Future Nations Schools Evaluation
Future Nation Schools (FNS) aim to spearhead the African education revolution by providing an educational model that is relevant, futuristic, and technology enabled; that epitomises excellence; and that is capable of producing future African leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators who are passionate, confident in themselves, excel at what they do, and are ready for the 21st century. FNS intend to achieve this by building a network of high quality and affordable independent schools across South Africa.
The first schools were opened in 2017 and the evaluation began in the same year. The three-year evaluation study aimed to establish, through empirical evidence-based research, the extent and the short-term outcomes of the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) in FNS schools. It consisted of:
1. A literature review of PBL in South Africa;
2. A review of the FNS model;
3. Key stakeholder interviews in Year 1;
4. Three visits to the schools annually to observe English and Mathematics lessons, training and learner activities.
The evaluation found that the strength of FNS includes the ability of the schools to adapt to changing and difficult circumstances and their use of research, data and evaluation to make changes and improvements.