Creative learning spaces in South Africa: Critical success factors, strategies for systemic uptake Katie Huston, DG Murray Trust Ntoko Kunene, Lima Rural Development Foundation Creative learning spaces • Play-based • Exploratory • Learner-driven • Fun! • It’s okay to make mistakes Context: Teachers Context: resources …the result: critically low achievement levels Matric results 2014 (n = 1 085 570 learners in Grade 2 in 2004) 3% 48% 0% 20% 12% 40% 23% 60% 14% 80% 100% Dropped out before grade 9 Dropped out or fell behind between grades 9 and 12 Failed Passed Bachelors pass 120% The critical questions: Can we have creative learning… of quality… in an education ecosystem with serious challenges? New actors Mobilise assets Unlock potential Crowd in the community Nal’ibali reading clubs Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal COUNT: Family Maths Pungashe, KwaZulu-Natal Family Literacy Project: Khulisa Abantwana home visiting programme Underberg, KwaZulu-Natal Axium Community Readers Zithulele, Eastern Cape Keiskamma Trust: Intlantsi Creative Development Programme Hamburg, Eastern Cape The critical questions: Can we have creative learning… of quality, at scale, in an education ecosystem with serious challenges, embedded in government systems? Community Work Programme (CWP) • 8 days/month • Minimum wage (~R72/day) • Employment “safety net” – intended to complement existing livelihood strategies • 1000 participants per site, >180 000 in SA • “Useful work” decided at a local level • Work within 2-3km of home • Theory: participants should acquire skills via training, and (some) should move out of programme into employment opportunities • Theory: requires partnerships So, returning to our principles… • Learner-driven, play-based, enjoyment-focused pedagogies • New actors • Mindset shifts And our critical question: Can we have creative learning, of quality, at scale, in a rigid system with serious challenges, driven and funded by the state?
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