Two-Decades at JET, a conversation with Dinah Mashamaite
Dinah Maropeng Mashamaite, a JET Programme Manager in the Education Management, Implementation and Innovation unit, has a career spanning over two decades. Dinah has dedicated herself to driving positive change in educational outcomes, through her impactful work at JET.
At JET, Dinah serves as one of the Specialist Managers, leading various projects. Since 2020, she has been managing the Grade R Mathematics and Language Improvement Programme (Gr R MLIP). Dinah also oversaw the conceptualisation phase of this project where she worked with different stakeholders. The project is multi-funded by Gauteng Education Development Trust (GEDT), Zenex Foundation and United States for International Development (USAID) as well as the Gauteng Education Department, targeting all Grade R teachers in the public ordinary schools and special needs schools together with their Foundation Phase Departmental Heads and Foundation Phase subject advisors who serve as trainers for the teachers. She is also managing the Gr R MLIP in the AASA project targeting the same beneficiaries.
These projects aim to empower Grade R teachers through targeted training and support, ultimately preparing learners for the Grade 1 curriculum. Dinah's passion lies in educational development, particularly in effecting tangible improvements in educational outcomes. While understanding that meaningful change requires patience and perseverance, she finds fulfilment in receiving positive feedback from beneficiaries. Some of Dinah’s work highlights include strong stakeholder partnerships, the provision of a dedicated team of departmental officials to the projects, and the extension of the current project duration from 2024 to 2025 to ensure that the remaining groups receive the same training dosage. Her wish is for the Gr R MLIP to be rolled out across other provinces in the country as the reality is that it changes the classroom practices of the Gr R teachers and their learners. These achievements underscore the projects' success in driving positive change within the education sector.
The Gr R MLIP represents a leading example, with materials adapted into eleven languages and a focus on play-based classroom activities. The programme enjoys full support from all the stakeholders including the Gauteng Department of Education, which facilitates the smooth implementation and ensures institutionalisation, embedding and sustainability beyond its completion.
Through her projects and overall work at JET, Dinah strives to align stakeholder expectations towards the common goal of each project. The outcome of the current project is enhanced classroom practices of the Grade R teachers through training that develops their skills in play-based teaching methodologies and provides necessary support. The projects aim to lay a solid foundation for learners' future academic success.
Dinah takes pride in JET's commitment to transforming educational outcomes through evidence-based research, implementation and monitoring and evaluation work. The organisation's transparent approach and emphasis on collaboration resonate with her values, fostering meaningful change within communities. She emphasises that JET's success lies in its people, who are united by a shared commitment to driving transformation in education.