Yusuf Sayed

Democratising Education in a Decentralised System: South African policy and practice

This paper examines the democratisation of education in South Africa within the context of the policy of educational decentralisation with regards to key policy texts, namely, the South African Schools Act (SASA) and the National Norms and Standards for School Funding (NNSSF). It begins by exploring the concept of decentralisation with specific reference to the notions of democratisation and participation. This leads to an examination of these concepts within the South African context. The final section examines the policy impact of participation and democratisation in relation to the powers and functions of School Governing Bodies (SGBs) by considering four illustrative examples, namely, religion, language, admissions and teacher employment. The paper concludes by considering the policy gap between policy rhetoric and practice in relation to attempts to entrench democracy and participation, and enhance participation at the school level.

Discourses of the Policy of Educational Decentralisation in South Africa since 1994: an examination of the South African Schools Act [1][2]

Abstract The policy of educational decentralisation has in recent times become a key aspect of educational restructuring in the international arena. The decentralisation of educational control and decision‐making is also evident in discussions surrounding educational restructuring in South Africa and has been expressed in the call for greater community and parental participation in schooling. This move towards greater devolution and participation in schooling increased in momentum after the elections of 1994 and was sanctioned with the passing of the South African Schools Act (SASA) in November 1996. In an attempt to understand the move towards educational decentralisation, this paper examines the rationale and likely implications behind such a policy in the South African context. The paper argues that educational decentralisation in the South African context may result in greater educational inequities along the lines of class rather than race. The paper cautions against unqualified commitment to educati...

Physical access to schooling in South Africa: mapping dropout, repetition and age‐grade progression in two districts

The Education for All and Millennium Development Goals commit national governments, international agencies and civil society to ensure that all children are provided with basic education. In South Africa this would mean full attendance in Grades (1–9). The achievement of universal primary education and gender equity across low‐income countries are seen as critical to efforts to reduce poverty, increase equity and transform the developmental prospects of all people. South Africa has committed itself to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals premised on the right to basic education for all which is enshrined in its Constitution. However, unlike a number of other countries in sub‐Saharan Africa, South Africa has near universal access to formal public schooling up to the end of the compulsory phase: this phase comprises of the foundation phase (Grades 1–3); the intermediate phase (Grades 4–6); and the junior secondary phase (Grades 7–9) – a total of 9 years of schooling. However, substantial infrastructural backlogs deprive learners of equal opportunities to quality education. Expanded access has little import unless it includes regular attendance, enables progression through grades at appropriate ages, and provides meaningful learning, achievement and completion. Using quantitative empirical data from two districts in two different provinces in South Africa, this article reviews patterns of participation. It pays particular attention to dropout, age‐grade progression and repetition in understanding the dynamics of access. The article concludes that access must be more than just a place in a school for every child; it must be meaningful access.

Promoting access and enhancing education opportunities? The case of ‘no‐fees schools’ in South Africa

Public financing of education in the developing world context combines public and private funds, and the utilisation of fees is seen as a way of complementing state resources. In South Africa the new government in 1994 permitted schools to charge fees, a policy that has provoked much controversy. While different aspects of this policy have been well documented, less is known about the decision to review this policy and declare certain schools as no‐fees schools in 2006. This paper addresses this gap by reviewing the current no‐fees schools policy and its potential impact on the South African education system. Specifically it examines whether the amended policy promotes school access for the poor while creatively complementing state resources. It is argued that while the policy is a progressive step away from charging fees for basic education, there are a number of policy challenges that require further reflection and research.

Education quality in post‐apartheid South African policy: balancing equity, diversity, rights and participation

In spite of numerous definitions of quality, consensus on what constitutes quality is less clear and contested. Using South Africa as a case study, this paper explores the current conceptual thinking and debates about education quality. Specifically the paper reviews selected South African policy texts to identify how some of the global dimensions of quality map onto South African policy discourse. The paper begins by reviewing some of the conceptual work in the area and concentrates on identifying and exploring some of the dimensions of quality. This is followed by a brief contextualisation of policy development in South Africa leading to an analysis of key issues and debates in discourses about quality present in selected education policy texts. The concluding section identifies, through the South African experience, some of the global challenges and ways forward. The paper notes the many challenges present in South Africas attempts to balance equity, diversity, right and participation in delivering good quality education. This experience resonates with that of many other contexts.

Changing forms of teacher education in South Africa: a case study of policy change

Abstract This paper examines some aspects of teacher education policy change in South Africa. It contextualises the changes by firstly examining the apartheid teacher education system and then mapping the changes that have occurred in teacher education in South Africa since 1994. Using a case study of the Further Diploma in Educational Management at the University of Pretoria, it provides a critical analysis of one particular current path to teacher education in South Africa, namely the ‘franchise’ public/private teacher education provision. The paper concludes by discussing the related policy possibilities and problems of teacher education policy since 1944. It highlights how institutions have stategically responded to change in a transitional context, and draws attention to the disjunction between policy intentions and outcomes.

Post-1994 South African Education: The Challenge of Social Justice

The formal end of apartheid was greeted with optimism and expectations. A new Government of National Unity with Nelson Mandela at its head signaled a new just and democratic social order, including social justice in and through education. Twenty years later, formally desegregated yet class-based educational institutions, continuing disparities and inequities, and poor academic achievement are key features of the contemporary educational order. This article considers how far South Africa has come since 1994 in realizing laudable constitutional and policy goals, especially equity, quality, and social justice in education. It argues, however, that, as a consequence of policy, the doors of learning remain firmly shut to the majority of South Africans. Some key strategies to advance social justice are identified. A failure to act now and with urgency to reform South Africa’s educational approach betrays constitutional ideals and leaves intact the systemic crisis of education that especially affects South Africa’s historically disadvantaged and marginalized peoples.

The governance of the South African higher education system: balancing state control and state supervision in co-operative governance?

Abstract The publication of the National Commission for Higher Education (NCHE) in 1996 was hailed as the first systematic attempt to map out a policy terrain for higher education in South Africa since the elections of April 1994. Its recommendations, particularly on the governance of higher education, elicited much discussion and debate. The debate continued (and continues) with the publication of the Green and White Papers, the Bill on Higher Education, and the Higher Education Act (HEA) in late 1997. This paper explores and seeks to clarify the emerging model of educational governance that has been accepted by the Ministry of Education in South Africa as the basis for managing and transforming the inherited system of higher education. Specifically, the paper considers the philosophy of “co-operative governance” and the governance recommendations of the NCHE Report and the HEA. These documents are examined in relation to state control and state supervision models of higher education governance. The paper concludes by considering the politics of policy development in the transformation of the South African higher education governance system.

Assessment policy in post-apartheid South Africa: challenges for improving education quality and learning

The South African education system has witnessed significant changes since 1994 when the democratically elected government began the process of dismantling the inherited apartheid order. The primary focus of the transformation process was to address the twin imperative of equity and quality in education, particularly for the historically marginalised black population. A key aspect of this transformation process remains the development of alternative assessment policies. This paper reviews the changes focusing on the stated rationale as well as their underlying assumptions and implications for practice. It argues that the changes have in many respects addressed the most obvious effects of the previous apartheid systems. However, it notes that, notwithstanding the policy intentions, assessment policy since 1994 has favoured a measurement focused-approach in the classroom, which has hindered a shift towards an assessment for learning approach. This, it argues, is partly fuelled by the abiding belief in and commitment to classroom testing and examinations as well as external national assessments as the key criterion for reforming learning and teaching practices in the classroom.

Globalisation, educational governance and decentralisation: promoting equity, increasing participation, and enhancing quality?

The governance of education is crucial to ensuring that children, youth and adults have access to good quality education. And effective governance matters particularly for the marginalised and disadvantaged (UNESCO 2008). Globally the governance reform agenda encompass a range of strategies to improve the delivery of education services. This includes the decentralisation of education authority from the central level to subnational bodies, extending participation at the school level through devolving responsibility to school governance bodies, introducing more market-type measures such as choice and competition, and the partial/full privatisation of education. Decentralisation as a reform strategy has become central to development thinking since the World Education Forum at Dakar in 2000. The Framework of Action agreed at Dakar noted