Circular S5 of 2023

Private Bag X895 Pretoria, 0001, Sol Plaatje House, 222 Struben Street, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
Enquiries: Ms MK Modiba
Tel.: 012 357 4140
Email: modiba.k@dbe.gov.za
TO: HEADS OF PROVINCIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS

HEADS OF PROVINCIAL CURRICULUM SECTIONS
HEADS OF PROVINCIAL EXAMINATION SECTIONS
NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIATIONS
SCHOOL GOVERNING BODIES ASSOCIATIONS
TEACHER UNIONS
CIRCULAR S5 OF 2023
GUIDELINES ON THE ADJUSTMENT OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME FOR LANGUAGES AND

MATHEMATICS IN THE FOUNDATION PHASE FOR THE PURPOSE OF CURRICULUM
RECOVERY
The purpose of this Circular is to provide guidance to Foundation Phase teachers and schools on the
adjustment of time allocation for Languages and Mathematics in Grades 1-3 as an interim measure
during the learning recovery period (2023 -2024). This will serve to enhance the teaching and learning
of the foundational skills in Languages and Mathematics in Grade 1-3.
The time allocation for Languages in the Foundation Phase is determined by the language context of
the school. Schools can choose to give relatively more or less time to Languages (Home and First
Additional Languages).
Table 1 below outlines the instructional time in Grades1-3 according to Curriculum and Assessment
Policy Statements (CAPs)
Table 1
SUBJECT GRADE 1 GRADE 2 GRADE 3

Home Language 7/8 hours 7/8 hours 7/8 hours
Mathematics 7 hours 7 hours 7 hours
First Additional Language 2/3 hours 2/3 hours 2/3 hours
Life skills 6 hours 6 hours 7 hours
Table 2 outlines the suggested extra instructional time for Languages and Mathematics as a
curriculum recovery measure:
Table 2
SUBJECT GRADE 1 GRADE 2 GRADE 3
Home Language 9/10 hours 9/10 hours 9/10 hours
Mathematics 8 hours 8 hours 8 hours
First Additional 2/3 hours 2/3 hours 2/3 hours
Language
Life skills 3 hours 3 hours 4 hours
Below is a breakdown of how the instructional time can be adjusted in the four Foundation Phase
subjects.
Life Skills:
 Reduce 2 hours of Physical Education per week to 1 hour per week.

 Reduce 2 hours of Creative Arts per week to 1 hour per week.
 Reduce 2/3 hours of Beginning Knowledge or Personal & Social Well-being to 1/2 hour per
week.
 For schools where the Language of Learning and Teaching changes to English in Grade 4, they
can reduce 3 hours of Beginning Knowledge or Personal & Social Well-being to 1h30 minutes
per week in Grade 3. The instructional time in Life Skills will be reduced to 3 hours per week.
Mathematics:
 Add 1 x 15 minutes to Mathematics per day for 4 days to group work.

 Total hours to be added: 1 hour per week.
Home Languages:
 Add 1 x 30 minutes to Languages per day for 4 days added to group-guided reading.
 Total hours to be added: 2 hours per week.
First Additional Language: (Only for Grade 3 at schools where the Language of Learning and
Teaching changes to English in Grade 4:
 Add 1 x 30 minutes to First Additional Language per week in Grade 3 for IsiXhosa for the LoLT
classes.
 Total hours to be added: 30 minutes per week
Schools and Foundation Phase teachers are advised to administer baseline assessments for
Languages and Mathematics during term 1, to determine the possible gaps learners may have in
these subjects. Feedback from the baseline assessment and the school context should be used to
inform the adjustment of instructional time as outlined in table 2 above in term 2. The suggested
adjusted instructional time informs that Languages and Mathematics teaching is granted more time.
This adjustment must be approved by the district director or his/her designee.
Life Skills remains an important subject in the Foundation Phase and its study areas should be
integrated in daily teaching and learning of Languages and Mathematics. Foundation Phase Subject
Specialists at Provincial and District levels will be required to provide practical guidance to teachers
on how to integrate Life Skills concepts with Languages and Mathematics on an on-going basis. The
instructional time adjustment in the Foundation Phase will apply during the learning recovery period
of 2023-2024.
You are kindly requested to bring the content of this Circular to the attention of Provincial and District
officials, relevant stakeholders, Primary School Principals and teachers in public and independent
schools.
Should you have any queries in this regard, please contact Ms K Modiba on email:
modiba.k@dbe.gov.za or 012 -357 4140.
Your support in this regard is greatly appreciated.
MR HM MWELI
DIRECTOR-GENERAL
DATE: 12/02/2023

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Private Bag X895 Pretoria, 0001, Sol Plaatje House, 222 Struben Street, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

TO: HEADS OF PROVINCIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS

GUIDELINES ON THE ADJUSTMENT OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME FOR LANGUAGES AND

SUBJECT GRADE 1 GRADE 2 GRADE 3

 Reduce 2 hours of Physical Education per week to 1 hour per week.

 Add 1 x 15 minutes to Mathematics per day for 4 days to group work.

Your support in this regard is greatly appreciated.

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