International Involvement and Education in South Africa: From Hope to Disenchantment.

Since the 1960s and before the dramatic announcement of the release of Nelson Mandela on 2 February 1990 (signalling the end of apartheid and the crossing of the proverbial Rubicon (Stone, 2014, p. 3)), the international community assisted the African National Congress (ANC) in its struggle against apartheid and put crucial pressure on the state through economic and other sanctions (Marx, 1992, p. 175). There was, however, abundant economic and other support for the ANC, the liberation organisation widely regarded as the legitimate voice of South Africa's people (Marx, 1992, p. 186). The support was intended to help the ANC to take over and transform all aspects of the government of South Africa and gave the ANC people hope that they could escape the oppression of apartheid. When the dismantling of the apartheid system began, international concern about South Africa started disappearing (Marx, 1992, p. 175). The need for intervention was "now driven by more mixed and uncertain motivations" Marx (1992, p. 175) like development needs and complicated access to financial and other assistance. Despite all the aid, the South African school education system has been performing poorly since the advent of democracy (comparable to the gaining of independence of other African countries). Hope springing from international aid was replaced by a feeling of disenchantment. Apartheid has undoubtedly added to the constraints to educational development and advancement but this paper will also explore the possibility that international aid may have contributed to the apparent failure of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]