The urgent need for more Pro-poor Education Policy. Poverty is complex. ‘Money’ is not the only distinguishing factor. Family relationships, sense of safety, technology and accents can make some of us poorer than others.
Constructing Pro-poor Education Policy Measures
Support Learners and Students from Vulnerable Groups
From Basic: Every Child is a National Asset
To Higher: Together Moving Post-School Education and Training Forward.
Data Collection for Systemic Progressive Action: Pro-poor Education Policy
Our different education ministries won’t solve South Africa’s big problems separately. Each must identify how existing measures in the education system stimulate the retention or completion of basic and higher education among underprivileged children.
Pro-poor Education Policy: The report should include:
- A massive graphic showing how an underprivileged child can / cannot progress from ECD to Tertiary, completing to the highest level possible (NQFL10).
- A situation analysis of pro-poor education measures for students from vulnerable groups (school-based measures, pre-school education provision, allowances, school meals, text-books, transport etc) including identification of bottlenecks in current provision of measures,
- A defined set of measures/policies to support the education of vulnerable children and their implementation. Measures should be developed in packages for different age groups as learning needs shift as they progress through the system.
- A calculation of financial effects of the proposed packages for the different age groups, taking into account the existing allocations for policies aimed at supporting students from vulnerable populations and a need for a better utilization thereof. Recommendations must consider how we make resources more easily accessible to children who often have to act on their own behalf as they progress through the system.
- A proposal on the institutionalization of the proposed measures/policies and mechanisms and institutional arrangements, from the point of view of:
- legal background, types of provisions of support, financing mechanisms, communication with stakeholders and beneficiaries, as well as other relevant information.
- Are the overall and diversified teaching methodologies in harmony with underprivileged children’s needs?
- A comparative analysis of all provinces
- A proposal of a roadmap for the implementation of proposed measures.
