Why are so many South African children leaving the early grades unable to read or do basic arithmetic and what does this say about how we train their teachers?
HSRC Press, in partnership with Research on Socio-Economic Policy (RESEP) at Stellenbosch University, invites you to the launch of School Foundations, a compelling investigation into South Africa’s Initial Teacher Education system. Drawing on years of research, authors Nick Taylor and Irene Pampallis trace the roots of the country’s early-grade literacy and numeracy crisis back to how foundation and tntermediate phase teachers are selected, trained, and prepared for the classroom.
At the heart of the book is a hard truth about equity: the gap in how literacy and numeracy are taught in schools serving poor children versus wealthier ones and how that gap begins long before a teacher ever enters a classroom.
With close to half of South Africa’s public-school teachers expected to leave the profession by 2030, this book could not be timelier. School Foundations offers a bold, integrated set of recommendations for teacher educators, policymakers, regulators, and funders, a genuine call to action for rebuilding the foundations of primary schooling.
Join us for:
- A conversation with authors Nick Taylor and Irene Pampallis
- Reflections from RESEP researchers on teacher education policy
- Q&A and audience discussion
- Refreshments and networking
Copies of School Foundations will be available for purchase at the event. For more information, contact skhan@hsrc.ac.za or visit www.hsrcpress.ac.za
Date: 18 August 2026
Time: 12:30- 14:00
Venue: University of Stellenbosch