South Africa: The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education started the Districts Roadshow Advocacy Session for the Grade 9 General Education Certificate (GEC) Implementation. The session was hosted on Tuesday a the UGU and Harry Gwala District, with the aim of training the District Officials on the Implementation of GEC.
The General Education and Training Certificate (GEC) is a crucial piece of documentation for the educational career. It is similar to the National Senior Certificate and allows the students to venture into different career paths than tertiary education.
The GEC allows the students to apply for a technical college for vocational education. The students with a GEC can apply to school that teaches technical sciences, agriculture, engineering, aviation mining and more.
The roadshow sought to instruct and inform the stakeholders of the education sector about the technicalities of the GEC Implementation. The Department of education’s Chief Director: Curriculum,  Sindi Zakuza-Njakazi was present at the road show. She heartily welcomed the attendees to be a part of their engagement initiative.
Sindi Zakuza-Njakazi delivered a brief address at the roadshow in UGU and Harry Gwala District. In her address, she said, “It is important for us to have these engagement sessions so that we establish if the system is ready for the full implementation of the GEC”.
Bongani Mjoli, CES for Quality Assurance, presented an overview of the GEC programme. Afterwards, he stressed on why it was important to give the General Education Certificate to Grade 9 Learners.
He said the GEC will help in aligning them with the 21st Century Assessment Stream.
Examinations, Assessment, and Quality Assurance personnel gave a comprehensive presentation, followed by comments and interaction. Deputy Director-General : Curriculum Management and Delivery, Mbongiseni Mazibuko delivered the closing remarks.
While concluding the event, he thanked all officials for attending the session.
“GEC is an important program of transforming education in the post democratic country. The education system had to be stable in order to incrementally introduce and implement GEC.
We need to strengthen advocacy of this program and ensure that all stakeholders are on board,” said, the department’s Deputy Director-General : Curriculum Management and Delivery, Mbongiseni Mazibuko.
