Focus 55 Chapters

Amartya Sen, the Nobel Prize winning economist, has recently – to wide and highly influential critical acclaim – published The Idea of Justice, a major, brilliant, book of great erudition and scope.

Befriending Education? Education Partnerships: Initial Reading Instruction and Research at the UJ Institute of Childhood Education

There is an exciting new vibrancy in varieties of partnerships with public education. In other articles in this issue of Focus some of these will be mentioned. In this article I will discuss aspects of an intervention in which practitioners and specialists across sectors come together in an integrated hub of learning, research, service and development.

Editorial

In keeping with the Foundation’s stated policy of seeking to offer a platform for both seasoned commentators and new and marginalised voices, we present this edition of Focus on Learning and Teaching.

Focus 56 - February 2010 - On Learning and Teaching

In keeping with the Foundation’s stated policy of seeking to offer a platform for both seasoned commentators and new and marginalised voices, we present this edition of Focus on Learning and Teaching. The Foundation works from the premise that education is not only an important developmental issue, but is also a human rights issue. Beyond the central concern of personal growth, our social development and, crucially, our long-term economic development is dependent on the acquisition and availability of suitable and appropriate skills. Arguably the major constraint confronting South Africa’s growth trajectory has always been its poor human capital base.

Galvanising Education: Commissioning Editor’s Overview

“Parents and communities will have little say in the education of their children and teachers will have little scope to exercise individuality or originality or experiment” Helen Suzman said in 1966, opposing the Education Bill.

How are our Teachers? What teachers and others can do to improve the current situation

In the wake of Graeme Bloch’s (2009) gloomy analysis of the state of education in South Africa, The Toxic Mix, it would be difficult for anyone to deny that there is a crisis in education in our country.

Mother Tongue Instruction

Learners are often referred for psycho-educational assessments as a reactive measure because their scholastic progress is poor. They seem to be experiencing language barriers in spite of being instructed in their mother tongue; and worse, their academic self-esteem is at its lowest because of their awareness that they are struggling to cope.

Private Education for the Poor: More, Different and Better

The private sector is an increasingly important player in providing education services and making high quality education accessible for communities and marginalised groups in developing countries.

Schooling in and for the New South Africa

We write about schooling in South Africa at a time when most knowledgeable educationalists and practitioners are agreed that the educational system is in a state of chronic crisis.

The Debate about Re-opening Teacher Education Colleges

During 1999, the call for re-opening teacher education colleges was made repeatedly as campaigning for the election gained momentum. It was reiterated and debated at the National Teacher Education Summit held at the end of June 2009.

The Language Challenge in the classroom: a serious shift in thinking and action is needed

Most learners in South African schools face a language barrier in the classroom. Any child who cannot use the language which he/she is most familiar with (usually the home language), is disadvantaged and unlikely to perform to the best of his/her ability.

The Promise and Challenge of University Based Teacher Education

In the last few months the media has focused sharply on failing learners, dysfunctional schools and the downfall of Outcomes Based Education.

Right of Reply

Ann Bernstein

Beyond a Manichean View of South Africa’s Struggle

Anthony Egan

Elusive Truths

Antoinette Handley

Fixing the Past: Constitutional Challenges

Amanda Reichmann

From Union to a Democratic South Africa: Change and Continuity?

Bernard Makhoswze Magubane

On South African Identity

Charles Simkins

In Praise of Van

Stan Khan

Focus 57 - May 2010 - Change and Continuity: 100 Years of Statehood

This edition of Focus is dedicated to a series of reflections about 100 years of statehood in South Africa. In my invitation to contributors, I pointed out that the political events which led to Union are well documented and widely known; so was the deliberate marginalisation of the majority of South Africans during the deliberations that led to the establishment of Union in 1910. Indeed, it was this marginalisation which led to the formation of the ANC in 1912, and it was only after some 84 years after the foundation of the state, that a constitutional and political ‘normalisation’ and legitimacy were achieved.

Recalling 1910: A bridge too far

Ivor Chipkin

Reflections on a 100 years of struggle between the polity and the market in South Africa