The Distance Intervention Programme (DIP)

The Distance Intervention Programme (DIP) is a learning-support schedule for candidates wishing to enrol in the College from the SOS-Children’s Villages in Africa. In its full form, the programme covers two academic years of English, Mathematics and Science as the main subjects.

The course content and suggested approaches to its delivery are designed to build on what candidates have learnt within their regular programmes at school in order to meet the demands of the SOS-HGIC entrance examinations. The DIP is not meant to supplant the national curricula of participating countries.

The programme principles

The DIP,

• seeks collaboration between SOS-HGIC and the SOS Children’s Villages across Africa. This collaboration is aimed at the effective transfer of students ( ages 13 – 16 years and in Grades 7-9) from the SOS Children’s Villages into MYP 4 of the IB Middle Years Programme course in SOS-HGIC;
• is focussed on continuous preparation and build-up of core knowledge, skills and understandings of candidates on the programme;
• is based on a process of curriculum continuity that requires DIP teachers to

– know which topics have already been covered in the different subjects

– know what skills and understandings have been well established

– know the pace and style of learning of candidates

• use the above knowledge to prepare candidates for selection into HGIC in a way that will build their confidence, challenge them and take them forward rapidly once they enrol in the College.

The process involves

• each country appointing a contact person or coordinator per Village;
• designating specific teachers for each subject area per Village;
• identifying potential candidates for SOS-HGIC at an early stage and supporting them to prepare for HGIC over a period of time;
• providing an advance list of such candidates (in grades 7 – 9 ) to SOS-HGIC;
• conducting of Baseline Assessments by SOS-HGIC for potential candidates;
• assigning and assessing different types of Module tasks at scheduled stages for candidates in grades 8 and 9;
• using data from the Baseline Assessments and performance on the module tasks to plan interventions with the help of Teacher Support Materials (TSMs) provided by SOS-HGIC and materials from the teachers’ own sources ;
• candidates doing the module tasks on their own so that the progress of individual candidates can be measured meaningfully.

Timelines

• In order for the programme to work well, a consistent and workable system is agreed upon between SOS-HGIC and the SOS Villages.
• Where this schedule is not feasible at all for any country, more workable dates are discussed and agreed upon with the SOS-HGIC DIP Coordinator.
• Centres are expected to complete three modules for each level (i.e. Modules 8A, 8B & 8C for candidates in grade 8 and Modules 9A, 9B & 9C for those in Grade 9) within an academic year.

In late March or early April of each year, teams of teachers from SOS-HGIC visit various Recruitment Centres to administer entrance tests in English, Mathematics, and Science to candidates who successfully completed the DIP. Both the results of the entrance examination and the recruitment teams’ evaluation reports on face-to-face interviews with candidates are used by the College to make admission decisions in May.

Presently, the DIP is run in twenty-seven (27) SOS Children’s Villages in 12 countries across Africa. These countries are Burundi, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The current SOS-HGIC DIP Coordinator is Mr. Christian Michael Gogovi.