On the Makhanda Education Summit
a community convening for development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/ajhece.v1i2.2493Keywords:
makhanda, education summit, vice-chancellor's initiative, rhodes universityAbstract
The Makhanda Education Summit, a convening of the basic sector in Makhanda, was called by Professor Sizwe Mabizela following more than a decade of deliberate, intentional and collaborative intervention in schools in Makhanda focused on improving learner performance. The Summit sought to be an inclusive space for members of the education sector in the city of Makhanda, and in doing prioritized ensuring that its delegates included representatives from early childhood development centres, primary schools, high schools and non-profit organisations that work in the education sector.
In doing so, the Summit has been situated within the context of the city’s education sector as a crucial co-created reflection point by the community on the development of the education sector following its gradual upliftment through engaged partnership. In addition, it served as a strategic space to collectively identify key goals to shape the future of education in Makhanda and map out the shared pathway towards building a city of education excellence.
Explored through the lens of Social Movement Theory, the presenters assess how the Summit’s hyper-local approach to bringing together school leaders and educators after impactful engagement over several years enabled the development of an organic community-driven social movement to emerge. The Summit demonstrated the necessity and endless potential of collaboration for common good, and the essential role of higher education institutions in driving community development. The paper will provide an overview of the decade's journey towards convening the Summit, reflect on the strategic approaches taken to mobilise buy-in and build a common purpose within the city’s stakeholder network, and share some of the key outputs that will undoubtedly inform the work of the invested stakeholders for the years to come.
References
Amner, R. (2024, January 29). Makhanda aims for the summit of SA education. Grocott’s Mail. https://grocotts.ru.ac.za/2024/01/29/makhanda-aims-for-the-summit-of-saeducation/
Badat, S. (2016). Deciphering the meanings and explaining the South African higher education student protests of 2015-16. African Journal of Academic Freedom, Nos 1&2, 2015, 71-106. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Francis-Nyamnjoh/publication/305999012_ntroduction_Academic_Freedom_in_African_Universities/links/57a9a44c08aeac64b10549ec/introduction-Academic-Freedom-in-African-Universities.pdf
Bender, G. (2008). Exploring conceptual models for community engagement at higher education institutions in South Africa. Perspectives in Education, 26(1), 81-95
Bobo, B. & Akhurst, J. (2019). ‘Most important, it’s like the partner takes more interest in us’: Using ubuntu as a fundamental ethic of community engagement (CE) partnerships at Rhodes University. Alternation Special Edition, 27, 88-110. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29086/2519-5476/2019/sp27a4
Buechler, S. M. (1993). Beyond resource mobilisation? Emerging trends in social movement theory. The Sociological Quarterly, 34(2), 217-235. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4120699 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.1993.tb00388.x
Buechler, S. M. (2004). The strange career of strain and breakdown theories of collective action. In D.A. Snow, S.A. Soule & H. Kriesi. (Eds.). The Blackwell companion to social movements. Blackwell Publishing. pp. 47-67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470999103.ch3
Council on Higher Education (CHE). (2007). Community engagement in higher education. Proceedings of the community engagement in higher education conference. https://www.che.ac.za/sites/default/files/publications/HEQC_Conference_Community_Engagement_HE_2007.pdf.
Council on Higher Education (CHE). (2020). Community engagement as one of the core functions of universities: Revisiting the idea of a university. Briefly Speaking, 11, 1-13. https://www.che.ac.za/file/6460/download?token=u4o3pf69
Della Porta, D. & Diani, M. (2006). Social movements: An introduction. Blackwell Publishing. Department of Basic Education (DBE). (2014). 2013 National senior certificate examination school performance report. Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. https://www.gov.za/documents/other/2013-national-senior-certificateexamination-school-performance-report-06-jan-2014
Department of Basic Education (DBE). (2019). 2018 National senior certificate examination school performance report. Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. https://www.ecexams.co.za/2018_Nov_Exam_Results/NSC%202018%20School%20Performance%20Report%20WEB.pdf
Department of Basic Education (DBE). (2022). 2021 National senior certificate examination school performance report. Pretoria: Department of Basic Education. https://www.education.gov.za/Portals/0/Documents/Reports/2021NSCReports/School%20Performance%20Report.pdf?ver=2022-01-31-130221-553.
Department of Education. (1995, March 15). White Paper on Education and Training (Notice 10). Government Gazette, 16312.
Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). 2013. White Paper for Post School Education and Training: Building an expanded, effective and integrated post-school system, Pretoria: Department of Higher Education. https://www.dhet.gov.za/SiteAssets/Latest%20News/White%20paper%20for%20post-school%20education%20and%20 training.pdf.
Hannigan, J. A. (1985). Alain Touraine, Manuel Castells and social movement theory: A critical appraisal. The Sociological Quarterly, 26(4), 435-454. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4106097 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-8525.1985.tb00237.x
Hornby, D. & Maistry, S. (2022). Developing relationships for community-based research at Rhodes university: Values, principles and challenges. In L. Wood, (Ed.). Communitybased research with vulnerable populations: Ethical, inclusive and sustainable frameworks for knowledge generation, Springer Nature. (pp. 121-138). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86402-6_6
Johnson, B. (2020). Community engagement: Barriers and drivers in South African higher education. South African Journal of Higher Education, 34(6), 87-105. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20853/34-6-4116
Kalina, M., Makwetu, N. & Tilley, E. (2023). “The rich will always be able to dispose of their waste”: A view from the frontlines of municipal failure in Makhanda, South Africa. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 26(7), 1-24. https://www. researchgate.net/publication/370635789_The_rich_will_always_be_able_to_dispose_of_their_waste_a_view_from_the_frontlines_of_municipal_failure_in_Makhanda_ South_Africa. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03363-1
Krige, J. (2024, January 26). Makhanda’s education renaissance. Mail and Guardian. https://mg.co.za/partner-content/2024-01-26-makhandas-educationrenaissance/
Long, K. (2023). A quantitative study investigating the comprehension skills of grade 4 learners in public schools in Makhanda; Research report. GADRA Education and Rhodes University Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education. https://gadraeducation.co.za/media/1200/grade-4-research-report.pdf
Mabizela, S. (2015). Higher education for a higher purpose: Rising to the challenge. [Speech Transcript]. https://www.ru.ac.za/media/rhodesuniversity/content/vc/documents/Dr_Mabizela_Inaugural_address.docx
Maistry, M. (2023). Editorial: Higher education community engagement. African Journal of Higher Education Community Engagement, 1(1), i-vi. Mann, K. V. (2016). Reflection’s role in learning: increasing engagement and deepening participation. Perspectives on Medical Education, 5, 259-261. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21504/ajhece.v1i1.2478
McCann, C, Talbot, A. L. P. & Westaway, A. (2021). Social capital for social change: Nine tenths mentoring programme, a solution for education (in)justice in South Africa? International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 16(1), 45-59. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1313134.pdf
McCarthy, J. D. & Zald, M. N. (1977). Resource mobilisation and social movements: A partial theory. American Journal of Sociology, 82(6), 1212-1241. https://users.ssc.wisc.edu/~oliver/SOC924/Articles/McCarthyZald1977.pdf DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/226464
Modisaotsile, B. M. (2012). The failing standard of basic education in South Africa. Africa Institute of South Africa, Policy Brief, 72. https://www.activateleadership.co.za/wpcontent/uploads/2021/05/No.-72.The-Failing-Standard-of-Basic-Education-in-South-Africa1.pdf
Mohale, M. A. (2023). Community engagement in higher education: Developments after the first institutional audit cycle. South African Journal of Higher Education, 37(1), 113-130 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20853/37-1-5675
Moreno, J. M., Sanyal, K. A., Firoozmand, F., Rutter, P., & Harder, M. K. (2020). Reflective practices in community development: A grounded analysis. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 33, 501-525. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-019-09496-7
Morris, A. (2000). Reflections on social movement theory: Criticism and proposals. Contemporary Sociology, 29(3), 445-454. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2653931 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2653931
National Commission on Higher Education (NCHE). (1996). An overview of a new policy framework for higher education transformation. Report submitted to the Minister of Education on 22 August 1996. https://www.che.ac.za/sites/default/files/publications/Chapter%201.pdf
O’Keeffe, L. & Kay. M. (2022). GADRA delivers: An organisational evaluation of GADRA education. https://gadraeducation.co.za/media/1168/gadra-education-organisationalevaluation_final_260422.pdf.
Rhodes University. (2021). Nine tenths matric mentoring programme wins a global award, https://www.ru.ac.za/rumep/latestnews/ninetenthsmatricmentoringprogrammewinsaglobalaward.html
Rootes, C. A. (1990). Theory of social movements: Theory for social movements? Philosophy and Social Action, 16(4), 5-7.
Snow, D. A., Soule, S. A.& Kriesi, H. (2004). Mapping the terrain. In D.A. Snow, S.A. Soule & H. Kriesi. (Eds.) The Blackwell companion to social movements. Blackwell Publishing. pp. 3-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470999103
Tailores Network of Engaged Universities. (2021). 2021 MacJannet prize winners. https://talloiresnetwork.tufts.edu/about-the-macjannet-prize/2021-macjannet-prizewinners/
Tarrow, S.G. (2011). Power in movement: Social movement and contentious politics (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511973529
Weber, K. & King, B. (2014). Social movement theory and organization studies. In P Adler, P du Gay, G. Morgan & M. Reed (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of sociology, social theory, and organization studies: Contemporary currents. Oxford University Press. pp. 487-510.
Westaway, A. (2023a, January 22). The 2022 matric results: Opportunity beckons for Makhanda. Grocott’s Mail. https://grocotts.ru.ac.za/2023/01/22/the-2022-matric-results-opportunity-beckons-for-makhanda/.
Westaway, A. (2023b, November 9). A homage to our schools. Grocott’s Mail. https://grocotts.ru.ac.za/2023/11/09/a-homage-to-our-schools/
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Sisesakhe Ntlabezo, Ashley Westaway
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
