19 April 2021
WHAT IS KST?
KST is a non-profit organisation established to implement a district-wide whole school development programme in partnership with the Free State Department of Education. It was set up in 2013 by the Shanduka Foundation (now the Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation) and Kagiso Trust. In December 2017, FirstRand Empowerment Foundation joined the partnership. Through its innovative model, KST provides infrastructure development, curriculum development, social and leadership development in rural and township schools in Fezile Dabi and Motheo districts in the Free State. These programmes are linked by a golden thread that we refer to as KST Theory of Change.
HOW IS IT GOVERNED?
KST has been independently audited and received clean audits since inception. KST’s programmes also form part of the Auditor General’s audits of the Free State Department of Education. This process is important to ensure that the government’s contribution to the programme delivers on the intended benefit.
KST has well established governance structures that ensure efficient and effective delivery of the model. These include:
- Internal and External Advisory Boards: mandated to offer strategic counsel and guidance on delivering the programme.
- Provincial Management Committee: mandated to facilitate joint decision making between the management of KST and the FSDOE. It approves the plans for delivering the programme.
- Board of Trustees: mandated to run the affairs of the Trust and carries the fiduciary responsibility for the organisation. The role of the Trustees is to ensure that KST delivers the model effectively and efficiently.
WHAT IS THE FUNDING MODEL?
The partnership has been funded through contributions made by partners as follows:
- Kagiso Trust: R115 million
- Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation: R115 million
- FirstRand Empowerment Foundation: R100 million
- Free State Department of Education: R246 million.
The funds are used for the implementation of empowerment and transformation workshops, construction of school infrastructure, curriculum and leadership development, as well as social development programmes such as eyesight testing for primary school learners. Through this partnership, KST has committed to improving the quality of education for rural and marginalised children in the Province.
HOW DOES KST IMPLEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS?
KST uses a community-based infrastructure model which aims to empower small community businesses and provide temporary employment opportunities to school parents and the local community. KST provides schools with basic infrastructure such as ablution facilities, classrooms and perimeter fencing, where it is required, and incentive infrastructure such as science laboratories, libraries, computer centres, maths centres, multi-media centres and sports facilities. Schools that perform above the target set by the Free State Department of Education qualify for incentive infrastructure facilities. Once completed, all infrastructure is handed over to the FSDoE. Currently KST, in partnership with De Beers and the FSDoE, is reconstructing Phuleng Primary School in Kroonstad.
DOES KST PARTICIPATE IN OTHER GOVERNMENT TENDERS TO BUILD SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE?
No, KST only implements school infrastructure projects that fall under the partnership agreement with the FSDoE.
KST ACHIEVEMENTS
- Number of schools: 264
- New school facilities built: 334
- School facilities renovated: 285
- SMMEs supported in infrastructure programme: 924
- Temporary jobs created: 1 575
- Schools attended empowerment and transformation workshops: 330
- Learners indirectly impacted by the empowerment and transformation workshops: 351 511
- Learners that underwent vision screening: 116 824
- Spectacles donated: 7 795
WHAT IS THE EFFECT ON ACADEMIC OUTCOMES?
The benefits of the programme have been positively realised over the years and can be observed in the improvement in the pass rate and quality of matric results in the Free State, in both the Motheo and Fezile Dabi Districts as shown below. The sustainability of the programme’s interventions is evident in the results of Fezile Dabi District, as the highest performing District in the country for two consecutive years (2017 and 2018) and the Motheo District’s debut entry into the top 10 Districts in the country in the 2020 NSC examinations. The Free State Department of Education has been the best performing province in the country for four years (2016, 2017, 2019 and 2020) during our partnership.
