How has the school year started for you? Scan the code with your phone to tell us how you’re feeling about 2026 so far, or click to vote.           ON THE DDD CALENDAR       Here’s all the training you need to help fine-tune your annual planning – from school improvement plans, learner/subject profiling and target-setting, through to DDD Dashboard login and navigation support.       UPCOMING WEBINARS:   Click any button below for more information, or to book your seat:         TOPIC: DDD login and navigation. Not sure where to start? Learn how to log in and find the key features of the DDD Dashboard.                 TOPIC: School improvement planning. Learn how to populate your School Improvement Plan using the DDD School Achievement Report. This will include how to access the dashboard; extract the report data into Excel; and analyse the info you need for your plan.               TOPIC: Profiling and target setting. Find out how to use DDD to better understand your learners; profile subjects and set subject targets; and set school targets to help your school management team plan effective interventions.                 DATA NEWS AND UPDATES       Director-General Mweli’s provincial roadshows going strong             The DG’s provincial engagements kicked off last week. Participants in the sessions were treated to an up-close analysis of performance across the phases and districts. Click to watch the short data presentations in North West, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
	WEEKLY DATA: 50% OF SCHOOLS So far this term, a total of 12 485 schools (50%) have submitted weekly data to DDD. Eastern Cape leads, with 87% of schools submitting, followed by Free State (78%) and Northern Cape (66%).     ACTIVE ON DDD: 5 460 OFFICIALS Our most active provinces this year are Mpumalanga (27% of users have accessed DDD since the start of Term 1); followed by Eastern Cape (21%); Limpopo (20%); and Gauteng (17%).   DATA CHAMPS: ALMOST 4 000 After only a month into the school year, 3 998 DDD users who accessed DDD in Term 4 2025, have logged in again in Jan/Feb – significantly higher number than this time last year.
	FROM POLICY VISION TO CLASSROOM ACTION       In her recent Lekgotla address, Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube was unequivocal: South Africa’s education challenge begins early. Her call was equally clear: early action, equitable resourcing, and real-time accountability must sit at the heart of system reform. Here’s how (and why) data helps: You can strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy early: Tools like the DDD Dashboard’s Learner Chart Report and Subject Trends section make it easier to spot learners falling behind in reading and mathematics, especially in the early grades. This means you can provide targeted remediation and differentiated support before learning gaps widen. You can identify learners and schools at risk sooner: Near real-time performance, attendance and progression data allow earlier action. For example, DDD’s Promotion Prediction Report helps flag learners and schools at risk, enabling proactive intervention rather than late response. You can support fairer and more equitable resourcing decisions: By comparing performance across schools using the School Achievement Report and district or circuit-level views, you can better prioritise coaching, staffing support and special attention for under-resourced or underperforming schools. You can strengthen accountability: Accurate, up-to-date data can be your common source of truth when engaging principals, educators and officials. When you work from the same reports, conversations shift from anecdote to evidence, improving accountability without increasing reporting demands. You can reduce administrative burden: Replacing manual data extraction and paper-based reports with quick access to current data and visual summaries saves time, speeds up decision-making, and allows greater focus on teaching, learning and meaningful support. To find out more, join a DDD webinar or log in to the DDD Dashboard today!
	THE FACE OF EDUCATION: WHERE DATA MEETS NEW TALENT           When the DDD Dashboard launched 13 years ago, today’s newest teachers were still in primary school. Now, these young graduates are ready to step into classrooms and put their passion and skill to work. In the next few editions of DataPoint, we’ll be introducing you to some of these education graduates, who are currently part of the Dell Young Leaders programme. Click on the photos to hear what excites them about the role of data in education. For more information on the Dell Young Leaders programme and how it helps to connect high-quality young educators with potential employers, email partners@dellyoungleaders.org.     ASHEEQAH JACOBS This newly qualified Foundation Phase teacher from Stellenbosch University has hands‑on experience with early‑years learners. Words that describe me: Patience, strong communication skills, ability to manage busy classrooms. Click to read her bio.     DANEAL OCTOBER Daneal is a recent Foundation Phase education graduate from Stellenbosch who is skilled in delivering CAPS‑aligned lessons. Words that describe me: Interactive learning activities, targeted interventions, engaging environments. Click to read her bio.     JENOVAN DAMONS Jenovan is an emerging educator who has recently completed his Bachelor of Education (Intermediate Phase) at Stellenbosch University. Words that describe me: Classroom readiness, real‑world discipline, safe, supportive learning environments. Click to read his bio.
To share feedback on this newsletter email: Communication@newleaders.co.za       For DDD technical assistance contact: help@dbedashboard.co.za                             dbedashboard   The DDD programme is an initiative of the Department of Basic Education, in collaboration with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and New Leaders Foundation.

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