Education in Retrospect

Policy and implementation since 1990

Education in Retrospect presents a view of the general relationship between theory, policy and its implementation that applies to curriculum reform. However, the specific focus of this book is on: the role of qualifications (and in particular the role of the South African Qualifications Authority and the National Qualifications Framework); work-based learning (in particular the new learnership programme and the Department of Labour's National Skills strategy); and the broader issue of unifying the systems of further and higher education.

Firstly, the book aims to be a contribution to the current range of policy reviews. Secondly, as was widely agreed by all contributors to the Round Table, there are many aspects of educational provision that are, at a fundamental level, not working and are proving remarkably resistant to reform and these are analysed in some detail in the book. The broad aim of Education in Retrospect is to present and extend the dialogue which was initiated between education policy makers and researchers at the HSRC-sponsored Round Table that took place in Pretoria in September 2000 and resulted in much debate and knowledge exchange. This book is a product of the collective wisdom of all those who participated and brings together revised versions of the key presentations at the Round Table as well as two additional papers. It further draws on the discussions that took place in response to the papers.

The book is a dialogue in two senses. First, it is an ongoing critical reflection on education policy design and implementation throughout the last decade. Second, the book not only includes a number of critiques by researchers of policy and its implementation; it also includes several contributions that offer insider views of policy that to some degree reflect on the theories that underpin the critiques. The focus of the book is on education policy in South Africa and the unique set of circumstances faced by both government and researchers. The Round Table and Education in Retrospect may be viewed as two small contributions to the education policy process in South Africa.