Rural Development

The South African rural context is complex. Rural development and education have historically been at a particular disadvantage in South Africa. The schools and communities in the rural areas have been neglected for years and have had to do their jobs with far fewer resources than those in urban areas.

Rural areas are often neglected and forgotten when it comes to making policy. Typically policy is drafted by people working in an urban environment. This means that policy, research and resources decisions are typically made by people in urban areas with limited understanding of the needs of rural schools. There are often assumptions made about access to language, texts and resources in these areas.

By focusing on the rural context we are better able to understand the requirements of children in a rural setting and how best to navigate the challenges of this teaching environment.

Although our focus has primarily been on the rural context, we do not view the rural as the opposite of the urban. It is simply that rural South Africa has seen some of the harshest oppression in the country’s history, and now bears the additional strain of HIV/AIDS. A rural focus isn’t simply about redressing past issues but is key to ensuring equality and justice for all in the future.