This chapter is an analysis of the postapartheid government’s policy vision that was meant to guide the reconstruction of South Africa’s inequitable education system. By assessing the period from 1994 until about mid-2000, this paper argues that education policy is characterized by a restricted vision of reconstruction, which failed to provide the necessary basis for developing an equitable and united education system. The dramatic narrowing materialized in a complex and circumscribed political context. The focus of this analysis is on the interaction between the structural dynamics that delimited the policy terrain and the political dynamics that shaped education policy. Specific developments in the sphere of education, given its relative autonomy, shaped the eventual policy outcomes. Given the interaction between the structural and political dimensions, the government made very definite choices in giving effect to its favored vision of educational change. In this light I raise some thoughts towards an alternative conceptual approach to education policy reform in South Africa. This interpretative analysis is based on integrating work written over the last few years (Badat, 1997; Christie, 1996; Jansen, 1998; Kallaway, 1997) and my own work on schooling policy (Fataar, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2006).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Badat, S. (1997). Educational politics in the transition period. In P. Kallaway, G. Kruss, A. Fataar, & G. Donne (Eds.), Education after apartheid: South African education in transition. Cape Town: UCT Press, 9–33.
Bloch, G. (1996). The culture of learning project. Paper presented at the Kenton Association Conference, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
Bowles, S. (1993). Education and the capitalist economy: The politics and economics of cumulative reforms. Education with Production, 10(1), 35–48.
Chanza, L.R. (1995). RDP Culture of Learning Programme. Newsletter Issue No. 1.
Chisholm, L., & Vally, S. (1996). Finance and governance in recent conflicts over policy. EPU Quarterly Review of Education and Training in South Africa, 3(4), 1–15.
Christie, P. (1996). The RDP’s culture of learning and teaching programme. Journal of Education, 4, 61–82.
Cross, M., & Chisholm, L. (1990). The roots of segregated education in twentieth century South Africa. In N. Nkhomo (Ed.), Pedagogy of domination: Toward a democratic education in South Africa. New Jersey: Africa World Press, 43–76.
Department of Finance (1996). Growth, employment and redistribution: A Macro-economic strategy. Pretoria: Government Printers.
Department of National Education (1997). School register of needs survey. Pretoria: HSRC.
Fataar, A. (1996). Reasons for teacher rationalisation? Democracy in Education, 7, 30–39.
Fataar, A. (1997). Access to schooling in South Africa: Linking concept to contexts. International Review of Education, 43(3).
Fataar, A. (1999). Education policy development in South Africa: 1994–1997. Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of the Western Cape.
Fataar, A. (2003). Access to schooling South Africa: Downscaling of development vision. African Journal of Studies in Education, 20, 2–13.
Fataar, A. (2006). Policy networks in recalibrated discursive terrain: School curriculum politics in South Africa. Journal of Education Policy, 21(6), 641–659.
Fuller, B. (1991). Growing-up modern: The western state builds third-world schools. New York: Routledge.
Greenstein, R. (1997). New policies and the challenges of budgetary constraints. EPU Quarterly Review of Education and Training in South Africa, 2(2), 1–17.
Human Sciences Research Council (1995). Ways of seeing the national qualifications framework. Pretoria: HSRC.
Jansen, J.D. (1998). Curriculum reform in South Africa: A critical analysis of outcomes-based education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 28(3), 321–331.
Kallaway, P. (1997). Reconstruction, reconciliation and rationalization in South African politics of education. In P. Kallaway, G. Kruss, A. Fataar, & G. Donne (Eds.), Education after apartheid: South African education in transition. Cape Town: UCT Press, 34–49.
Kruss, G. (1997). Educational restructuring in South Africa at provincial level: The case of the Western Cape. In P. Kallaway, G. Kruss, A. Fataar, & G. Donne (Eds.), Education after apartheid: South African education in transition. Cape Town: UCT Press, 86–110.
Marais, H. (2002). South Africa, limits to change: The political economy of transformation. London/New York: Zed Books.
Mohamed, N. (1996). The integration of education and training in South Africa within the context of labour market theories and globalisation. Education Policy Unit working paper. Durban: University of Natal.
Molteno, F. (1984). The historical foundations of the schooling of black South Africans. In P. Kallaway, Education and apartheid: The schooling of black South Africans. Johannesburg: Ravan, 45–107.
Nasson, B. (1990). Redefining inequality: Education reform and the state in contemporary South Africa. In B. Nasson, & J. Samuel (Eds.), Education: From poverty to liberty. Cape Town/Johannesburg: David Philip, 48–78.
Padayachee, V. (1995). Debt, development and democracy: The IMF and the RDP. Review of African Political Economy, 12(4), 128–141.
Smyth, J. (1995). A policy analysis of higher education in Australia in the context of globalisation. Melbourne Studies of Education. Melbourne: La Trobe University Press.
Vally, S., & Spreen, C. (1998). Education policy and implementation developments, February to May 1998. EPU Quarterly Review of Education and Training in South Africa, 5(3).
Weiler, H.N. (1990). Curriculum reform and the legitimazation of educational objectives: The case of the Federal Republic of Germany. Oxford Review of Education, 16(1), 15–27.
Wolpe, H. (1994, September). Convergence of reform and revolution. Cooperazone Dossier, 5–7.
World Bank, South Africa Department (1993). South Africa: Paths to economic growth. Washington, DC: World Bank.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer Science + Business Media B.V
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fataar, A. (2008). Education Policy Reform in Postapartheid South Africa: Constraints and Possibilities. In: Wan, G. (eds) The Education of Diverse Student Populations. Explorations of Educational Purpose, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8204-7_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8204-7_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-8203-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-8204-7
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and LawEducation (R0)