"Your chances of succeeding are best if you're white, they’re better if you are black and middle class, and they are absolutely abominable if you are poor and black. So we have social reproduction, playing itself out in the system clearly and catastrophically," observes Crain Soudien, Professor of Education at University of Cape Town
Recent research conducted by TSiBA Education, a private non profit provider of higher education, has found that while SA has made significant progress in eradicating inequality within the educational sphere, a sharp divide still exists in the classroom.

The qualitative interviews polled a number of key educational personalities, including the country's leading educators, intellectual minds and learners themselves, to gauge the progress made since 1994. While positive steps have been taken toward ensuring equality, the issue still needs to be urgently addressed not only by government but by corporate SA as well as civil society.

The recent Roadmap to Education announced by ANC is an encouraging signal that Government is inviting dialogue and collaboration. In his interview, the MEC of the Western Cape Education Department Yousuf Gabru, said: "Government has done quite a lot in relation to education. We are keen to improve the quality of education but cannot do it on our own."

Still the frustrations simmer on the ground. "I don't understand how, if we are all equal, why do white schools get more equipment? Why are white students given more knowledge?" comments Zandile Haas, a Grade 12 learner at Harry Gwala High School in Khayelitsha. "All schools should be equal!"

In an effort to address these inequalities, TSiBA Education will be hosting a conference focused on the role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Education, in partnership with the Department of Education. The conference, which will be opened by the Deputy Minister of Education Mr. André Gaum, will explore how the R1.2 billion that corporate SA current invests in education per year can be aligned and leveraged.

For more information on the conference visit www.TSiBA.org.za or to register e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Notes to the Editor:

What is TSiBA?
The Tertiary School in Business Administration (TSiBA) is a private, not-for-profit provider of Higher Education in business. TSiBA offers a unique Foundation Year Certificate in Business Administration followed by an enriched Bachelor in Business Administration focused on Entrepreneurial Leadership. TSiBA specifically targets scholars and potential students that would otherwise not have access to tertiary level education, by offering successful applicants full tuition scholarships.
In order to provide all students with full tuition scholarships, TSiBA partners with corporate funders and foundations who sponsor the operations and management of the institution. The TSiBA degree is registered and accredited by the Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education (No: 2007/HE08/001).