The project was conceived by the Zenex Foundation and designed in consultation with the Department of Education along with a group of specialist service providers.

The planning took place over several months during 2007, culminating in a three-year programme of activities with the aim of providing whole school development support to 6 secondary schools and 9 feeder primary schools in the district.

The intervention programme focuses on the support needed by the learners and teachers in these schools so as to improve the quality of passes in Mathematics, Science, Literacy and English language. It offers a teacher development programme for Foundation and Intermediate Phase teachers, a programme for both teachers and learners at the FET level, a school management and leadership programme (that includes computer-based management tools), a capacity building programme for parental involvement in education and district support. Following a closed tender process, the Zenex Foundation chose service providers in consultation with KZN DoE.

CASME was selected to provide the FET level mathematics and science teacher development component of the project.

As part of CASME's support programme the secondary schools have each received FET Science Kits as well as calculator sets. In addition teachers attend regular workshops focusing on subject content and pedagogy and receive follow up school-based support.

The Zenex Foundation is a non-profit, independent donor organisation that focuses on mathematics, science and language education in schools. It values innovation and prizes highly its partnerships with government, donors and service providers in its efforts to respond to the local education and development context. The Foundation’s vision is of skilled and empowered communities with competencies that will contribute towards growth, development and democratisation in South Africa. Its mission is to educate and empower historically deprived learners so they can take advantage of new opportunities. The Zenex Foundation provides financial resources and proactively engages with funded projects and their stakeholders.

For more information visit www.zenexfoundation.org.za