The Divisions for Teaching Excellence, Institutional Planning, Evaluation and Monitoring (DIPEM) as well as Academic Development and Support (ADS), invite you to a lecture on: 30 Years of Education Policy and Practice - Looking Back and Looking Forward.

Guest Lecturer: Mr John Samuel | Respondents: Prof Salim Vally & Prof June Bam-Hutchinson

Date: 02 May 2024 | Time: 15:00 - 16:30 (South African Time)

Venue: STH, Sun International Auditorium, Bunting Road Campus, Johannesburg

RSVP: Link https://forms.office.com/r/U5z...

This event will be live streamed.

Educationist John Samuel has contributed exceptionally to public life and the well-being of society at large as a leader at the heart of South Africa’s educational development over his lifetime.

Between 1965 and 1975 he was a teacher, education administrator and policy specialist, working in the secondary and post - secondary school systems in Zambia, England, Ghana and Nigeria. In 1979 he was appointed as the Executive Director the Southern African Council of Higher Education (SACHED). SACHED developed into one of the most innovative and pioneering independent education organisations in the country in the 1980s. Building on its long and successful legacy of developing alternatives to apartheid education, SACHED pioneered new developments in such areas as publishing, distance education, mass education through the newspaper, tutorial and support work for students.

As a result of this work, he was approached to head up the ANC’s Education Department during the transition years, playing a critical role through the establishment of the Centre for Education Policy Development and Constitutional working committee in mobilising education research for change and drafting the education clauses of the Constitution.

Between 1994 and 1997 he was appointed to the first Nelson Mandela government Education Department as DDG for Education Policy and Planning, in which capacity he again played a key role in mobilising research forces and crafting new legislation to sweep away the apartheid inheritance. From 1997 he became active in the work of the Kellogg Foundation, with which he developed a programme for rural education.

From 2000-March 2006 he was appointed Chief Executive to the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Under his leadership the foundation commissioned three major national studies that influenced policy development in this country and internationally, including Emerging Voices (2003-2004). This dealt with the critical challenges of rural schooling. The work resulted in the former Minister of Education setting up a rural school forum to develop strategies to tackle these challenges. He founded the Centre for Memory that became the Nelson Mandela Archives. He also launched the 46664 Concerts, a global platform for a major Aids Awareness Campaign, harnessing the commitment and interest of popular musicians and singers from around the world.

John Samuel is a person whose contribution to education in South Africa over time has been exceptional and deserves recognition. Please attend his lecture.