WHERE WE GOVERNEducation in the Western CapePerformance in international testsThe Western Cape was the only province to achieve more than 600 points for both reading (627.6) and mathematics (654.5), according to the wide-ranging SACMEQ 4 report. Our reading and math scores were in fact higher than the national averages of all African states included in the study. The results indicate that the Western Cape achieved 72.7% in advanced reading, compared to 36.1% nationally. This is well ahead of the 2nd ranked province – Gauteng - at 54%.Improving school accountability and the School Evaluation Authority (SEA) The Western Cape has uniquely established a Schools Evaluation Authority (SEA) to deepen accountability in public education. In time, the SEA will independently evaluate every school in the province, with a focus on teaching and learning in the classroom. The reports will be published online for parents to see how a school is performing. Through the Transforming School Accountability programme, we have also been using data to create useful management tools for Western Cape Education Department (WCED) staff. eLearningDuring this term, we have connected 1244 schools to high-speed broadband, refreshed 700 computer labs, delivered over 32 000 devices, created an online portal with 11 000 resources, trained teachers to a point where 70% are improving at eTeaching, and we plan to invest R1.2 billion into eLearning over the next 5 years. InfrastructureWe have built, on average, 14 schools and 265 new classrooms for every year in office since 2009. This amounts to 131 schools and close to 2400 classrooms over two terms. Between 2004 and 2009, just 42 schools were built – a 36% slower rate of infrastructure rollout. Matric resultsBetween 2009 and 2017: the matric pass rate increased from 75.7% to 82.8%; the bachelor’s pass rate went up from 31.9% to 39.1%; the proportion of bachelor’s passes in quintiles 1-3 more than doubled; the Maths pass rate increased from 64.9% to 78.1%; and the Science pass rate increased from 52.9% to 73% in 2017. Pro-poor education priorities40% of all Western Cape schools are no-fee schools, with the WCED assisting a further 218 Quintile 4 schools to become no fee, out of our provincial funds. The WCED budgeted R53 million in 2018/19 for fee exemption to assist poor learners to attend fee-paying schools, far exceeding any other province in this pro-poor policy. 73% in 2017. Collaboration schoolsWe have attracted R150 million in private funding for schools in disadvantaged communities by establishing 10 collaboration schools in the Western Cape as part of a pilot project. This involves a genuine partnership with the private sector, where private operating partners enter into contracts with the WCED and funders, to achieve certain education outcomes in a particular school. This is improving education outcomes, school governance and management; and allows for better training, development, and support. We are also seeing improved parental involvement. School safetyThe Western Cape has a dedicated Safe Schools Call Centre. A total of 136 school resource officers have also been deployed to 53 schools in high-crime areas. The role these officers play in our schools is crucial in enhancing safety.