Handbook

FOR THE PROVISION OF AN INTEGRATED PACKAGE

OF CARE AND SUPPORT FOR LEARNERS IN SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS

Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme

CSTL SA

Acknowledgements
ISBN: 978-0-9922031-8-4

© Department of Basic Education

Department of Basic Education Handbook for the provision of an Integrated Package of Care and
Support for Learners in South African Schools. Pretoria. 2014.

This handbook is intended to guide and strengthen the implementation of the Care and Support for Teaching
and Learning (CSTL) Programme in schools. Therefore, reproduction or transmission of any part of this
publication may be done for the purposes of implementing the programme only. No part of this handbook may
be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means for commercial or publication purposes without the
prior written permission of the copyright holder, the Department of Basic Education.

This handbook was developed by the Department of Basic Education to guide schools in implementing the
Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme in the ten defined Priority Action Areas. A consultative
process was undertaken with the relevant Directorates within the Department of Basic Education (DBE)
to define a minimum package of services for the initial nine Priority Action Areas of the CSTL Programme.
In addition, a literature review was conducted using various documents within and outside the DBE. This process
included updating the CSTL Conceptual Framework through the addition of an Addendum, to align it more closely
with the equity imperative placed on the DBE by the National Development Plan and other recent instruments,
and to align it with the principles of the similar Safe and Caring Child-Friendly Schools (SCCFS) in South Africa
programme implemented with the support of UNICEF by a number of provincial education departments (PEDs).

The DBE acknowledges Ms Nancy Coulson, the consultant from MIET Africa who undertook the writing of the
handbook from its inception and Ms Patricia Martin who revised the handbook to include the equity imperative
through the financial support of UNICEF. The Department would also like to thank MIET Africa for ongoing support
in the development of the handbook through providing technical support, critical reading, editing, design, layout and
printing. The DBE would like to extend its gratitude to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) for
providing financial support for the development of the handbook. Lastly, the DBE would like to thank every individual
and organisation that participated in this consultation process, as well as those that submitted written inputs.

Comments and suggestions are welcomed and should be sent to the Director-General: Basic Education for the
attention of the Health Promotion Directorate, Private Bag X895, Pretoria, 0001.

Address:
Department of Basic Education
222 Struben Street, Pretoria
0001

Web:
www.education.gov.za

Produced and published by MIET Africa

Tel: (031) 313 3100
www.miet.co.za

Design and layout:

Fybr
 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

Foreword

FOREWORD FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL: BASIC EDUCATION

All children need care and support to thrive and learn. However, vulnerable learners
require additional support. Care and support are not new concepts within the
education sector as they have long been recognised as essential elements of an
education system that seeks to ensure inclusion of all children of school-going age,
to enable them to reach their full potential and to support educators in the important
role they play in the lives of children.

In an effort to mitigate the impact of the various barriers to learning faced by learners
in our schools, the Department adopted the Care and Support for Teaching and
Learning (CSTL) Programme in 2008. The CSTL Programme is intended to facilitate
context-specific responses to the many barriers that impact on the ability of children
to access school, to complete schooling and achieve their full academic potential.
The Conceptual Framework for the CSTL Programme articulates the Department’s
intention to scale up and mainstream care and support within the schooling system,
based on a strong policy mandate, and available evidence and experience.

This School Level Handbook is intended for educators, school-based support teams
and school management teams to assist them to strengthen services in schools. It is
also intended to assist them to measure, monitor and report on their provision of the
services for learners in each of the ten priority areas of CSTL.

I strongly encourage provinces, districts, school-based officials, as well as non-

governmental organisations and sister departments currently providing care and
support programmes through schools, to utilise the handbook in the day-to-day work
of supporting vulnerable learners to realise their right to basic education. Working
together we can ensure the progressive improvement of care and support services
to schools, in support of quality basic education.

MR HM MWELI
DIRECTOR-GENERAL
 CSTL SA

CONTENTS
LIST OF ACRONYMS .......................................................................................................................................................................... 2

PURPOSE OF THE HANDBOOK ........................................................................................................................................................ 3

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
WHAT IS THE CARE AND SUPPORT FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING PROGRAMME? ................................................................. 4
THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE CARE AND SUPPORT FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING PROGRAMME ................. 5
OTHER MATERIALS .............................................................................................................................................................................. 7
The National Support Pack ................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Poster .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9
MER Framework ................................................................................................................................................................................... 9

PART 1: AN INTEGRATED NATIONAL PACKAGE OF CARE AND SUPPORT FOR VULNERABLE LEARNERS .................... 10
WHO ARE OUR VULNERABLE LEARNERS?......................................................................................................................................... 10
WHAT ARE THE TEN PRIORITY ACTION AREAS?............................................................................................................................... 12
THE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TEN PRIORITY ACTION AREAS ................................................................. 13
A Rights-based, Socially Inclusive and Cohesive School ................................................................................................................... 14
Nutritional Support .............................................................................................................................................................................. 22
Health Promotion ................................................................................................................................................................................ 26
Safety and Protection .......................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Psychosocial Support ............................................................................................................................................................................ 38
Curriculum Support .............................................................................................................................................................................. 42
Co-curricular Support ........................................................................................................................................................................... 50
Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation ................................................................................................................................................. 54
Social Welfare Services ........................................................................................................................................................................ 58
Material Support .................................................................................................................................................................................. 62

PART 2: AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR CARE AND SUPPORT ........................................................................................ 66

ELEMENTS OF THE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................................................. 67
THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SUPPORT STRUCTURES IN CREATING AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT .......................... 67
Advocacy and communication ........................................................................................................................................................... 68
Monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements ...................................................................................................................... 68
Building participation in care and support activities in school communities ................................................................................ 69
Building effective partnerships for care and support activities in schools ..................................................................................... 70
Identifying vulnerable or at-risk learners and tracking support ..................................................................................................... 72
Ensuring that school structures are set up to coordinate care and support activities ................................................................. 73
Ensuring district capacity for care and support activities ................................................................................................................ 75
Establishing the Provincial CSTL Task Team ....................................................................................................................................... 77

ANNEXURES
ANNEXURE A: School Monitoring and Support Tool for the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme ...... 80
ANNEXURE B: School Reporting Template for the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme ....................... 86
ANNEXURE C: Draft Terms of Reference for the Provincial Task Team: CSTL Programme ......................................................... 95
ANNEXURE D: Directory of service providers .................................................................................................................................... 99

ENDNOTES ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 102

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

TABLES
Table 1: Summary of the stakeholders a school must liaise with to deliver on the ten Priority Action Areas............................... 71
Table 2: Roles and responsibilities of the school-based structures in the provision of care and support for vulnerable learners .... 74
Table 3: Examples of Provincial Task Team members/composition ..................................................................................................... 78

FIGURES
Figure 1: The Conceptual Framework of the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme ..................................... 7
Figure 2: The National Support Pack...................................................................................................................................................... 8
Figure 3: CSTL Poster ................................................................................................................................................................................ 9
Figure 4: Intersecting vulnerabilities resulting in exclusion ................................................................................................................ 11
Figure 5: The ten Priority Action Areas of the CSTL SA Programme .................................................................................................. 12
Figure 6: CSTL Programme structures .................................................................................................................................................... 66

LIST OF ACRONYMS
ACERWC .......... African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
ACRWC ............ African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
AIDS ................. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
ASIDI ................. Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative
CBO ................. Community-Based Organisations
CSTL ................. Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme
CHET ................. Centre for Higher Education and Training
CSTL ................. Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme
CoS ................. Circles of Support
DBE ................. Department of Basic Education
DBST ................. District-Based Support Team
DOH ................. Department of Health
DSD ................. Department of Social Development
EAP ................. Employee Assistance Programme
EFA ................. Education for All
FBO ................. Faith-Based Organisation
FET ................. Further Education and Training
GET ................. General Education and Training
HAC ................. Health Advisory Committee
HCT ................. HIV Counselling and Testing
HIV ................. Human Immunodeficiency Virus
ID ................. Identity Document
IQMS ................. Integrated Quality Management System
KZN ................. KwaZulu-Natal
LTSM ................. Learning and Teaching Support Material
NEIMS............... National Education Infrastructure Management System
NGO ................. Non-Governmental Organisation
NSNP ................. National School Nutrition Programme
NSP ................. National Support Pack
PED ................. Provincial Education Department
PGP ................. Personal Growth Plan
QLTC ................. Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign
RCL ................. Representative Council of Learners
SACE ................. South African Council of Educators
SADC ................. Southern African Development Community
SAPS ................. South African Police Service
SASSA............... South African Social Security Agency
SBST ................. School-Based Support Team
SCCFS ............... Safe and Caring Child-Friendly Schools
SCCS ................. School as Centres of Care and Support
SGB ................. School Governing Body
SIAS ................. Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support
SMT ................. School Management Team
SRH ................. Sexual and Reproductive Health
STI(s) ................. Sexually Transmitted Infection(s)
UNCRC............... United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

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 CSTL SA

PURPOSE OF THE HANDBOOK

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has developed the National Support Pack to guide and support the
mainstreaming and implementation of the CSTL Programme. The National Support Pack consists of 12 Action
Steps that offer a step-by-step guide to developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programmes
within the CSTL framework. While the National Support Pack is a comprehensive tool that can be utilised across
all levels within the Department from national to school level, some Action Steps are abstract or challenging to
implement at the school level. Therefore a need was identified to develop a document that will further translate
the conceptual framework into activities that must be implemented at the school level and define the minimum
package of services for the ten defined Priority Action Areas.

This handbook is a simpler adaptation of the National Support Pack. It has been written to support the
implementation of the DBE approach to care and support (also known as the Conceptual Framework for Care
and Support for Teaching and Learning). This handbook is intended to fulfil the following purposes:

i. Define the minimum package of services that should be provided in and through schools in each of the
ten Priority Action Areas
ii. Identify the roles of different role-players in each of the Priority Action Areas
iii. Provide a checklist that can be used by the School-Based Support Team (SBST) to:
• Assess where they are with regard to implementation of the ten Priority Action Areas, thus establishing a
baseline on the status of implementation of care and support, and gaps that the school needs to fill
• Guide action required to improve provision of care and support within the school
• Periodically assess progress in this regard
• Collect data for programme monitoring and reporting

iv. Outline the enabling environment and working procedures needed for implementing the CSTL Programme

While intended to provide guidance on implementation at the school level, the handbook targets everyone in
the DBE from school to provincial level. It is an action handbook that aims to support all structures to deliver
an integrated package of care and support for vulnerable learners. It discusses the content and purpose
of the National Support Pack. It should be emphasised that this handbook does not replace the National
Support Pack. Therefore it must be read in conjunction with the CSTL Conceptual Framework, the National
Support Pack and the CSTL Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) Framework. In addition, while the
handbook sets out the minimum package of services for the ten defined Priority Action Areas, schools with
the capacity to go beyond the set minimum package are encouraged to provide more than the minimum.

This handbook consists of the following sections:

• Introduction: The Conceptual Framework for Care and Support for Teaching and Learning,1 and other
available materials
• Part 1: The Integrated Package of Care and Support, and the national minimum requirements for their
implementation in the ten Priority Action Areas
• Part 2: The enabling environment necessary in schools, districts and provinces for care and support action
• A school-level monitoring tool that should be used to assess the current situation (baseline) of the
implementation of the CSTL Programme and track progress over time (Annexure A)
• A school reporting template to gather information at the school level on the nature and the extent of
implementation, and to generate data that will be used for reporting purposes (Annexure B)
• Draft terms of reference for the Provincial Task Team (Annexure C)
• Directory of service providers for the user to fill in useful contact numbers (Annexure D)

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

INTRODUCTION

What is the Care and Support for

Teaching and Learning Programme?
The Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) Programme was adopted in 2008 by Ministers of
Education in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) with the goal of transforming schools
into inclusive centres of learning care and support in order to ensure that all children, especially the most
vulnerable, access quality education and perform optimally. The first phase of implementation began in
December 2008 in South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo and Swaziland. Since
the inception of the CSTL Programme, the DBE has taken ownership of the programme and is continuously
striving to upscale its implementation at all levels.

Care and support for teaching and learning activities are those that:
• Create a socially inclusive and cohesive school environment that is welcoming of all children, and provides
them with quality teaching regardless of their differences in race, nationality, sex, gender, family income,
nationality, physical or health status, sexual orientation, intellectual capacity, or language
• Respect, protect, promote and help monitor the rights of children, not just to education, but to equality,
freedom from discrimination and all other rights necessary to their full access to, and enjoyment of, their
constitutionally guaranteed right to education
• Address social exclusion and the barriers that prevent children from learning and participating at school.
Examples of barriers that affect many South African children and make them vulnerable are: poverty,
prejudicial attitudes and practices by school community members, living in a home affected by HIV and AIDS,
disability or illness, violence and abuse at home or at school, poor access to services, and poor infrastructure
at school such as inadequate water supply and sanitation services and insufficient classrooms

The DBE is implementing the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) Programme to facilitate
context-specific action and responses to:
• Create an inclusive, socially cohesive and rights-based teaching and learning environment in schools
• Address the various barriers to learning faced by South African learners, including those who are historically
most vulnerable and marginalised

Care and support actions to address these barriers include, but are not limited to: improved nutrition,
prevention, early identification and implementation of interventions to address health barriers to learning
through information and screening, peer education, support with homework, the opportunity to play sport,
access to counselling and referral to other services.

The success of CSTL is determined by the extent to which we are able to ensure that all children, including
those groups of children who are most at risk of exclusion, enjoy equal opportunities to education, and are:
• Enrolled at school at an appropriate age
• Able to attend school regularly and complete their schooling
• Provided with the opportunity and support to enable them to reach their full potential

As a signatory to the regional and international commitments on the mandate of the schooling system
in the provision of care and support, the DBE has shown its commitment by taking the process forward.
Amongst other things, the Department has customised regional implementation guidelines and tools
(National Support Pack) on how to mainstream care and support within the schooling system for the South

4
 CSTL SA

African context. The National Support Pack consists of 12 Action Steps that offer a step-by-step guide to
developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programmes within the CSTL framework. Included
in the CSTL Programme is the Conceptual Framework, also known as the National Model.

The Conceptual Framework outlines the Department’s approach towards the provision of care and support
activities for learners. In addition, it provides a comprehensive description of the ten Priority Action Areas
identified for programme implementation. In South Africa, the DBE is committed to systematising an
integrated package of care and support by implementing care and support programmes in the ten defined
Priority Action Areas.

The Conceptual Framework for the Care and

Support for Teaching and Learning Programme
The Conceptual Framework for the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme is an
integrated framework for care and support activities in South African schools. The initial framework, which
was prepared in 2010 by the DBE, has been augmented through an addendum developed in 2015. The
addendum adds and defines a tenth priority area – a rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school –
the framing and content of which has been informed by the Safe and Caring Child-Friendly Schools (SCCFS)
framework developed and implemented by the DBE and a number of PEDs with the support of UNICEF.

The addition of the tenth priority area is necessitated by:

• The legal and development imperative on the DBE to advance equitable access to quality education for all,
especially the most marginalised children, through a rights-based and inclusive education system
• The recognition of CSTL as a unifying framework within which to implement all relevant education sector
interventions to improve equitable access to quality education for vulnerable children

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the National Development Plan 2030 and the education
sector’s Action Plan to 2014 – Towards the realisation of schooling 2025 require a sector plan that
actively promotes the rights of all children, especially groups made acutely vulnerable to educational
exclusion because of barriers and challenges associated with their gender, poverty levels, disability,
geographic location, nationality, or other common social or economic features. This, in turn, requires an
education sector plan that secures concrete action at school level that respects, protects and promotes
the rights of children to equality and participation, freedom from discrimination, and enjoyment of
the rights and associated services necessary to overcome the risks, challenges and barriers to accessing
quality education.

The education sector has developed and implemented a variety of programmes aimed at securing the
necessary levels of multi-sectoral support required to realise the overarching imperatives. This includes
the CSTL Conceptual Framework, which has a pragmatic focus on the implementation of concrete
measures at schools to overcome the various social and economic challenges and barriers that prevent
vulnerable children from accessing quality education. A very similar programme – the Safe and Caring
Child-Friendly Schools (SCCFS) framework – has also been implemented by a number of PEDs, with the
support of the DBE and UNICEF, and piloted in schools in the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, Limpopo,
Western Cape and Mpumalanga provinces. Its origins are expressly rights-based. It was developed by the
DBE and UNICEF to ensure the realisation and promotion of children’s rights as protected by the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), with a specific focus on the education rights of
socially and economically marginalised children.

The two frameworks share similar goals: to improve access to quality education for all children, with a focus
on the most vulnerable, through the implementation of multi-sectoral measures within schools to address

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

the socio-economic and pedagogical risks that negatively impact on their educational opportunities. Given
the commonality in their respective goals, they share further similarities. They both:
• Place the child at the centre
• Adopt an integrated approach to the facilitation by the school of the delivery of a basket of services by
multiple role-players, including education, health, social development and others, through partnerships
developed and overseen by the education sector
• Seek to secure access to a similar suite of services and support to equalise educational opportunities
for vulnerable children, including health and nutrition services; basic services and infrastructure; social
welfare services; safety and protection services; material support; support for the delivery of quality
teaching and learning through effective and inclusive pedagogical practices; and the equitable provision
of co-curricular activities
The implementation of both frameworks has been supported through the development of institutional
structures within the PEDs, as well as at district and school level.

Whilst the two frameworks share fundamental similarities, the SCCFS framework differs from the CSTL
framework in key respects. Notably:
i. It places greater practical emphasis on rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive policies, practices
and attitudes within the school community. It identifies a rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive
school as both a founding principle and a measurable outcome that must be achieved to secure
equitable access to quality education for all children. It has translated this underlying principle into a
number of practical interventions aimed specifically at promoting children’s rights and the inclusion
of especially marginalised groups through the fulfilment of responsibilities by school community
members to adopt participatory, educational and anti-discriminatory policies, practices and attitudes
ii. It recognises, as does the national Education Action Plan to 2014, that improving the quality of teaching
and learning of the curriculum, especially in under-performing schools, requires the strengthening of
school management and accountability in respect of the curriculum and use of teaching and learning
resources, as well as ongoing quality monitoring and professional development of educators, to
better enable them to implement the curriculum for all children. As such, it emphasises measures to
strengthen the effectiveness and capacity of school management and accountability structures, and
the monitoring and ongoing improvement of educator subject knowledge, teaching practices and
coverage of the curriculum

The CSTL and SCCFS frameworks have been developed and implemented simultaneously, but largely
in parallel, by PEDs in a number of provinces across the country. This has resulted in fragmentation,
inconsistencies and confusion, with schools focusing on different issues, programmes and interventions,
depending on the governing framework.

The national DBE adopted the CSTL framework with the objective of reducing this type of fragmentation
and inconsistency. It is recognised as the leading and overarching national framework within which all
care and support policies and programmes are to be implemented. This requires that the SCCFS framework
be integrated into the CSTL framework. However, the DBE recognises the added value of the SCCFS’s
specific focus on a rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school and on improving the effectiveness
of teaching through strengthening school management and professional development interventions for
the benefit of all children, particularly in under-performing schools.

The DBE has therefore augmented the CSTL Conceptual Framework through an addendum that gives
more prominence to the underlying rights-based principle and adds a tenth pillar to make the principle
practically applicable. Every school child is a humane and active citizen aware of his or her rights and
responsibilities within our democratic and socially cohesive South African society.

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 CSTL SA

The augmented Conceptual Framework articulates the Department’s intention to scale up and mainstream
care and support programmes within the schooling system, based on its strong legal, developmental and
education policy mandate, and available evidence and experience. Importantly, CSTL is not a new policy or
programme. Rather, it provides an overarching framework to cohere the range of existing care and support
initiatives led by the Department and other institutions. This framework describes the barriers to learning
faced by vulnerable learners and ten Priority Action Areas for intervention. These ten areas have been
prioritised because they are effective in addressing the underlying causes of educational exclusion among
vulnerable groups, as well as the common barriers that many learners face in achieving access to school,
remaining in school, and achieving and performing effectively. The ten priority areas also respond to the
policy and legislative mandate placed on the DBE by legislation outside of the DBE, as well as forming the
basis for the development of this handbook.

Figure 1: The Conceptual Framework of the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme

Other materials
The other materials available to support the CSTL Programme are:
• The National Support Pack (see Figure 2)
• A Poster (see Figure 3)
• The CSTL Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting (MER) Framework

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

The National Support Pack

The National Support Pack2 is a package of materials designed to support the mainstreaming of care and
support throughout the DBE. It is particularly relevant to provincial and district officials who want to learn more
about how to guide the sector in responding more effectively to the challenges faced by vulnerable learners.
The pack consists of 12 Action Steps that offer a step-by-step guide to developing, implementing, monitoring
and evaluating programmes within the CSTL framework. The pack includes information, examples of tools and
templates, best practice and case studies that are considered essential for effective mainstreaming of care and
support. The Action Steps can be adapted for use in different environments.
The 12 Action Steps of the National Support Pack are:
i. Enabling Policy Environment
ii. Situation and Response Analysis
iii. National Model (Conceptual Framework)
iv. CSTL Programme Plans
v. Support and Structures
vi. Capacity for Implementation
vii. Materials and Tools
viii. Multi-Sectoral Network of Services
ix. Monitoring and Evaluation, Research and Reporting
x. Advocacy and Communication
xi. CSTL Pilot Project
xii. Scale-up and Sustainability
The pack includes an Introduction and Background information on the programme, as well as an Appendix
of templates and tools used by schools to support vulnerable learners. To support planning for care and
support activities, the pack also includes a Road Map and Action Step cards. The National Support Pack is
available on the DBE website and through the provincial focal point person for the CSTL Programme.

Figure 2: The National Support Pack

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 CSTL SA

Poster

The poster summarises the minimum requirements in the ten Priority Action Areas and includes place to
record contact details of local partners in each of the areas. It can also be used as an advocacy tool. It is
designed for use at schools but can also be used in provincial, district and circuit offices.

Figure 3: CSTL Poster

MER Framework

The Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation (MER) Framework includes reporting templates for all levels
(school to national) involved in the CSTL Programme.

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

PART 1: AN INTEGRATED NATIONAL

PACKAGE OF CARE AND SUPPORT FOR
VULNERABLE LEARNERS
The CSTL Programme and the Integrated Package of Care and Support for Vulnerable Learners do not involve
the introduction of new programmes and activities. Rather, they bring together and place the spotlight on
existing programmes within the DBE and with external partners. Together, these provide a strong foundation
for educational inclusion through a comprehensive approach to care and support.

What sets the CSTL Programme apart from other care and support initiatives is its integrated approach. The CSTL
Programme aims to make an important contribution to achieving coherence amongst the various modalities
of care and support currently being provided. In particular, it aims to facilitate an integrated response towards
exclusion, health and social barriers to learning. The CSTL Programme is an opportunity to develop joint plans
and reporting that are in the best interests of vulnerable learners and that prevent the inequitable educational
exclusion of marginalised groups of children. It is also an opportunity to provide an integrated service to
vulnerable learners that avoids overlap and duplication.

The CSTL Programme requires the prioritisation and collective planning and implementation of programmes
within the DBE, such as the Rights and Responsibilities Programme, the National School Nutrition Programme, the
School Safety Programme, and the HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme, to secure a school environment
that promotes children’s rights and responsibilities, offers a welcoming space for all children, irrespective of
their differences, and that more effectively delivers services they require to access quality education. This is why
it is described as the “integrated package of care and support”. Services must be delivered in a coordinated and
harmonised manner through the structures that have been set up for the programme at all levels.

Who are our vulnerable learners?

All children require care and support in order to thrive and learn. Some children however, particularly those
from very poor and otherwise marginalised groups and communities, have additional support needs.

The DBE has adopted the Department of Social Development’s (DSD) definition of a vulnerable child as
“a child whose survival, care, protection or development may be compromised due to a particular condition,
situation or circumstance that prevents the fulfilment of his or her rights”.3

Children who are recognised as vulnerable in accordance with this definition and within the governing legal
framework for child rights include, but are not limited to, children: 4
• Vulnerable to HIV infection, including those who are HIV-exposed, e.g. peri-natal exposure, sexually active
or engaged in transactional sex
• Who are sexually abused
• In households where there are sick people and where children due to ignorance do not practise
universal precautions
• Whose parent or primary caregiver is terminally ill, which affects children in a variety of ways before and
after the death of their parent/s
• With no surviving parent or alternative caregiver to care for them
• Who are abandoned, e.g. by parent/s, other primary caregivers, or extended family
• Who experience high levels of mobility between households

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 CSTL SA

• Who experience multiple bereavements and the trauma of death such as loss of a parent, a sibling,
and/or other relatives
• In households where they face physical, mental, social and emotional harm or neglect and sexual abuse
• In need of legal protection and alternative family care
• Who are undocumented minors and/or refugees
Implicit in this definition is the recognition that “vulnerability” is not a constant state. It will change as a
child’s circumstances change and no child is immune from potential vulnerability. As such, any programme
that seeks to secure the inclusion and rights of vulnerable children and address the barriers to education
will have to be responsive to the changing needs of individual children and school communities. In
addition, learners often face multiple manifestations of vulnerability requiring interventions from multiple
stakeholders, which involves collaboration and coordination.

Figure 4: Intersecting vulnerabilities resulting in exclusion

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

What are the ten Priority Action Areas?

Care and support cannot be reduced to one priority action only. This is because the rights and services required,
and the challenges facing vulnerable learners, are complex and require more than one approach or intervention.
The DBE has identified ten priority areas in which there must be delivery with respect to care and support activities
across all South African schools. These priorities respond to the legal and developmental policy and legislative
mandate placed on the DBE. Also, activities in these areas have been shown to be effective in securing inclusion and
addressing the barriers currently facing many vulnerable learners and groups of marginalised children. Although
these are important priorities at the moment, they are likely to change over time as the commitment to providing
care and support is realised and the socio-economic landscape of the country changes. It is important that these
priority areas be delivered as a package. Therefore, schools should implement activities in all the priority areas.
The priority areas of the CSTL Programme are shown in Figure 5 below.

To make these priority areas more concrete, the responsible directorates within the DBE have identified minimum
services for all schools. This package of services is considered the non-negotiable minimum that should be provided
in South African schools. This integrated package is detailed in the following pages. The package does not include
all the activities that can be provided in schools; rather it brings to the fore the priority activities required to meet
the needs of the majority of vulnerable learners in South Africa. Therefore, it should not be seen as optimal;
schools that have the resources and the means should go beyond the stated minimum.

Figure 5: The ten Priority Action Areas of the CSTL SA Programme

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 CSTL SA

The national minimum requirements for the

ten Priority Action Areas
The following describes the national minimum requirements or service package for each of the ten Priority
Action Areas. Each area is dealt with in turn. First the area is defined, and then the following information
is provided:

A description of the action area and the programme

The legal and policy mandate

DBE national minimum requirements

The responsibilities of the school community

Key external partners

Monitoring and reporting requirements

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A Rights-based, Socially Inclusive and Cohesive School

WHAT IS A RIGHTS-BASED SCHOOL?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community
members know, respect, protect and promote children’s rights to education, equality, freedom from
discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education equally.
A rights-based approach in schools ensures that every child receives a quality education and that this
education promotes and respects each learner’s right to dignity and to optimal development. A rights-

We provide a safe, supportive learning environment with opportunities for every learner to
develop the skills and knowledge to achieve to the best of his/her potential and become
responsible and successful members of society. We believe:
• Every learner is unique and deserves the opportunity to achieve his/her potential
• Every learner has the right to learn in a welcoming and supportive environment, free from
discrimination
• Each learner has responsibility for his/her actions and the resulting consequences
• Diversity strengthens individuals and the community
• Learning is an essential lifelong process for every member of society
• Every learner has the right to be protected from cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment

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based approach in schools develops the capacities of learners to understand, claim and realise their rights
and ensures that participation is both a necessary process as well as an outcome. The focus on dignity and
respect for the individual in a rights-based approach accepts that empowerment is both a strategy and a goal
and that there is accountability of those tasked with fulfilling, protecting and respecting learners’ rights to
education. This includes clarity on the relations between claim-holders and duty bearers in schools as well
as understanding that access to quality education is a right rather than an option. Given the indivisibility of
human rights, a rights-based approach in schools requires that the underlying causes of poverty, inequality
and exclusion be addressed and that attention be paid at all levels to causes of exclusion. A rights-based
approach in schools moves the focus away from service delivery and towards capacity development and
advocacy. This necessitates a framework that addresses:
• The right of access to education
• The right to quality education
• Respect for human rights in education
A rights-based approach requires the realisation all three and recognises that they are interdependent and
interlinked. The right of access to education includes access to schooling at all stages of childhood, equality
of opportunity, and the availability and accessibility of education. The right to quality education includes
a broad, inclusive and relevant curriculum as well as rights-based learning and assessment in child-friendly,
healthy and safe school environments. The right to respect in schools includes respect for identity, integrity
and participation rights. In this way schools must be proactive in promoting a school culture of inclusion
and respect for all children both in terms of the formal curriculum and in the way schools are run.

The Preamble to the South African Schools Act, 1996 (Act No 84 of 1996) states:
WHEREAS the achievement of democracy in South Africa has consigned to history the past
system of education which was based on racial inequality and segregation; and WHEREAS this
country requires a new national system for schools which will redress past injustices in educational
provision, provide an education of progressively high quality for all learners and in so doing lay
a strong foundation for the development of all our people’s talents and capabilities, advance the
democratic transformation of society, combat racism and sexism and all other forms of unfair
discrimination and intolerance, contribute to the eradication of poverty and the economic
wellbeing of society, protect and advance our diverse cultures and languages, uphold the rights
of all learners, parents and educators, and promote their acceptance of responsibility for the
organisation, governance and funding of schools in partnership with the State; and WHEREAS it
is necessary to set uniform norms and standards for the education of learners at schools and the
organisation, governance and funding of schools throughout the Republic of South Africa...

Section Nine of the Constitution guarantees equality before the law and freedom from discrimination and
under the heading ‘Equality’ states that:
(3) The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone on one or more grounds,
including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation,
age, disability, religion, conscience, belief, culture, language and birth.

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school:

• Does not allow anything to be done that would exclude children from coming to school and participating
in all schools activities, or make children feel unwelcome because of their social, economic, physical or
health status, gender, sexual orientation, or other social, economic or cultural factor

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

• Takes steps to identify groups of children who are not in school, or who are not comfortable in the school
environment because of the school admission or fee policies, disciplinary practices and rules of conduct,
infrastructure and/or attitudes, and takes steps to change the school environment to make it accessible,
welcoming and supportive of the needs of the children concerned
• Celebrates differences in learners and other members of the school community
• Is a welcoming and supportive space that ensures that all children, including members of the following
groups of marginalised children, are active and full members of the school community:
–– Children who are poor
–– Children with disabilities
–– Children who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI)
–– Girl children
–– Teen parents – both girls who become pregnant and the fathers of their babies
–– Children from other countries
–– Orphaned or abandoned children
–– Children affected by HIV and AIDS
–– Working children or children with onerous domestic responsibilities
–– Children who speak languages other than the language of teaching and learning
–– Children from historically disadvantaged race groups
–– Children who practise certain religions
–– Children repeating grades
–– Children who have been abused
–– Farm children

Learners and educators have knowledge of children’s rights and know that these rights can only be realised
if every learner and educator is respectful of their fellow learners’ rights. Every educator and learner, in the
classroom, playground and when they leave school, behaves in a way that allows all children to enjoy and
practise their rights, for example, to:
• Quality education
• Freedom from discrimination
• Dignity
• Safety
• Freedom of opinion and expression
• Freedom of religion
• Participation

Educators monitor, practise and promote respectful behaviour, attitudes and practices by all learners in
the classroom, playground, sports field, and in their communications with each other. Learners, including
those from marginalised groups, participate in making decisions and decision-making structures at schools.
The school buildings, infrastructure and learning spaces do not infringe children’s rights to, among other things:
• Dignity
• A healthy, safe environment
• Equal access to all educational facilities
• Quality teaching and learning

This means that all schools, especially schools in remote rural areas and schools serving poor communities,
have basic physical structures, teaching and learning spaces and basic services that:
• Do not present a risk of harm to learners, but protect them from the elements – for example, schools are
not made of mud and all learning spaces have strong walls and ceilings

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 CSTL SA

• Ensure learners’ health – for example, safe and hygienic toilets are available for all learners, and safe
running water is available to all learners
• Are appropriate to accommodate learners’ differences in age, gender, disability or other differences – for
example, different and appropriately sized toilets for boys, girls, younger and older children, transgender
children and children with disabilities
• Provide infrastructure and learning spaces of sufficient size and furnished with facilities necessary to
support learning – such as classrooms that are large enough so as not to be overcrowded, and are furnished
with desks and chairs; adequately stocked libraries and laboratories

All learners and teachers have timely, equal access to Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) (such
as workbooks, textbooks and assistive devices) to support quality teaching and learning, including learners
in remote rural and other under-serviced areas, learners with disabilities and learners who speak languages
other than the language of teaching and learning.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

This area is intended to improve access to education and the quality of education for all, especially the most
marginalised children. The DBE has developed a number of policies, laws and programmes to support the
development of rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive schools. These provide information, direction and
support to school community members – such as school principals, School Management Teams (SMTs), School
Governing Bodies (SGBs), educators, learners, support structures, Representative Councils of Learners (RCLs),
parents and members of the surrounding community – so that they understand what rights-based education is,
and what their respective responsibilities are to make children’s rights a reality.

LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

The following policies, laws and programmes promote social cohesion and inclusion in schools:
• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantees the right of all children to education
• The Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act No 4 of 2000 prohibits schools
from preventing children from enrolling and receiving a quality education because of their race, gender
and disability
• The South African Schools Act and the Admissions Policy for Ordinary Public Schools requires that schools
develop admission policies and practices that do not exclude or limit the participation of especially
vulnerable children, including non-South African children, children who have disabilities or are chronically
ill or living with HIV, and poor children
• The Language in Education Policy (1997) and the Education Laws Amendment Act (2011) require that schools
develop language policies that do not exclude children, directly or indirectly, who speak a language other than
the language of teaching and learning
• A number of policies and programmes require schools to admit children with disabilities to ordinary
public schools and make sure they enjoy an enabling school environment. These include the Inclusive
Education Policy – Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, 2001; the South African Schools
Act; the National Policy for the Equitable Provision of an Enabling School Physical Teaching and Learning
Environment (2010) and the Regulations Relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public
School Infrastructure (2013)

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• The Framework for the Development of a National Policy on Gender Equity in Basic Education requires that
schools review and revise their policies and practices to promote access to school for children who may be at
risk because of their gender. This includes not only girls, but also gay, lesbian and transgender children and
teen parents
• The DBE’s Integrated Strategy on HIV, STIs and TB 2012–2016 requires that school policies and practices
support and protect affected children’s privacy, and protect them from discrimination, stigma and any form
of sexual harassment or abuse
• The Child Labour Programme of Action, Phase 3, 2013–2017 requires that schools take steps to identify
children who are involved in child labour and living on the streets, and support them in attending school and
learning to their full potential
• The National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance
requires that schools develop policies and implement a curriculum that promote tolerance and prevent
discrimination against foreigners and children of different race groups
• Human rights, respect for diversity, equality and freedom from discrimination are embedded in key subjects
through the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS). Subjects such as Life Orientation (LO), History
and Languages provide education on equality, the Bill of Rights, children’s rights, gender equity, HIV and
AIDS, and disability. Schools’ main responsibility is to make sure educators have good knowledge and
understanding of the relevant subjects and cover the full curriculum
• The Rights and Responsibilities Programme teaches learners at schools that their rights and the rights of other
children to equality and freedom from discrimination, depend on children fulfilling certain responsibilities.
Schools are expected to make children’s responsibilities a reality by including them in school policies, such as
the admission policy and code of conduct, and in teaching practices
• The Values in Action Programme promotes the rights of all children, especially marginalised children, to
equality and inclusion through the development of school policies that protect them from stigma, prejudice
and discrimination, and promote respect for, and the celebration of difference in the school community
• The DBE’s Peer Education Programme gives effect to the rights of children, especially marginalised children,
to participate in the identification of barriers to learning and the provision of support to their fellow learners
• The Dinaledi programme provides additional support to girls to increase their participation in subjects
dominated by boys, such as maths and science

DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Admission, language and religious school policies are developed that:
–– Do not exclude any children from enrolling, attending or participating in any school activities on the grounds
of their nationality, health status, religion, pregnancy, disability, poverty or any other unlawful grounds
–– Protect the right of children to enrol at, attend school and enjoy all school benefits, regardless of their
parents’ ability to pay school fees
–– Create admission processes that do not exclude foreign and other children due to lack of documents
–– Do not compel children to disclose their HIV status
–– Do not exclude pregnant girls and girls who have given birth
• All learners sign the pledge to uphold the Bill of Responsibilities
• Learners recite the preamble to the Constitution at assemblies
• Educators and learners participate in organised activities on social cohesion, nation building, citizenship,
rights and responsibilities, and constitutional values.5 For example:
–– Discussions on inclusion and diversity during LO lessons and History lessons

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–– The facilitation of discussion on social inclusion and diversity during SGB and RCL meetings
–– School sports programmes, and arts and culture activities
–– Debates and participation in moot courts
• SGBs and RCLs are trained on the development of socially inclusive and cohesive school policies and
participatory processes
• Peer education groups, including GEM/BEM clubs, that include representatives from marginalised groups,
are established

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Must make sure that the annual School Improvement Plan identifies challenges and includes measures to
make schools more accessible and improve the quality of teaching for marginalised groups
• Can include national and international rights days that celebrate diversity and inclusion in the school calendar
• Must make sure learners recite and understand the preamble to the Constitution at assemblies and have an
opportunity to discuss what this means in relation to including marginalised groups
• Should encourage all learners to sign the pledge of commitment to the Bill of Responsibilities, and all learners
and educators to sign school statements of commitment to, for example, eliminate racism and promote
gender equality
• Must monitor attendance, drop-out and performance of marginalised groups, and make sure that educators
know what their risks and needs are, and enable them to provide support

SGB (School Governing Body):

• Should provide leadership to the school community to make sure its practices and procedures protect the
rights of marginalised children and promote tolerance and diversity in the school community
• Should collect information about the school community, for example, the gender breakdown, what home
languages are spoken and what religions are practised
• Must, in consultation with educators, learners and parents, review and/or develop a school vision and mission,
code of conduct, and admission, language and religious school policies that:
–– Do not exclude any children from enrolling, attending or participating in any school activities on the
grounds of their nationality, health status, pregnancy, disability, poverty or any other unlawful grounds
–– Protect the right of children to enrol at, attend school and enjoy all school benefits, regardless of their
parents’ ability to pay school fees
–– Create admission processes that do not exclude foreign and other children for lack of documents
–– Do not compel children to disclose their HIV status
–– Do not exclude pregnant girls and girls who have given birth
• Should use the policy review and consultation process to engage the school community in discussions on
inclusion and cohesion issues in the local school community, and how the school can, through its policies and
practices, protect the rights of marginalised children

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

• Must review the school budget to make sure that enough money has been allocated to promote equality in
available services for marginalised children. For example, does it allow enough money for sports facilities for
boys and girls?
• Can arrange school events on commemorative human rights days to raise awareness and promote attitudes
and practices that respect the rights of marginalised children. For example:
–– Heritage Day to celebrate cultural diversity in the school community
–– Women’s Day to celebrate gender equality
–– World AIDS Day to raise awareness and promote inclusion of children affected by HIV and AIDS
• Should actively promote knowledge and learning on rights afforded to children in the Bill of Rights
• Should recruit members from marginalised groups in the school community

RCL (Representative Council of Learners):

• Must make sure that the learners in the school participate in the development of school policies, know their
content, and put them into practice on a daily basis – for example, by arranging debates, discussions and
moot court competitions around the issues raised in the policies
• Can arrange school events on human rights commemorative days to raise awareness and promote attitudes
and practices that respect the rights of marginalised children and of all children. For example:
–– Heritage Day to celebrate cultural diversity in the school community
–– Women’s Day to celebrate gender equality
–– World AIDS Day to raise awareness and promote inclusion of children affected by HIV and AIDS
• Should recruit members from marginalised groups in the school community

Educators:
• Must cover the LO curriculum on rights, responsibilities, discrimination, prejudice, gender equality, etc.
• Should use LTSM, examples and case studies that are sensitive to the differences and prejudices that
marginalised children experience, and promote an understanding of their circumstances
• Must adopt a respectful and inclusive teaching style. This includes using teaching methods that allow space
for different voices and opinions to be heard – for example, debates and discussions
• Must not use or tolerate the use of violence, prejudicial or discriminatory behaviour, language or attitudes
in the classroom and playground
• Should identify their weaknesses in self-assessment and professional development activities, and build their
knowledge and capacity to promote rights and inclusion of marginalised children

Learners:
• Should know and practise their responsibilities as set out in the Bill of Responsibilities and the Constitution to
respect differences in children and not to treat children differently or disrespectfully because of their differences
• Must report any cases of prejudice, abuse or discrimination by peers or educators to educators or other
school authorities
• Should be an active member of peer groups and help identify and develop solutions for marginalised groups
of children facing barriers to education
• Must sign the pledge of commitment to the Bill of Responsibilities
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 CSTL SA

Parents/caregivers:
• Should participate in school discussions arranged around the review and development of school policies
and practices and around a rights-based school
• Must make sure that they understand the school policies and the role they can play in promoting school
policies and principles that protect the rights of marginalised groups of children in the school environment
• Should discourage prejudice and discrimination at home and at school by educators and learners

KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

The external partners of the rights-based and socially inclusive and cohesive focus area include:
• The Department of Labour (in the identification and support of children involved in child labour)
• The Department of Home Affairs (in supporting access for foreign children)
• The Department of Arts and Culture
• Chapter 9 Institutions such as the South African Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Gender
Equality, and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and
Linguistic Communities. These institutions are mandated to promote equality and prevent discrimination
through advocacy and education programmes, including at schools
• NGOs, such as Soul City and Sisonke, that have partnered with the DBE in the implementation of peer group
programmes in schools

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Schools are required to report to the provincial education departments (PEDs), and the PEDs to report to
national DBE’s Social Cohesion and Equity in Education Directorate on:
• The printing and distribution of the Bill of Responsibilities booklets and posters, and the Values in
Action manual
• Whether or not the learners at school recite the preamble to the Constitution
• The distribution of a booklet of national symbols at schools
• The implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia,
and Related Intolerance 6
• Distribute slimline Constitutions to schools and learners

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Nutritional Support

WHAT IS NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community members
know, respect, protect and promote especially vulnerable children’s rights to education, equality, freedom
from discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education
equally. Nutrition is a Priority Action Area in CSTL programme implementation given that nutritious food
and nutritional support is necessary in creating safe, supportive learning environments. These environments
create opportunities for every learner to develop the skills and knowledge to achieve the best of his/her
potential and to become a responsible and successful citizen.
Nutritional support is intended to address barriers to learning associated with hunger and malnutrition.
It enhances the learning capacity of learners by providing them with a daily hot, cooked, nutritious meal.
It includes not just the delivery of feeding programmes, but also measures to ensure food quality and the
creation of sustainable food production initiatives through, among other strategies, school-based food
gardens and the promotion of healthy lifestyles through, among other strategies, nutrition education and
deworming programmes.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

School nutrition is provided through the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). It targets all learners
in Quintile 1, 2 and 3 public schools. The preferred delivery method is through the transfer of funds to
schools for food to be prepared locally, although this is not uniformly practised in all provinces.
The NSNP also supports the development of school food gardens and promotes nutrition education and
safe nutritional practices for food handlers involved with the preparation of school meals. It promotes
healthy lifestyles among learners.

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LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

The following laws and programmes guarantee and give effect to the rights of children to food and nutrition:
• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantees the right of all children to food and nutrition
• The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) guarantees the rights of all children in schools serving
poor communities (Quintile 1, 2 and 3 schools) to receive daily food and nutritional support through their
school feeding programme, curriculum and other school-led interventions
• The Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) gives effect to the rights of all children to basic health-
promoting services, including services to support their nutritional wellbeing

DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• One cooked meal a day, ideally by 10 am, with protein, carbohydrates (starch), and vegetables or fruit,
provided to all children in Quintile 1, 2 and 3 schools 7
• Learners fed on all school days
• Nutrition education provided through the LO learning area and through targeted campaigns
• An approved provincial menu
• Clean, safe food preparation and storage areas
• A vegetable garden where possible 8
• A register of learners fed through the NSNP

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Must make sure there are safe food preparation areas and storage spaces on the premises of all schools
providing daily meals
• Must make sure that the annual School Improvement Plan includes measures to improve knowledge of good
nutrition and access to food and nutrition by learners, as well as address challenges in the implementation
of the NSNP
• Should establish partnerships with the Department of Agriculture, local NGOs and the DOH to support the
establishment of a school food garden and provide quality nutrition education to learners and parents, as
well as deworming medicine
• Must make sure that educators, especially LO educators, receive training on food and nutrition
• Must ensure that regular information is shared with parents on good food and nutritional practices,
the importance of these for children’s educational outcomes, and the support available to parents in
this regard
• Ensure that learners who require nutritional support are identified and not discriminated against

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SGB (School Governing Body):

• Must monitor the implementation of the NSNP, identify challenges to implementation, and develop
solutions
• Must make sure that the school budget allows for nutrition campaigns, nutrition education and a daily
meal for learners
• Should include, as an item on the agenda of all meetings, the food and nutritional status of learners at the
school and the development of school plans and campaigns to improve the school community’s knowledge
of, and access to good food and nutrition for children

RCL (Representative Council of Learners):

• Should include, as an item on the agenda of all meetings, the food and nutritional status of children at the
school and the development of school plans and campaigns to improve the school community’s knowledge
of, and access to, good food and nutrition for children

Educators:
• Must provide education to children on good nutrition through the LO curriculum

Learners:
• Should pay attention and learn the lessons provided by educators on good food and nutrition
• Should share the information learnt at schools with families and parents
• Can make improving food and nutritional access and practices for all, including children living in poverty,
a focus issue of school-based peer group activities
• Should not discriminate against learners who are involved in the programme

Parents/caregivers:
• Must provide food and good nutrition to children in their care
• Should participate in school campaigns aimed at improving knowledge of and meeting food and nutritional
requirements for children

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KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

The external partners of the NSNP are, in most cases, the Departments of Agriculture and Health. The role of the
Department of Agriculture is to provide assistance to schools in establishing food gardens by donating utensils
and seeds, as well as providing training. The Department of Health (DOH) provides training on food safety, as
well as checking hygiene standards. They also provide guidance with menu development in line with the Food-
Based Dietary Guidelines.
While these partnerships exist at national level, additional partners can be identified at local level. For example,
environmental health practitioners from local municipalities can provide training in food handling. Local
business and NGOs can be approached to donate food, such as providing breakfast to vulnerable learners and
improving the food storage and preparation facilities.

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

A daily feeding chart is completed at the school. Collated data is submitted to the circuit/district office each
month. District statistics are collated by the provincial office and submitted to the national office. An annual
report of the NSNP is published each year.

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Health Promotion

WHAT IS HEALTH PROMOTION AND WHY SHOULD SCHOOLS SUPPORT IT?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community members
know, respect, protect and promote especially vulnerable children’s rights to education, equality, freedom from
discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education equally.
Health Promotion is a Priority Action Area in CSTL programme implementation given that educators’ and
learners’ increased control over their health is necessary in creating safe, supportive learning environments.
These environments create opportunities for every learner to develop the skills and knowledge to achieve the
best of his/her potential and to become a responsible and successful citizen.
Health promotion involves a process of enabling educators and learners to increase control over their health
and its determinants, thereby improving and promoting their overall health and wellbeing. Schools need to
support health promotion because unhealthy learners, especially those whose poor health is linked to their
poverty, gender, HIV and AIDS, and/or disability are at greater risk of being excluded from school, not attending
regularly and not learning to their full potential.
A health promoting school is one that:
• Recognises that good health of children is necessary for them to do well at school and that poor health
places children at greater risk of not enrolling, not attending and not doing well at school
• Promotes the health of its learners and the practice of healthy behaviour and avoidance of behaviour
harmful to their health

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

The DBE implements a number of programmes aimed at addressing the determinants of health and wellbeing.
Examples of such programmes are the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) and the HIV and AIDS Life
Skills Education Programme.

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LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

A number of laws and programmes guarantee and give effect to the right of children to basic
healthcare services.

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa

The Constitution guarantees the right of all children to access basic healthcare services, including reproductive
health care, full and equal enjoyment of all rights and freedoms, and equal protection and benefit of the law.

The Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP)

This programme builds on the Health Screening Programme where Grade R and 1 learners are screened
for early identification and exclusion of health barriers. Unlike the Health Screening Programme, the ISHP
offers a comprehensive and integrated package of health services to both primary and secondary school
learners. It includes a large component of health education (including personal hygiene and SRH), health
screening (including screening for vision, hearing, oral health and tuberculosis) and onsite services (including
deworming, immunisation and treatment of minor illnesses, as well as SRH services to eligible learners) for
each of the four school phases.
Because the provision of SRH services is a contentious issue that is subject to social views, beliefs and cultural
norms, the SGB, led by the school principal, must consult parents before SRH services start on whether SRH
services should be provided. SRH services include contraception, including condoms; screening for sexually
transmitted infections (STIs); HIV Counselling and Testing (HCT); pregnancy testing; and education on male
medical circumcision (this service will only be offered during school holidays).
The SRH services will only be provided by a professional nurse in a private setting and in a confidential
manner. Where private facilities are not available at schools, the Department of Health (DOH) will provide
closed gazebos in which services can be offered. Where privacy cannot be guaranteed, learners will be
referred to health facilities.
The ISHP is being rolled out progressively between 2012 and 2016. It will service learners once per education
phase (Foundation (Grades R–3), Intermediate (Grades 4–6), Senior (Grades 7–9) and Further Education and
Training (FET) (Grades 10–12)), as well as learners repeating grades and those learners referred for health
services by parents and/or educators. From 2012, the priority is to provide individual learner assessments
in Quintile 1 and 2 schools as well as health promotion/education. These services will be made available
incrementally to all learners over the next five years.
Services will be provided by a school health team consisting of a professional nurse, an enrolled nurse or
nursing assistant, and an oral hygienist. Health education will be provided by health promoters from the
primary healthcare team. Service provision will be undertaken with minimal disruption to teaching and
learning time. A mixed model of service delivery will be used to offer services to learners who are referred for
further assessment and treatment. This includes referral to health facilities that are in close proximity to the
school, mobile health services and specialised school health mobiles that have been procured by the National
Department of Health.

The HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme

The HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme takes its policy mandate from the National Policy on
HIV and AIDS for Learners and Educators in Schools (1999). The programme was initiated in 2000 and is
implemented in all public institutions, with a focus on learners in Grades 1–12. The main objectives of the
life skills programme are to integrate HIV and AIDS and relevant life skills into the school curriculum as a
strategy to prevent and mitigate the spread of HIV infection, and to provide care and support for learners
who are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. In this regard, a cross-curricular approach has been adopted.
Although life skills and HIV and AIDS education are primarily located in the LO learning area, some aspects
of the programme have also been integrated into other learning areas.

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In order to align the HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme with the National Strategic Plan for HIV,
STIs and TB, 2012–2016 (NSP 2012–2016) and the DBE Integrated Strategy on HIV, STIs and TB 2012–2016, the
focus of the programme also includes tuberculosis (TB). Inclusion of TB is due to high co-infection rates with
HIV. In addition, evidence has shown that 40% of the TB caseload consists of children who live in high-burden
settings, and that children may suffer severe morbidity and mortality. In South Africa, more than 16% of TB
cases are children. In this regard, educators must be trained to prevent the spread and mitigate the impact
of TB among school-going children.

DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Presently the DBE has the following national minimum requirements for health promotion:
• An adequately stocked first aid kit 9
• Educators trained in first aid
• A sick bay or space to accommodate learners who are ill during school time
• A school policy on HIV and TB
• LTSM on SRH, including HIV and TB, that are aligned to CAPS
• Educators trained in HIV and TB using revised in-service curriculum
• HIV, TB and life skills education to learners in all schools
• Advocacy with school communities on HIV, TB and SRH services provided as part of the ISHP
• ISHP provided to learners once per phase (Grades 1, 4, 8 and 10) and learners repeating grades, in
accordance with the prescribed health services package
• Referral link with the local health facility

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Must implement the ISHP at school
• Should establish a relationship with the DOH to support implementation of the ISHP and ensure a referral
link with the local clinic
• Should ensure that all educators receive training in:
–– First aid
–– HIV and TB based on the revised in-service curriculum
• Must make sure that there is a safe and secure space available for nurses to provide basic health services
on the school premises – such as deworming
• Must make sure that parents know their duties, their children’s rights, and the services available to them
to help them meet their children’s health needs. Information can be shared through school meetings,
newsletters, hosting talks at school
• Should include commemorative health rights days, such as World AIDS Day, in the school calendar to raise
awareness of health rights and services among members of the school community
• Ensure that learners, educators, SGBs and parents understand the importance of education in reducing
discriminatory practices

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SGB (School Governing Body):

• Must, in consultation with parents and educators, develop a school policy on HIV and TB that gives effect
to the rights of children affected by HIV and TB
• Must monitor the implementation of the ISHP
• Must review the school budget to make funds available to support a healthy environment, sports facilities,
and the implementation of the ISHP
• Must consult with parents before any SRH services are provided – including providing condoms, screening
for STIs, HCT, pregnancy testing, and education on male medical circumcision. The consultation process
should recognise the SRH needs of marginalised groups, such as LGBTI children and children with disabilities,
and ensure that these are accommodated in the package of SRH services provided
• Should engage in advocacy through discussions and sharing of information with parents, the wider
community and children, on SRH services, HIV and AIDS and TB services provided through the ISHP
• Must indicate the importance of SRH especially in poor communities

RCL (Representative Council of Learners):

• Should engage in advocacy through discussions and sharing of information with parents, the wider
community and children, on SRH services, HIV and AIDS and TB services provided through the ISHP

Educators:
• Must cover the prescribed health promotion content, including SRHR (sexual and reproductive health and
rights), and HIV and AIDS and TB prevention, and supporting content in the LO curriculum
• Must use LTSM on SRH, including HIV, that is aligned to the CAPS
• Should lead by example and not use prejudicial language or discriminate against children who are affected
by HIV and AIDS, TB, or who are living with any other health condition – for example, never require a child
to disclose their status
• Should identify their weaknesses through self-assessment and professional development activities, and
build their knowledge and capacity to teach the health promotion, HIV and AIDS and TB components of
the LO curriculum
• Must identify learners who are ill and in need of healthcare services, and refer them to the local clinic or
school structure (such as school health team) established to support learners’ access to healthcare services

Learners:
• Should live a healthy life by being physically active, eating correctly, not smoking, not taking alcohol or
drugs, and not participating in behaviour that may result in the transmission of HIV and AIDS
• Should pay attention in LO lessons in order to learn more about health promotion and HIV and TB
prevention and treatment
• Should share information on health promotion learnt at school with parents and community members
• Should become members of a peer group that provides information and education on health behaviours

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Parents/caregivers:
• Must decide, in consultation with the SGB and school principal, whether SRH services should be provided
at school by a professional nurse and, if so, which services are to be provided
• Must know and understand their children’s health rights
• Must make sure their children have access to all services that are available to support their healthy
development, and that they receive the health care they need when they are ill

KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

The implementation of the health promotion priority area relies on strong partnerships with the DOH for:
• Selection and training of school health nurses to provide age-appropriate screening, and of health
promoters to provide health education in schools
• Referral of learners to healthcare facilities that are close to the school
• Mobile health services and specialised school health mobiles
The Department of Social Development (DSD) is crucial to health promotion for provision of counselling and
access to social services.
NGOs, such as loveLife and Soul City Institute for Health, also provide support in the implementation of the
programme.

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The HIV and AIDS Life Skills Programme is monitored by district and circuit officials. Evidence of the
implementation of the Life Skills programme is found in lesson plans, the Life Skills Master File, and activities
in the school calendar. Provinces submit quarterly reports on the implementation of the HIV and AIDs Life
Skills Programme to the national office. The national office then consolidates the provincial reports into a
national report.
Monitoring and reporting for the ISHP will be integrated with the existing district health information systems
(DHIS) and will interface with the education information management system (EMIS).

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

Safety and Protection

WHAT IS A SAFE AND PROTECTIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community members
know, respect, protect and promote especially vulnerable children’s rights to education, equality, freedom from
discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education equally.
Safety and Protection is a Priority Action Area in CSTL programme implementation given that schools should be
free of violence, abuse and bullying so as to create safe, supportive learning environments. These environments
create opportunities for every learner to develop the skills and knowledge to achieve the best of his/her
potential and to become a responsible and successful citizen.
A safe and protective school is one where learners feel and are safe in the classroom, the playground and the
sports field, on the way to and from school, and at school events.
The laws of the country say that children have a right to education and to be protected from maltreatment,
neglect, abuse or degradation. But children who are not safe at school, or who experience violence or abuse at
home, are more likely to drop out, to be absent often, and to experience barriers to learning in the classroom.
In a safe and protective school, learners are not exposed to the risk of, and do not experience physical, sexual,
mental or emotional harm, abuse, violence or harassment as a result of unsafe or inadequate infrastructure, or
because of the behaviour of other learners or educators – including sexual abuse or harassment, theft, bullying,
corporal punishment, and degrading or humiliating treatment.
Schools take steps to prevent harm and violence by addressing key risk factors and harmful behaviours and
attitudes among school community members – including unsafe structures and facilities, unsafe transport,
alcohol and drug use, carrying of weapons, and harmful religious and cultural beliefs, attitudes and practices.
Where prevention does not succeed, safe and protective schools have effective referral, reporting and follow-
up mechanisms and procedures in place. All prevention, referral and reporting, and care and support systems
recognise that certain groups of children are at higher risk of harm, violence and abuse – such as children with
disabilities, girl children, LGBTI children, and foreign children – and measures are put in place to address their
specific needs.
Educators and learners in safe and protective schools know the signs of harm, abuse or harassment, and are
able to report and refer children who are victims of abuse or violence at home or school to relevant school
authorities or structures. They also understand their specific duties and responsibilities to ensure the safety and
protection of members of the school community.

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A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

This priority area aims to ensure that schools are free from all forms of violence, abuse and bullying. Safety
and protection concerns are not limited to the physical infrastructure of the school (such as fencing and
gates), but also refer to the psychological and emotional safety of learners and educators. Safety and
protection within schools is addressed through two programmes: the Safety in Education Programme and the
Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention and Management Programme. Partnering with the SAPS is an important
component of responding to both school safety and alcohol and drug use. The schooling sector alcohol and
drug use strategy has a four-pronged approach:
• Creation of an enabling environment where schools are alcohol and drug-free zones
• Primary prevention through curricular and co-curricular activities
• Early detection
• Treatment, care and support for learners abusing substances

LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

The following laws and programmes guarantee and give effect to the rights of children to safety and
protection.

• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 guarantees the rights of all children to be protected
from maltreatment, neglect, abuse, degradation and cruel or inhuman punishment
• The South African Schools Act states that children have a right to be protected from all forms of violence
and abuse in the school environment, including corporal punishment
• The Children’s Act No.38 of 2005 and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment
Act No. 32 of 2007 both state that children have a right to be protected from abuse, neglect and degradation
in schools by school employees, and to receive care and support through the school system
• The South African Council of Educators (SACE) Code of Professional Ethics and the Quality Learning and
Teaching Campaign (QLTC) Code of Conduct for Quality Education states that children have a right to be
protected from any form of humiliation and any form of physical or psychological abuse by educators,
including any form of humiliation and physical or psychological abuse, teacher–pupil relationships, assault
and sexual harassment
• The Safety in Education Programme promotes the right of children to be safe in all school settings
through the provision of safe infrastructure, codes of conduct, the prevention of risks on the school
premises, and the development of safety plans, reporting systems and school structures to manage all
issues of school safety
• The Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention and Management Programme promotes the right of learners and
educators to be safe in an alcohol and drug-free environment

DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

There are eight priority requirements for school safety. 10 11 Every school must have:
• A school safety committee as an SGB sub-committee

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

• An established formal link to a police station

• A school safety plan
• A code of conduct for learners
• Access control measures for visitors and parents
• Prohibition of weapons and the possession or use of illegal substances
• A crisis response or emergency plan
• A reporting system for incidents of violence and substance abuse in schools

The national requirements for alcohol and drug use prevention and management are that a school should
have the following in place: 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
• Enforceable school policies on keeping schools alcohol and drug-free zones (stand-alone or part of school
safety policy)
• Signage that declares the school an alcohol and drug-free zone
• Teaching on alcohol and drug use through the LO learning area and through peer education
• Educators trained in how to detect signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use, and conduct drug testing
• A referral system for learners abusing alcohol and drugs

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Must develop a school safety plan that:
–– Includes a crisis response or emergency plan
–– Identifies all risks to learners and educators on their way to school, on the school premises and at school
functions and events
–– Puts in place measures to protect children in all of these settings and steps to be taken in cases of
infringements by educators
• Should establish a formal working partnership with the local police station
• Must ensure that all educators know that they must use positive disciplinary practices and not corporal
punishment
• Must ensure that educators receive training in:
–– Their responsibilities to protect children from harm and abuse
–– Positive disciplinary practices
–– Detecting signs of abuse among children, and signs and symptoms of drug and alcohol use, and how to
conduct a lawful drug test or search

• Must establish reporting systems and processes for cases of abuse or violence by educators or learners
• Must ensure that the school perimeter is secure and that access is controlled, and make sure that signs
are posted that the school is a drug and weapon-free space
• Should adopt a zero-tolerance approach to violence and abuse, and report all cases of abuse and violence
by educators and learners to the relevant authorities
• Should establish a formal referral network with the DSD and local NGOs for the referral of children identified
as at risk of abuse or drug or alcohol use, so that they may receive appropriate services and support

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SGB (School Governing Body):

• Must develop a school code of conduct in consultation with educators and learners that:
–– Spells out learners’ responsibilities to each other to ensure each other’s safety and protection, the discipline
processes that apply in cases of contravention, and acceptable forms of discipline
–– Prohibits the use of corporal punishment and promotes the use of positive discipline
–– Identifies all forms of prohibited violence and abuse at school, including bullying, discrimination, physical
or sexual abuse, and gender-based violence

• In developing the code of conduct, must engage in discussions with parents, educators and learners on:
–– The legal responsibilities on school community members not to engage in any form of abuse or violence,
including corporal punishment
–– Harmful religious attitudes and practices and how these can lead to abuse and violence, and how best to
prevent this from happening

• Must develop a school policy that prohibits drug and alcohol use on school premises, and allows for lawful
searching of learners’ property

• Must establish a school safety SGB sub-committee to identify risks to children’s safety, and lead the
development of appropriate school policies and practices to prevent them from abuse and harm

RCL (Representative Council of Learners):

• Must develop a school code of conduct in consultation with educators and learners that:

–– Spells out learners’ responsibilities to each other to ensure each other’s safety and protection, the discipline
processes that apply in cases of contravention, and acceptable forms of discipline
–– Prohibits the use of corporal punishment and promotes the use of positive discipline
–– Identifies all forms of prohibited violence and abuse at school, including bullying, discrimination, physical
or sexual abuse, and gender-based violence
• Should engage with learners to identify what their safety and protection concerns are, and make sure
these are addressed in the school safety and protection policies and plans

Educators:
• Must sign the QLTC pledge to ensure the safety and protection of children at all times
• Must cover the safety and protection elements of the LO curriculum
• Must identify learners who are at risk of, or experiencing, abuse or violence, and refer them to local police
or social workers, or to the School-Based Support Team (SBST) for services and support

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Learners:
• Must sign the QLTC pledge to ensure the safety and protection of children at all times
• Must cover the safety and protection elements of the LO curriculum
• Must identify learners who are at risk of, or experiencing abuse or violence, and refer them to local police
or social workers, or to the School-Based Support Team (SBST) for services and support

Parents/caregivers:
• Should participate in the development of the school code of conduct
• Should know the safety risks faced by their children on the way to school, at school and at school events,
and make these known to the SGB through the consultation process on the code of conduct
• Should report all cases of abuse or violence experienced by their children at school, to the school principal
or an educator
• Should know who to report to if educators or the principal are perpetrators

KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

Schools must work in partnership with the DSD and the SAPS to provide an adequate response to concerns about
safety and child protection. The DSD can advise schools about locally registered child protection organisations
(CPOs) and registered child and youth care workers. They can also refer to social workers and auxiliary social
workers. The SAPS will advise on the local Child Protection Unit. Both the DSD and the SAPS are also involved
with prevention and response to alcohol and drug abuse.
The DSD provides prevention programmes addressing substance abuse mainly targeted at secondary schools.
Where possible the school should link with NGOs or CBOs providing treatment and counselling to learners with
a problem of alcohol and drug use.

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Schools should keep an up-to-date incident report book and report through the principal to the circuit and/or
district office.

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

Psychosocial Support

WHAT IS PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community members
know, respect, protect and promote especially vulnerable children’s rights to education, equality, freedom from
discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education equally.
Psychosocial Support is a Priority Action Area in CSTL programme implementation given that the provision of
care and support in response to the emotional, mental and social needs of learners and educators is necessary
in creating safe, supportive learning environments. These environments create opportunities for every learner
to develop the skills and knowledge to achieve the best of his/her potential and to become a responsible and
successful citizen.
Psychosocial support is the care provided to children and educators who have additional emotional, mental and
social needs as a result of having experienced trauma in their lives, such as extreme poverty, the loss of a parent
or caregiver, illness or death of a close family member, or exposure to violence.

!
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
What is psychosocial wellbeing?
Psychosocial wellbeing is about the positive connections and mutually beneficial and
supportive relationships between individuals in a community (“social”). It is also about
how each person, adult or child, feels and thinks about him or herself and about life
(“psycho”). It is often linked to the African concept of “ubuntu” – “I am, because we are,
and we are, because I am”.

Children who experience trauma are at risk of depression, behavioural difficulties and withdrawal, which often
result in repeated absenteeism and poor school performance. This in turn will affect their educational and
overall development. The laws of the country say that children have a right to receive social services and this
includes services to support their psychological recovery from traumatic events.

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 CSTL SA

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

Psychosocial support is a relatively new concept in the DBE. There are presently no national guidelines
for psychosocial support. However, there are a number of government departments and institutions
currently working with the DBE to render psychosocial support to both educators and learners. Schools are
encouraged to refer learners needing emotional support for the services of professionals such as departments
and institutions with educational psychologists and occupational therapists. Educators and other support
personnel experiencing serious work-related stress and other difficulties within the school may be referred to
the Provincial Employee Assistance Programmes or wellness services for counselling and support.
The basis of psychosocial support is making time to listen to learners about their challenges and aspirations.

LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

The following laws and programmes guarantee and give effect to the rights of children to psychosocial
support:
• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantees the right of children to social services,
including psychosocial support
• The Children’s Act No.38 of 2005 states that children have the right to protection from maltreatment,
neglect, abuse or degradation; sound psychological, intellectual, emotional and social development; and
protection from psychological harm caused by traumatic experiences
• Education White Paper 6 on Special Needs Education: Building an Inclusive Education and Training System,
2001 and accompanying (draft) Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) give
effect to the right of children with psychosocial problems to equal opportunities to access, attend and
complete their schooling and learn to their full potential

DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Schools must:
• Ensure provision of psychosocial support for learners
• Ensure that there is a referral network for learners needing support for emotional, mental and social needs
• Train educators in providing psychosocial support to learners

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Must, in the assessment of educators, review their knowledge and practices of screening, identifying and
providing support in the classroom for learners with psychosocial barriers to learning

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

• Must develop annual School Improvement Plans and individual plans for the personal growth and
development of educators that increase the school’s capacity to provide psychosocial support
• Must establish an SBST that includes representation of bodies or people with psychosocial skills
• Must ensure that educators, SGBs, RCLs and learners in peer groups are trained in the identification of
learners needing psychosocial support and their respective roles in providing support
• Should establish a referral network between the school and service providers in the surrounding community,
DSD and others government departments that provide psychosocial support

SGB (School Governing Body):

• Should do research to understand what psychosocial support is and the conditions in the surrounding
community that may lead to children requiring it
• Should share information with parents on what psychosocial support is and what the school’s
responsibilities are
• Must review budgetary allocations for the development of educators and school resources for identifying
and supporting children needing psychosocial support

RCL (Representative Council of Learners):

• Should do research to understand what psychosocial support is and the conditions in the surrounding
community that may lead to children requiring it
• Should share information with learners on the needs of children who are receiving psychosocial support,
how they can support those in need, and the measures in place at school to provide support

Educators:
• Should assess all learners who have experienced a traumatic event on their need for psychosocial support
• Should refer learners who need psychosocial support to the SBST or to psychosocial service providers that
are part of the school-based referral network
• In self-assessment processes, should consider their ability to implement psychosocial assessments and
provide appropriate support, and identify where they need further training
• Should seek out and participate in training and professional development opportunities for strengthening
psychosocial support skills
• Should engage with the parents/caregivers of children needing psychosocial support on the support provided
in class and how parents can provide support at home to ensure that their children attend school and do well

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 CSTL SA

Learners:
• Should join peer support groups and help identify and refer children who have experienced trauma to
their educators
• Should be supportive to fellow learners who have experienced a traumatic event by listening to them and
supporting them to get help from educators

Parents/caregivers:
• Where their children have experienced trauma, should make sure that they let the educators know
• Must make sure that their children are assessed by the school for additional learning needs
• Must find out from the school and the educator what services and support are available to help with their
children’s additional needs and make sure that they receive these

KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

Partnerships with the Departments of Social Development and Health are critical to link learners
with social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists. NGOs, community-based organisations (CBOs)
and faith-based organisations (FBOs) can also assist schools with psychosocial support.

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The SBST is the mechanism at schools to link vulnerable learners to support. SBSTs are required to keep a
register of vulnerable learners and to track support provided to them. Screening, Identification, Assessment
and Support (SIAS) is used to do this.

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Curriculum Support for an effective school

WHAT IS AN EFFECTIVE SCHOOL?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community members
know, respect, protect and promote especially vulnerable children’s rights to education, equality, freedom from
discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education equally.
Curriculum Support is a Priority Action Area in CSTL programme implementation given that the efficient
and effective delivery of the curriculum by skilled and supported educators with the appropriate materials
is necessary in creating safe, supportive learning environments. These environments create opportunities for
every learner to develop the skills and knowledge to achieve the best of his/her potential and to become a
responsible and successful citizen.
An effective school is one where educators provide quality teaching and learners are learning to their full
potential. In an effective school:
• Educators are in their classrooms and engaging with learners during school hours
• Learners are in the classroom during school hours and paying attention
• Educators are qualified and skilled to teach the subjects they are teaching, in a language and manner that
the children can understand, regardless of who they are or what their background is
• Learners learn to their full potential because any barriers they may have to learning are recognised and
accommodated in the curriculum, teaching environment, teaching methods and LTSM used in the classroom
• Learners and educators have access to the necessary LTSM and infrastructure to create an enabling teaching
and learning environment suited to each child’s specific needs and circumstances

In an effective school the principal and SMT:

• Provide direction to the educators to enable them to engage in the planning, management of their time
and setting of goals which are necessary to provide quality teaching and coverage of the full curriculum
• Continually monitor progress, strengths and areas of teaching and learning that need to be strengthened
• Make sure that teaching and learning continually improve through regular development of the educators,
the physical teaching and learning environment, and through quality, timely and accessible LTSM that is
adapted to the learning needs of all children in the school community

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WHAT IS CURRICULUM SUPPORT AND HOW DOES IT HELP TO CREATE EFFECTIVE

SCHOOLS?
Curriculum support includes the DBE’s programmes and interventions that support effective teaching and
learning. These programmes and interventions are designed to build strong school governance and management
to ensure the effective and full use of all teaching and learning resources and full implementation of the
curriculum. They ensure that teaching and assessment methods are developed that are suited to the learning
needs and the learning risks and barriers faced by all children in the school community.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

There are three major focus areas under curriculum support. These are:
i. Improving the management of educator development and the school systems supporting it, curriculum
coverage and the provision of teaching and learning materials
ii. Continuous monitoring and improvement of the skills and delivery of the curriculum by educators
iii. Ensuring that all children of school-going age are attending school regularly and that there is a flexible
curriculum able to respond to the needs of all learners

Improving the governance and management of school systems

There is a lot of evidence that strong governance and management practices will improve educational outcomes,
especially in resource-constrained schools. These practices ensure the availability and efficient use of educators
and teaching and learning resources to support the implementation of the curriculum. The Action Plan to 2014
identifies a number of essential management outcomes or outputs that must be produced annually by schools
to ensure effective and quality implementation of the curriculum (Goal 21). These are:
• A School Improvement Plan that identifies the key challenges of the school and how they will be addressed.
This should include challenges in educator composition and knowledge and practices
• School budgets that reflect how the available resources will be used to address challenges regarding
educators, teaching and learning resources, and infrastructure
• A school timetable and educator timetables that ensure the efficient use of educator time and
curriculum coverage
• Daily educator attendance registers to monitor the use of educator time
• A class and period register to monitor learner attendance
• Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) tools for monitoring content knowledge and educators’
skills and to plan for continuous professional development of educators
• Consolidated record of each learner’s performance and needs
• Annual financial statements
• School annual report recording progress made by the school to address the problems identified in the
annual improvement plan

Continuous monitoring and improvement of the skills, knowledge and qualifications of educators
The DBE has developed and implemented a number of strategies to secure the ongoing monitoring, support, and
improvement of the qualifications of educators, and the quality of curriculum coverage and teaching provided
by educators. The implementation of the relevant interventions at all schools, especially under-performing
schools, is key to curriculum support. See details of these in the section on the legal and policy mandate below.

Ensuring all learners attend school regularly and providing a flexible curriculum
This is a complex undertaking. It requires that schools are able to respond to learners who face a range of
challenges, such as learning difficulties, physical disabilities, those who are unable to attend school regularly

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because of illness or because of care-giving responsibilities towards a sick family member, and/or youth
who are out of school and need to re-enter school. The term “inclusion” is used to describe the delivery of
education that is able to respond to diverse learning needs to enable all learners to achieve their potential.
The responsibilities of schools to deliver a flexible curriculum include a range of activities, such as providing
physical access to learners with physical disabilities, ensuring assistive devices for learners who require them,
adapting teaching methods and organising the classroom to respond to learner needs.
Inclusive Education in the DBE promotes the development of “full-service schools”. Full-service schools are
ordinary schools that provide a full range of specialist services to support learners with a range of learning
needs, including those who are physically challenged. All ordinary and full-service schools can refer learners
to the district and province for learning assessment and apply for examination concessions.
The SBST identifies training needs of educators in each phase and organises ongoing support. One task of
the District-Based Support Team (DBST) is to assist educators in schools to create greater flexibility in their
teaching methods and in the assessment of learning.

LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

The following laws, strategies and programmes guarantee and give effect to the rights of children to
curriculum support.
• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa protects the rights of all children to education
• The Action Plan to 2014: Towards the Realisation of Schooling 2025 seeks to give effect to the rights of all
children, especially historically educationally marginalised children, to quality education through strong
school management and leadership
• The National Strategy for Learner Attainment (2015) is a strategy developed by the DBE to secure sustained
improvements in learner outcomes, with a focus on improving basic functionality at schools. The strategy
aims to ensure that school principals receive the capacitation and support required to play their assigned
leadership role in implementing the curriculum and, where they lack the necessary skills, receive training,
mentoring and support
• The Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) involves ongoing self and external assessment of
educators’ capabilities by the SMT. The assessment leads to a Personal Growth Plan (PGP) for each educator,
which identifies which skills and knowledge require growth and development. Educators needing support
attend short courses provided through the Skills Development Budget of the PED. In addition, training
areas are identified in the School Improvement Plan and educators then participate in professional
development programmes
• Home Language and Multi-grade Teacher Training is provided by the DBE through standard training
programmes for Mathematics and English educators
• The Continual Professional Teacher Development system targets school-based educators. They are required
to participate in three types of professional development activities (teacher-initiated, school-initiated and
externally-initiated activities). Educators have to earn a set number of professional development points by
participating in all three types and reporting on their participation twice a year. SACE issues a certificate
to every educator who achieves 150 professional development points
• The Inclusive Education Policy – Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, 2001 and the Screening,
Identification and Assessment (SIAS) Strategy (and draft policy) protect the rights of all children who face
barriers to learning as a result of their social, economic, health and other circumstances, to receive a
quality education

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 CSTL SA

DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Improve the governance and management of resources to secure an effective teaching and learning
environment through the annual development of a minimum set of management plans and reports,
including:
–– School Improvement Plan
–– School budget
–– School timetable and educator timetables
–– Daily educator attendance registers
–– Class and period register
–– IQMS tools
–– Consolidated record of each learner’s performance and needs
–– Annual financial statements
–– School annual report

• Deliver the prescribed workbooks and textbooks to learners by the start of the academic year

• Engage in continuing educator monitoring and improvement of skills, qualifications and subject knowledge:
–– Through the participation of principals in training and capacity building to lead implementation of the
curriculum
–– By ensuring that educators are regularly assessed through the IQMS and that those needing support
receive training
–– By ensuring that home language mathematics and language educators, as well as educators providing
multi-grade teaching participate in training courses provided by the DBE
–– By enouraging all educators to work towards receiving their SACE-issued Professional Development
Certificate

• Provide a flexible curriculum by: 24 25 26

–– Identifying learners with needs through SIAS and training educators to administer SIAS
–– Referring learners who are struggling with the curriculum to the SBST
–– Training educators in the identification and support of learners experiencing learning barriers
–– Offering a flexible curriculum that accommodates a range of learning needs
–– Training educators to adapt the curriculum to accommodate all learners by focusing on addressing unique
learner needs
–– Ensuring support from the DBST for specific learners
–– Establishing a working relationship with a full-service school or special school for advice and/or referral of
learners who require further support
–– Providing LTSM for learners with disabilities, such as Braille for blind learners
–– Providing assistive devices to learners in need

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Must develop a minimum set of management plans and reports to manage the use of resources to secure
quality teaching and learning:
–– School Improvement Plan
–– School budget
–– School timetable and educator timetables
–– Class and period register
–– IQMS tools
–– Consolidated record of each learner’s performance and needs
–– Annual financial statements
–– School annual report

• Must assess how many textbooks and workbooks will be required for learners and order these early so that
they are delivered by the start of the academic year
• Must ensure that all educators are regularly assessed using the IQMS and that each educator has a PGP
• Must ensure that all educators receive training to address knowledge, skills and qualification gaps
identified in their PGP
• Must ensure that all mathematics and language educators and educators of multi-grade classes participate
in home language and multi-grade teaching courses run by the DBE
• Should review the number of SACE-accredited Professional Development Courses that each educator
has participated in, and support them to participate in further courses to earn a SACE Professional
Development Certificate
• Must ensure that all educators are trained in the SIAS strategy, processes and teaching methodologies, and
curriculum and assessment adjustments for learners with barriers
• Must establish a working relationship with a full-service school or special school to receive advice or
facilitate referrals of children with disabilities
• Must ensure that there is an adequate budget and that orders are placed in a timely fashion to secure
LTSM and assistive devices for learners with disabilities

SGB (School Governing Body):

• Must review the school budget to ensure that it makes provision for procuring enough textbooks and
workbooks for all children, and LTSM and assistive devices for children with disabilities
• Must monitor implementation of the School Improvement Plan

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 CSTL SA

RCL (Representative Council of Learners):

• Should do research to understand what psychosocial support is and the conditions in the surrounding
community that may lead to children requiring it
• Should share information with learners on the needs of children who are receiving psychosocial support,
how they can support those in need, and the measures in place at school to provide support

Educators:
• Must cover the full curriculum for all subjects or learning areas
• Should participate in accredited professional development courses to improve SIAS skills, as well as home
language and multi-grade teaching skills
• Must use annual IQMS self-assessment procedures to identify teaching areas they need support in
• Must use the IQMS and PGP processes and SACE-accredited courses to strengthen teaching skills, knowledge
and ability, especially with regard to SIAS, home language and multi-grade teaching
• Must assess all learners for learning barriers in terms of the SIAS strategy
• Must modify the curriculum, use of LTSM, and assessments to meet the learning needs of learners
with barriers
• Must refer all learners assessed as having barriers to learning and having difficulties with the curriculum to
the SBST for additional support

Learners:
• Must attend class every day, pay attention and be active classroom participants
• Should participate in peer group activities that provide additional learning support to fellow learners
facing barriers to learning

Parents/caregivers:
• Should request copies of, and get to know the contents of the minimum set of management plans and reports
• Should participate in the SIAS assessment of children and provide ongoing support by helping with
homework to overcome learning barriers

KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

Key partners in strengthening school governance, school management and the professional development of
educators include:
• The Department of Higher Education and Training
• SACE
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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

• Tertiary education institutes such as universities and teacher training colleges

• The Centre for Higher Education Transformation (CHET)
• The Matthew Goniwe School of Governance and Leadership, which has partnered with the DBE to develop
and implement school leadership and governance courses

Private business can provide assistance to learners who may need assistive devices such as wheel chairs, spectacles
and hearing aids. The DOH and the DSD can also provide this support.

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

In terms of the DBE’s Action plan to 2014, its Five-Year Strategic Plan 2015/16–2019/2020 and its Annual
Performance Plan 2015–16, schools and provinces are required to report on progress made towards the national
strategic objectives of:
• Effective curriculum implementation and support through development and supply of LTSM and skilling
and capacitation of multi-grade teachers
• Improved teacher supply and capacity through professional development

Schools are required to monitor attendance, curriculum coverage and teaching and learning outcomes of
educators and learners, and provide regular reports on these to the district office. In addition, schools must
monitor and report on the number of learners with access to workbooks and textbooks by the start of the
academic year.

The reported results must be used to shape the School Improvement Plan and each educator’s PGP. Progress
made in remedying gaps must be included in the school’s annual report.

The indicators against which reporting must be done include the following:
• Number of minimum management documents developed by the school at an acceptable level
• Number of SGB members provided with training on their mandate, roles and responsibilities
• SGB’s level of compliance with minimum effectiveness criteria as set out in the annual performance plan
• Percentage of learners with Language workbooks in Grades 1–6
• Percentage of learners with Mathematics workbooks in Grades 1–9
• Number of First Additional Language and Mathematics educators who have undertaken a self-diagnostic
assessment for English First Additional Language and Mathematics
• Number of educators who have received training on the implementation of the IQMS
• Number of educators assessed by the principal and SMT using the IQMS, and the number of PGPs developed
and implemented to improve areas of weakness
• Average hours per year spent by educators on professional development activities
• Number of educators trained in home language and multi-grade teaching
• Percentage of educators absent from school on an average day
• Percentage of learners who complete the whole curriculum

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

Co-curricular Support

WHAT IS CO-CURRICULAR SUPPORT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community members
know, respect, protect and promote especially vulnerable children’s rights to education, equality, freedom from
discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education equally.
Co-curricular Support is a Priority Action Area in CSTL programme implementation given that co-curricular
activities support and augment curriculum implementation and are necessary in creating safe, supportive
learning environments. These environments create opportunities for every learner to develop the skills and
knowledge to achieve the best of his/her potential and to become a responsible and successful citizen.
Co-curricular activities in the context of care and support are intended to support and augment curriculum
implementation in and outside of the school. Examples of co-curricular activities include peer education
programmes, homework assistance programmes, social and drama clubs, and sport-related activities.
Co-curricular facilities are important because they support inclusion, cohesion and celebration of diversity in
schools, as well as the provision of support to marginalised children so as to improve their educational outcomes.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

A school that provides co-curricular support is one where:
• Physical education and sporting facilities and activities are available for all children, including girls and boys
and children with disabilities
• A range of cultural and recreational programmes (such as dance and drama clubs) are available that reflect
the diversity of the school community
• There is at least one recognised peer education group, such as the GEM/BEM (Girls and Boys Education
Movement)
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 CSTL SA

LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

The following laws and policies guarantee and give effect to the rights of children to co-curricular support:
• The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa protects the rights of all children to a healthy environment
and to participate in the cultural life of their choice
• The Regulations relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure, 2013
seek to give effect to the rights of all children to education that allows them to develop, both physically and
cognitively, to their full potential
• The Guidelines for the Implementation of Peer Education Programmes for Learners in South African Schools
give effect to the rights of children to participate in school decision-making structures and processes, and to
give and receive support from their peers to overcome barriers to education

DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

To meet the requirements for co-curricular support, 27 28 29 30 schools must provide:
• One sporting activity for girls per term
• One sporting activity for boys per term
• Inter-house (within school) and inter-school (league) sporting activities
• One recognised peer education club
• Homework assistance

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Should ensure that there is space allocated on the school property for physical education and sporting
activities, as well as recreational and cultural activities
• If there is no space available on the school property, should establish a relationship with community sports
and cultural clubs and negotiate the use of this space
• Should support the establishment of one recognised peer education group
• Must develop a homework support programme that draws in peers, parents, educators, community
members and NGOs to provide daily homework support to learners on the school premises

SGB (School Governing Body) & RCL (Representative Council of Learners):

• Must monitor and review the School Improvement Plan and budget to make sure that it makes provision
for adequate sporting, cultural and recreational programmes for learners

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

• Should communicate with parents, community members and NGOs to find out what support they can
provide to make more sports, cultural and homework support programmes available to learners, and share
this information with the SMT to enable them to conclude formal partnerships

Educators:
• Should provide physical education, drama and other cultural activities on school premises
• Must provide homework support, especially for learners whose school attendance and participation is
compromised by their circumstances, such as those involved in child labour

Learners:
• Should establish and join a peer education group that provides support to vulnerable learners, including
homework support
• Should work through peer groups to encourage local artists and cultural groups to provide classes and
facilities

Parents/caregivers:
• Should provide homework support to their children

KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

The DBE partners with the Departments of Sport and Recreation, and Arts and Culture, as well as a range of
sporting and cultural federations. Local business and NGOs can support sports and cultural activities in schools.
Parents and caregivers should be encouraged to support their children with homework. Retired educators and
youth who have completed matric can be encouraged to provide support to young learners with reading and
homework. There are some NGOs that provide support with the formation and running of homework clubs.

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

There is no national reporting template. Provincial and district officials monitor school-level activities. The QLTC
provides reports on the schools that have sporting facilities. Peer education activities are reported on a quarterly
basis through the HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme.

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation

WHY DO WE NEED ADEQUATE INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER AND SANITATION AT SCHOOL?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community members
know, respect, protect and promote especially vulnerable children’s rights to education, equality, freedom from
discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education equally.
Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation is a Priority Action Area in CSTL programme implementation given that
the provision and maintenance of habitable and appropriate school structures is necessary in creating safe,
supportive learning environments. These environments create opportunities for every learner to develop the
skills and knowledge to achieve the best of his/her potential and to become a responsible and successful citizen.
Children have a right to be educated in a safe and healthy environment. They cannot learn in schools that are
structurally unsafe, unhygienic and do not provide basic services and infrastructure.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

This priority area involves the provision and maintenance of habitable and appropriate physical school
structures designed to meet all the accommodation requirements of school communities, and especially of
marginalised groups, such as children with disabilities, girls and LGBTI children. The implementation of a
basic set of minimum standards for infrastructure in all South African schools is a national priority and is led
by the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI). ASIDI has been established to get rid of all
inappropriate school structures and provide basic services such as water, electricity and sanitation.
Depending on the nature of the required maintenance, responsibility for school building maintenance is
shared between a school and its PED.
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LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

The following laws and initiatives guarantee and protect the rights of children to a healthy and enabling school
environment:
• Constitution of the Republic of South Africa
• Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI)
• Regulations relating to the Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure (2013)

DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

The Regulations relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for Public School Infrastructure (2013)
require that all schools provide the following minimum standards of infrastructure necessary for an enabling
teaching and learning environment: 31
• All schools must have:
–– Some form of power supply that complies with safety laws
–– A sufficient water supply that complies with all laws and is available for drinking, personal hygiene and
food preparation
–– A sufficient number of sanitation facilities that are accessible, provide privacy, and promote health and
hygiene. Separate boys’ and girls’ toilets must be provided
–– A school library or media centre and a minimum, adequate and suitable school library collection
–– A science laboratory if they offer science as a subject
–– Spaces for physical education, sport and recreational activities
–– Wired or wireless connectivity for purposes of communication
–– A surrounding fence and basic security measures such as burglar proofing
• In addition, schools must be designed to accommodate the needs of learners and educators with disabilities
and make all facilities accessible to them

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Must develop an annual School Improvement Plan and budget that identifies infrastructure and basic
service gaps and puts in place measures to address these
• Must communicate school inadequacies to the PED and bring pressure to bear for the gaps to be remedied
through the ASIDI programme

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

SGB (School Governing Body):

• Must review the School Improvement Plan and budget to assess if these are adequate to make improvements
to meet minimum infrastructure norms and standards

RCL (Representative Council of Learners):

• Should share learners’ concerns and needs relating to infrastructure and basic services with the SGB and SMT

Educators:
• Should share their views on infrastructure needs and priorities to support effective, quality teaching with the SMT

Learners:
• Should share their concerns and needs related to infrastructure and basic services with the SGB and SMT
through the RCL
• Should take care of and make sure that they do not damage school property and infrastructure

Parents/caregivers:
• Can support the development and maintenance of infrastructure and basic services by contributing to school
improvement projects and fundraising initiatives to support infrastructure development
• Should know what the minimum requirements are and bring pressure to bear on the SMT and SGB to take
steps to meet these standards

KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

The Department of Public Works and local municipalities are important partners in the development of new
school buildings.

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The National Education Infrastructure Management System (NEIMS) is a comprehensive national database on
the condition of infrastructure and facilities in all public schools. Provinces provide reports upon completion of
building of additional infrastructure and/or maintenance of existing infrastructure so that it can be regularly

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updated on the management system.

Internally, the QLTC has adopted key infrastructure requirements as part of a set of school non-negotiables.
These are:
• Is the school properly fenced and secured?
• Does the school have adequate water and sanitation facilities?
• Is the school generally clean?
• Is there a maintenance plan in place to attend to infrastructure problems?
• Are there infrastructure problems, and have these been reported to the district? For example, leaking roof,
falling walls, lack of classrooms? 32

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Social Welfare Services

WHAT ARE SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community members
know, respect, protect and promote especially vulnerable children’s rights to education, equality, freedom from
discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education equally.
Social Welfare Services is a Priority Action Area in CSTL programme implementation given the role of schools
and educators in implementing child care and protection legislation and in creating safe, supportive learning
environments. These environments create opportunities for every learner to develop the skills and knowledge
to achieve the best of his/her potential and to become a responsible and successful citizen.
Social welfare services are those that secure the physical, psychosocial and material care and protection of
children, especially vulnerable children. This includes prevention, early intervention and therapeutic services for
children who are victims of violence and abuse, as well as those who have suffered other traumatic events, such
as the loss of a parent or close family member, who have an ill parent or family member, and children who live
in a child-headed household.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

This area deals with the role of schools and educators in the implementation of child care and protection
legislation, and in promoting access to social welfare services, enabling documents (such as getting identity
documents (IDs) and birth certificates) and social assistance grants.
Schools are required to keep a register of vulnerable learners, including those receiving social assistance. In
cooperation with circuit and district offices, and through the HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme,
schools host integrated service delivery days to link learners to health and social services. Representatives

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from the major government departments involved with social assistance and personal documentation provide
their services to the local community from a school. This is a very effective way to reach large numbers of
people in a defined geographical area who are in need of support.

LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

The following policies, laws and programmes guarantee and protect the rights of children to social
welfare services:
• Constitution of the Republic of South Africa
• Children’s Act No 38 of 2005
• Social Assistance Act No 13 of 2004
• National Child Labour Programme of Action (CLPA) for South Africa, Phase three: 2013–2017

DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Present priorities are: 33
• An integrated service delivery day to be hosted at a school

For social assistance a school should:

• Keep a register of vulnerable learners at school and a record of interventions implemented
• Keep a register of learners who are supported through a child support or other social assistance grant
• Support the DSD in identifying, tracking and linking vulnerable learners and those in child-headed
households to grants, benefits and social services 34
• Monitor enrolment, attendance and achievement of all learners whose parents and caregivers are
receiving the Child Support Grant 35

For child protection, a school should:

• Lodge a report with a designated Child Protection Organisation, the provincial DSD or a police official
if a school has reasonable grounds to suspect that a child is being physically or sexually abused or
deliberately neglected 36 37
• Establish relationships with external service providers like police, NGOs or the DSD to establish joint
procedures for the referral of children identified as abused or neglected 38
• Keep a record at the school of all suspected incidents of child abuse and the action taken

For child labour a school should:

• Identify children who are often absent and the reasons for their being absent
• In cases where they are absent because of having to work, the school should take a number of steps,
including:
–– Referring the child to the DSD for support
–– Providing extra support at school, such as providing extra classes for learners who have lost a lot of
schooling time
–– Making sure that educators and SGBs know about the needs and problems faced by working children
• Make sure that learners do not engage in school-related labour, apart from the kind of work required
to build a sense of responsibility, and make sure that learners are not used by educators and principals
to clean their houses 39
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RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Should develop and implement a monitoring system that identifies learners who are frequently absent,
and allows for investigations as to why they are absent and their referral for support
• Together with the SBST, must develop and maintain a register of vulnerable learners and the support
provided to them
• Should develop a system to record all learners receiving social welfare support, including social grants
• Should develop a system for tracking the continued enrolment and performance of learners receiving
social grants

SGB (School Governing Body):

• Should identify potential social welfare partners within the surrounding community, local NGOs and
among parents, and advocate that they become formally linked with the school

Educators:
• Should participate in training on the signs and identification of vulnerable learners and refer them to partner
service providers
• Should identify learners who are frequently absent and investigate the reasons for their absence and, where
they need social welfare services, refer them to the school’s social welfare partners

Learners:
• Should participate in peer education groups that support schools to identify vulnerable children and their
referral for access to social welfare services

Parents/caregivers:
• Should work closely with educators to understand what support they can provide at home to alleviate the
educational risks faced by children who have experienced trauma or otherwise need social welfare services

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KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

This priority area is about partnerships. It is essential that there are effective mechanisms to enable partnerships
at provincial, district and school levels. A good example is the integrated service delivery days where government
services, such as Departments of Home Affairs, Social Development and Health, visit a school or other central
venue to offer integrated services from one site on the same day.
The boundaries for collaborative responsibility in this area are illustrated in the following three examples:
• Social assistance grants: In the case of a child receiving the Child Support Grant who is found not to be
attending school, a social worker must, in consultation with the DBE, investigate and report as to why the
child is not enrolled or attending school. The DSD must take steps to ensure that the child is enrolled or
does attend school
• Child protection: The police or social workers are obliged to investigate cases reported to them by educators
and others. The results of the investigation are considered by the Children’s Court, which will make an
order as to whether the child is in need of care and protection
• Child labour: The Department of Labour must investigate reported cases of child labour. The National
Child Labour Programme of Action obliges the Department of Labour to raise public awareness on child
labour and advises working through schools

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

The SBST, in collaboration with the SMT, is required to keep a register of vulnerable learners and to track
support to them. SIAS is used to do this. The SMT/principal’s report to the district or circuit office must include
reports of suspected child abuse.

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Material Support

WHAT IS MATERIAL SUPPORT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

A rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school is one that makes sure that all school community members
know, respect, protect and promote especially vulnerable children’s rights to education, equality, freedom from
discrimination and violence, dignity, and all other rights necessary to enjoy their right to education equally. Material
Support is a Priority Action Area in CSTL programme implementation given that the provision of resources or
materials to address material or financial barriers to education is necessary in creating safe, supportive learning
environments. These environments create opportunities for every learner to develop the skills and knowledge to
achieve the best of his/her potential and to become a responsible and successful citizen.
Poverty and school-related costs remains one of the most common barriers to education. Material support refers
to the provision of resources or services to address material or financial barriers to education, including school
fees, uniforms and transport.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION AREA AND THE PROGRAMME

The material support area is concerned with ensuring that vulnerable learners are not denied access to school
because of the lack of financial means to pay school fees. In a school that provides material support, no child is
excluded or prevented from enrolling, attending, participating in any school activity or doing well academically
because they do not have the money to pay school-related costs. Schools are obliged to assist with the provision of
appropriate teaching and learning material and uniforms where practical. Learner transport must also be provided.

LEGAL AND POLICY MANDATE

The following policies, laws and programmes guarantee and protect the rights of children to social
welfare services:
• Constitution of the Republic of South Africa
• Children’s Act No 38 of 2005
• Social Assistance Act No 13 of 2004
• National Child Labour Programme of Action (CLPA) for South Africa, Phase three: 2013–2017
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DBE NATIONAL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

The following should be in place in schools for material support: 40 41 42 43
• A no-school-fees policy (primary and secondary schools in Quintiles 1, 2 and 3 in poorest areas in South
Africa)
• Implementation of the fee exemption policy for poor and otherwise vulnerable learners attending fee-
charging schools
• Assistance to learners who are unable to afford uniforms (subject to the financial means of the school)
• Enabling learners to get to school: learners who live more than 10 kms away from their nearest school
provided with free transport to and from school and/or with safe and secure hostel accommodation with
adult supervision
• Learners with physical and other disabilities that impact on their ability to get to school supported to find
transport to and from school; special schools provide free transport to learners 44

RESPONSIBILITIES OF SCHOOL COMMUNITY

School principal and SMT (School Management Team):

• Should ensure that parents and children know what material support is available through the school for
covering school costs, and encourage them to make use of these
• Must make sure that the school fee exemption policy is adhered to by the SGB and other school community
members
• Should develop a process for parents who have applied for, but not received material support, to apply for
review of the SGB decision by the SMT
• Should establish a second-hand uniform store/bank to assist children whose parents cannot afford school
uniforms
• Must identify the transport needs of children who live far from the school and submit a request to the district
office for scholar transport

SGB (School Governing Body):

• Should develop a school admission policy that forbids the exclusion of children from enrolling or
participating in any school activity, or treating them differently in any way, because their parents or
caregivers cannot pay school fees
• Must develop a process for parents to apply for school fee exemptions in fee-paying schools
• Must approve all school fee exemption applications that meet the lawful requirements and, where
applications are refused, let the applicant know in writing why the application was refused

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Educators:
• Should not treat children whose parents cannot afford school costs differently or disrespectfully

Learners:
• Should share information with parents on the forms of material support available to help with school costs

Parents/caregivers:
• Should make sure that the SGB and SMT provide them with information on their children’s rights to equality
and the various forms of material support that are available to them
• Should make use of the material support opportunities and enforce their children’s rights to equality when
they are discriminated against at school

KEY EXTERNAL PARTNERS

NGOs, FBOs and local business can make donations to support the material needs of vulnerable learners. This
can include items such as stationery, books, uniforms, shoes and toiletries. The DSD can register partial care
facilities in a community where a school needs to identify local accommodation for vulnerable learners.

MONITORING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Annually, provinces are required to submit their list of schools that will be no-fee schools the following year.
The schools are selected based on a national poverty distribution table and poverty score determined by the
Minister. Once the schools have been approved by the Minister, they are then published in the Government
Gazette and on the Department’s website.
The provision of scholar transport is monitored by provincial education departments on a quarterly basis.
Schools are required to identify the need for learner transport and submit a request to the district.45 Districts are
responsible for grouping schools requiring transport into a cluster. Schools must submit reports to the district
offices on the number of learners provided with transport and the status of transport provision.
Currently, there is no system within the national and provincial offices for monitoring and reporting on
material support such as provision of school uniforms, stationery or monetary donations. However, schools are
encouraged to identify learners in need of material support, identify local partners who can support learners
or the school, and monitor support provided. In this regard, schools are encouraged to maintain a database of
local partners and their services.

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

PART 2: AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

FOR CARE AND SUPPORT
“An enabling environment is a set of interrelated conditions—such as legal, bureaucratic, fiscal, informational,
political, and cultural [practices and attitudes]—that impact on the capacity of development actors to engage
in development processes in a sustained and effective manner.” 46 Implementing effective care and support
activities in school requires the provision of an enabling environment. While some aspects of an enabling
environment, such as creating support for the programme, can only be progressively achieved, other activities,
such as the formation of structures, have to be instituted immediately as they are critical for the successful
implementation of care and support programmes. For an enabling environment to exist, structures must be
formed at the provincial, district and school levels, as they have the responsibility to facilitate and promote
care and support actions in schools.

National CSTL
Task Team
(NTT)

Provincial CSTL Provincial CSTL Provincial CSTL

Task Team Task Team Task Team
(PTT) (PTT) (PTT)

District-Based District-Based District-Based District-Based

Support Team Support Team Support Team Support Team
(DBST) (DBST) (DBST) (DBST)

School- School- School- School- School-

Based Based Based Based Based
Support Team Support Team Support Team Support Team Support Team
(SBST) (SBST) (SBST) (SBST) (SBST)

Figure 6: CSTL Programme structures

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 CSTL SA

Elements of the enabling environment

Implementing effective care and support activities in schools requires an enabling environment. This means
that the provincial, district and school environments actively facilitate and promote care and support action.

For this to be achieved the following must happen:

• Provincial education departments and their directorates adopt a vision for an integrated programme of
service delivery to vulnerable learners
• There is provincial capacity and there are structures to support and oversee the delivery of care and
support through districts
• There is district capacity and there are structures to provide support and oversee the delivery of care and
support activities in schools
• There is school-level capacity and there are structures to respond to the needs of vulnerable learners
• Implementation of the ten priority areas must be coordinated by the SBST. In a case where a school has other
existing committees (e.g. Safety Committee or Health Advisory Committee) it is recommended that these
committees should be represented in the SBST
• The roles and responsibilities of individuals and structures working in schools, districts and provinces with
respect to meeting the needs of vulnerable learners are clarified and there is regular reporting
• There are effective mechanisms in schools to identify vulnerable learners and to track that the required
support is being delivered in a timely manner
• There are effective partnerships and systems at all levels within provincial education departments, with
other government departments, NGOs, local business, community-based organisations and other schools,
to deliver care and support to vulnerable learners
• The school community, the local community, parents, caregivers and learners participate in care and
support activities
• There is regular advocacy and communication at all levels about the importance of care and support
in schools

The roles and responsibilities of support

structures in creating an enabling environment
This section discusses the role of structures and actions to be implemented to achieve an enabling environment.
The themes are as follows:
• Advocacy and communication
• Monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements
• Building participation in care and support activities in school communities
• Building effective partnerships for care and support activities in schools
• Identifying vulnerable or at-risk learners and tracking support
• Ensuring that school structures are set up to coordinate care and support activities
• Ensuring district capacity for care and support activities
• Establishing the Provincial CSTL Task Team

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Advocacy and communication

Advocacy for care and support for vulnerable learners is needed at the provincial, district and school level.

“Advocacy is putting a problem on the agenda, providing a solution to that problem, and building support for acting
on both the problem and the solution.” 47

Advocacy builds support for both the problem and the solution. The challenge of vulnerable learners must
be put on the agenda at all three levels, discussed and solutions found. In some settings, care and support
is considered a “soft issue”. It is said that schools should just focus on getting academic results. But care and
support overcomes the barriers that many learners face to achievement of better academic results. Far from
being a “soft issue”, care and support is critical to academic success in many schools.

Advocacy relies to a large extent on effective leadership and care and support champions: the individuals both
inside and outside a school who are involved in care and support activities. They are often powerful advocates
for care and support who talk from the heart.

SCHOOL-LEVEL ADVOCACY
A school must identify individuals who can talk about support for vulnerable learners. It may be the school
principal, a member of the SMT or SGB, or someone who is actively supporting learners. This person can speak
at school meetings, staff meetings, parent/caregiver–educator meetings, SGB and SBST meetings. It is also
helpful to speak at local community meetings or a local business forum about the challenges that schools are
facing. A meeting like this can be used to win support and ask for volunteers and resources.

One of the best ways to make public a commitment to care and support is to organise a launch. This doesn’t
have to be an expensive event. It can be part of a school sports day or similar event.

ADVOCACY AT PROVINCIAL AND

DISTRICT LEVELS
In any bureaucracy such as government, officials become
accustomed to working in silos because funds and human resources
are allocated per programme. This means that, although officials all
work within the Education Department, they may not be meeting
enough with colleagues in other directorates and departments to
draw up integrated and joint plans. The Integrated Package of Care
and Support requires that officials move out of traditional ways of
working. To do this, it is necessary to advocate for the package with
senior and middle management to get high-level commitment for
collaboration and joint programmes.

POSTER
Advocacy goes hand-in-hand with communication. Display the poster
accompanying this handbook somewhere prominent and use it to talk about
care and support at provincial, district, school and community meetings. Also use it to capture contact details of
local partners in the ten Priority Action Areas.

Monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements

In addition to the monitoring and reporting requirements that have been outlined in the previous section
for each of the Priority Action Areas, there are monitoring and reporting requirements for the programme
in its entirety. The first requirement is monitoring using the School Monitoring and Support Tool (Annexure

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A). This needs to be done on a monthly basis or during SBST meetings. This will assist schools in determining
current status (baseline) on provision and tracking ongoing progress. The second monitoring and reporting
requirement is quarterly reporting to track progress and generate data that will provide detailed information
on the reach and coverage of the provision of care and support and provide data that will be used for reporting
both internally and externally. For this purpose, a School Reporting Template (Annexure B) has been provided.
Only school reporting templates are included in this handbook. Reporting templates for other levels are
provided in the Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) Framework for the CSTL Programme.

Building participation in care and support activities in

school communities

Care and support requires the participation of the wider school community. The following groups of people
must be encouraged to participate in care and support activities:
• Learners
• Educators
• School support staff
• Parents and caregivers
• Members of the local community
One of the best ways to get everyone involved in care and support is for a school community to collectively
develop a vision of how care and support should be addressed at their school. Care and support must form part
of the School Development Plan.

LEARNER PARTICIPATION
Learner involvement in care and support activities can take many different forms. Learners should be encouraged
to be champions and advocates of care and support within their schools. A school may involve learners in a peer
education programme and in activities to support their peers, such as tending a food garden, a uniform bank
and homework support. A school can also involve learners in a needs assessment.48 Learners can be engaged
in care and support activities through their Representative Council of Learners (RCL) or peer education clubs.

EDUCATOR AND SCHOOL SUPPORT STAFF PARTICIPATION

Care and support activities need to be integrated into the routine daily functions of educators and school
support staff. This makes it possible for them to avoid having to “volunteer” time. For example, classroom
educators should conduct routine screening of learners for vulnerability and make time to talk with them
about the challenges they face. Care and support activities can enable educators to cope by providing tools and
ideas to better handle challenges faced in the classroom. Many educators who get involved in care and support
activities report a big change in their relationships with learners. This in itself can provide job satisfaction, as
educators may feel less overwhelmed by the challenges they face in the classroom. Continuing Professional
Teacher Development is an opportunity for educators to develop skills in facilitating care and support.

Care and support should accommodate the needs of educators and support staff. In a school, it is important to
make time to listen to the concerns of educators and school support staff, and to refer those needing support
to the Employee Health and Wellness Programme where necessary.

PARENT, CAREGIVER AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

Vulnerable learners require support both at school and in the community. This is because many of the challenges
that children face emanate from the community and impact on teaching and learning. Sometimes children
attend school erratically, have dropped out of school, or haven’t enrolled at school. During school holidays and

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weekends, vulnerable learners may also need support such as being given extra food. They may also need help
to look after younger siblings or care for a sick parent or caregiver.

A school may find it helpful to have a group of community volunteers who can establish school gardens and assist
with homework supervision and co-curricular sport and cultural activities. A school can also build a network of
local community organisations for support, as well as encouraging home visits by educators to create a presence
in the local community. It is important to have a code of conduct for adults who work with children.49

Building effective partnerships for care and support

activities in schools

The primary role of the schooling sector is teaching and learning. Providing care and support to vulnerable
learners is a complex activity, and schools themselves are not able to provide the wide range of services that
are required to ensure that vulnerable learners enter school, remain at school and achieve. This requires the
support of others. It is critical that any school sets up and maintains an effective network of services for referral
and support of learners.

SUPPORT FROM OTHER SCHOOLS AND THE DISTRICT

A school should secure support for care and support activities from both the district and other schools in
the area such as full-service schools. In many areas, schools liaise with the circuit office rather than going
directly to the district. The Circuit Manager must be knowledgeable about the Integrated Package of Care
and Support activities.
Schools can share:
• Stories of care and support
• Ideas to support vulnerable learners
• Knowledge of local resources and good contacts
• Resources such as gardening equipment and health screening equipment where appropriate
• Specialised staff such as nurses and educational psychologists
• Fund-raising activities
• Training programmes

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PARTNERSHIPS WITH EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS

A school must have contact with crucial external stakeholders. These stakeholders will support the delivery
of services in the ten Priority Action Areas. The table below summarises the major stakeholders for each
Priority Action Area.

Table 1: Summary of the stakeholders a school must liaise with to deliver on the ten Priority Action Areas

Priority Action Area Government department Other external stakeholder

Department of Labour
NGOs with a focus on equity, sports, recreation
Department of Home Affairs activities and peer education
A Rights-based, Socially Inclusive and
Department of Health
Cohesive School Local business for sponsorship
DSD
Chapter 9 Institutions
Department of Agriculture NGO with a focus on food gardens
Nutritional Support
Department of Health Local business for sponsorship
Department of Health NGO with a focus on HIV and AIDS and/or other
Health Promotion
DSD health and wellness areas
Department of Public Works
Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation Local business for sponsorship
Local Municipality
Department of Home Affairs
Social Welfare Services DSD / South African Social NGO with a focus on child protection
Services Agency (SASSA)

DSD NGO with a focus on counselling for young people

Psychosocial Support
Department of Health FBO offering counselling for young people
SAPS (for alcohol and drug use) NGOs with a focus on crime and violence and
Safety and Protection
DSD alcohol and drug use
NGOs with a focus on subject teaching such as
Department of Higher
maths and science or reading
Curriculum Support Education and Training
Tertiary institutions providing leadership,
SACE
governance and professional development courses
Department of Sports and NGOs with a focus on sports, recreation activities
Co-curricular Support Recreation and peer education
Department of Arts and Culture Local business for sponsorship
Material Support DSD Local business for sponsorship

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In order to build and maintain close relationships, a representative from local organisations, such as the police
station and the healthcare centre, must be invited to become ad hoc members of the SBST. Schools can capture
the contact details of these local partners on the poster accompanying this handbook.

Note: There are existing service directories currently available through provincial and national offices or the
DSD. However, schools are encouraged to develop their own local service directories as some services in the
existing directories might not be available to certain communities.

Identifying vulnerable or at-risk learners and

tracking support

The DBE is committed to identifying vulnerable learners and facilitating access to support. There are numerous
ways in which this can be done.

MONITORING ATTENDANCE
An important first step is to take a regular attendance register so that learners who are attending school
sporadically, or who have dropped out of school, can be identified. The class educator and principal must
monitor and follow up on learner absence. Schools provide SGBs and district offices with quarterly reports on
learner absentee rates.

LEARNER PROFILE
According to the National Protocol for Assessment of Grade R–12, a Learner Profile must be completed for
each learner. A Learner Profile is a continuous record of information that gives a holistic impression of a learner
and their progress and performance. It assists the educators or school to understand the learner better and
therefore to respond appropriately. It is mandatory that a Learner Profile is completed for every learner.

SIAS PROCESS
“The Ministry recognises that the success of our approach to addressing barriers to learning and provision of the
full range of diverse learning needs lies with our education managers and educator cadre.” 50

The DBE introduced the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) process and related classroom
practices to identify vulnerable learners. SIAS is the formal process within the DBE to regularly screen learners
and identify barriers to learning using tools developed for this purpose. Ensuring that a school is compliant
with SIAS is an important step in supporting vulnerable learners. Inclusive Education / Psychological
Guidance Services / Special Needs Education Services is the custodian of SIAS and therefore is usually at
the heart of all activities within a school to support vulnerable learners. All schools are required to have
educators trained in SIAS. There is a DBE target for the percentage of schools with at least one educator
who has received specialist training in the identification and support of special needs. Every district has at
least one school with a specific focus on higher level and intensity support provisioning (full-service school),
and a resource centre to assist all ordinary schools in the implementation of inclusive education. 51

CLASSROOM APPROACHES TO IDENTIFYING VULNERABLE LEARNERS

Vulnerability is not a constant state. Therefore many vulnerable learners rely on classroom educators noticing
changes, for example a change in a learner’s appearance or behaviour that indicates his or her difficulties. For
this reason educators should regularly screen learners to check whether there are changes at home that are a
cause for concern.

Many screening tools are already in use in classrooms. There are additional tools for classroom screening of
vulnerability in the Appendix of the National Support Pack referred to at the start of this handbook. These tools
can be adapted to suit various contexts.

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TRACKING SUPPORT TO LEARNERS

It is important to ensure that vulnerable learners receive the necessary support and that it is monitored. Simple
ways to keep a record of support are through the minutes of SBST meetings and a register of support, and to
keep records in the Learner Profile. These monitoring processes/mechanisms are part of the SIAS process.

Ensuring that school structures are set up to coordinate

care and support activities

ESSENTIAL SCHOOL-BASED STRUCTURES AND THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

There are several important school structures that must be involved with care and support activities.
These are:
• The School-Based Support Team (SBST)
• The School Governing Body (SGB)
• The School Management Team (SMT)

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The SBST is considered the most important structure for coordinating care and support activities. This is because
its core function, to identify vulnerable learners, access support, and monitor the progress of individual learners,
is central to succeeding with care and support activities. The participation of Inclusive Education / Psychological
Guidance Services / Special Needs Education Services at district level in establishing and supporting this structure
in schools is critical for effective care and support.

The Education-Management-Governance-Development departments (EMGD) in the district provide support to

the functioning of the School Governing Body and the School Management Team. A description of the roles
and responsibilities of these three structures for care and support is found in the table below.

Table 2: Roles and responsibilities of the school-based structures in the provision of care and support
for vulnerable learners

Structure Description of role and responsibilities for care and support activities

School Management Team (SMT), educators, members of the School Governing Body (SGB), School Safety
Committee, School Health Team, parents/caregivers, community members and learners (where applicable)
Principal chairs this committee
Core function:
Identify, support (or access support for) and monitor vulnerable learners to enable them to achieve their
education rights and to plan and implement strategies in this regard:
• oversee the identification of vulnerable learners through classroom screening and observation and SIAS
(assessment and support process). Keep an updated list of learners needing and receiving support
School-Based • ensure that vulnerable learners receive support
Support Team • provide the DBST with evidence of support provided to the learners at the school level
(SBST) • involve and inform the parent about decisions taken to support the learner
• advocate for care and support activity in school and in the community
• prepare action plans to meet the requirements for care and support activity in the ten Priority Action Areas
described in this handbook
• network with service providers and other government departments*
• develop a directory of service providers and relevant sources of information
• liaise with learners to ensure that children’s rights are respected and that effective child participation
is achieved
*Some of these providers could be represented on the SBST on an ad hoc basis so that the SBST can include multi-sectoral representation.

Core function:
Provide leadership and governance that is respectful of children’s rights and promotes their social inclusion, and
reflects the commitment to care and support for learners:
School • know the rights and responsibilities of learners
Governing • develop policies and practices for the school that promote rights and social inclusion of marginalised learners
Body (SGB) • know the care and support commitment required of schools
• ensure that care and support activities are integrated into the School Development Plan
• develop regular reports on how the school is responding to the needs of vulnerable learners
• advocate for care and support activities in school and in the community

Core functions:
Create an enabling environment for teaching and learning
Provide leadership and management that is respectful of children’s rights and promotes the social inclusion of
marginalised groups of children, and reflects the commitment to care and support for learners:
• know the rights and responsibilities of learners
School
• know the policies and programme content protecting the rights of learners and imposing duties on schools
Management
• develop policies and practices for the school that promote rights and social inclusion of marginalised learners
Team (SMT)
• know the care and support commitment required of schools
• chair the SBST
• prepare a School Development Plan that includes care and support activities
• advocate for care and support activities in school and in the community
• manage the involvement of educators in care and support activities

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COMPOSITION OF THE SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORT TEAM

The SBST should comprise the following members:
• Educators with specialised skills and knowledge in areas such as learning support, life skills/guidance
or counselling
• Specialist learners and teacher support personnel, e.g. curriculum specialists, psychologists, therapists,
remedial / learning support teachers and special needs specialists
• Educators from the school/institution: these could be educators who volunteer because of their interest, or
who represent various levels of the programme, e.g. Foundation Phase, or who represent various learning
areas, e.g. language and communication
• Educators who are involved directly in the management of the school/institution: this could be the principal,
the deputy-principal or another member of the management team
• Non-educators from the institution: this includes administrative and care-taking staff
• Learner representatives at senior or further education levels: this is an important addition to the team in
order to encourage peer support and learner participation
• Heads of each education phase
• Government specialists, officials from Departments of Health and Social Development and SAPS
• Community members including local business people
• Members of local NGOs, CBOs and FBOs
• Traditional and indigenous leaders

In some schools, the SBST may not function effectively or may not have been convened. Care and support
activities are wide-ranging, so it may be helpful for other school structures to be involved. Other structures that
are involved in care and support activities are:
• The QLTC Committee (sub-committee of the SGB)
• The School Health Team
• The Health Advisory Committee
• The Safety Committee (sub-committee of the SGB)

While it would be feasible for a school to have one care and support structure, it is not always possible as
some structures are mandated by policies. Where additional structures such as the Safety, Health and Finance
Committees exist, they should be represented on the SBST. However, coordination of implementation of the
care and support activities in the ten Priority Action Areas remains the responsibility of the SBST.

Ensuring district capacity for care and support activities

School-level care and support activities need support from the district. The district provides the link between
the provincial commitment to integrated care and support service delivery and its implementation in schools.
For many schools, support from the district is mediated through the Circuit Manager.

THE ROLE OF THE DISTRICT IN CARE AND SUPPORT ACTIVITIES

The district has a dual role in care and support activities in schools. It directly supports implementation and also
has an oversight and monitoring role. The district should provide direct support to schools in the implementation
of the Integrated Package of Care and Support as determined by the Provincial CSTL Task Team. For example,
the district supports the establishment and functioning of SBSTs. The district must also monitor progress towards
the implementation of the Integrated Package of Care and Support. For example, it already collects regular
reports about the delivery and quality of the National School Nutrition Programme.

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In order to fulfil these functions, the district needs to:

• Train (or organise training for) schools and district personnel on care and support
• Establish partnerships at a district level with important stakeholders
• Develop district strategies and implementation plans for the Integrated Package of Care and Support
• Regularly monitor schools to ensure that plans are being implemented
• Provide specialist support to the SBSTs and learners when necessary
• Ensure that strategies are in place to identify vulnerable learners, assess their needs and facilitate the
necessary support

In areas with big districts, some of these tasks can be shared with the circuit. In some districts, individuals can be
assigned specific responsibilities for care and support. Inclusive Education is often asked to lead care and support
interventions in a district. Existing structures such as the DBST should be used for supporting and monitoring
the implementation of the Integrated Package of Care and Support. Other structures that could be considered
for this role include the District QLTC Forum, which meets at least once a quarter and takes reports on safety
and security, infrastructure, supply of learner and teacher support material, learner transport and nutrition.
Whichever structure is chosen, it will need to report regularly to the Provincial CSTL Task Team. Of importance
is that the composition of the DBST should be similar to that of the Provincial Task Team discussed on the next page.

!
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
A district should consider the following questions:
• Are we working in all ten Priority Action Areas of care and support activities?
• To what extent are we succeeding in providing care and support in each of the
ten areas?
• What are the measures we have available to monitor our success?
• Which schools in our district are doing well and could help support other schools?
• Which partnerships with external organisations in our district are working well and
which need to be developed?
• What else should we be doing to strengthen service delivery?

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Establishing the Provincial CSTL Task Team

Provincial education departments are accountable for an integrated programme of service delivery to vulnerable
learners. This can only happen if relevant provincial directorates work together in a provincial team dedicated to CSTL.
This is called the Provincial Task Team for Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (Provincial CSTL Task Team).

THE ROLE OF THE PROVINCIAL CSTL TASK TEAM

The Provincial CSTL Task Team must ensure that the vision developed in the CSTL Conceptual Framework is
implemented in the province. This will involve first customising the minimum requirements in this handbook so that
they speak directly to the provincial environment. The CSTL Task Team should then monitor and report progress
towards provincial minimum requirements for care and support activity in schools through a district-based support
structure, such as the DBST. The Provincial CSTL Task Team reports to the Health Promotion Directorate in the DBE.

Find Draft Terms of Reference for the Provincial CSTL Task Team at the end of this handbook
(Annexure C). This is a guide to how terms of reference should be drafted, and structures at any level
should tailor this document to suit their needs.

WHO SHOULD BE PART OF THE PROVINCIAL CSTL TASK TEAM?

Representatives from relevant provincial directorates
There are many directorates in provincial education departments that contribute to care and support. Some
directorates have an obvious role, such as Inclusive Education, Psychological Guidance Services and/or Special Needs
Education, the HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme and the National School Nutrition Programme. This
is because they directly provide services to learners in need. Other directorates have a more indirect but equally
important role because they support the establishment and functioning of school structures such as the SBST, the
SMT and the SGB. Effective school-based care and support requires that these three structures are functional.

A list of the key provincial directorates with responsibility for the delivery of the Integrated Package of Care and
Support is found in Table 3 on the next page. The specific directorate names will differ from province to province
depending on provincial organisational structures.

The CSTL Provincial Task Team should include all of these directorates and any others that contribute to care and
support service delivery. One of these directorates should be tasked with leading the CSTL Task Team.

Representatives from external partners

The CSTL Provincial Task Team should also include representatives from other stakeholders critical to care
and support delivery. These representatives will also differ across provinces depending on the provincial
context and priorities, but should include other provincial government departments, NGOs, CBOs and FBOs
and private-sector representatives.

Representatives from other government departments

Important government departments are the Departments of Social Development and Home Affairs for assistance
with social assistance grants, the Departments of Health and Agriculture for health and nutrition support, and the
SAPS for safety and protection.

Representatives from NGOs and private sector

The task team can also include representatives from the private sector and NGOs, where these organisations are
in a position to contribute significantly to development priorities.

NGO representatives are usually able to provide specialist support in areas such as HIV and AIDS, substance abuse,
gender violence, psychosocial support and peer education.

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Representatives from other provincial care and support programmes

In some provinces, programmes such as Schools as Centres of Care and Support (SCCS), Circles of Support (CoS),
Health Promoting Schools and Safe and Caring Child-Friendly Schools (SCCFS) are already championing care
and support work. CSTL is an umbrella structure and therefore aims to harness and support these initiatives by
ensuring that representatives from existing care and support programmes are also members of the CSTL Provincial
Task Team.

Table 3: Examples of Provincial Task Team members/composition

Provincial Directorates / Internal
Priority Action Area External Partners
Programmes
Social Cohesion and Equity in Education Department of Home Affairs
Rights-based, Socially Inclusive Directorate Chapter 9 Institutions
and Cohesive School Curriculum Implementation and Quality Department of Arts and Culture
Improvement (GET and FET) Department of Justice
Department of Agriculture
Nutritional Support School Nutrition Programme
Department of Health

HIV and AIDS Life Skills Education Programme Department of Health

Health Promotion Integrated School Health Programme DSD
Life Orientation / life skills curriculum Local NGOs

Physical Resources and Planning / Physical Department of Public Works

Infrastructure, Water
Planning and Rural Schooling Local municipality
and Sanitation
Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign Local business
DSD and/or South African Social Services
Agency (SASSA)
Inclusive Education / Psychological Guidance
Social Welfare Services Department of Home Affairs
Services / Special Needs Education Services
South African Police Service (SAPS)
Local NGOs, FBOs and CBOs
Inclusive Education / Psychological Guidance
DSD
Services / Special Needs Education Services
Psychosocial Support Department of Health
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) / Health
Local NGOs, FBOs and CBOs
and Wellness

Department of Safety, Security and Liaison

School Safety, Enrichment and Sport in Education
South African Police Service (SAPS)
Safety and Protection Gender/Transformation
DSD
Alcohol and drug use programme
Local NGOs, FBOs and CBOs

Curriculum Implementation and Quality

Improvement (GET and FET)
Examinations and Assessment
Curriculum Support Local NGOs
Quality Learning and Teaching Campaign
Inclusive Education / Psychological Guidance
Services / Special Needs Education Services
Local Sports and Cultural Organisations
School Safety, Enrichment and Sport in Education
Co-curricular Support Local NGOs
Peer education programme
Local business
DSD
Material Support Governance / Norms and Standards Local business
Local NGOs, FBOs and CBOs
Support with establishment Education Management Governance
and functioning of structures Development (EMGD)
within schools for care and Inclusive Education / Psychological Guidance
support: SBST, SMT, SGB Services / Special Needs Education Services

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Note: While all provincial education departments share common nationally mandated roles
and responsibilities, their differing organisational structures and directorate names mean that,
in order to ensure relevance, the above examples should be aligned with existing provincial
organisational structures.

!
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
The CSTL Provincial Task Team should consider the following questions:
• Are we working in all ten Priority Action Areas of care and support activity?
• To what extent are we succeeding in providing care and support in each of these areas?
• What measures do we have to monitor our success?
• What are we doing really well and how can we build on that? (Which districts/schools
are doing really well and what can we learn from that for other areas?)
• What else should we be doing to strengthen service delivery?

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ANNEXURE A:
School Monitoring and Support Tool for the Care
and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme

Date of visit

School name and EMIS number

Date of the last visit conducted by district/province

Province: District Quintile Total no. of learners Grades offered (lowest

to highest)

Name of school official(s)

Name of provincial/district
official(s)

Name of national official(s)

Use this column for explanations

Is the school aware that it has been selected for the

CSTL Pilot? Y N
Provide evidence
Has the school received training in the CSTL Programme?
Y N
Provide evidence

Has the school formed an SBST?

Evidence required:
• Members of the team and their contact details
(internal and external)
• Terms of reference Y N
• Meeting schedule
• Agenda
• Minutes

Has the SBST received orientation on the CSTL Programme? Y N

Is the SBST aware that it must coordinate the

implementation of, and report on the ten defined Y N
Priority Action Areas?

Has the school identified other stakeholders

(not SBST members) critical for the implementation of
the CSTL Programme?
If yes provide evidence:
• List of these stakeholders & contact details Y N
• Role of the identified stakeholders
• Meeting schedule
• Agenda
• Minutes

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RIGHTS-BASED, SOCIALLY INCLUSIVE AND COHESIVE SCHOOL Use this column for explanations

Has the SGB reviewed and revised the school’s admission

policy and code of conduct to ensure that marginalised groups Y N
are not excluded?

Has the school printed and distributed the Bill of

Responsibilities and other rights-educational material to Y N
educators, SGB members, the RCL and learners?

Have learners signed the pledge to uphold the Bill of

Responsibilities and do they recite the preamble to the Y N
Constitution at assemblies?

Has the school provided the SGB and RCL with training on
their role in leading social inclusion and respect for rights
Y N
in schools through the development of appropriate school
policies and participatory processes?

Has the school provided activities on social cohesion,

nation-building, citizenship, rights and responsibilities and
Y N
constitutional values, such as workshops, moot courts,
debates, etc?

Has the school established peer education groups, including

GEM/BEM clubs, that include representatives from Y N
marginalised groups?

NUTRITION Use this column for explanations

Are learners fed on all school days? Y N

Are learners fed by 10 am? Y N

Did learners receive food today? Y N

Does the meal contain protein, carbohydrates (starch),

Y N
vegetables or fruit daily?

Does the school have an approved provincial menu? Y N

Are learners taught about nutrition through Life Orientation? Y N

Is the area where food is prepared clean and safe? Y N

Is the area where food is stored clean and safe? Y N

Check if the school has a vegetable garden/space. Note any

challenges the school is experiencing in establishing a garden.

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HEALTH PROMOTION Use this column for explanations

Does the school have a stocked first aid kit?

Y N
(Check contents & expiry dates of the contents)

Have educators been trained on first aid in the past 3 years? Y N

Has the school received LTSM on sexual and reproductive

Y N
health during the past 12 months?

Does the school have a policy on HIV and TB? Y N

Have educators been trained to integrate HIV and TB education

Y N
into the life skills programme during the past 12 months?

Have learners received health screening in the current year?

Y N
(If yes, provide dates)

Does the school have space to accommodate learners who are

Y N
ill during school time, such as a sick bay?

Is the school linked to the local health facility? Y N

Does the school have a deworming programme? Y N

SAFETY AND PROTECTION Use this column for explanations

Does the school have:

A safety committee as an SGB sub-committee? Y N

An established link to a local police station? Y N

A school safety plan? Y N

A code of conduct for learners? Y N

Access control measures for visitors and parents? Y N

Prohibition of weapons and the possession or use of illegal

Y N
substances?

A reporting system, for example, an incident report form

Y N
including incidents of substance abuse and violence?

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INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER AND SANITATION Use this column for explanations

Does the school have:

Seating space or desks for every learner? Y N

Access to safe drinking water (tap, water tank, borehole)? Y N

Access to sanitation facilities (flush, ventilated improved pit

Y N
(VIP), latrine, septic tank, mobile toilets)?

One or two toilets for disabled learners and separate toilets for
Y N
boys and girls?

A power supply that complies with safety laws? Y N

A school library or media centre? Y N

A science laboratory (if science is offered as a subject)? Y N

Spaces for physical education, sport and recreational activities? Y N

Wired or wireless connectivity? Y N

A fence? Y N

SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES Use this column for explanations

Does the school:

Keep a register of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC)? Y N

Keep a list of identified learner needs? Y N

Keep a record of implemented interventions? Y N

Keep a register of learners who are supported through a Child

Y N
Support or other social assistance grant?

Have a link with a social worker? Y N

Monitor enrolment, attendance and achievement of learners

Y N
receiving the Child Support Grant?

Make sure that children do not engage in child-related labour? Y N

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PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT Use this column for explanations

Does the school have a referral network for learners requiring

Y N
counselling?

Are educators trained in providing psycosocial support to

Y N
learners?

CURRICULUM SUPPORT Use this column for explanations

Has the school developed a minimum set of management

Y N
plans and reports?

Did the school provide all learners with prescribed workbooks

Y N
and textbooks by the start of the academic year?

Has the school principal received training in curriculum

Y N
leadership?

Has the school assessed its educators using the IQMS? Y N

Has the school developed professional development plans for

Y N
educators based on the IQMS results?

Have educators participated in training in home language

Y N
mathematics and language teaching and multi-grade teaching?

Has the school encouraged and supported educators to work

towards receiving their SACE-issued professional development Y N
certificates?

Is assistance provided to learners experiencing challenges in

Y N
specific learning areas?

Is LTSM for learners with disabilities (such as Braille for blind

Y N
learners) available at the school?

Are assistive devices provided to learners in need? Y N

CO-CURRICULAR SUPPORT Use this column for explanations

Does the school have:

One sporting activity for girls per term? Y N

One sporting activity for boys per term? Y N

One recognised peer education club? Y N

A programme for homework assistance? Y N

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MATERIAL SUPPORT Use this column for explanations

Does the school:

Have a no-fee policy?

Y N
Please explain

Implement the fee exemption policy for OVC attending fee

Y N
charging schools?

Assist learners who are unable to afford uniforms?

Y N
Please explain

Provide free transport for learners who travel 3 kms or more to

Y N
and from school?

What does the school consider as its achievements in

implementing the CSTL Programme in the current year?

What challenges is the school experiencing in implementing

the CSTL Programme in the current year?

What is the support needed by the school from:

• District level?
• Provincial level?
• National level?

What are other issues raised by the school?

Note: The implementation of the ten Priority Action Areas must be coordinated by the SBST. If a school has
other existing committees (e.g. Safety Committee or Health Advisory Committee) it is recommended that
these committees should be represented on the SBST.

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ANNEXURE B:
School Reporting Template for the Care and
Support for Teaching and Learning Programme

Introduction to and purpose of the school

reporting template
This reporting template is for gathering school-based information on the nature and extent of
implementation of the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning (CSTL) Programme. The programme,
which is a Southern African Development Community (SADC)-initiated programme, should be adapted
by Member States to suit their particular contexts. The programme seeks to address a variety of social,
economic, health and systemic problems that have led to a growing number of orphans and vulnerable
children and youth being excluded from meaningful participation in the education sector.
This reporting template is intended for use in schools selected to take part in the CSTL Programme
during the pilot phase and implementation phases when the programme is fully rolled out to all schools.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is required to report on the CSTL Programme both internally
and to SADC, and the data from this reporting template will feed into that reporting.
There is regular advocacy and communication at all levels about the importance of care and support in schools.

Completion and submission of the school

reporting template
This reporting template is designed to accommodate both electronic and paper-based reporting.
Schools that have access to computers and are connected to the South African School Administration
and Management System (SA-SAMS) will be required to capture data required by this template onto
that system. The school principal will need to ensure that the school reporting data is provided by
drawing on the SBST and other relevant stakeholders involved in the implementation of care and
support services to learners.
Where data cannot be captured electronically at the school level due to lack of equipment or connection,
the school principal should complete the printed school reporting template manually and submit it to
the district by the date to be communicated by the DBE.
The DBE will communicate the date for submission of the data in the school reporting template (in
either electronic or paper form).
The provinces will play an important data capture and quality assurance role with regard to the data
gathered from schools and districts.
Data collected through this process will be used to generate reports at district, provincial and national
levels. Reports will be fed back to schools.

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Structure of the school reporting template

This reporting template consists of the following sections: an introductory section for school information,
and then three main sections:
A. School profile and CSTL Programme structures
B. Implementation of the CSTL Programme in the school – there is a section for each of the ten Priority
Action Areas
C. General questions – this section seeks to gather information on multi-sectoral collaboration in the
provision of care and support for teaching and learning in the school

Please make sure that you have evidence to confirm all data that are captured. The DBE will be verifying
the data by visiting a sample of schools.

Note: Evidence is considered to include any document or report – verbal responses are not considered
as evidence.

SCHOOL NAME

To be completed by all public and independent special schools. All information to be provided to the district office as requested.

DECLARATION

I ………………………………………………………………., Principal of ...………………………..……………………

fully understand the provision made in the South African Schools Act No.84 of 1996 (Section 59, (1) & (2) and Section 16A
(2)(g)), which stipulates that every school must supply such information about the school as is reasonably required by the
Head of Education.

I certify that the information provided in this form is to the best of my knowledge and belief correct and complete.

Principal: ................................................................... ......................................................... .................................................

Please print surname and initials Signature Date

I certify that the information provided on this form is to the best of my knowledge and belief correct and complete.

Education Manager: ................................................. ......................................................... .................................................

Please print surname and initials Signature Date

....................................................................
Designation

NB: Education Manager refers to an official who functions at the level of administration between schools and the provincial
head office. This manager may function at regional, district, circuit or ward level.

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PROVINCE CODE (Please indicate province with P in the correct box)

PROVINCIAL CODES:

CODE PROVINCE NAME

1 Western Cape

2 Eastern Cape

4 Northern Cape

4 Free State

5 KwaZulu-Natal

6 North West

7 Gauteng

8 Mpumalanga

9 Limpopo

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Name of official completing this template

1.2 Designation of official

1.3 Telephone no: 1 (school landline)

1.4 Telephone no: 2 (alternative contact)

1.5 Fax number

1.6 Can your school be contacted by email? [1=yes; 2=no]

1.7 E-mail address

1.8 Reporting period (i.e. current academic year) D D M M Y Y Y Y

1.9 Date of completion of reporting D D M M Y Y Y Y

Note: unless otherwise indicated, mark the applicable box with a Por provide the information requested. For questions
with ‘yes’ and ‘no’ be sure to mark in the yes or the no box with a P. Be sure to answer every numbered question.

2. SCHOOL PROFILE AND CSTL PROGRAMME STRUCTURES

2.1 Is this a special school? Y N

2.2 Is this a full-service school? Y N

Primary Combined Secondary

2.3 Indicate the type of school

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5

2.4 Quintile

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2.5 Does the school have a School-Based Support Team (SBST)? Y N

If Yes, indicate which of the following stakeholders are represented on the SBST. Mark in the applicable box(es)
2.5.1
below with a P

Principal

School Management Team (SMT)

Members of the School Governing Body (SGB)

Educators

School health team/health advisory committee

School safety committee

Parents/caregivers

Community members and learners

2.6 Indicate how often the SBST meets. Mark in the applicable box below with a P

Once a week

Once a month

Twice a month

Once a quarter

Twice a quarter

Once a year

Twice a year

2.7 Was the school visited by a District-Based Support Team (DBST) official in the current academic year? Y N

2.7.1 If Yes, indicate the number of times the DBST visited the school in the current academic year.

3. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CSTL PROGRAMME IN THE SCHOOL

3.1 A Rights-based, Socially Inclusive and Cohesive School

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

3.1.1 Does the school have an anti-discrimination strategy? Y N

Does the school provide lessons on the values of the Constitution and the Bill of Responsibility as
3.1.2 Y N
part of Life Orientation?

3.1.3 Does the school have a South African flag? Y N

3.1.4 Does the school recite the preamble to the Constitution at assembly and on special occasions? Y N

3.1.5 Does the school sing the National Anthem and the AU Anthem on special occasions? Y N

3.1.6 Does the school have collaborative programmes with the community to uplift the school? Y N

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3.2 Nutritional Support

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

Are learners at the school provided with a daily meal in line with the National School Nutrition
3.2.1 Y N
Programme (NSNP)?

3.2.2 If Yes, indicate the number of learners benefiting from the NSNP

3.2.3 Does the school have a vegetable garden? Y N

3.3 Health Promotion

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

Did learners at the school receive health screening through the Integrated School Health
3.3.1 Y N
Programme (ISHP) in the current academic year?

3.3.2 If Yes, indicate the number of learners that received health screening, by province and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

Have educators at the school been trained to integrate life skills-based HIV and sexuality
3.3.3 Y N
education into the curriculum? Mark in the applicable box with a P

Was the school provided with learning and teaching support materials (LTSM) on life skills-based
3.3.4 Y N
HIV and sexuality education in the current academic year?

Did learners at the school receive comprehensive life skills-based HIV and sexuality education in
3.3.5 Y N
the current academic year?

3.3.6 If Yes, indicate which of the following topics were covered in the life skills-based HIV and sexuality education programme.

a. Teaching on generic life skills (e.g. decision making/communication/refusal skills).

b. Teaching on sexual reproductive health/sexuality education (e.g. teaching on human growth and
development, family life, reproductive health, sexual abuse, transmission of STIs).

c. Teaching on HIV transmission and prevention.

3.3.7 Indicate the number of learners at the school who fell pregnant in the previous academic year, by grade.

Grade Below Gr.6 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Number

3.4 Safety and Protection

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

3.4.1 Does the school provide lessons on prevention of alcohol and drug use as part of Life Orientation? Y N

3.4.2 Is the school formally linked to the local police station? Y N

3.4.3 Has the school adopted and communicated a learner code of conduct? Y N

Is there signage (e.g. posters) at the school that prohibits possession or use of weapons and illegal
3.4.4 Y N
substances?

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3.4.5 Does the school have the following:

a. A safety committee? Y N

b. A safety plan? Y N

c. Access control measures for visitors and parents/caregivers? Y N

d. A system for reporting incidents of possession of weapons and/or alcohol, and drug use and violence? Y N

e. A crisis/emergency plan? Y N

3.5 Psychosocial Support

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

Have educators at the school been trained to provide psychosocial support (emotional/psychological
3.5.1 Y N
support) to learners?

3.5.2 Does the school have a link to a psychologist? Y N

3.5.3 Does the school have a link to a social worker? Y N

3.5.4 Does the school have a link to an occupational therapist? Y N

3.5.5 Indicate the number of learners referred to psychologist(s) in the previous academic year, by grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

3.5.6 Indicate the number of learners referred to social worker(s) in the previous academic year, by grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

3.5.7 Indicate the number of learners referred to occupational therapist(s) in the previous academic year, by grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

3.6 Curriculum Support

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

Does the school have at least one educator who has been trained to administer the Screening,
3.6.1 Y N
Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) tool?

3.6.2 Is the school implementing SIAS? Y N

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

Indicate the number of learners referred for curriculum support based on SIAS in the previous academic year, by
3.6.3
grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

3.6.4 Indicate the number of learners referred to full-service schools in the previous academic year, by grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

3.6.5 Indicate the number of learners referred to special schools in the previous academic year, by grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

3.7 Co-curricular Support

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

3.7.1 Does the school offer any sporting activities? Y N

3.7.2 Does the school organise inter-house sport matches (i.e. within the school)? Y N

3.7.3 Is the school participating in school sport leagues (i.e. inter-school activities)? Y N

Indicate the number of learners participating in one or more sporting activities in the previous academic year, by
3.7.4
grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

Does the school have peer education clubs (e.g. Girls’ Education Movement – GEM/Boys’ Education
3.7.5 Y N
Movement – BEM)?

Indicate the number of learners that participated in peer education activities in the previous academic year, by
3.7.6
grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

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3.8 Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

3.8.1 Does the school have seating space for every learner? Y N

Does the school have access to safe drinking water (i.e. piped, borehole or water tanks) on the school
3.8.2 Y N
premises?

Does the school have sanitation facilities (flush, ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrine, septic tank, mobile
3.8.3 Y N
toilets) for learners?

3.8.4 Does the school have toilets for learners with disabilities? Y N

3.8.5 Does the school have an electricity supply (i.e. grid connection or solar panels)? Y N

3.8.6 Does the school have a fence (minimum 1.8 m high) around the school premises? Y N

Did the school receive improvements to the infrastructure (e.g. provision of classrooms, water, sanitation
3.8.7 and electricity) through the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) in the current Y N
academic year?

Did the school receive general infrastructure upgrade from the provincial education department in the
3.8.8 Y N
current academic year?

3.9 Social Welfare Services

Mark in the applicable box below with a P

3.9.1 Does the school keep a register of orphans and vulnerable learners? Y N

3.9.2 Does the school keep a record of the support provided to orphans and vulnerable learners? Y N

3.9.3 Did the school participate in an integrated service delivery day event in the current academic year? Y N

Did the school report suspected incidents of any form of child abuse to police, social worker(s) or any
3.9.4 Y N
child protection organisation in the current academic year?

Indicate the number of learners that received child protection services (including provision of temporary or permanent
3.9.5
alternative care such as foster care, child care centres and adoption) in the current academic year, by grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

3.10 Material Support

Mark in the applicable box below with a P or provide information requested

If the school charges fees, does the school implement the fee exemption policy to assist learners
3.10.1 Y N
whose parents are not able to pay fees?

3.10.2 Indicate the number of learners that benefited from fee exemption in the current academic year.

3.10.3 Indicate the number of learners that walk 10 km or more (i.e. return trip) to school.

Indicate the number of learners that benefited from learner transport provision (by government) in the
3.10.4
current academic year.

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 Handbook for an Integrated Package of Care and Support in Schools

Indicate the number of learners that walk 10 km or more (i.e. return trip) to school in the current academic year,
3.10.5
by grade and gender.

Grade Gr.R Gr.1 Gr.2 Gr.3 Gr.4 Gr.5 Gr.6 Gr.7 Gr.8 Gr.9 Gr.10 Gr.11 Gr.12 Total

Female

Male

Total

4. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CSTL PROGRAMME IN THE SCHOOL

Indicate which of the following stakeholders the school collaborates with in the provision of care and support to
4.1
learners. Mark in the applicable box(es) below with a P

Educators from the following institutions:

a. Specialist schools/resource centres

b. Full-service/inclusive schools

c. Local universities

Department of Agriculture

Department of Health

Department of Social Development

Department of Home Affairs

Department of Public Works

Department of Safety, Security and Liaison

South African Police Service (SAPS)

Local municipality

Local business

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

Community-based organisations (CBOs)

Faith-based organisations (FBOs)

School stamp
Principal name: ...................................................................

Signature: ............................................................................

Date: .....................................................................................

Tel: ........................................................................................

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ANNEXURE C:
Draft Terms of Reference for the Provincial
Task Team: Care and Support for Teaching and
Learning Programme

1. Background of the Care and Support for Teaching and

Learning Programme

The Care and Support for Teaching Learning (CSTL) Programme is a Southern African Development Community
(SADC)-initiated programme that was adopted in 2008 by SADC Education Ministers. The goal of the CSTL
Programme is to realise the educational rights of all children, including those who are most vulnerable, through
schools becoming inclusive centres of learning, care and support. The CSTL Programme intends to prevent and
mitigate factors that have a negative impact on the enrolment, retention, performance and progression of
vulnerable learners in schools by addressing barriers to learning and teaching. South Africa is one of six countries
(others are Swaziland, Zambia, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique) implementing
the CSTL Programme.

Through this initiative, the Department of Basic Education aims to fulfil two roles:
1. To deliver and expand appropriate care and support services in and through schools; and
2. To create an enabling environment within the education system or other stakeholders to support learners
and educators

For the CSTL Programme to deliver on the two identified roles, ten Priority Action Areas have been identified
for programme implementation. In brief, the ten Action Areas are defined as follows:
• Rights-based, socially inclusive and cohesive school: This priority area involves promoting the realisation
of children’s rights to equality, freedom from discrimination and participation, as well as the inclusion of
marginalised groups of children through the exercise of responsibilities by all school community members
• Nutrition: Nutritional support is intended to address barriers to learning associated with hunger
and malnutrition
• Health Promotion: Health promotion involves a process of enabling educators and learners to increase
control over their health and its determinants, thereby improving and promoting their overall health
and wellbeing
• Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation: This Priority Action Area involves the provision and maintenance of
habitable and appropriate physical school structures
• Social Welfare Services: This refers to the role of schools and educators in the implementation of child care
and protection legislation, and in promoting access to social welfare services, enabling documents (such as
IDs and birth certificates) and social assistance grants
• Safety and Protection: Schools should be free from all forms of violence, abuse and bullying. Safety and
protection concerns are not limited to the physical infrastructure of the school (such as fencing and gates)
but also refers to the psychological and emotional safety of learners and educators
• Psychosocial Support: Psychosocial support involves the provision of care and support in response to the
emotional, mental and social needs of learners and educators. All of these are critical for educational and
overall development

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• Curriculum Support: Curriculum support includes efforts to ensure that the curriculum is efficiently and
effectively delivered to learners by appropriately skilled and supported educators with the necessary teaching
and learning materials
• Co-curricular Support: Co-curricular activities in the context of care and support are intended to support and
augment curriculum implementation in and outside of the school
• Material Support: Material support refers to the provision of resources or services to address material or
financial barriers to education, including school fees, uniforms and transport

2. Rationale for establishing committees for the Care and

Support for Teaching and Learning Programmme

The CSTL Programme is not a new policy or programme, but an initiative intended to provide an overarching
framework that has to date been lacking to coordinate and harmonise care and support activities for vulnerable
learners and educators in and through schools. The benefit of mainstreaming the CSTL Programme within the
education system is that it enables effective teaching and learning and has a direct impact on core education
outcomes namely, improved access, retention and achievement. One of the prerequisites for the successful
implementation of the CSTL Programme is that structures should be put in place to support programme
implementation and integration at national, provincial, district and school levels. Furthermore, in line with
the core principle of collaboration in CSTL, structures should be multi-sectoral, bringing relevant stakeholders
within the DBE and outside (government and non-governmental sectors) together to play their respective roles
in the provision of care and support within the schooling system.

At the provincial level, the implementation of the CSTL Programme will be guided and coordinated by the
Provincial Task Team. This includes a range of responsibilities to District-Based Support Teams and School-Based
Support Teams.

In addition, the CSTL Programme also requires that structures are in place at the district and school levels to
guide and coordinate implementation. This will be achieved through District-Based Support Teams and School-
Based Support Teams at the respective levels. Similar to the Provincial Task Teams, these structures should also
be multi-sectoral in nature.

3. Functioning of the Provincial Task Team

3.1 PURPOSE OF THE PROVINCIAL TASK TEAM

The purpose of the Provincial Task Team is to coordinate and guide the implementation of the Care and Support
for Teaching and Learning Programme.

3.2 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROVINCIAL TASK TEAM

The roles of the Provincial Task Team include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Train or organise and supervise training for members of the Provincial Task Team on the implementation of
the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Programme
• Develop provincial strategies and implementation plans
• Ensure that plans that have been developed are implemented
• Monitor and support the implementation of the CSTL Programme in schools
• Ensure that strategies are in place (and operational) to identify vulnerable learners, assess their needs and
facilitate the necessary support

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• Provide specialist support to the District-Based and School-Based Support Teams and learners when necessary
• Conduct advocacy activities for the CSTL Programme at all levels
• Review and advise on programme implementation at district and school levels
• Identify government and non-governmental partners and establish partnerships at the provincial level to
support implementation of the CSTL Programme
• Secure and mobilise both human and financial resources for programme implementation
• Manage, monitor and report on how resources, in particular funds, are utilised
• Compile and submit reports on the implementation of the programme to the national office at stipulated
reporting periods

4. Membership of the Provincial Task Team

In order for the province to accomplish the aforementioned roles, a comprehensive and multi-sectoral task
team should be instituted. Consequently, the Provincial Task Team will consist of officials from various units
responsible for implementing the ten Priority Action Areas within the Provincial Education Department,
other government departments key in the successful implementation of the ten Priority Action Areas, key
non-governmental organisations and development partners. In selecting representatives who will serve on the
Provincial Task Team, a phased approach has been adopted so as to allow efficiency of the team. At the end
of the term, the current task team may recommend other representatives to be included as members of the
Provincial Task Team.

Representation on the Provincial Task Team will be as follows:

Due to variation in the organograms of the provincial education departments, the task of selecting members
of the Provincial Task Teams will be given to the province. However, it is mandatory that the composition of the
task team should be such that all ten priorities of the CSTL Programme are represented.

5. Term of membership on the Provincial Task Team

The term of membership will be 24 months.

• The departments or organisations represented on the Task Team may nominate a person for more than
one term
• Members co-opted on an ad hoc basis will be a member for the duration of the co-opted period but will be
eligible for re-co-option
• Members of the Provincial Task Team will be required to sign Memorandums of Understanding with the DBE
that will serve as an agreement to partner with the Department in implementing the CSTL Programme

6. Working Procedures

• The Provincial Education Department will play the lead role in the provision of a comprehensive school-
based package of services, programmes and initiatives
• As the lead partner, the Provincial Education Department will chair the Task Team. The chairperson has the
decision-making power and the casting vote when necessary
• The chairperson will represent the Provincial Education Department in various provincial fora and at national
events including interprovincial meetings

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• The Task Team is accountable to the Head of the Education Department

• The Head of the Education Department is responsible for the appointment of the Provincial Focal Point Person
whose role is to manage the day-to-day operations of the programme. In addition, the Focal Point Person will
be the liaison person for the province for all matters regarding implementation of the CSTL Programme
• The Provincial Task Team will meet quarterly
• The Task Team will provide progress reports annually to the Department of Basic Education
• The directorate within which the Provincial Focal Point Person resides will provide secretariat support to the
Provincial Task Team

Note: This document is not cast in stone. It is an example of Terms of Reference for a Provincial Task Team.
Provinces can tailor the document to suit their needs.

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ANNEXURE D:
Directory of service providers

A Rights-based, Socially Inclusive and Cohesive School

NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

Nutritional Support
NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

Health Promotion
NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

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Safety and Protection

NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

Psychosocial Support
NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

Curriculum Support
NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

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Co-curricular Support
NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

Infrastructure, Water and Sanitation

NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

Social Welfare Services

NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

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Material Support
NAME OF ORGANISATION NATURE OF SERVICE NAME OF CONTACT CONTACT DETAILS

ENDNOTES
1 Department of Basic Education and MIET Africa. 2010. National Support Pack. Action Step: National Model.
Durban: MIET Africa.
2 Department of Basic Education and MIET Africa. 2010. National Support Pack. Durban: MIET Africa.
3 Department of Basic Education and MIET Africa. 2010. National Support Pack. Action Step: National Model.
Durban: MIET Africa.
4 Department of Social Development. 2005. Policy Framework on Orphans and Other Children Made Vulnerable
by HIV and AIDS South Africa. Pretoria.
5 Republic of South Africa. 2012. Division of Revenue Act: 2012–2013 Conditional Grant Framework. Pretoria.
6 Republic of South Africa. 2012. Division of Revenue Act: 2012–2013 Conditional Grant Framework. Pretoria.
7 Department of Education. 2002. The HIV AND AIDS Emergency Department of Education Guidelines for
Educators. Pretoria: Department of Education.
8 Republic of South Africa. 2007. The Education Laws Amendment Act No. 31. Pretoria.
9 Republic of South Africa. 2005. The Children’s Act No. 38 of 2005 (as amended). Pretoria. (Government Gazette
Vol. 494 No. 28944).
10 Republic of South Africa. 2009. Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act No. 70. Cape Town.
(Government Gazette Vol. 526 No. 32150).
11 Department of Education. 2008. Devices to be Used for Drug Testing and the Procedure to be Followed.
Pretoria. (Government Gazette No. 31417).
12 Department of Education. n. d. National Guidelines for the Management and Prevention of Drug Use and
Abuse in all Public Schools and Further Education and Training Institutions. Pretoria.
13 Department of Education. 2002. Policy Framework for the Management of Drug Abuse by Learners in Schools
and in Public Further Education and Training Institutions. Pretoria. (Government Gazette No. 24172).
14 Department of Basic Education. 2011. Implementation Protocol (In terms of the Intergovernmental Relations
Framework Act, 2005 (Act No. 13 of 2005)) between the Department of Basic Education and the South African
Police Service on Prevention of Crime and Violence in all Schools. Pretoria: Department of Basic Education.

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15 South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport Amendment Act. 2006. No. 25 of 2006. Cape Town. (Government
Gazette Vol. 502 No. 29805).
16 Department of Basic Education. 2010. Policy on Learner Attendance. Government Gazette No. 4. Pretoria.
17 Department of Education. 2001. Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, Building an Inclusive
Education and Training System. Pretoria.
18 Department of Basic Education. 2010. Guidelines for Full-service/Inclusive Schools. Pretoria.
19 Department of Basic Education. 2010. National Education Policy Act (27/1996): Policy on Learner
Attendance. Pretoria.
20 Department of Education. 2008. National Strategy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support
School Pack. Pretoria.
21 South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport Amendment Act. 2006. No. 25 of 2006. Cape Town. (Government
Gazette Vol. 502 No. 29805).
22 Department of Basic Education. 2010. Policy on Learner Attendance. Pretoria: Government Gazette 4.
23 Department of Education. 2001. Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, Building an Inclusive
Education and Training System. Pretoria: Government Printer.
24 Department of Basic Education. 2010. Guidelines for Full-service/Inclusive Schools. Pretoria.
25 Department of Basic Education. 2010. National Education Policy Act (27/1996): Policy on Learner Attendance.
Pretoria.
26 Department of Education. 2008. National Strategy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support
School Pack. Pretoria.
27 Department of Education. 2001. Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education Building an Inclusive
Education and Training System. Pretoria.
28 Department of Education. 1999. National Policy on HIV and AIDS for Learners and Educators in Public Schools
and Students and Educators in Further Education and Training Institutions. Pretoria. (Government Gazette
Vol. 494 No. 29179).
29 Department of Basic Education. 2012. Integrated Strategy on HIV, STIs and TB, 2012–2016. Pretoria: Department
of Basic Education.
30 Department of Basic Education. n.d. Guidelines for the Implementation of Peer Education Programmes
for Learners in South African Schools: A Guide for Programme Managers. Pretoria: Department of Basic
Education.
31 Department of Basic Education. 2012. Guidelines for Infrastructure for Public Ordinary Schools. Pretoria:
Department of Basic Education.
32 Department of Basic Education. 2010. How to Play Your Part in Support of Quality Public Education. A Guide
for QLTC Structures Making QLTC a Reality. Pretoria: Department of Basic Education: 30.
33 Department of Education. 2001. Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, Building an Inclusive
Education and Training System. Pretoria: Government Printer.
34 South African National AIDS Council. 2007. National HIV and AIDS and STI Strategic Plan for South Africa
2007–2011. Pretoria: SANAC.
35 Republic of South Africa. 2004. Social Assistance Act No. 13 of 2004 Amendment regulations relating to the
application for and payment of social assistance and the requirements or conditions in respect of eligibility
for social assistance, 31 December 2010: Section 6.5. Cape Town. (Government Gazette Vol. 468 No. 26446).
36 Republic of South Africa. 2005. The Children’s Act No 38 of 2005 (as amended). Pretoria. (Government Gazette
Vol. 494 No. 28944).

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37 Republic of South Africa. 2007. The Criminal Law. Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act
No. 32. Pretoria.
38 Department of Education. 2001 Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, Building an Inclusive
Education and Training System. Pretoria: Government Printer.
39 Department of Labour, 2007. The Child Labour Programme of Action (CLPA) 2008–2013. Pretoria.
40 Republic of South Africa. 2007. The Education Laws Amendment Act No.31 of 2007. Cape Town. (Government
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41 Republic of South Africa. 1996 The South African School Act, 1996 (as amended by Education Laws
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42 Republic of South Africa. 2006. South African Schools Act, 1996, Amended National Norms and Standards
for School Funding. Pretoria. (Government Gazette, Vol. 494 No. 29179). Department of Basic Education. n.d.
Guidelines for the Provision of Boarding Facilities in Public Ordinary Schools.
43 KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. 2013. Policy on Learner Transport for Public Schools.
Pietermaritzburg.
44 Department of Basic Education. n.d. Guidelines for the Provision of Boarding Facilities in Public
Ordinary Schools.
45 KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education. 2013. Policy on Learner Transport for Public Schools. Pietermaritzburg.
46 Thindwa, J. 2001. Enabling Environment for Civil Society in CDD Projects. Washington, DC: World Bank,
Social Development Family, CDD Learning Module, April 19, available at: www.worldbank.org/participation/
enablingenvironment/EnablingenvironmentCECDD.pdf>
47 Department of Basic Education and MIET Africa. 2010. National Support Pack. Action Step: Advocacy and
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48 Department of Basic Education and MIET Africa. 2010. National Support Pack. Action Step: CSTL Pilot. Durban:
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49 Department of Basic Education and MIET Africa. 2010. National Support Pack. Action Step: CSTL Pilot. Durban:
MIET Africa: 11.
50 Department of Education. 2001. Education White Paper 6: Special Needs Education, Building an Inclusive
Education and Training System. Pretoria: Government Printer.
51 Department of Basic Education. 2012. Integrated Thematic Reporting Tool for Programme Managers in the
Department of Basic Education. Pretoria: 70.

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