To help schools address the challenge of online and digital learning while simultaneously encouraging academic excellence, local learning and publishing company Maskew Miller Learning, formerly known as Pearson South Africa, in collaboration with the Limpopo Provincial Department of Education, have handed over R400 000 to be shared among Limpopo’s 20 top-performing schools. Each school received a laptop and an eBooks voucher to the value of R20 000.
Pearson South Africa, formerly a part of the global education company, Pearson, is proud to announce that it has officially changed its name to Maskew Miller Learning. This move is the result of a 75% sale of its South African courseware publishing business to local print production company, Novus Print (Pty) Ltd.
According to Nitesh Ramlagan, General Manager at Maskew Miller Learning, “As a 100% South African-owned learning company, we understand the need in our education sector and know that we have a duty to play a part in addressing these challenges head on.”
This handover aligns with the provincial department’s goal to reward excellent academic performance in its schools by learners and the dedicated teachers who support them, as well as Maskew Miller Learning’s strategic goal of entrenching blended learning into South African education.
The class of 2022 received a stellar pass rate of 80%, with the Limpopo province pass rate sitting at 72.1%, indicating an increase from the previous year (66.7%). Ramlagan says the class of 2022 has persevered despite a myriad of challenges, including record-high load shedding and school closures during COVID-19.
“The availability of quality learning materials and resources is essential to improving students’ academic performance. We are committed to helping schools achieve their goals by providing them with the necessary support to create a conducive learning environment,” Ramlagan says.
Ms Kgaditsi, principal at one of the top 20 schools, Sebitja Secondary, says, “This donation motivates us to work harder. It will help us improve our results and ICT adoption in learning and teaching.”
Limpopo Education MEC, Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya, says, “The pandemic adversely affected the basic education sector through temporary school closures to reduce the spread of the virus. However, eLearning has been an invaluable tool. Various departments and partners have implemented remote learning programmes, which includes remote lessons, broadcasting on TV and Radio, online platforms as well as virtual classrooms.”
Lerule-Ramakhanya, believes the top 20 performing schools excelled thanks to strategic efforts from the education sector as well as their own sheer will and dedication. “The principals were accounting for the performance of their schools, they had to set realistic targets, and I am happy to indicate that most of them have surpassed their targets. Implementing a focused intervention strategy to improve learning outcomes across the system, particularly support to progressed learners and other at-risk learners, has also yielded positive results.”
Speaking to how this collaboration will impact schools, she says, “Education is a societal matter, and I’m happy Pearson South Africa (Maskew Miller Learning) has also pledged their support every year in assisting the schools in need. I believe this partnership will go a long way to benefit our young minds and future leaders. Together, we can do more to educate and inspire our learners in a digital world.”
