The Eastern Cape Department of Education's Curriculum Chief Directorate recently convened a three-day planning session in Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay District.

The event, themed "Leading Growth to Curriculum Innovation," aimed at driving curriculum transformation and excellence. This initiative demonstrated the Curriculum Chief Directorate’s commitment to driving innovation, improving performance and providing quality teaching and learning experiences for all learners.

The planning session also focused on the following objectives:
* Reflect, evaluate, and review current curriculum management and delivery strategies for improved performance in 2025, and Enhancing curriculum delivery for 1.8 million learners and 52,817 teachers across 5,200 schools.
* Establish priorities, share the 2025 curriculum calendar, operational plans, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) with districts and curriculum directorates.
* Explore ecosystem services of partners and collaborators and strengthening partnerships.
* Develop a compelling business case for the Curriculum Management Chief Directorate.
•Aligning curriculum with economic needs, such as maritime studies, aviation, and digitalization.

According to Curriculum Management Chief Director, Chulekazi Bula-Xunda all five(5) Directorates under Curriculum; Early Childhood Development (ECD), Primary Curriculum management (PCM), Senior Secondary Curriculum Management (SCM), E-Teaching and Learning, Mother Tongue Based Bilingual Education (MTBBE) in Education Language Policy (ELP) and District Representatives were present in the session to help build the team of Curriculum Chief Directorate.

“We also invited our Partners because as we do our work as the ECDoE, we also leverage key resources to align curriculum with economic needs, including focus schools and digitalization of business processes. Our partners assist us in pointing out our blind spots and provide resources for better performance” said Xundu-Bula.

A commission session saw all participants taking part in identifying misalignments, inefficiencies, risks, and organizational challenges through a SWOT analysis and PESTEL analysis. The exercise enabled the team to engage in constructive dialogue fostering a deeper understanding of the complex factors shaping their work.

By addressing these critical areas the team aimed at enhancing curriculum delivery and improve educational outcomes. “The PESTEL analysis will assist us in establishing the legal framework that governs us and identify environmental issues disabling us from delivering curriculum in the best manner possible and socioeconomic conditions that affect the work that we do” said Xundu-Bula adding that the commissions will help come up with SMART recommendations.

Education Language Policy CES, Lindelwa Sibawu said the planning session was an eye opener. “I've learnt a lot from other directorates. How I wish we can meet quarterly to check if we are following what we have planned and also have accountability sessions,” expressed Sibawu.

Senior Curriculum Management Director, Khayalethu Molaoa said the chief directorate planning assisted the Province to agree on important and impactful activities to drive curriculum in 2025. “These are activities which are aimed at sustaining our good performance and improving the quality of our learning outcomes as the Province. The planning session succeeded in ensuring that all curriculum managers from Districts to Head Office will operate from a common point of understanding, as we planned together” said Malaoa.

Malaoa concluded by saying that everyone in attendance knows what needs to be achieved and what needs to be done which means that Districts and Head Office plans will be in synchrony for improved performance of the Province.