Questions/Answers
Question 1
Please provide a brief summary of the initiative including the problems/challenges it addressed and the solutions that the initiative introduced (300 words maximum)
There had been social alienation that happened between learners, Public Service staff members, Chief Education Specialists staff members and the School Governing Bodies (SBGs), There was a need to embrace creativity in every situation, to identify and overcome our blind spots including the need to strengthen the importance of effective communication, to address the difference between Questioning and Asking a question, the Code of Silence and its dangers to communication and how to be a better team leader and better team builder.
a. What are the overall objectives of the initiative?
Please describe the overall objectives of the initiative (200 words maximum)
The project aims among other things to: infuse schools with the three sub-themes of Social Cohesion, which are, Social Trust, Social Capital, and Social Inclusion. Infuse schools with Local culture and heritage, Human rights, human responsibilities and values. It also aims to distinguish between a Made-Leader and a Born-Leader, how to be a better team builder, team leader and team member and its characteristics and the Importance of Teamwork.
b. How does the initiative fit within the selected category?
Please describe how the initiative is linked to the criteria of the category (200 words maximum)
The initiative strives to strengthen existing legislation, policy, regulation or measure to fight discrimination, exclusion and exploitation. The initiative also clearly supports inclusion, participation and engagement of all people, irrespective of sex, age, race or ethnicity, including through focusing on specific groups of the population and especially those in vulnerable situations, so that after the effective implementation of the initiative, all or some of these groups can participate more fully in society and in decision-making.
Question 2
The initiative should improve people’s lives, notably by enhancing the contribution of public services to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the SDGs
a. Please explain how the initiative improves the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
From the feedback that one gets from schools, the project is succeeding in addressing the following challenges: Communication breakdowns, especially between Public Service staff and Chief Education Specialist staff members (effective communication), following protocol (professionalism), speaking up (the code of silence and its dangers to communication), dealing with conflicts in schools, and the components that make a Winning Team (Team Leader, Team Builder and Team Member).
Question 3
The initiative must impact positively a group or groups of the population (i.e. children, women, elderly, people with disability, etc) and address a significant issue of public service delivery within the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain how the initiative has addressed a significant issue related to the delivery of public services (200 words maximum)
The principal of one of the schools (Bona Lesedi Secondary School, in Mamelodi) where residential sessions were held attributed their improved 2016 Matric Pass Rate to the Social Cohesion and Equity in Education project.
b. Please explain how the initiative has impacted positively a group or groups of the population within the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
There has been increased number of schools requesting for the Social Cohesion and Equity in Education residential sessions.
Question 4
The initiative must present an innovative idea, a distinctively new approach, or a unique policy or approach implemented in order to realize the SDGs in the context of a given country or region.
a. Please explain in which way the initiative is innovative in the context of your country or region (200 words maximum)
After the launch of the project by the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in 2013, there was intense reading to find ways on how to enhance the project. Some topics which were not part of the project were added. The following topics that were not part of the initial project: Strength Zone versus the Comfort Zone (thus embracing creativity in every situation); The importance of Effective Communication; The Difference between Questioning and Asking questions; The Code of Silence and its dangers to communication; How to be a better Team Leader; and how to be a better Team Builder. After winning at Provincial in 2014, the reception which schools gave to the newly added topics was exceptional. Schools are still making appointments for residential sessions at their respective schools, thus the project is touching many souls, and making immense improvements in service delivery (creating socially cohesive learning and working environments).
Question 4b
b. Please describe if the innovation is original or if it is an adaptation from other contexts (If it is known)? (200 words maximum)
The project is an adaptation. It has been adapted and tailor-made to solve challenges of conflicts in schools, communication breakdowns, lack of professionalism and ethics, and how staff members could contribute to Teamwork.
Question 4c
c. What resources (i.e. financial, human , material or other resources, etc) were used to implement the initiative? (200 words maximum)
Resources vary from project to project. However, the most critical resources during the sessions are human resources and including catering for the participants.
Question 5
The initiative should be adaptable to other contexts (e.g. other cities, countries or regions). There may already be evidence that it has inspired similar innovations in other public-sector institutions within a given country, region or at the global level.
a. Has the initiative been transferred to other contexts?
No
Other entities can replicate the Social Cohesion and Equity in Education Project, but not in the current form as ours is. This is due to the fact that the Project Team has made a number of additions to the initial project. The additions were informed by observations conducted during the initial presentations. Most of the issues that the project is trying to address are institutions’ specifics.
Question 6
The initiative should be able to be sustained over a significant period of time.
a. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable (covering the social, economic and environmental aspects) (300 words maximum)
Schools have requested that we have residential sessions once per term. The Project Manager has extended the project, by designing a sister-project titled: “Teams, Leadership and Management in a Socially Cohesive Environment.’” This project aims to address issues pertaining to leadership and management in schools so as to create socially cohesive work environments. This is due to the fact that high performing institutions make employee communications a priority. The sister project also aims to instil, among staff members, an understanding that an engaged workforce makes for a more successful institution because lack of social cohesion causes social alienation. The sister project aims to instil a practice of an open-door communication-carefully by reminding managers to keep in mind that the best way to bridge the communication gap is to set a good example.
b. Please describe whether and how the initiative is sustainable in terms of durability in time (300 words maximum)
South Africa has made significant inroads in dealing with the unequal social, political and economic legacies of our apartheid past. There are many achievements that the country can celebrate such as delivering basic services to a growing population, consolidating the democratic gains of the past two decades, developing and implementing social policies aimed at tackling poverty and inequality, and successfully hosting international sporting competitions.there are broader issues in our society
that impact directly on the delivery of quality basic education. Hence, in order to deal successfully with education problems, one has to tackle problems in our local communities. This is why the emphasis on building attitudes, relationships and practices among education stakeholders that emphasise their common destinies, vulnerabilities, responsibilities and strengths, is key in putting in place the building blocks for socially cohesive schools and schooling practices.
Question 7
The initiative should have gone through a formal evaluation, showing some evidence of impact on improving people’s lives.
a. Has the initiative been formally evaluated?
No
Question 8
The initiative must demonstrate that it has engaged various actors such as from other institutions, civil society, or the private sector, when possible.
a. The 2030 Development Agenda puts emphasis on collaboration, engagement, coordination, partnerships, and inclusion. Please describe what stakeholders were engaged in designing, implementing and evaluating the initiative. Please also highlight their roles and contributions (300 words maximum)
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) in the Republic of South Africa, management body of schools, including its educators, the school governing bodies including learners and their Learner Representative Councils have been engaged in implementing issues of social cohesion in schools.School Governing Bodies (SGB) do give progress on social cohesion in their key meetings.The school's meetings with District Officials and members of the Provincial Education Department is another opportunity where schools engage the department on progress made on creating better schools.Schools use special events such as concerts to stage plays on social cohesion activities at the school and may even use such opportunities to raise further funds etc. Learners use their Learner Representative Council (LRC) meetings to discuss with their fellow learners, relationship issues and how the Life Skills period and the Focus Group Discussion can help them to become part of a vibrant school.
Question 9
a. Please describe the key lessons learned, and any view you have on how to further improve the initiative (200 words maximum)
When sessions were started at schools it became apparent that there were very few satisfied and engaged employees, and this hampered their effectiveness and productivity. The Project team then realised that institutions that don’t support and nurture a diverse workplace may be able to recruit diverse talent but will face major challenges when trying to retain.Sessions were not as interactive as they were supposed to be, because Educators (especially Post Level 1's) were afraid that they may be victimised for speaking their minds about the state of their institutions, especially with regard to communication, professionalism, and ethics. This then necessitated the Project Manager to take them through the South African Council for Educators (SACE) Professional Code of Ethics, and their primary aim of being at schools, which is to make sure that the learners leave their institutions /schools being better citizens.The project represents a broad range of ideas and initiatives to create a learning environment that is safe, inclusive and equitable for as many identities as possible.The project has also highlighted the need for schools to team-up with all stakeholders, which of course, include the parent body, to realize its primary aim. Schools that had their residential sessions better understand that building and sustaining a diverse workforce is not one person's responsibility.