Education and development in the South African context

In line with international experience it is now widely accepted in South Africa that education has an important role to play in development, particularly of socio‐economically disadvantaged communities, although there is less certainty now than in the sixties as to what that role is. It cannot be governed solely by the manpower needs of the economy: men and women have their own equally important needs. Nor can this role be effective as long as education is equated with formal schooling, particularly where the schooling of the majority in society has been neglected over a long period. While the formal education system is undergoing reform and regeneration, and attention is being given to the critical issues of equality of opportunity and the legitimacy of the system, it is imperative that high priority should be given to non‐formal adult education. In all fields of education there is a need to give greater thought to issues of relevance and quality, rather than to seek salvation in “more of the same”.