The Draft Policy Framework for Rural Education has been published in the Government Gazette of January 2018. The Department of Basic Education has published two notices calling for comment on the Draft Rural Education Policy. This followed a year’s work on drafting a research based Policy by a Ministerial Committee for Rural Education.

The aim of the draft Policy is to improve access to education, as well as quality education for all rural schools. The Policy recognises key resilience pathways such as the role of the community, a sense of belonging and connectedness between stakeholders. The Policy recommends that community leaders, youth initiatives, SGB’s and school management will mobilise communities and target funding in professional learning centres, community learrning centres and schools to modify existing pro-poor policies, enhace self-esteem, ensure community-school partnerships, enhance leadership/governance, ensure teacher profesionalism and appropriate curriculum resources, infrastructure and facilities.  The draft Policy is available on the Department of Education’s website: www.education.gov.za.

Prof Liesel Ebersöhn was one of seven researchers on the Ministerial Committee with Prof Relibohile Moletsane (Chairperson); Dr Adele Gordon; Dr Dipane Hlalele; Mr Paul Kgobe; Dr Thomas Mabasa; and Dr T Nkambule.