Inclusive education has been phased in in South Africa since 2001, but relies heavily upon adequate support services to support learners and teachers experiencing barriers to learning and development. This book, Reconceptualising education support services in South Africa, published by AOSIS Scholarly Books, focuses on the different levels of support provided in South African education – from School-based Support Teams to District-based Support Teams through to special and full-service schools, and how these could be reconceptualised to provide improved support to learners and teachers. Current research indicates that inclusive education is being implemented in varied and fragmented forms across the country, and the point of departure of this work is that education support services need to be improved and reconceptualised to ensure better support for inclusive education.

Copyright (c) 2021 Johnnie Hay, Macalane J. Malindi, Thabo Makhalemele (Volume editor) of Reconceptualising education support services in South Africa

Reconceptualising Education Support Services in South Africa is a relevant and conversation-provoking work by academic scholars from the North-West University in South Africa. This well-structured collaborative effort presents a sound theoretical framework that integrates a variety or theories and approaches as a basis for reconceptualisation. A comprehensive historical overview of the development of ESSs forms the backdrop for reconceptualisation. The argument for reconceptualization is strengthened by the findings of the research conducted to investigate the current situation in ESS in South Africa. Changes that could enhance the efficacy of ESS are indicated in research reports that propose a focus on team development, urgent attention to rural contexts and synergy between support services across provinces. In a final integrative discussion, an extensive and practical strategy for the transformation of ESS in South Africa envisions a reconceptualised service by 2030. Considering the challenges that South African schools have encountered and will continue to encounter during the COVID-19 pandemic, this book is a much-needed guide for optimising educational support.

Prof. Ansie E. Kitching, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education,
University of the Western Cape, Cape Town.