Accorded space and respect, every organ of the system can play its role in redressing the worrying achievement gaps and moving the system much closer towards the desired goal of raising student learning outcomes and elimination of a culture of underachievement.
To achieve this end, all capable hands should be on deck. However, there is a challenge as Professor Jaap Kupier observed to “develop a clear de-centralisation policy, ensuring that there is an appropriate balance of responsibilities between the Regions and the Central Office” and this should also include appropriate staffing, training and resourcing. The system, in terms of power distribution and resource endowment, is heavy on top and weak and fragile at the basement. There is no balance. Power is at the centre of the challenges that presently dog the education sector and the system should wake up from its slumber and become fully conscious of the fact that power shared/dispersed is power increased. The big problem bedevilling the education system relates to how power is distributed and exercised. Depending on how it is handled, power can either be an enabler or disabler.
