What has 30 years of education reform in South Africa actually produced?

For more than three decades, James Urdang has worked at the intersection

of education, civil society, and social change. As the founder of

Education Africa, his work has been shaped by a clear belief that

education remains one of the most powerful tools for breaking the cycle

of poverty.

What makes his perspective especially valuable is not only what he has

built, but what he has witnessed over time. From the early years of

democratic transformation to the realities facing schools today, his

journey offers a rare long view of how the system has evolved. This

conversation with Phumi Mashigo asks a difficult but necessary question.

After three decades of effort, investment, and ambition, what progress

can we truly see, and what still remains unfinished? The Burning Platform