Change from Within
Even if you ARE part of government, evidence-based policy change is hard. It takes strategy, patience, and courage. I have had the privilege of collaborating with researchers at South Africa’s Department of Basic Education (DBE) for over a decade, iteratively experimenting with ways to improve foundational literacy. At a recent Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE) panel, my long-time collaborator Nompumelelo (Mpumi) Mohohlwane, the new Director for Reading there, offered insights on how evidence-based change actually happens from inside government. What follows draws on her remarks — along with reflections from Stephen Taylor, who leads the DBE’s Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation unit and this research program. ...