This project supported the Gauteng Primary Literacy and Mathematics Strategy (GPLMS) which was launched in 2011. The GDE needs to train 6 500 Foundation phase and 4 000 Intermediate phase teachers in numeracy and mathematics as part of the GPMLS.
The Gauteng Education Development Trust (GEDT) has been in education long enough to intimately know each function of the education sector value chain.
This means that GEDT can take on numerous roles and focuses dependent on the needs of a project/ intervention, and the needs of the education sector in Gauteng.
At the moment, the bulk of GEDT’s focus is Early Childhood Development – from Grade R resources, to Practitioner Development and ECD Support Materials.
Over the last two decades, the GEDT’s role to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has evolved to meet the changing needs of the department and the people it serves. The Trust wears many hats in the ways it can partner with various organisations and individuals who have a vested interest in education in Gauteng’s public ordinary schools:
- The GEDT is a Project ManagerConceptualizing, executing and timeously completing projects, within budget, that have helped transform the face of education in Gauteng, and inspired change countrywide
- The GEDT is a Fund ManagerEffectively and ethically managing funds that philanthropists and the private sector make available to improve the delivery of quality education to learners in Gauteng. For over two decades, GEDT has maintained unparalleled accountability, delivering clean audits every financial year, and positive results at the end of every project and intervention
- The GEDT is an ImplementerManaging the entire execution of Gauteng education-focused projects and interventions developed by both the public and private sector
- The GEDT is an AdvisorWith seasoned professionals who have extensive experience in education and civil society, the GEDT can effectively play the role of advisor to either the GDE or any potential collaborator or partner, leading with insights and key learnings from previous work that impacts both the public sector and privately
- The GEDT is an EvaluatorMonitoring and evaluating the implementation and efficacy of a project or intervention, from the beginning of an activity to its conclusion. This includes designing and running with dynamic monitoring and evaluation systems that evolve both with education practitioners and the beneficiaries of interventions being implemented
- The GEDT is a ResearcherThe team behind the GEDT consists of seasoned academics and educators, many of whom have worked in education, civil society and other public sector organisations for decades. These consummate professionals are well qualified to run all manner of qualitative and quantitative studies, analyses and insight mining exercises to gain understanding of pertinent issues to stakeholders
Funding/donations to the Trust qualify in terms of Section 18A of the South African Income Tax Act for deductions from taxable income.
“GEDT is in a unique position to add value to the Gauteng Education Department by playing the role of fund management, project management and innovation partner in the delivery of high-quality education to Gauteng citizens.” - Gail Campbell, GEDT Trustee and CEO of Zenex Foundation
Flagship projects
Some of our flagship projects include:
This project aimed at supporting schools demonstrating a high level of pass rates in Maths and Science: it included an exploration of what makes for success, and what assistance should be given to ensure that successful pass rates in these subjects continue.
The iPower2 Teacher Laptop Project was designed as a self-paced learning programme for teacher development to improve content knowledge in Maths, Science and English.
These two projects refer to two different ICT solutions piloted in selected schools, initially in two and subsequently in one Gauteng Education district.
The project supported in-service professional development for Mathematics teachers in selected secondary schools through a process of collaboration and structured learning in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). The assumption is that improvement in teaching practice will in turn improve learner outcomes.
In 2011 the Spirit of Youth programme recruited a diverse range of learners (Grade 11) who had ‘demonstrated their readiness to assume both responsibility and leadership’. The learner profile consisted of ‘a body of bright and ambitious South African youth that is diverse in terms of socio-economic, religious, racial, gender and geographical experiences’.
