Eric.ed.gov – Road to Equality in South African Education: A Qualitative Study

South Africa is currently experiencing a crisis in its educational systems that if not addressed, could threaten the stability of the newly established democracy. A lack of access to quality education and severe shortage of skilled trained educators is perpetuating vestiges of the old apartheid state in the nation. Approximately 6,000 students graduate from South Africa’s teacher training programs each year to meet the demand of over 12.1 million learners (Evoh, 2007). This study examines the current crisis facing the educational system of post-apartheid South Africa and more specifically how the LEAP (Langa Educational Assistance Program) school of Science and Maths could be used as a possible model for institutional educational change that may be applied on a national scale. Interviews were conducted during four independent sessions with Dominican University faculty and Dominican Fellows to discuss their involvement and experiences with the LEAP School of Science and Maths in South Africa. Results indicated that since 2005, the LEAP School of Science and Maths has been producing consistent results, with an upward trend of students achieving passing scores on the annual matriculation examination. Moreover, 90% of LEAP school graduates are moving on to tertiary levels of education in a country where only 5% of black Africans are eligible for such education (LEAP Science and Maths School, n.d.).