The Wits Education Policy Unit (EPU) was founded in 1987 as a joint venture of the University of the Witwatersrand and the National Education Co-ordinating Committee (NECC) for the specific purpose of providing a scholarly context for the development of post-apartheid education policy. With the transition to democratic government in 1994, the EPU's objectives were extended to include:
- providing policy support, research and analysis to the democratic movement and to national and provincial governments;
- functioning as a rapid response mechanism for decision-makers and policy-makers in education;
- producing high quality impact research;
- ensuring training for black and female researchers; and
- fulfilling a resource and dissemination function.
The Wits EPU exists as part of a grouping of education policy units around the country that share broadly similar goals. The other units are located at the University of the Western Cape, the University of Fort Hare, University of Natal (Durban), the University of Durban-Westville, and the Centre for Education Policy Development, Evaluation and Management in Johannesburg. Collectively these units have played a major role in policy research and analysis.
Between 1989 and 1992 the Wits EPU contributed significantly to both the management and research of the National Education Policy Investigation (NEPI) initiated by the NECC. Since 1994 the Wits EPU has conducted research and analysis for, amongst others, the National Department of Education, various provincial education departments, South African National NGO Coalition (SANGOCO), South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), South African Universities SRC's, Interfund, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the World University Service (WUS), UNICEF and UNESCO.
The dynamics and policy processes of schooling and adult education have continued to be important foci of research for the Wits EPU. Particular areas of investigation have included curriculum processes, and the finance, governance and management of education. Areas of critical concern have been the impact of policy on equity and quality, and the social dynamics of race, class and gender in policy-making and implementation in South Africa. Ongoing national research projects in which the Wits EPU is participating explore racial integration in schools, policy implementation at school and class levels, corporal punishment, discipline and violence in schools, teacher rationalisation, and the establishment of quality performance indicators. (See our Quarterly Review and our numerous occasional publications.)
The Wits EPU has a sound record of academic research and other research, and has established itself as a high quality research center, with established experience and expertise. It continues to participate in local and international conferences, and has provided a research base for a number of international scholars.
An ongoing commitment to fostering linkages with the broader research community has been maintained - with national and international academics, and with researchers (in particular policy researchers) based in parastatal and non-government organisations. In 1998 the Wits EPU played a central role in the planning, organisation and research for the Worl Congress of Comparative Education Socieites Conference. Two of the EPU's researchers have been on the editorial board of Perspectives in Education.
Together with academic research, development and transformation outside the university environment remains an important domain of activity for the Wits EPU. Toward this end EPU staff members are found on the boards of organisations such as the Children's Institute and the Urban and Rural Development and Education Project, as well as on the reference groups of the workers' education and training institute, DITSELA, the South African NGO Coalition's Reconstruct Trust, and the teacher union's Educators' Voice newspaper.