Output 2. Sub-output 2: Extract Key Lessons From Ongoing Participation In International Assessments What will need to be done differently? South Africa has recently participated in two global assessment programmes, TIMSS and PIRLS, and one regional programme, SACMEQ. The next round of participation will occur in 2011, in the case of TIMSS and PIRLS, and 2012, in the case of SACMEQ. South Africa’s performance has been well below satisfactory in these programmes and the results have helped to place educational quality at the top of the basic education agenda. One thing that the international programmes have demonstrated is that even the best 10% of learners in South Africa perform below the level one would expect, given the country’s status as a middle income industrial economy. To achieve a level of performance that is in keeping with government’s development priorities means emphasising improvements in virtually every South African school, whether urban or rural, and whether in a socio-economically disadvantaged or advantaged area. Targeting support and resources at schools in the poorest communities remains a priority, but this should not divert attention from the fact that all schools face an educational quality challenge. In the past, the focus with respect to the international programmes has remained largely on national performance in terms of the final average score for South Africa. There is a need to use the results from these programmes in more creative ways. Schools themselves should become more familiar with the programmes, especially given the awareness of international competitiveness created by the 2010 World Cup. Copies of the actual tests used can be circulated to schools. The data emerging from the programmes should inform policy, in particular in-service training policies, more directly. Evaluation of the legislative, regulatory and institutional environment Like ANA, South Africa’s participation in international assessment programmes furthers the national monitoring goals expressed in the National Education Policy Act. Within South Africa, the international assessment programmes have to a large degree been carried out through collaboration between the national department, international bodies, and local research bodies (in particular the HSRC) and universities. This approach of combining expertise from a range of organisations is one that should continue. One challenge lies in involving the faculties of education from universities to a greater degr...
Output 2. Sub-output 1: Establish a world class system of standardised national assessments What will need to be done differently? 2008 saw the introduction of universal standardised assessments at levels below Grade 12. The new programme, known as the Annual National Assessments (ANA) programme, represents a major step forward for educational quality in South Africa’s schools. Essentially, it involves having all learners in key grades and learning areas sit for standardised tests which are marked within schools, but with external moderation. In addition, the national department runs the same tests in provincially representative samples of schools as part of the quality control of the testing. Experience in other countries has shown that it takes around five years for a programme of this nature to build up sufficient credibility and to reach the required level of impact on school practices. The challenge is thus to ensure that improvements to ANA occur in each year. On a technical level, it is crucial that ANA scores be comparable across provinces and schools and over time. Capacity within South Africa has been built up in the technical aspects of ANA through experiences flowing from the sample-based Systemic Evaluation programme and the international SACMEQ programme. ANA should undergo periodic evaluations by experts from outside the country as part of the programme’s ongoing improvement. Umalusi, the statutory body dealing with quality assurance in the schooling system, has a crucial role to play in ensuring that ANA becomes a world class assessment programme. In terms of impact, ANA is expected to have four key effects on schools. It is intended to expose teachers to better assessment practices in schools, it will make it easier for district offices to target those schools most urgently in need of assistance, it will encourage schools to celebrate outstanding performance and it will empower parents by providing them with important information about the education of their children. Because the nationally run verification sample in ANA will collect contextual information from schools, teachers and learners, ANA data will be used to diagnose factors associated with better performance. Moreover, results from the tests will be used to inform the design of teacher in-service and teacher pre- service training programmes. Evaluation of the legislative, regulatory and institutional environment ANA strengthens the national Minister’s monitoring and quality assurance role ...
Output 2. Improved access to affordable and diverse food Reducing the number of undernourished children is part of the Millennium Development Goals. While the risks of increased food insecurity may be more pronounced in urban and peri-urban areas, where people rely exclusively on purchasing their food, they are of particular significance in rural areas where a large proportion of the population reside and where a large percentage of poor rural households are net-buyers of food. Many smallholder farmers, who constitute the large majority of agricultural producers, are unable to respond to food price hikes with increased production due to a lack of access to markets, extension, inputs, and finance. As a result, they find themselves struggling in their effort to feed their families particularly in the face of disaster and risks. Also as most food is processed in cities, rural dwellers find the cost of food too high to feed their families. Thus food affordability becomes a major stumbling block for the rural dwellers. There is an integrated strategy on food security and sector policies to support food security but it needs to be reviewed to take current challenges and new programmes into consideration and ensure that implementation programmes integrated. Sustained high prices and lack of measures to assist vulnerable people will have irreversible impact on human development, with malnutrition having lasting impacts on children and their educational performance, and so their employability, contributing to the cycle of poverty. Many rural people still do not have access to social protection implying that the most effective mechanisms for reaching vulnerable people are not in place. This leaves millions with limited, often harmful, coping mechanisms including reducing meals, eating less nutritious food, taking children out of school, selling livestock and other assets, or borrowing money to feed their families. Reduced nutritional intake worsens the health status of the population and reduces resilience to disease and shocks. Rising food prices could bring the threat of unrest and political instability particularly in situations where political and social institutions are fragile and less able to provide the rapid response which can calm social unrest.
Examples of Output 2 in a sentence
The TA will be carried out to address the concerns of, and the impact on, formulating policies, actions, projects, and programs.
Output 2: focusses on enhancing environment for increased agricultural productivity diversification and climate resilience (such as value chain support and market linkages; information and communication technology and commune mobile access program).
Output 2 – Sustainable partnerships between provincial governments and non-state actors: Partnership Committees have been established to improve coordination and efficiency among providers, (churches and NGOs) and to increase consistency and accountability.
Output 2 includes: (i) climate vulnerable households covered in the graduation program in six project towns; (ii) women, including person with disabilities, reported increased skills for resilient livelihood; and (iii) inventory of productive assets of vulnerable households documented and insured.
The Project will have the following key outputs: Output 1: Climate resilient drinking water infrastructure constructed; and Output 2: Institutions and capacity of stakeholders for drinking water service delivery strengthened.
More Definitions of Output 2
Output 2 sub−output 3: Increased HousehoId Access to Water from 92% to 100% 44
Output 2 sub−output 6: Increased HousehoId Access to EIectricity from 81% to 92% 48 4.3 Output 3: IMPLEMENT THE COMMUNITY WORK PROGRAMME 50
Output 2 means the output of the Investment Program relating to enhancement of ICT-based educational offerings of the Borrower for regional outreach as described described in paragraph 14 of Schedule 1 to this FFA;
Output 2 means the output of the Project described in the second subparagraph of paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to this Loan Agreement;
Output 2. Convention on Innovation in Agricultural Education: Enhancing Higher Education in Agriculture AREA continued preparing for its conference on Innovation in Agricultural Education, which is thought to be the first such conference devoted to agricultural higher education in Haiti. The conference, to be held May 3-4, is expected bring together about 100 U.S. and Haitian agricultural professors and researchers. AREA finalized an agreement with Karibe Convention Center Hotel to serve as the venue for the conference. Haiti and U.S. scholars submitted 21 submitted abstracts, which they will be present at the event. AREA requested its seven higher education partners to each select up to 10 professors to attend, particularly those who participated in the Faculty Development Academy. Other officials, including deans from the partner schools, have also been invited to participate and give presentations about their institutions and to welcome participants. Drs. Xxxx Xxxxxxxx from Quisqueya University and Audalbert Bien-Aimé from the Limonade Campus of the State University of Haiti will be among the keynote speakers. They will talk about innovations in agriculture and the importance of good teaching methods, including improved curricula. ——
Output 2. Improved tax administration and financial management systems in target implementation agencies. 1 These include six ULBs (including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Berhampur, Rourkela and Jharsuguda), three Development Authorities (including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, and Kalinga Nagar), and four para-statal agencies (including Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Public Health and Engineering Organisation, Odisha Housing Board, and State Urban Development Authority), and the Directorate of Municipal Administration, HUDD [all these institutions collectively referred to as implementing agencies hereon].
Output 2 means the output of the Project relating to water supply services in Nuku’alofa as described in the second subparagraph of paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to this Grant Agreement;