Introduction  

The education system in South Africa has been going through a process of transition in the wake of the abolishment of apartheid in the early 1990s. Since that time, the government has introduced various policies, laws, and programs that are intended to address its most pressing educational issues, many of which are legacies of the former system. In its mission statement, the Department of Education declares that:

    Our vision is of a South Africa in which all its people have equal access to
    lifelong education and training opportunities, which will contribute towards
    improving their quality of life and building a peaceful, prosperous and
    democratic society (2000).

One of the main problems South Africans face in reaching this goal is the lingering internal disparities with respect to access to education and quality of education. For example, schools in remote areas or those that are in areas previously segregated for black Africans often suffer from a disproportionate lack of qualified teachers or proper facilities(see Footnote 1) compared to schools in other areas. Another problem the education system is trying to address is the high dropout rates, which occur even at the primary and lower-secondary levels, despite 1995 regulations that made education compulsory for 9 years for all races. The South African government faces great challenges during this important transitional period.

Stucture of Schooling  

Schooling in South Africa is compulsory from the beginning of the school year in which a child turns 7 years old until the age of 15, or through the ninth grade, whichever occurs first. In South Africa, schooling is categorized as "primary" or "secondary," each of which is divided into two levels-junior and senior. Junior primary school lasts for three years and is followed by 3 years of senior primary schooling. Secondary school consists of junior secondary school from grades 7 to 9, and senior secondary school, which is (largely) not compulsory, from grades 9 to 12. There also are vocational schools available at technical colleges and other institutions for students from grades 9 to 12, where they can acquire practical skills in fields such as handicrafts, commercial studies, and social or community-oriented studies. Ninety-eight percent of schools (at least at the primary level) are public schools.

Although administrators believe that the South African school system has the capacity to absorb all its primary school student population, universal basic education has not yet been realized. For instance, in 1999, the net enrollment rate for primary schools was 87 percent (Department of Education, 2000), and there remained large regional and racial disparities in the proportion of school-age children who were out of school, with black African students in rural areas less likely to be enrolled than others.

Adult education also is considered an important component of the educational program in South Africa-in large part because of the need to address low adult literacy rates (e.g., 54 percent in 1997) (GSIS, 2000). Coordinating with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the government organizes various programs to deliver basic education to adult learners.

School Governance and Finance  

Governance  Although there are many different organizations and governmental levels involved, the Ministry of Education views the South African education system as functioning as a single system, which is mainly organized and managed at the provincial level. The Ministry of Education is responsible for formulating broad policies regarding education and training at the national level, with the assistance of the national Department of Education.

The national Department of Education is responsible for executing these policies and for developing frameworks concerning education and training at the national level. It also is responsible for matters that cannot be regulated effectively by provincial legislation, or issues that require coordination (such as setting national standards and norms). The national Department also provides assistance to provincial governments in improving their administrative and professional capacity and is responsible for ensuring that provincial departments uphold their responsibilities in the provision of education.

The departments of education in South Africa's nine provinces have primary responsibility for the administration of primary and secondary education. In accordance with national policy, each provincial department of education sets its own priorities and develops and implements programs suited to its context.

In addition, there also are several institutions that promote cooperation among provincial departments and the national Department of Education, such as the Council of Education Ministers and the Heads of Education Departments Committee (Department of Education, 1995).

Finance  The Ministry of Education distributes resources for education directly to the provinces under formulas that take factors such as the size of the school-age population and number of students enrolled in schools into account, in order to ensure equitable distribution of funds. The Minister of Education also recently announced that the standards and guidelines it uses in allocating resources to provinces also should be followed within provinces, so that the intra-provincial distribution of funds also will be equitable. Besides public schools, subsidies are provided for independent schools that meet criteria set by the provincial departments of education.

In the 1997-98 fiscal year, public expenditures on education accounted for approximately 21 percent of total national public expenditures and 6.5 percent of GDP. Approximately 85 percent was allocated to provincial education departments, and the remaining 15 percent went to institutions of higher education, National Student Financial Aid, and adult education programs. In addition to funding from the government, education programs in South Africa (especially higher education and adult education) are support by various donor organizations, including international and bilateral aid agencies (GSIS, 1998).

Curriculum  

A new, unified curriculum is currently being introduced in South African schools. Curriculum 2005, the new curriculum, was phased in at Grade 1 in 1998, and will be phased in at Grade 7 (or the first year in junior secondary school) in 2000 (Ministry of Education, 1999). In developing the new curriculum, the national government adopted a "fully participatory process," which emphasized the participation of education practitioners, as well as researchers and administrators. Since 1995, various committees have been organized to provide input during various phases of development of the comprehensive curriculum. Participants in these committees included representatives from national and provincial education departments, representatives from different stakeholders' group, and teachers from different areas of the country (Curriculum 2005 Review Committee, 2000).

The Curriculum 2005 for junior primary school emphasizes basic skills in reading, writing, arithmetic, and the development of language proficiency. Students also are expected to start learning one additional language at this level. (see Footnote 2) Curriculum for senior primary schools includes reading and oral proficiency in the primary language of instruction, as well as a second language, mathematics, history, geography, general science, and a skill such as needlework, woodwork or art (GSIS, 1999).

The Curriculum 2005 for junior secondary schools focuses on expanding general knowledge of various academic subjects including languages, mathematics, natural science, technology, social sciences, and art (Curriculum 2005 Review Committee, 2000).

The Curriculum 2005 project has not addressed the senior secondary level. However, under the current curriculum, students in senior secondary school choose four subjects from the following: general studies, commercial studies, natural science, social science, technical studies, art, and agricultural and domestic science. In addition, students are required to continue coursework in the official language (Husen and Postlethwaite, 1994).

Standards for Student Performance and Gateways to Promotion and Higher Education  

Promotion.  Promotion from one grade to the next in South African schools is typically determined by internal examinations given by the teacher. However, it is not uncommon for students to repeat grades. In fact, in 1999, research found that about 17 percent of the students then enrolled in Grade 4 had already repeated one or more grades (Department of Education, 2000). Under a new assessment policy, which is shifting the focus nationwide to outcomes-based education, standardized evaluations at Grades 3, 6, and 9 are being considered.

Examinations.  At the end of senior secondary education (Grade 12), students are required to take a public examination in at least six subjects in order to obtain a Senior Certificate. There are three levels of examination for each subject-Higher, Standard and Lower Grade.

Access to Higher Education.  Admission to universities, teacher training colleges, and technikons (more vocationally oriented tertiary education institutions) usually requires a senior certificate, or a certificate from the Matriculation Board, which is equivalent to a senior certificate. Each institution also sets specific additional requirements with which applicants need to comply. Typically, students are required to submit their scores from the senior certificate examinations, or on the final school-leaving examinations, in subjects required by the particular institution. For admission to some universities, students are required to demonstrate their proficiency in the language of instruction.

Teacher Training and Certification  

In order to be qualified to teach in primary and secondary schools in South Africa, candidates must complete 3 years of teacher training after graduating from senior secondary school.

Teacher training is provided at universities, teacher-training colleges, and technikons. The common length for the pre-service training for secondary school teachers is four years (although some departments have three-year programs). A teacher-training program generally involves a three-year degree, during which a student majors in two subjects, followed by a one-year diploma in education, or integrated four-year degree and diploma. Students of primary education usually take a three- or four-year integrated diploma course, without subject specialization.

Usually, candidates seeking positions with public schools register with provincial education departments in order to be assigned to a post. Public school teachers normally have a one- or two-year probationary period before they are given permanent positions. Private school teachers are employed directly by the school board according to the standards set up by each school.

In 1997, 74 percent of South African primary school teachers had met national standards, while 24 percent were considered to be either unqualified or under-qualified (Department of Education, 2000). There also are disparities among different regions in the proportions of qualified teachers working in the schools. Unqualified and under-qualified teachers tend to be assigned to rural and remote areas.

References  

Byrnes, R.M. (Ed.) (1996). A Country Study: South Africa. Washington, DC: Library of Congress.

Curriculum 2005 Review Committee (2000). A South African Curriculum for the Twenty First Century. Available on the Internet at: <http://education.pwv.gov.za/Policies and Reports/2000_Reports/2005/Chisholm_2005.htm>.

Department of Education (1995). White Paper on Education and Training. Available on the Internet at <http://polity.org.za/govdocs/white_papers/educ1.html>.

Department of Education (1997). Language in Education Policy. Available on the Internet at: <http://education.pwv.gov.za/Policies and Reports/Policies/Language.htm>.

Department of Education (2000). Education for All: The South African Assessment Report. Pretoria: Department of Education.

Government Communication and Information System (GSIS) (1999). South Africa Yearbook 1999. Pretoria: GSIS.

Government Communication and Information System (GSIS) (1998). South Africa Yearbook 1998. Pretoria: GSIS.

Husen, T., & Postlethwaite, N. (Eds.) (1994). The international encyclopedia of education (Second edition). Oxford: Pergamon Press.



Ministry of Education (1999). Status Report for the Ministry of Education. Pretoria. Available on the internet at: <http://www.polity.org.za/govdocs/reports/education/statusreport.html>.