De Rebus

New UNESCO Chair in Education Law in Africa

Professor Ann Skelton, the director of the Centre for Child Law at the University of Pretoria, has recently been appointed as the incumbent of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Chair in Education Law in Africa.

According to a statement released by the university, the programme was established in 1992 as a way to advance research, training and programme development in higher education. Currently there are 770 institutions involved in 126 countries and there are 644 UNESCO chairs.

The responsibilities of the chair include conducting and promoting research in education law in South Africa and Africa; promoting good academic education and professional training in education law; playing an active role as an academic leader of the discipline at both national and international levels; managing strategic, academic and operational functions; and organising fundraising for the activities associated with the chair.

In 2012 Professor Skelton received an honorary award from the World’s Children’s Prize Foundation for her 25-year battle for the rights of children affected by the justice system in South Africa.

•See 2012 (July) DR 12.

Kathleen Kriel, kathleen@derebus.org.za