Contextualising the Provision of Basic Education in Rural Public Schools

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The provision of basic education for all children in South African rural schools is regulated and guided by South African education law, policies and plans. These regulating and guiding documents provide for a provision of education that promotes social justice. Social justice in education refers to a commitment to challenging social, cultural and economic inequalities imposed on individuals from any differential distribution of power, resources and privilege. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) is responsible for implementing the applicable law, policies and plans to provide education and promote social justice in approximately 11,252 schools in rural areas across the country. Social justice consolidates the rights of every person in the country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom (Section 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996). The current incidents regarding the violation of human rights in rural schools are against the promotion of human rights provided by Chapter 2 (Bill of Rights) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. The following five research questions are addressed using legal, policy, and academic documents and plans analysed through document analysis: How is social justice promoted through meaningful access to education in rural schools? How does educational inequality affect rural education? How do the factors such as religion, politics, socio-economic affairs and culture influence rural education? How do class, race, gender and LGBTQ status affect rural education? How are digital access and equity promoted in rural schools? This chapter is underpinned by the theory of social justice as developed by Robert Nozick (Nozick, 1974) and John Rawls (Rawls, 1999). It provides recommendations on how social justice can be promoted in rural schools of South Africa. The main finding is that the State has had some achievements, but a lot still needs to be done in the provision of basic education in rural public schools. The main recommendation is that the State should effectively use the applicable law, policies and plans to promote social justice in rural communities and schools.