Abstract
M.Ed.
Outcomes Based Education (OBE), also referred to as Curriculum 2005 in South Africa, is due for implementation at Grade 1 level in 1998. The question is: "Are we ready?" The focus of the study is on Grade 1 teachers who face the challenge of starting the ball rolling. Do they know what OBE is all about? Have they been adequately prepared for this big task?
Literature review made quotes the Minister of Education, Prof S.M.E. Bengu saying that "all signs point to a readiness for the new system... Schools are willing and prepared for implementation in 1998..." (Department of Education, 1997f : A). He acknowledges however, that as teachers begin to implement the new curriculum in classrooms, things are not going to be perfect and promises monitoring in order to identify areas in which further training and support need to be provided.
Critiques question the "hurried" implementation of OBE stating that the policy was not well
thought of and will fail because it is being implemented in isolation and ignorance of about 80 years of accumulated experience with respect to curriculum change in both first world and developing countries, and in fact undermine the already fragile learning environment in schools and classrooms of South Africa (Jansen, 1997 : 66).
An empirical study involving two Grade 1 teachers per school in 21 primary schools randomly chosen in both Soweto and Johannesburg suburbs was conducted. Two of the schools, one in Soweto and the other one in Randparkridge were used for the pilot study. The purpose of the empirical study made was to find out whether Grade 1 teachers in Gauteng were ready for OBE implementation and Natural Science teaching in 1998, and thus prove my hypothesis true or false. My hypothesis is that the majority of Grade 1 teachers do not know what OBE is all about and are therefore not ready for implementation in January 1998. The findings are that the majority of respondents know what OBE is all about and are ready (with reservations) for implementation in 1998, hence the need for more extensive and practical demonstrations of live class room situations followed by a thorough monitoring of the whole process during the implementation period.