What We Already Know

Many authors and practitioners have long explained why education reforms tend to fail. Despite this, governments continue to roll out initiatives that are disconnected from ground level realities or, worse, built around the ambitions of a single individual.

Education is a right, and all citizens should benefit from the opportunities it offers. Yet reform efforts often collapse, not because the ideas themselves are inherently flawed, but because those driving the reforms fail to engage the very people who are expected to implement them.

Reform is change, and change requires proper management. This includes involving all stakeholders from the start. Listening politely is not enough. Reform efforts demand authentic focus groups, transparent consultations, and the creation of supportive systems that allow people to adapt.

Start with the Right Questions

Before launching any reform, the first question must be asked clearly and honestly.
Is this change truly necessary, and has that necessity been thoroughly explored?

Far too often, institutions pursue change simply to build a legacy or to be remembered for doing something new. When the layers are stripped away, the change itself often has no real merit. In some cases, it offers no meaningful benefit to the people most affected.

There are also instances where no one has taken the time to investigate whether a change is needed at all. This is a serious misstep. Leaders must be prepared to ask the right questions, seek honest feedback from the right people, and accept the truth even when it is uncomfortable. If the necessity of the change cannot be convincingly explained, then the reform lacks a solid foundation.

Another important question follows naturally.
Are there simpler and more effective ways to achieve the same result?

Often, a direct conversation with the right individuals can provide more clarity than an extensive policy document. These conversations must include more than loyal supporters or those quick to agree. They should include voices that may speak quietly, hesitate briefly, but ultimately tell the truth because they care about the outcome.

Stop Pretending It Is Dialogue

One of the most common and damaging failures in educational reform is the way information is shared.

If a reform is intended for the public, it must be communicated in clear and accessible language. Communities need to understand what is being proposed, how it will affect them, and how they will be supported throughout the change. Reforms buried under jargon and buzzwords only alienate the people they are meant to serve.

Even more troubling is the practice of making decisions long before the public is invited into the conversation. What is often presented as an open discussion turns out to be a one sided information session, with outcomes already decided. This is not consultation. It is performance.

People do not always resist reform because they dislike change. In many cases, they resist because the change creates confusion, adds pressure, or ignores existing challenges. When individuals are already overwhelmed, any new initiative that offers no relief or support is likely to be rejected.

Consider the policy of allowing unrestricted cell phone use during the school day. In environments where discipline is already fragile and student focus is low, such a policy sends the wrong message. A more responsible approach would be to establish boundaries first. This includes teaching digital responsibility, setting clear usage guidelines, and defining educational purposes. Broader implementation should only follow after these foundations are in place. Sometimes the change itself is not wrong but it is simply premature and in many cases, scaffolding is the reform.

Do Not Forget Culture

Reform efforts do not land the same way in every community. Cultural context matters.

Any reform must respect the values, rhythms, and traditions of the people it is meant to serve. Education does not exist in isolation. It is deeply connected to identity, memory, and lived experience. When reform disrupts that cultural grounding, it becomes more than an inconvenience. It becomes a threat.

When communities feel that reform is being imposed on them or that they are being asked to adopt the cultural norms of another context, resistance is not surprising. Reform done well should elevate a nation’s own vision of education. It should support growth within the framework of its history and reality, not overwrite it.

Reform should uplift. It should not uproot.

One Minute Wonders

This may be the most frustrating aspect of all.

Many reform programs begin with substantial funding, enthusiastic announcements, and ambitious promises. However, a strong launch does not guarantee long term success. The absence of sustainability planning remains one of the most costly weaknesses in educational reform.

Too many initiatives collapse because there are no maintenance plans, no capacity building efforts, and no ongoing resourcing. The result is a familiar cycle of short lived programs that shine briefly and then disappear.

The aftermath is visible everywhere.

• Broken computers left unused
• Reading programs introduced without follow through
• Discipline frameworks designed for a few students when many need support
• Technical and vocational programs built on outdated or non functioning equipment
  

In addition, when these initiatives fail, the burden does not disappear. It falls on the good managers, the committed teachers, and the few staff members still trying to hold things together long after the attention has moved on.

If reform is to be taken seriously, sustainability must be treated as essential rather than optional. Without it, time, money, and trust are wasted, often at the expense of the very people the reform claims to support.

Final Word

Real reform is not a single event. It is a long term process that requires thoughtful planning, cultural awareness, strategic timing, and sustained support.

Before launching the next major initiative, better questions must be asked. The right people must be engaged. Structures must be built with longevity in mind.

Because if reform cannot survive beyond its rollout, then the question remains.
What exactly are we doing?

What other Authors are Saying

Sarason, S. B. (2001): “You can talk about and legislate for high standards… but if the governance system is not explicitly obligated to create and sustain contexts of productive learning, what we have now will continue to disappoint…”

Zellynne Jennings, Success and Failure in Educational Reforms: Contrasting Cases from Belize and Jamaica (2019) : “Some reforms, however, seem born to die… The users were not convinced of its need or relevance… there was no stakeholder commitment… and it was caught mid-stream in political change.”