Politics and Governance of Basic Education: A Tale of Two South African ProvincesBrian Levy, Robert Cameron, Ursula Hoadley, Vinothan Naidoo This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. All over the world, economic inclusion has risen to the top of the development discourse. A well-performing education system is central to achieving inclusive development - but the challenge of improving educational outcomes has proven to be unexpectedly difficult. Access to education has increased, but quality remains low, with weaknesses in governance comprising an important part of the explanation. The Politics and Governance of Basic Education explores the balance between hierarchical and horizontal institutional arrangements for the public provision of basic education. Using the vivid example of South Africa, a country that had ambitious goals at the outset of its transition from apartheid to democracy, it explores how the interaction of politics and institutions affects educational outcomes. By examining lessons learned from how South Africa failed to achieve many of its goals, it constructs an innovative alternative strategy for making process, combining practical steps to achieve incremental gains to re-orient the system towards learning. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accountability achieved administration analysis apartheid appointment approach arrangements assessment authority basic better bureaucracy cent central Chapter comparator consistent context continuing countries culture Department Development district Eastern ECDoE Economic educational outcomes effect efforts evaluation evidence explore Figure findings formal governance Grade hierarchical horizontal governance improving influence initiatives institutional internal interviews Kenya leadership learners learning lines mathematics measures noted officials outcomes parents parties patterns performance performance management period personalized planning political positive potential practice principal provinces reform relations relatively Report responsibility role rules SACMEQ SADTU school-level scores sector selection senior shows social Source South Africa specific staff stakeholders strong suggests Table teachers teaching turn unions University variables WCED weak Western Cape World