NLF partners directly with government, as government holds the solution to educational transformation. Their work begins at district level. There are currently about 27,000 schools in SA, which are supported by 85 districts. The role of the district is to support schools, enabling better quality teaching, and to assist with learning. While private and NGO sectors struggle to uplift individual schools, NLF is building skills within the government system, which provides a long-term, sustainable solution, from district level and beyond.
By providing training in basic management and problem-solving skills to district managers and curriculum facilitators (subject specialists who support teachers from grades R to twelve), NLF has made a tangible impact on the areas they are involved in. Schools have become more open to district support, principals are able to focus more on their role as systems improve, and relationships between curriculum facilitators and teachers are beginning to thrive. These improvements impact on the learners, and for NLF every child matters and making students successful is the bottom line.
An additional key success factor has also been NLF's partnership with the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation (MSDF) and McKinsey & Company. Together they have developed a learner and school data management system that is held and supported by districts. This innovative and technology-driven system could change the landscape of SA education, and could provide a holistic solution to the education crisis. The programme is being tested in the districts mentioned above, and will be rolled out nationally into all 85 districts over the next three years, in partnership with the Department of Basic Education.
