The JET Story

Timeline

The Joint Education Trust, the forebear of JET Education Services, set up in 1992 by a remarkable partnership of leaders from South Africa's corporate world, major political parties, trade unions and representative organisations of black business.
Prof Chabani Manganye appointed first CEO.

Nick Taylor appointed CEO.
Process begins of disbursing grants to more than 400 service providers in five focus areas: Early childhood development; Adult basic education and training; Vocational and further education; In-service teacher training and development; Youth development.
JET advances monitoring and evaluation as a practice in South Africa.

Due to corporate restructuring, the list of business partners is enlarged with the inclusion of Amplats Limited, AngloGold, CG Smith Limited, and Reunert Limited. The National Education Coordinating Committee disbanded.

The Trust begins to cover a growing proportion of its operating costs from income derived through its non-grant-making work.

The Joint Education Trust is wound up. JET Education Services NPC is registered.
Role as a delivery support organisation using evidence-based research to improve education is solidified.

After successfully discharging its founding mission and reviewing its role, JET shifts focus from fund disbursement to managing education and development projects.

Godwin Khosa is appointed CEO.
JET redefines its role amongst the new educational challenges and role players and revises its vision and mission accordingly.
The ‘Vision 2015 ’ strategy is developed to guide JET’s work.

Appointed a UNEVOC Centre in recognition of work done in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.
Is instrumental in establishing the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) to accelerate the pace of national development and achievement of the education targets set out in the National Development Plan (NDP).

James Keevy appointed CEO.
JET moves to the Education Hub in Parktown, Johannesburg.
Repositioned as a service NGO supporting the government, multinational funders and business entities with an interest in education improvement.

JET is described as a delivery support organisation, with a particular focus on improving the quality of education for the poor through research and knowledge‐based interventions.
Reach expands to include international work, particularly on the African continent.

JET DNA Strategy for 2016 to 2020 adopted.
Continues to focus on research and knowledge-based education improvement interventions.
Focus on post-school education and training is strengthened and includes work on qualifications frameworks, skills development, and labour migration.

JET Celebrates 25 years of service to education.
Completes an implementation evaluation of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements for the DPME.
Actively continues investing in young people through TVET learnerships and hosting local and international interns.

JET wins Investors in People Best Newcomer award.
Boosts interest in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) services, offering results-oriented, utilisation-focused M&E to clients and partners with the aim of contributing to improved educational outcomes.

Uses its agility proactively and innovatively to develop new solutions in education that can be implemented over time by the large and less agile public system.
Transformational agenda is still at the core of what JET is and does.
Is a founding member of the National Association of Social Change Entities in Education (NASCEE).

Conducts research on a wide range of topics, from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, to qualifications frameworks and accountability to improve learning outcomes.
Initiates the #OpenupYourThinking COVID-19 research response in South Africa, also taken up by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Commonwealth countries.
Achieves Investors in People Silver status, reflecting our commitment to our people and the successful cultural transformation in the organisation.

Infinity and Beyond strategy adopted for 2021 – 2025 .
Read Towards a JET Theory of Change to learn how JET aims to affect others through evidence-based knowledge interventions, collaboration with the public and private sectors and the use of technological infrastructure to turn challenges into solutions, resulting in improved education quality, particularly for disadvantaged communities.

Celebrates 30 years of work in the education sector.
Read 30 Years of JET: Milestones and Timeline. Click here to see how we celebrated and watch the video of our past and current CEOs reflecting on 30 years of JET and education in South Africa.

JET is a mature organisation, confident in its ability to contribute meaningfully to education and training in South Africa and Africa.
Undertakes a significant volume of work for local and international clients.
Begins the process of renewing the JET Board.

Works across five thematic areas – Early childhood development (ECD), specifically Grade R teacher development; School improvement; Teacher education; Post-school education and training (PSET); Interoperability and data ecosystems; and Innovative funding models for education – with much work cutting across several thematic areas at once.
Decision taken to leave our home of 10 years, the Education Hub in Parktown, Johannesburg, and relocate to new, more modern premises at 18 Glenhove Road, Melrose Estate, near Rosebank in Johannesburg.
Continues building partnerships and collaboration for education improvement.
Receives Investors in People Best International Employer of 2024 award in the Silver category at a ceremony in London in November.
Embarks on a transformative strategic design journey.

Adopts the Embracing the neXt Strategy (2025–2027), grounded in the framework of spiral dynamics, which recognises evolving value systems, worldviews and mind-sets shaped by changing times and conditions.
Expanded thematic areas are: EdTech and artificial intelligence; Innovative funding models for education; Interoperability and data ecosystems; School improvement and leadership; Teacher education; Foundational and early learning; Post-school education and training, including TVET.