Kwena Basin Extension Project (2025-2028): Early Teacher Feedback (Term 4, 2025)

Initial Teacher Feedback

The Kwena Basin Extension Project launched shortly before the start of Term 4, and despite the tight timeline, teachers have already shown impressive engagement with the Basic Concepts Programme (BCP). After just over one term of exposure—including two days of initial training and several classroom support visits—teachers were invited to complete a short feedback form.

Twenty-eight of the 38 participating teachers responded (74%), giving us an encouraging snapshot of how the programme is landing in classrooms.

The results from the following google form was completed by 28 of 38 project teachers (74%)

Overall Sentiment: Strongly Positive

Teachers rated their overall feeling toward the Basic Concepts Programme at 4.5 out of 5, an excellent early indicator of buy-in and perceived value.

Growing Familiarity with the Concept Teaching Model (CTM)

Almost 54% of teachers reported being completely or very familiar with the CTM after just one term. Another 39% felt moderately familiar, with only a small group still at the early stages of understanding.

Significant Professional Benefit

Nearly all teachers reported clear value from the programme:

• 50% felt they had benefited significantly

• 43% felt they had benefited somewhat

   

What teachers are saying about the BCP:

1. Teaching Methodology & Confidence

   Teachers reported that the BCP helped them:

   Understand basic concepts more deeply

   Teach with greater clarity and confidence

   Shift their mindset toward intentional, structured mediation

   Many singled out the Focusing and Naming steps for their impact on vocabulary and language development.

• 2. Learner Engagement & Inclusion

  Teachers noticed:

  Higher levels of participation from all learners

  Stronger engagement from struggling learners

  Greater patience and empathy toward learners with barriers

  The structured steps of the CTM appear to support more equitable participation.

  3. Learner Outcomes: Vocabulary & Critical Thinking

  Teachers described meaningful improvements in:

  Learners answering questions in full sentences

  Vocabulary growth and language confidence

  Shape and colour recognition

  Critical thinking—especially comparing, classifying, sorting, and grouping during the application phases

  4. Teaching Specific Concepts

  Teachers appreciated having practical tools and ideas for teaching:

  Shapes

  Colours

  Early cognitive concepts

  Foundational vocabulary across the curriculum

  Summary
  The early feedback from the Kwena Basin Extension Project is exceptionally promising. Teachers are not only embracing the Basic Concepts Programme but are already seeing tangible gains in learner participation, language development, and conceptual understanding.
  
  This strong start sets a solid foundation for deeper implementation during 2026.