Closing the Gap in Education Conference

November 25-27 2009
South Africa Campus of Monash University

This symposium will examine the highly important issue of educational disadvantage in very dualistic southern societies, with special emphasis on how a country with pockets of wealth, as well as poverty, can expedite improvements in education facilities for the less advantaged members of the population.

Third in a series of international symposiums hosted by Monash South Africa, it will be held at its campus in Johannesburg.

The program features distinguished experts and Indigenous leaders from Australia and New Zealand with South African counterparts to discuss the educational opportunities and challenges in these southern societies and provide a paradigm for thought and action.

Specific topics for analysis include:

• the scope and substance of marginalisation in education in these three countries
• the structure and entrenchment of disadvantage
• Indigenous education challenges
• educational disadvantage and gender
• enhancing social justice and equity – how can education help?
• positive action reducing educational marginalisation in multicultural societies
  

The symposium is open to all with an interest in contributing to an agenda for change: policy makers, representatives of the media, government, education and the wider community are encouraged to attend.