Preceding its series of interventions, the Rössing Foundation commissioned a baseline study that aimed to establish the status quo of its partners. The outcomes of the study were shared with the Foundation's partners in the Regions and the following principal issues were confirmed to be crucial:

• Unsatisfactory levels of literacy and numeracy exist.
• The high failure rates need to be addressed.
• Poor school leadership should be addressed. Teachers need to improve teaching and learning, particularly of mathematics and science.
• School management needs to develop a working relationship with the community in order to get parental support to achieve their objectives.
• The Rössing Foundation should establish education centres as part of its strategy geared towards educational excellence.

The following list of criteria guided the Foundation's interventions:

• They need to be demand-driven.
• The need to be systemic, i.e. involving all levels.
• The minimum criteria for reform receptiveness in schools need to be determined.
• A clear focus should be provided and it should address all elements of problems identified through the baseline study.
• Clear and regular monitoring should be provided with clear set targets.
• Existing school management structures need to be reinforced.

In respect of addressing the inadequate levels of literacy and numeracy at the Lower Primary phase, the following are required:

• Research on literacy and numeracy levels (Southern African Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality/ SACMEQ)
• Facilitation of learning through an unfamiliar language
• Indicators associated with success
• A curriculum and teaching methods that accommodate the special needs of second-language learners
• Language proficiency by teachers
• Home support
• Appropriate learning materials: readers and books
• Improved reading levels of Grade 8 learners

In terms of addressing the high failure rate, the following need attention:

• Developing standards of assessment
• Developing and applying indicators associated with success
• Adjusting and promoting high learning and behavioural expectations
• Securing the implementation of the national homework policy
• Offering remedial programmes in conjunction with teachers

Poor school leadership can be improved as follows:

• Addressing the challenges of change
• Identifying and applying indicators associated with success
  • Instructional leadership
  • Subject management
  • Staff relations Parent/community involvement School development

One of the basic challenges is that the present interrelated mode of teaching and learning is not bringing about the desired educational outcomes. Through facilitating change, the Rössing Foundation interventions aim to improve teaching and learning in the following ways:

• Supporting school involvement in cluster activities
• Providing expertise in specific subjects/ areas as remediation strategies
• Offering expert and peer coaching
• Supporting afternoon activities with learners
• Developing materials, including assessment materials
• Developing ICT-based support materials for both teachers and learners
• Supporting learning management

Establishing the concept of Rössing Foundation centres for the support of education will involve the following:

• Establishing clear development goals
• Complementing rather than replacing existing structures at the Rössing Foundation education centres in Tamariskia and Ondangwa
• Build a new education centre at Arandis
• Drafting a clear business plan with costs, activities and performance indicators
• Directing attention at specific areas, such as –
  • science, mathematics and subject centres
  • ICT
  • literacy and numeracy
  • school leadership, and
  • learner support in the afternoons
• Providing full- or part-time expertise in the activities listed above
• Ensuring the facilities exist for the provision of educational support programmes through the centres
• Conducting pioneering and piloting research