asked in 2005

1. How far has your concept of education with production spread?

It is practised quite extensively in Zimbabwe as well as in Botswana and to some extent in Lesotho and South Africa.
In these countries it is mostly practised at school level – high school – but also in primary schools in school gardens which produce nutritional food.


2. Can you give an example of one of “your pupils” and how his or her curriculum looks like?

Where our Educational Programme has been introduced, the curriculum is based on new “subjects” like Cultural Studies, Development Studies, Environmental and Social Studies, Fundamentals of Production, Science, Mathematics, Communication (English and an African language), Technical Studies. All students engage in practical, productive or social useful application of elements of each subject.


3. In which countries are you active today?

Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and to a lesser extent in Lesotho.


4. What have you achieved in Education with Production?

We can point to projects in Zimbabwe which are still successful, operating widely and attracting students from other countries.
In Botswana we have Brigades and both major opposition parties strongly support Education with Production.


5. What is the future of Education with Production?

We are upbeat about the future of Education with Production, more especially in Botswana, but also in South Africa and Zimbabwe, where it is one thing that works well.

In Botswana, the opposition is likely to come to power in 2009 and preparations are being made to install Education with Production widely.
In South Africa, we have plans to spread our models to support the “Second Economy” as the president calls the Informal Sector.


6. What effect has the RLA had on your work?

The wide range of alternative activities honoured by the RLA has been a constant inspiration to myself and my closest colleagues, and we have been able to draw on the experience of other recipients of the prize, both in our own articles and in our writings, especially in MMEGI, the newspaper our Foundation for Education with Production took over from my early work at our Education with Production Schools and BRIGADES.