In 2007 the DoE launched the Dinaledi 2 Adopt-a-School strategy in its efforts to improve the quality of Mathematics and Science pass rates amongst black learners. It made a special appeal to business for its support at a dinner hosted by the NBI and addressed by the Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor.
Since then business has made a concerted effort to identify and support schools to improve learner performance in these gateway subjects. On 24 March 2009 the NBI in partnership with the Department of Education (DoE) hosted a discussion as a platform for sharing the important lessons from those businesses involved in the Dinaledi programme and to further promote the support of business for this strategy.
It was agreed that the views and opinions gathered at this meeting would form the basis of further discussion with the nine provincial Dinaledi coordinators, provincial and national heads of curriculum and business representatives on how to improve the partnership between business and provincial education departments to ensure maximum impact of the project.
At the follow up meeting on 10 June 2009 involving business, the DoE and the provincial Dinaledi coordinators, it was agreed that:
There is a desperate need for corporate support for the Dinaledi Project and it was recommended that business establish contact and check directly with Dinaledi coordinators in provinces. In this manner the levels of hierarchy in government can be overcome.
A framework be developed to take forward the discussion. Identifying some of the blockages would be a point of departure for the discussion going forward.
It was acknowledged that most of those in education were trained as teachers and managers of learning material. There is a lack business skills and a recommendation was made for voluntary mentorship to learn the language of business.