Education Policy In South Africa Research Articles

Community-based peer mentorship improves academic performance: Evidence from Makhanda, South Africa

ABSTRACT Despite high rates of education expenditure, South Africa's education system remains sharply unequal and underperforms overall compared to other countries. One approach to addressing education inequality and underperformance is community-based peer mentorship. This paper presents evidence from the Nine Tenths mentorship programme in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) as a way to improve academic performance among matric students in under-resourced secondary schools. Using school matric pass rates from 2012 to 2021 and student admission metrics for participants in 2020–2022, a strong association is found between the activities of Nine Tenths and improved academic performance. No-fee schools where Nine Tenths is active record pass rates that are 28 percentage points higher on average than schools without Nine Tenths. Matric students who participate in Nine Tenths increase their Admissions Points Score (APS) by 4.23 points on average, and every student between 2020 and 2022 earned a bachelor pass. While the evidence suggests that Nine Tenths is effective, the programme operates on a relatively small scale and is not broad-based in its implementation. The programme shows is a promising example of community-based interventions to address schooling inequality independently and more efficiently than the current education policy in South Africa.

How Metaphors Make Sense of Crisis: The Case of South African #FreeHigherEducation# Movement

Public universities in South Africa are embroiled in an era of unplanned radical change driven by violent student protests between 2015 and 2018 to ask for free higher education for poor students and overcome past inequalities amidst a broader, unstable economic climate. This paper uses a discourse dynamics approach to metaphor analysis to contextualize how higher education leaders experience and respond to a crisis. The power of metaphor analysis lies in the fact that it can help organize, interpret, and make sense of matters that are difficult to verbalize, particularly under constant pressures from many directions. Data were collected through 37 semi-structured interviews with senior managers from different portfolios within 16 public universities during a violent student protest and the instant implementation of free higher education policy in South Africa, which are combined and called #FreeHigherEducation# movement. The findings from this study advance the literature of leadership language in crisis by subtly understanding leaders' emotions via the way they use metaphors to convey what is truly felt and develop a framework of crisis adaptation. They also suggest recommendations for policymakers and higher education managers to steer change better.

A Comparative Review of Education Policy in Brazil and South Africa: Divergent Trends in Inequality

The literature identifies that education policies in Brazil are the backbone of their success in reducing inequality as measured by the GINI index. Since 1994, Brazil is the only BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) nation to achieve this. This article presents a comparative study of South Africa and Brazil, and the policies applied towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. Using the analytical framework of the SDG, the strategies of South Africa, and Brazil regarding education are considered in order to identify patterns and themes that can potentially explain the divergence of inequality trends of the two nations. The overarching finding is that subtle differences in education policies perpetuate inequality in South Africa, whereas analogous policies contribute to equality in Brazil. The main contribution of this study is that it locates faults in otherwise well-meaning education policies in South Africa. Keywords: comparative education, policies, Brazil, South Africa, inequality

Re-imaging support for beginner teachers in relation to initial teacher education policy in South Africa

Findings from a recent study highlight beginner teacher’s perceptions about the nature of support they had received to enhance their competencies (Esau, 2017). Against this backdrop, with this article we aim at problematising support for beginner teachers in relation to the National Policy Framework for Teacher Education and Development in South Africa of 2006. This teacher education policy stipulates principles that require of a novice teacher to assume specific roles and responsibilities which they find difficult to fulfil. The findings reveal that compliance with this policy is inhibited by the fact that teachers feel ill-prepared and unsupported on entering the teaching profession. Investigating the nature of support of beginner teachers, therefore, provides an opportunity to re-imagine both teacher education and context. In this article we highlight the risk evaluations of beginner teachers using Amartye Sen’s Capability Approach (CA).

Universal design for learning in inclusive education policy in South Africa.

BackgroundSouth Africa has undertaken the implementation of inclusive education as a vehicle for achieving enhanced educational outcomes and equity. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an instructional design framework that takes into account the wide range of variations in skills and abilities that exist across all learners, and provides a research-based set of principles and guidelines for inclusive curriculum development and delivery.ObjectivesTo locate UDL within the specific inclusive education policy context of South Africa and consider how this approach can support policy implementation. We have argued that UDL could serve as a strategy to link policy imperatives with classroom practice, enabling effective communication between the different actors.MethodWe reviewed fundamental inclusive education policies in South Africa and research relating to their implementation, and how they configure support and curriculum differentiation. We then compared this understanding with that proposed by UDL and considered what could be gained in adopting a UDL framework.ResultsWe noted that UDL has several advantages in that it allows for a common language between education stakeholders and gives new meaning to the interpretation of levels of support.ConclusionThe implementation of inclusive education in South Africa could be enhanced by introducing the concepts of UDL into policy, research and teaching practice as a common language and vehicle for packaging support systems.

Intellectual Disability in Inclusive Education in South Africa: Curriculum Challenges

AbstractThe move toward inclusive education is a global one which has been in process for over 25 years since the Salamanca statement in 1994. The approach has been adopted in many countries, both high and low income with varying degrees of policy development and legal frameworks to ensure effective implementation. South Africa, a middle‐income country with high levels of inequality, has engaged seriously in developing enabling policy. In this study, I will examine how inclusive education policy in South Africa considers intellectual disability (ID) as one of many barriers to learning within the related legislation, guidelines, and curriculum. I will then look at two critical and related events in education for ID in South Africa. The first is the legal process whereby the right to education for children with severe‐to‐profound ID was established, and the second is the development of three different curricula in South Africa for children with mild‐to‐moderate, severe, and severe‐to‐profound ID, respectively. I will conclude with some consideration of how inclusion policy deals with the problem of curriculum which is a critical one for ID.

Conceptualising (dis)advantage in South African higher education: A capability approach perspective

Higher education policy in South Africa uses the concept of ‘historically disadvantaged’ to address inequities and inequalities. Disadvantage specifically refers to black students who are marginalised in higher education due to structural factors associated with the apartheid legacy of segregation. In this paper, drawing from the capability approach, the authors argue that (dis)advantage can be better understood in terms of students’ capabilities, functionings, and agency, which go beyond race to address other forms of oppression like class, gender and related individual factors. Students with a wider capability set and agency to convert resources into capabilities and functionings are deemed advantaged in comparison with those who have a narrower capability set and lack agency. Based on theory and empirical findings, this paper offers a complex, multidimensional and nuanced conceptualisation of (dis)advantage to understand practical interventions in higher education. The findings show that foregrounding race in addressing disadvantage is limiting and policy should therefore provide opportunities to all students for them to succeed.

The role that access and attitudes toward tablets have on learners’ achievement in a Johannesburg school

One of the central themes across education policies in South Africa is ensuring equal access to education in a context of diminishing resources. The roll-out of technology in schools plays a pivotal role in achieving equity. With the emphasis on technology integration, it is imperative to fully understand the factors that influence this process. Thus, this study investigated the role of access to tablets, and learners’ attitudes towards tablets, on learner achievement. A convenience sample of 276 learners from an independent high school in Johannesburg, where tablets were used in the learning environment, completed a cross-sectional survey consisting of a demographics section, a section on access to technology, and a scale on attitudes towards the use of tablets. The results indicate that learner achievement is largely influenced by learner attitudes towards tablets, and in particular, enjoyability of use. Findings provide evidence that tablet provision, while necessary, is not sufficient for the successful integration of tablets and subsequent redress of equality in education in South Africa. Keywords: access; attitudes; educational technology; enjoyability; Information and Communication Technology (ICT); learner achievement; tablets

English

While the practice of inclusive education has recently been widely embraced as an ideal model for education, the acceptance of inclusive education practices has not translated into reality in most mainstream classrooms. Despite the fact that education policies in South Africa stipulate that all learners should be provided with the opportunities to participate as far as possible in all classroom activities, the implementation of inclusive education is still hampered by a combination of a lack of resources and the attitudes and actions of the teachers in the classroom. The main purpose of this paper was to develop a deeper understanding of a group of South African teachers’ personal understanding about barriers to learning and how their understanding relates to their consequent actions to implement inclusive education in their classrooms. A qualitative research approach placed within a cultural-historical and bio-ecological theoretical framework was used. The findings, in this paper, indicate that the way in which teachers understand a diversity of learning needs is based on the training that they initially received as teachers, which focused on a deficit, individualised approach to barriers to learning and development, as well as contextual challenges, and that both have direct and substantial effects on teachers’ classroom practices. As a result, they engage in practices in their classrooms that are less inclusive, by creating dual learning opportunities that are not sufficiently made available for everyone, with the result that every learner is not able to participate fully as an accepted member of their peer group in all classroom activities. Keywords : barriers to learning; deficit approach to learning and development; diverse educational needs; inclusive classrooms; inclusive education; mainstream schools; teacher education for inclusion

Religion in education policy in South Africa: a challenge of change

Since 1995, the National Department of Education has developed a number of policies to give effect to the proposed transformation outlined in White Paper 1 (Notice 196 of 1995) and in subsequent legislation. A range of Acts and policies were introduced, many of them dealing with how religion should be dealt with in schools and it culminated in the promulgation of the National Policy on Religion and Education (2003). In all these policies the role of the school and, in particular, of the school principal has been foregrounded as important for effective implementation of policies. This article is based on research conducted to determine how school principals dealt with religion and the implementation of the religion and education policy. This study found that school principals often ignore the policy and maintain the status quo. When faced with conflict of religious interests, they partially sub-contract into the policy. The study also found that past experiences with religion in education, either as students or educators, had a major impact on how principals perceive the role of religion in schools and how they dealt with it.

Multilingual Education Policy in South Africa Constrained by Theoretical and Historical Disconnections

Multilingual education policy has been a controversial affair in South Africa, especially over the last 60 years. Recent research conducted by government-led and independent agencies shows declining student achievement within an education system that employs 11 home languages for education in the first three grades of primary school, followed by a transition to English medium for the majority (approximately 80%) of speakers of African languages. Research that focuses on the linguistic practices of students in urban settings suggests that there is a disjuncture between the construction of multilingualism within contemporary education policy and the multilingual reality of students (e.g., Heugh, 2003; Makoni, 2003; Makoni & Pennycook, 2012; Plüddemann, 2013; Probyn, 2009; Stroud & Heugh, 2011). There is also a disjunction between constitutional and other government policies that advance, on paper, a multilingual policy, yet are implemented through an assimilatory drive towards English (Alexander & Heugh, 1999). As predicted nearly two decades ago, the ideological framing of multilingualism during the negotiations in the early 1990s was to have consequences for the way in which language policy would unfold in the education sector over the next 20 to 30 years (Heugh, 1995, 1999). While poor student achievement in school may be ascribed to a range of socioeconomic indicators, this article draws attention to contributory factors that relate to language(s) in education. These include different constructions of multilingualism in education in relation to sociolinguistic and educational linguistic considerations, contradictory interpretations of multilingual education in a series of education policy documents, pedagogical weaknesses, and recent attempts to strengthen the provision of African languages education alongside English in the first 10 years of school (Grades R and 0–9; e.g., Department of Basic Education (DBE), 2013a, 2013b).

The implementation of inclusive education in South Africa: Reflections arising from a workshop for teachers and therapists to introduce Universal Design for Learning.

South Africa has adopted an inclusive education policy in order to address barriers to learning in the education system. However, the implementation of this policy is hampered by the lack of teachers’ skills and knowledge in differentiating the curriculum to address a wide range of learning needs. In this paper we provided a background to inclusive education policy in South Africa and a brief exposition of an instructional design approach, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) that addresses a wide range of learning needs in a single classroom. We reported on a workshop conducted with teachers and therapists in South Africa as a first attempt to introduce UDL in this context. Knowledge of UDL was judged to be appropriate and useful by the course participants in the South African context as a strategy for curriculum differentiation in inclusive classrooms. Furthermore, knowledge of the UDL framework facilitates dialogue between teachers and therapists and provides a relatively simple and comprehensive approach for curriculum differentiation. We therefore conclude that there is potential for this approach that can be expanded through further teacher training.

The Changing Nature of Assessment in Teacher Education

Major changes in education policy in South Africa have affected teacher education on the whole and assessment in particular. Assessment policies changed to include transparency in assessment. The Nor ms and Standards for Educators identified seven roles that teachers must demonstrate when they teach, including foundational, practical and reflective competencies which inform the training and assessing of student teachers in schools. The new Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications proposes 11 basic competencies of a beginner teacher, but retains the seven roles of the teacher. It is against this background tha t this article explores the changing nature of assessment in teacher education. Currently student teachers at the University of Limpopo are assessed on content knowledge in major subjects and practical skills of teaching. Re-conceptualisation of the initial teacher education qualification in the new policy documents requires institutions to examine their assessment practices. This article examines the implications of policy changes on assessment practices at higher education institutions through a critical analysis of the policy documents. It suggests ways in which changes in assessment practice can be implemented in order to address the changing school curriculum, as put forward in the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement. The recommendation is that the assessment of student tea chers should change and a different format should be adopted, considering the amount of time that they spend in the field. There should also be greater focus on mentoring, reflection, cooperative and collaborative learning and different methods of assessing.

FAR FROM THE CITY LIGHTS: ENGLISH READING PERFORMANCE OF ESL LEARNERS IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF RURAL PRIMARY SCHOOL

In this paper, the findings of a research study, in which the English reading performances of Grade 7 English Second Language (ESL) learners in four different types of rural primary school which use English as the language of learning and teaching (LoLT) were observed, are examined and how poor scores can be partly explained by the social context of learners and schools is explored. Although the Language in Education Policy in South Africa seeks to distribute and maintain the linguistic capital of the official languages through its support of multilingualism, the predominant preference for English as the LoLT in schooling disadvantages most ESL learners and perpetuates inequality in learner outcomes. This situation is exacerbated in certain school contexts such as those in rural settings. Bourdieu’s theory of linguistic capital and Coleman’s distinction between school social capital and home social capital are used as theoretical frameworks to the empirical inquiry undertaken in this study. The findings indicate a difference in the grammar and comprehension scores of learners in the respective participating schools as well as a sharp difference in the performance of learners in the different types of school involved. This suggests the current use of English as the LoLT does not mean that linguistic capital is equally distributed throughout schools. School type can thus act as an agent of cultural reproduction which influences learner outcomes.

English language proficiency and earnings in a developing country: The case of South Africa

In this paper we explore the relationship between English language proficiency and earnings in South Africa, using new data from the first wave of the National Income Dynamics panel survey of 2008. Much of the literature on this topic has studied the impact on earnings of host country language acquisition among minority groups of immigrants to developed countries. In our study we analyse the returns to language skills in a developing country context where the dominant language of business, government and education is that of the former colony, although not more than one percent of the African majority population group speaks English as their home language. Our findings suggest large returns among Africans to reading and writing English very well, and particularly among those who have a tertiary education. We also briefly consider the implications of these results for language and education policy in South Africa in the post-apartheid period.

Studying together, living apart: Emerging geographies of school attendance in post-apartheid Cape Town

Studying together, living apart: Emerging geographies of school attendance in post-apartheid Cape Town

Organizing the University–Industry Relationship: A case study of research policy and curriculum restructuring at the North‐West University in South Africa

A major requirement for transformation contained in the new education policy in South Africa is that the graduate outputs of the higher education system should match the needs of a modernizing economy. This paper addresses the organizational aspect of university–industry relationships that is an element of the transformation. In empirical terms, it reflects upon the policy of the North‐West University in South Africa, as embodied by means of the introduction of the Business Mathematics and Informatics (BMI) curriculum and research. Empirical results indicate that the number of students who opted for mathematics had increased dramatically. The majority of graduates delivered by the BMI programme are employed in the financial sector, both nationally and internationally. This paper indicates that the organization of university–industry relationships enforces a difficult institutional balancing act that attempts, on the one hand, to meet the benchmark of international scientific indicators, and on the other h...

Education practitioners' understanding of professional development and associated competencies

The recent revision of the norms and standards of educator education suggests a new direction in education policy in South Africa. Educator education is now viewed as lifelong learning with the ongoing development of professional competencies.The committee of Teacher Education Policy (COTEP) considers the professional development of practitioners as one way to improve the quality of professional practice. An analysis of the literature on professional development in education indicates a wide range of interpretations of the concept from the narrow interpretation accepted by COTEP of improving classroom practice, to a broad idea of improving organisational and occupational conditions. This paper explores how education practitioners view the concept of professional development and what competencies they associate with this concept. The author argues that practitioners view professional development as a much broader concept than that accepted by COTEP and suggests that teacher education policy is unlikely to lead to the improvement of professional practice as envisaged by COTEP South African Journal of Higher Education Vol. 19 (4) 2005: pp.813-821

Boundaries of care: the role of the school in supporting vulnerable children in the context of HIV and AIDS

This paper is a response to a growing vision of schools as sites of care and support for vulnerable children in the context of HIV and AIDS. The aim is to interrogate this notion and to raise some key issues in considering the role of schools in the context of the epidemic. The paper is based on two research activities. The first was a desk review of projects working in the area of schools in the context of HIV/AIDS and poverty, including a review of the policies underlying these initiatives. The second was the documentation of a particular project in a province of South Africa. The paper begins by outlining some major education policies in South Africa related to the care and support of vulnerable children in the context of HIV and AIDS. The paper then offers three cautionary notes in relation to the thrust of these policies and those programmes attempting to implement them. The first suggests consideration of the context of implementation — the schooling system. The second recommends consideration for resourcing these policies, which is looked at through a case study. The third note considers the policy visions of schools and teachers: how schools and teachers are conceptualised both in policies and programmes is problematised. The misalignment between the policies around schools and vulnerable children, the resourcing of these policies, and their contexts of implementation is brought into relief, as well as the implications for thinking about expanded roles for schools and teachers. The paper offers possible ways forward in considering the role of schools in the context of HIV and AIDS. These include new ways of thinking about resourcing, proper monitoring and evaluation of projects, and a focus on quality teaching and learning.

The Call for an African University: A Critical Reflection

In this paper, we draw on philosophy (particularly African philosophy) to analyse the call for an African university. The call for an African university may be viewed as a call that insists that all critical and transformative educators in Africa embrace an indigenous African worldview and root their nation's educational paradigms in an indigenous socio-cultural and epistemological framework. In this reflection, we give attention to two matters: (1) what is African? and (2) what is an African university? We comment on distinguishing features between a Eurocentric or western idea of a university, and an African sense of the role and function of the university in society, and then spell out the implications of these distinctions for higher education policy in South Africa.