A theory-based evaluation of South Africa’s education policy

This thesis applied a form of theory-based evaluation known as realistic evaluation to uncover and evaluate the assumptions underpinning South Africa's basic education policy.Advocates of realistic evaluation, Pawson and Tilley (1997), maintain that a good program theory comprises of context, mechanism and outcome (CMO) configurations.Following a documentbased study, this thesis made use realistic evaluation as an analytical tool to uncover the CMO and build a program theory that revealed the assumed causal links between inputs and outputs intended to address the policy problem of a lack access to quality basic education.Subsequently, the assumptions underpinning the basic education policy were evaluated by applying the realistic evaluation question of what the basic education policy assumes 'works, for who, and under what circumstances'.An overview of global trends in program evaluation was given whilst program evaluation in South Africa is detailed in more depth.The literature review conducted found that program evaluation is still developing in South Africa with critical and impact evaluations as the most popular amongst scholars of South African education policy.There is consensus amongst