as what will be excluded. Any changes to this scope definition can only be made with approval of the Steering Committee.

Target

By the start of the 2012 academic year, every educator in every school of the Western Cape will be empowered to use appropriate and available technology to deliver curriculum to each and every learner in the Western Cape.

Project Scope

In terms of the extent, the scope of the project includes (based on the Snap Survey of February 2001):

• 1 474 schools
• 25 011 educators
• 888 848 learners

In terms of functionality, the scope of the project includes the following:

• Researching available technologies and selecting appropriate technologies suitable for curriculum delivery within the Western Cape context
• Creating a feasible technology implementation plan for each school (including a sustainability plan)
• Providing and implementing technology
• Educating WCED officials and educators in the use of technology as a curriculum delivery vehicle
• Providing support to WCED officials and educators until they are able to use technology effectively and efficiently to deliver curriculum
• Providing curriculum content in electronic format to be used by educators
• Co-ordinating programmes of the WCED, donors, NGOs and other organisations who are involved in various projects to implement technology for curriculum delivery purposes in schools of the Western Cape

Exclusions
There are a number of associated programmes and initiatives of the WCED, which support and complement Khanya in one or other way, but which are not a part of the project. These are therefore excluded from the project scope:

• Technology implementations in schools which are not relevant to curriculum delivery
• The E-Com Strategy and its various projects, including the Telecommunications Project
• Electronic school administration systems
• Programmes to make schools more secure, eg Safe Schools Project
• Programmes to assist schools to improve school management, eg the efforts of the Human Resources Development Unit of the WCED
• Curriculum policy

Assumptions

• Technology will make a significant contribution to improved curriculum delivery (this assumption needs to be tested on an ongoing basis as new technologies are being introduced)
• Funding will be available for the completion of the project
• Sustainability models will be developed for all schools
• Advocacy and education programmes targeting educators will persuade all of them to avail themselves of opportunities presented by technology

Dependencies

• Safe Schools Project: Enhance security in schools sufficiently so that expensive technology equipment can be installed
• Human Resource Development Unit: Assist schools to progress to the point where the introduction of technology can be managed adequately
• Curriculum Development Directorate: Has the capacity to develop curriculum content and provide guidance in the selection of curriculum content
• Schools IT Unit of PAWC IT: Has the capacity to render the required technical support

Risks
A number of risks are identified for this project. It is important that these risks be acknowledged, that a risk containment plan for each risk be developed, and that risk management be maintained throughout the life of the project. The following risks are noted:

• Availability of key staff: The success of the project depends on the way it is managed to ensure quality deliverables, on time and within budget. This risk can be contained by appointing good people on contract, and ensuring that their remuneration packages are market related.
• Bureaucracy: The bureaucratic regulations of a Provincial Department could stifle the smooth running and rapid implementation of a large project. This risk will be managed by the Khanya Project Support Office, which will endeavor to understand the regulations and work in harmony with these. When unnecessary bureaucratic blockages occur, WCED top management will intervene to remove obstacles.
• Inadequate School Management: If a school is clearly not well managed by its principal, senior teachers and the governing body, it would not be feasible to implement technology at such a school. The way to contain this risk would be to delay technology implementation until such time as adequate management in such schools is in evidence.
• Willingness of educators to be educated: Educators play a critical role in the success of Khanya but there are early indications that many of them will not willingly adopt technology as a supplementary way of curriculum delivery. This risk will be addressed by a variety of advocacy and communications programmes.
• Resistance of WCED Officials: Some officials in the WCED may perceive Khanya to be a threat to their positions and may fear that the project will take over some of their job functions. The risk is that they may not give their full co-operation to the project. This risk will be managed by ongoing liaison with management of all directorates, ensuring that all officials understand how the matrix structure within the Khanya project operates. Whenever Khanya has to operate in an area managed by an existing directorate, it will always be done through prior consultation and in full partnership with that directorate.

 

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

In harmony with the main objective of Khanya, namely the specific use of technology to support educators in delivering curriculum, it follows that the three strategic areas to focus on are:

• Curriculum
• Educators
• Technology

However, the complete strategic framework for management and implementation of the project needs to address the nine key areas identified in Section 2.3:

• Project management and administration
• Needs analysis
• Curriculum
• Educator education
• Technology deployment
• Project staffing
• Project funding
• Partnerships
• Project assessment

The strategic implications for each of these key areas are as follows:

Project Management and Administration

Governance Structure

The project will be managed within an approved Governance Structure where:

• The Steering Committee is the highest authority, determining policy
• The Executive Committee co-ordinates the project in a more direct way
• The Project Champion takes an active interest in the project and promotes its cause and attends both the Steering Committee and Executive Committee meetings
• The Project Manager manages the project and attends and reports to both the Steering Committee and Executive Committee (the project manager also reports to these committees in behalf of the various sub-project managers)
• Khanya operates organisationally in a matrix structure which implies that Khanya:
  • Is not owned by any WCED Directorate, but will co-operate with all these Directorates
  • Will draw on WCED staff and experience
  • Will deliver products and develop functions which will eventually be handed over to WCED Directorates

Project Support Office

• The Project Support Office administers the project and is managed by a contract Project Office Administrator and staffed by contract administrative staff, as determined by the work load
• The functions of the Project Support Office are:
  • Developing procedures and standard documentation for the project
  • Providing administrative support to the Khanya project manager
  • Providing administrative support to sub-project managers
  • Maintaining project plans for sub-project managers
  • Managing quality assurance process
  • Facilitating coordination and communication between sub-projects, as well as Khanya and WCED internal and external entities
  • Developing a methodology for developing plans for technology implementation in individual schools
  • Maintaining project statistics
• The main reasons for the existence of the Project Support Office are to:
  • Free the project and sub-project managers of an administrative burden in order for them to focus on managing their projects
  • Create a structure where valuable lessons learned within sub-projects will not be lost, but will be funneled back into Khanya for future project improvement

Sub-projects

• The only way in which a project of so vast a scope as Khanya can be implemented successfully is by dividing it into manageable sub-projects (how does one eat an elephant')
• Sub-projects can be implemented successfully only if a dedicated sub-project manager assumes responsibility for the management and deliverables of the sub-project
• Each sub-project will have measurable objectives, discrete deliverables, a specific budget and definite duration (ideally between one and three years)
• The Khanya project manager will initiate the sub-projects and for each one develop a Project Charter, which will be presented to the Executive Committee for approval and the Steering Committee for ratification
• Once approved and ratified, the sub-project will not start unless a suitable sub-project manager is appointed
• The sub-project manager will draft a detailed plan for the sub-project, which will be approved by the Khanya project manager and then presented to the Executive Committee for final approval
• Sub-projects can be classified into four different categories:
  • Start-up sub-projects
  • Pilot sub-projects
  • Implementation sub-projects
  • Research sub-project
• Start-up projects are those necessary sub-projects which are required to establish a proper framework within which the greater Khanya implementation will take place, and the following four such sub-projects have been identified:
  • Needs Analysis: This sub-project will do a thorough and systematic investigation into the status of all the schools and this will culminate in a document detailing the requirements of each school
  • Curriculum Management System (CMS): This sub-project will define the requirements for a web-based system, compare alternative solutions, select and implement the most feasible one and then facilitate the acquisition of curriculum content
  • Alternative Technology Solutions: At the start of the Khanya Project, the main way of implementing technology in schools will be through the provision of a computer laboratory with standard hardware and software; early indications are that this will be a very expensive way of implementation which may not be afforded for the total Khanya roll-out, hence the need to do an early search for alternative technologies
  • Project Assessment: This sub-project must be established early and will concentrate on initially setting project assessment criteria and then ensuring ongoing assessment of project results against these criteria
• Pilot sub-projects are those sub-projects that are launched to test certain assumptions and to provide necessary insights
• Implementation sub-projects are those sub-projects that will make up the bulk of Khanya implementation where technology is introduced into schools
• Research sub-projects are those sub-projects that will be launched from time to time to evaluate the applicability of new technologies and to review the use of current technologies, as well as those that will focus on evaluation and quality assurance of project deliverables throughout the entire duration of the project
Needs Analysis

It is important to acknowledge the fact that each school is a separate entity and even though there may be many similarities between schools, there will be enough differences to view each school as a unique organisation. Factors such as location, environment, poverty indicators of the community and the school, culture, management style, level of governing body involvement, physical infrastructure of the school, educator composition, etc, are factors that add to these differences. It is therefore essential that a thorough analysis of all the schools in the province be done at the outset of the project in order to determine what the status of each school is and what steps need to be taken to prepare it for participation in the Khanya Project.

• As indicated in Section 4.3.1 above, one of the start-up sub-projects must be a Needs Analysis
• Information available on the EMIS system, the Blue Audit, as well as other available sources, will be used as a basic departure for the study
• Sufficient additional information will be gathered to enable the Khanya team to determine the status of each school with regard to its readiness to receive technology
• The Needs Analysis sub-project will also focus on technology already deployed in schools with a view of building on that to enable curriculum delivery
• Poverty of the school and the community must be considered as part of the needs assessment, but other factors which could impact on successful implementation must likewise be considered
• The information gained through the analysis will be used by Khanya Project management to develop:
  • A detailed roll-out strategy
  • A detailed plan with regard to technology implementation for each school in the province
  • A priority list of schools entering the programme
• Since the information to be obtained from the needs analysis is a pre-requisite for so many other planning activities, the audit is a strategic top priority and should be completed as soon as possible but by no later than the end of March 2002
• The results of the initial needs analysis will be updated throughout the life of the Khanya Project

 

Curriculum

Since the delivery of curriculum is one of the main focus areas of Khanya, a major strategic thrust must be towards ensuring that curriculum content is available electronically to educators when technology is implemented in a school. The absence of such curriculum material would defeat the purpose of providing technology to schools.

• As indicated in Section 4.1.3 above, one of the start-up sub-projects must be the development of a Curriculum Management System, which will consist of the following phases:
  • Requirements analysis and definition
  • Selection of a technical implementation option
  • Implementation
  • Populate system with curriculum content
• The requirements of all stakeholders (eg Curriculum Development Directorate, curriculum planners, curriculum advisors, the Khanya Project at large, schools and educators) need to be determined and prioritised
• The selection of a technical option must be based on the requirements
• Implementation must take place as soon as possible, since successful utilisation of technology is dependent on the availability of curriculum material
• In consultation with the Curriculum Development Directorate, suitable contract staff will be recruited to speed up the process of provisioning of curriculum content
• To make the curriculum content available in a wide and cost-effective way, the Curriculum Management System needs to be web-based
• The Curriculum Management System will contain content but will also point to other existing content sources
• The Curriculum Development Directorate will provide guidance and quality assurance with regard to populating the Curriculum Management System with content (regardless of whether the content is developed or procured from other sources)
• The capacitation of WCED officials to enable them to design and deliver curriculum via the Web is part of the project
• Until such time as the Curriculum Management System is available and functioning, alternative curriculum material must be made available (eg packaged software)

 

Educator Education

Since the educator body is another major focus area of Khanya, as well as the fact that a large number of educators are involved, detailed plans need to be developed to accomplish the enormous task of training all educators in the use of technology. A number of obstacles have been identified:

• Geographical dispersion of teachers
• The huge number of educators (upwards of 25 000)
• The cost of the entire exercise
• Resistance to change on the part of some educators
• Unwillingness of some educators to sacrifice their time to undergo such education
• Current WCED policy which does not allow for educators to be taken out of class during school time to undergo training

These aspects have to be addressed individually. In order to accomplish the education of all educators in the province, the following strategies must be followed:

• An educator profile must be developed which can be used as a benchmark for educator in-service education
• Tertiary institutions must be persuaded to use this educator profile to adjust pre-service training, in order to prevent more educators who are not able to use technology for curriculum delivery purposes entering the system
• Advocacy Programmes must be launched to inform educators about the benefits of using technology as part of the curriculum delivery process, to motivate their willingness to integrate technology into their teaching
• Training Programmes, aimed at developing basic Information Technology skills of educators, which will enable them to use technology effectively, must be launched
• Training Programmes, aimed at functional training (ie showing educators how to use technology for curriculum delivery), must be launched
• Training Programmes, using technology and aimed at equipping educators with adequate subject content knowledge, must be launched
• For maximum effectiveness, basic Information Technology training and functional training should be integrated
• Information Technology training and Functional Training are best done on a just-in-time (JIT) basis, ie as close as possible to the time of implementation of technology at the school
• Owing to a lack of internal resources, training will be outsourced to qualified and approved institutions (with Khanya specifying the contents of such training)
• Initial training will be supplemented and reinforced by the use of Khanya facilitators who will assist educators to apply training received in a school setting
• Consideration will be given to the development of a "driver's licence for educators", providing proof of computer literacy and which could be made a requirement for promotion posts
• Close ties with the Human Resources Development Directorate will be forged to assist educator education
• The educator unions will be approached for their support in educating educators

 

Technology Deployment

Technology is a very expensive part of the project and must be carefully planned. It must never be implemented without a curriculum objective.

• As indicated in Section 4.1.3 above, one of the start-up sub-projects must be an Alternative Technology Solutions investigation
• Where appropriate and required, schools will continue to be provided with basic technology aids such as overhead projectors, TV sets, video and radio equipment and maturing technologies, such as video-conferencing, will be explored
• Initial technology implementations will be focused on computer technology, first equipping a school with a computer laboratory and, as a next step, moving computers into the classrooms
• The IT Schools Unit of the PAWC will be the chief agent to which the implementation of computer technology will be outsourced
• Based on the results of the needs analysis, schools will be clustered into groups (which will be the basis for sub-projects) where the implementation will be managed by a sub-project manager
• Even though a sub-project manager will manage implementation of technology at a number of schools, each school will have its own individualised implementation plan

 

Project Staffing

It should be noted that Khanya is a complicated and multi-disciplinary project and therefore must be staffed by the correct people. The following factors are crucial to the success of the project:

• Khanya can succeed only if it is staffed by suitably qualified, experienced and committed people
• Internal WCED expertise will be used wherever possible, but bearing in mind the current workloads of staff, it must be acknowledged that the Khanya project cannot draw too heavily on these internal resources
• Staff will be recruited on a contract basis to fill specific staffing requirements
• Within Khanya, a fairly flat organisational structure will be maintained
• A critical success factor for the project is the presence in each sub-project of a sub-project manager who can manage the processes and ensure that deliverables are produced according to specification, on time and within budget
• Full co-operation is required from the Directorate Human Resources to expedite the recruiting, appointing and contracting of staff
• Once deliverables have been produced, or functions have been established and are ready to be handed over, the WCED will ensure that their staff will be available to take ownership of these

 

Project Funding

Khanya is a resource intensive project, both with regard to human resources and technical resources. Both of these are expensive and therefore funding is a critical aspect of the project. The following explain the funding strategy of the project:

• Funds will be spent judiciously; ie they will be spent only where there is good reason to believe that there will be an acceptable return on investment
• The school and its community will be expected to fund their part of the project as far as possible, which means that very affluent schools will be self funding and Khanya funds will be used to supplement poor schools where there exist good reasons to expect successful utilisation of implemented technology
• The WCED must provide the core funding for the project, as outlined in the Budget and Resourcing Section of this document
• It must be acknowledged that WCED and PAWC financial resources will never be sufficient to complete the project and therefore it will be necessary to supplement these with other sources of funding
• The Western Cape Education Trust Fund will be used to receive donations from major donors
• Donors wishing to make donations to specific schools may do so but will be encouraged to do so in consultation with the Khanya Project so as to ensure that the investment is used optimally
• An important part of the implementation plan for each school must be a sustainability plan which clearly defines the way in which the quality of the investment will be maintained and updated, as well as how running costs will be covered

 

Partnerships

In view of the vast scope of the Khanya undertaking, as well as the large number of stakeholders (WCED, National Department of Education, PAWC, schools, educators, learners, tertiary education institutions, technology suppliers, curriculum content developers, the labour market, etc), Khanya cannot be successful unless solid partnerships are forged. The following strategies will be pursued:

• The major partnership will be between the Khanya Project and the school's management structure and community, where each party will undertake to contribute as much as possible to the project
• Internally, the various Directorates of the WCED must be committed to co-operation with Khanya and such co-operation will be enforced by WCED management
• Where feasible and where funds are available, functions will be outsourced through the tender process
• The concept of Public-Private Partnerships must be used to the full within the confines of the law
• Partnerships will be sought with NGOs and other donor organisations
• Khanya will seek to co-ordinate the efforts of other organisations which are contributing technology to schools and will set minimum technology standards
• One of the main focus areas of Khanya will be to align the efforts of all other parties to maximise on these investments

 

Project Assessment

Formal assessment of whether the Khanya Project is meeting its objectives is a crucial function within the project. The following strategy will be followed to ensure ongoing assessment:

• As indicated in Section 4.1.3 above, one of the start-up sub-projects must be the establishment of a Project Assessment function
• An independent agency outside of the WCED (eg one of the specialised units of one of the local Universities) will be appointed through a tender process to perform continuous assessment of the project (this independent agency will henceforth be referred to as "the assessment agency")
• The WCED, and in particular the Curriculum Development Directorate, will determine acceptable criteria to be used in the assessment process
• Valid, reliable and systemic evaluation criteria will be used, as well as other acceptable criteria such as pass rates, number of learners registered for higher grade subjects, etc
• The assessment agency will do necessary pre-testing and collate historic information about schools and build a trend profile of these schools
• Once the Khanya technology intervention has taken place the assessment agency will continue with regular assessment for the purpose of determining if the intervention has sufficiently altered the trend of the school
• The assessment agency will consider both quantitative and qualitative criteria in assessing the effect of the intervention of technology
• The assessment agency will take cognisance of different technology models tested during the early stages of the Khanya Project
• The assessment agency will report regularly (at least on an annual basis) and the report must include assessment results, as well as recommendations for adjustments in the project

 

IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK

For a project the size of Khanya it is necessary to think big, but to implement incrementally. The strategic guidelines in the preceding section must be applied throughout the project, but Khanya must be divided into manageable sub-projects, each one of which contributes towards the realisation of the project objectives.

This Implementation Framework should be seen as a first cut project plan, based on partial information, and updated as more information becomes available. For budgeting purposes, the plan is given in terms of the current year followed by three periods of three financial years within each period. The Current Year would therefore be the 2001/2002 financial year. Within Period One, Year One is the 2002/2003 financial year, Year Two is the 2003/2004 financial year and Year Three is the 2004/2005 financial year. The plan for the Current Year is a firm one, the plan for Year One, Year Two and Year Three will be adjusted according to the results of the Needs Analysis. Period Two and Period Three are briefly mentioned simply to give an overview of how the Khanya Project can meet its objectives over a ten year period.

During the first two years, necessary preparatory work must be done. This includes the start-up sub-projects, the pilot projects and some implementation projects. From the third year onwards, two types of sub-projects will run in tandem:

• Technology implementation sub-projects, each one targeting a number of schools
• Infrastructure preparation sub-projects, each one targeting a number of schools for the purpose of preparing them for technology implementation during the next year

The following high level project plan indicates how these sub-projects will be executed. This size of each of these projects will be assessed from year to year, depending on available WCED and donor funding.

 

Current Year (April 2001 ' March 2002)

The following items feature on the Implementation Plan for this year. Please note that this document is produced right at the end of the financial year, and the current year's plans have in fact been executed.

Project Management and Administration

The major activities for this year are to:

• Provide management for the Khanya Project
• Establish a Project Support Office
• Render support to the sub-projects
• Update the plans for the next year

Needs Analysis Sub-Project

The major activities for this year are to:

• Appoint a project manager
• Determine information requirements
• Gather information
• Analysis of results

Curriculum Management System Sub-Project

The major activities of this year are to:

• Appoint a project manager
• Conduct a requirements analysis
• Produce a Requirements Definition, integrating the requirements of the Curriculum Development Directorate, curriculum planners, EMDCs, subject advisors, schools, educators, learners and the Khanya Project
• Investigate technical solutions
• Explore using prototypes for technical implementation

Alternative Technology Solutions Sub-Project

The major activities for this year are to:

• Appoint a project manager
• Define the project brief
• Conduct research into alternative technology solutions

Project Assessment Sub-Project

The major activities for this year are to:

• Prepare a tender for an assessment agency
• Appoint assessment agency
• Develop assessment criteria and methodology
• Conduct pre-testing

Implementation Sub-Projects

Mathematics HG Sub-Project 1

This sub-project consists of 11 schools selected as a pilot project and the major activities for this year are to:

• Appoint project manager
• Select schools
• Implement computer lab of 25 computers in each school
• Train selected teachers
• Appoint facilitators
• Begin curriculum delivery (mathematics only)

Mathematics HG Sub-Project 2

This is an extension of the Mathematics HG Sub-Project 1 and consists of 28 schools (including the Merit Award schools). The major activities for this year are to:

• Appoint a project manager
• Select schools
• Implement computer lab of 25 computers in each school
• Train selected teachers
• Appoint facilitators
• Begin curriculum delivery (mathematics only)

Telkom and Thintana Extension Sub-Project

The Telkom Super Centre Project will provide 10 schools with networks of 21 computers each and the Thintana Project will provide 18 schools with networks of 15 computers each. Hardware and operating software will be installed and selected teachers in each school trained. There is, however, no focus on curriculum delivery. The purpose of this sub-project is to take these 28 schools forward towards a situation where curriculum delivery takes place. The activities for this year are to:

• Appoint a project manager
• Prepare a curriculum delivery plan for each school
• Appoint facilitators
• Begin curriculum delivery

Overberg Sub-Project

This project involves 55 schools in the Overberg area and the activities for this year are to:

• Appoint a project manager
• Develop a curriculum delivery plan for each school
• Equip four schools with computer labs, as well as computers in classrooms
• Begin venue preparation for other qualifying schools
Year One (April 2002 ' March 2003)

The following items feature on the Implementation Plan for this year:

Project Management and Administration (Continue for rest of the year)

The major activities for this year are to:

• Provide management to the Khanya Project
• Render support to the sub-projects
• Update the Needs Analysis
• Update the plans for the next year

Curriculum Management System Sub-Project (Continue for rest of the year)

The major activity of this year is to:

• Complete Requirements analysis
• Implement technology solution

Alternative Technology Solutions Sub-Project (Continue to the end of September 2002)

The major activities for this year are to:

• Complete research into alternative technology solutions
• Publish recommendations for the use of alternative technology solutions

Project Assessment Sub-Project

The major activities for this year are to:

• Continue project assessment
• Continue altering other sub-projects based on assessment results

Implementation Sub-Projects

Mathematics HG Sub-Project 1 (Continue for rest of the year)

This sub-project consists of 11 schools selected as a pilot and the major activities for this year are to:

• Continue curriculum delivery (mathematics only)
• Monitor the sub-project, assess outcomes and fine-tune the programme
• Explore expansion of curriculum delivery into other learning areas

Mathematics HG Sub-Project 2 (Continue for rest of the year)

This is an extension of the Mathematics HG 1 sub-project and consists of 25 schools (including the Merit Award schools). The major activities for this year are to:

• Continue curriculum delivery (mathematics only)
• Monitor the sub-project, assess outcomes and fine-tune programme
• Explore expansion of curriculum delivery into other learning areas

Telkom and Thintana Extension Sub-Project (Continue for rest of the year)

The activities for this year are to:

• Continue curriculum delivery (mathematics and science)
• Monitor the sub-project, asses outcomes and fine-tune the programme
• Explore expansion of curriculum delivery into other learning areas

Overberg Sub-Project (Continue for the rest of the year)

This project involves 51 schools in the Overberg area and the activities for this year are to:

• Continue implementation of schools where preparation has taken place (25 schools)
• Start venue preparation for remaining qualifying schools (26 schools)
• Monitor the sub-project, assess outcomes and fine-tune programme

Further Implementation Sub-Projects

A number of Implementation Sub-Projects will be defined and started during this financial year. It is estimated that 175 schools can be serviced during this year.

Infrastructure Preparation Sub-Projects

In order to implement technology in schools during the next year, necessary infrastructure preparation needs to take place ahead of time. It is estimated that 175 schools can be serviced during this year.

 

1. FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT

   The concept of using current technology as a curriculum delivery medium is feasible, as outlined below. It should be noted, however, that as and when new technologies become available, feasibility assessment should be conducted to ensure that their use would be appropriate and affordable.

   Financial Feasibility

   The total cost of implementing current technology in all the schools within the Western Cape (ie using computers in each classroom as an integrated part of the curriculum delivery process) is so vast that it may seem to be an impossible achievement. The following factors, however, should be taken into account:

   • The success of the project is not dependent on the complete roll-out of technology into all the schools (success will, instead, be assessed at each school)
   • Whereas no single organisation will be able to fund the entire project, various organisations have committed themselves to the project; financial contributions will have to be monitored annually
   • The financial implications may look daunting at present, but more affordable models will be considered during the life of the project

   Time Feasibility

   A staggered implementation plan will make the project feasible within the schedule we will be working to.

   Operational Feasibility

   The fact that in this province technology has already been successfully implemented in a number of schools and integrated with curriculum delivery, provides the assurance that the aims of the project are operationally feasible.

   Technical Feasibility

   The Project is technically feasible since currently available technology has been successfully implemented at school level. New technologies, as and whey they emerge, will have to be assessed for their feasibility.

    

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

   In view of the foregoing, the following recommendations are made:

   1. That the name "Khanya" be retained, but the subtitle, "Technology in Education", be used.
   2. That Provincial Cabinet approves that the project proceeds according to the terms outlined above.
   3. That the budget needs to be noted and incorporated into the 2002/2003 budget process and those of subsequent years.