FREE WEBINAR

Poor Education, Poor Economy - and Planning the Escape.

The South African education system is in crisis. According to Statistics SA, half of all learners drop out of school before reaching matric. The government fails learners in poor communities by failing to provide schools with adequate infrastructure and qualified teachers. Inequality in South Africa is exacerbated by an education system which does not adequately prepare learners for the world of work. Learners from disadvantaged communities cannot compete with their peers from affluent communities.

The webinar will focus on a paper Poor Education, Poor Economy and Planning the Escape by Prof Philippe Burger. Prof Burger will present data which provides:

  • an overview of the quality of education in South Africa as measured by the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study of 2019 (TIMSS 2019) released in late 2020 and augment it with data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study of 2016 (PIRLS 2016),

  • an overview of school dropout numbers and the educational attainment of people in their 20s,

  • discuss some of the problems the education system faces, problems that may explain the lack of performance and slow progress made over time, discussion of the broad economic implications of a weak education system, and propose some much-needed measures to improve educational outcomes.


  • Philippe Burger

    Philippe Burger is Pro-Vice-Chancellor: Poverty, Inequality and Economic Development, and Professor of Economics at the University of the Free State. In addition he is a member of the Fiscal Policy & Financial Markets Task Force of the Lancet Commission on Covid-19. He is a 2016/17 Fulbright Exchange Scholar at the Center for Sustainable Development, Earth Institute, at Columbia University. From 2012-2014 he was President of the Economic Society of South Africa. He has also been a visiting scholar at the IMF and consultant to the OECD.

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  • ​​​​​​​Lesedi Masha

    Lesedi Masha is a Network and Pathway Manager at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. Her role includes designing, leading and building products and processes for new network and pathway management delivery models that scale up pathways that young people can connect to. Prior to Harambee, Lesedi worked for TransUnion Africa, TymeBank and Deloitte Consulting. She commits her energy and skills in strategy, innovation, analytics and design, to bringing forth transformation and reform to Africa.

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  • Thandeka Gqubule

    Journalist at the SABC

  • Marie Sukers

    Marie Sukers is currently serving on the Portfolio Committee for Basic Education Social Development and Health. She represents the African Christian
    Democratic Party in the National Assembly.
    Mrs Sukers' served for over twenty years in youth and women's ministry in vulnerable communities .
    Her professional background is in people and organizational management as a talent and recruitment specialist, with experience in organizational and team coaching at a corporate level.

  • Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung

    Webinar Host

  • Philippe Burger

    Professor of Economics at the University of the Free State.

  • Lesedi Masha

    Network and Pathway Manager at Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator.

  • Marie Sukers

    Member of Parliament, ACDP

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