The Western Cape Education Department has established Education Management and Development Centres (EMDCs) in seven education districts in the province.

Launched in July 2001, the aim of the EMDCs is to bring management and development support closer to public schools throughout the Western Cape, and to assist schools in their efforts to become accountable learning organisations, able to manage themselves effectively, efficiently and economically.

The launch marked a major milestone in the development of education in the province, and followed several years of policy research and development by WCED task teams, in collaboration with NGOs and donor agencies.

EMDCs offer a range of services, provided by teams of specialists, assisted by the WCED’s head office in Cape Town. These services include:

• Curriculum development and support;
• Specialised learner and educator support;
• Institutional management and governance support; and
• Administrative services, including institutional development and support for Articles 20 and 21 schools, labour relations assistance, and internal administration services

EMDCs will also promote parental involvement in schools through school governance, local participation in the WCED’s Safe Schools Project, and a culture of teaching and learning in schools and local communities.

Four of the EMDCs are in the metropolitan region of Cape Town, and three are in rural areas. Their distribution can be seen in the map below.