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  ON THE
DDD CALENDAR
   
  Are you new to DDD? Or looking for a reminder of how to log in and find your way around? Join one of our monthly login and navigation webinars, starting on Wednesday next week:
     
 
 
  ALSO NEXT WEEK: Find out how to use the Learner Chart Report to support subject performance. Profile learners, identify individual trends, and find the right insights to shape interventions. Click below or visit the Events section on the Learning Hub to book.
     
 
 
  AND ON 17 APRIL you can learn the ins and outs of the School Achievement Report, plus tips for analysing school and subject performance.
Click to reserve your seat:
   
 
 
   
 
  DATA NEWS
AND UPDATES
   
  POLICY & REGULATION:
Seeing the bigger picture
   
 
  EMIS data has the power to transform how education policy is set, tested and measured. But, according to a UNICEF article, when it comes to education, the majority of existing administrative data worldwide is undervalued and underused.
The issue was top of mind at yesterday’s quarterly DBE Minister's Meeting with District Directors, which – among other topics – explored the role of tools like the DDD Dashboard in delivering insights to help implement policy and regulation requirements – especially those relating to subject and school performance.

Read the full UNICEF article here.
 
 
     
 
   
                     
  QUICK FIXES:

A few quick fixes mean that DDD Dashboard data is presenting more consistently. Senior Phase Pass Thresholds are now properly aligned to SA-SAMS; and Term-to-date grades are reflecting properly in the grades filter.
    COMING SOON:

A new Senior Phase Promotion Profiling tool is in progress. This feature will work much like the FET Promotion Profiling, but will be based on Senior Phase promotion criteria. It is expected to go live during May.
 

EASY FEEDBACK:

Feel impressed? Or frustrated? Soon you will be able to share instant feedback while you're logged in to the dashboard, thanks to a new live commentary form on the DDD landing page, which is due to roll out this month.
 
                     
 
     
 
         
  DBE MENTORING: A COLLABORATIVE DATA SUCCESS  
 
  Having timely data insights is the first step, but what you do next matters more. And Eastern and Northern Cape provinces have proven it. Both were part of a DBE Mentorship initiative led by the DDD team throughout 2024, which mentored and trained curriculum, district and EMIS officials in the six districts with the highest number of underperforming or declining secondary schools.

Together, the provinces participated in more than 40 training sessions, attended by 538 officials, and reaching an impressive 20 539 learners. The results speak for themselves:

- 5 out of 6 districts surpassed an 80% NSC pass rate at the end of 2024.
- 4 out of 6 showed greater levels of NSC improvement (up to 7%) compared to the national average improvement of 4,4%.
- They also saw improvements in academic results (Math Literacy, plus Agricultural Sciences and Social Sciences in Northern Cape).
- In both provinces, the number of learners “not achieving” in their home language reduced by almost half.

The mentorship initiative is one of three in DDD’s intervention support programme. For details of the others, see the next edition of DataPoint, or contact the DDD communication team.
 
         
 
       
 
  A WANTED MAN: Tony Moodley, Chief Education Specialist
     
Tony Moodley is the “go-to-guy” in King Cetshwayo​ District, KwaZulu-Natal, for advice and analyses of learner and subject performance. Fortunately, his passion includes upskilling officials to distill and understand the data themselves. "I constantly find new ways to analyse information from DDD," he says. "I've also focused on teaching colleagues how to navigate the dashboard.“

Among other things, Tony has conducted live dashboard demonstrations, and introduced colleagues to the available reports and how to use them. He has also downloaded multiple years’ worth of data to create his own Excel dashboard, enabling colleagues to easily find the insights they need for school visits, while guiding them on how to develop data stories and investigate possible interventions. "The FET Promotions Profiling tool, for example, is a game-changer in better understanding learner achievement"

In Tony's world, progress is all about transferring knowledge and building understanding, and he's ensuring that his province will benefit as a result.
 
           
           
 

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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