Reframing the Policy Discourse - A Comparative Analysis of Teacher Preparation for Rural and Remote Education

Oct 15, 2026

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The OECD highlights a “vicious cycle of decline” in rural, regional and remote (RRR) areas, where rural and urban educational outcomes remain sharply unequal. Yet interventions have not delivered transformative or lasting improvements in rural contexts. This paper provides a cross-comparative analysis of current global policy on RRR education, applying a policy analysis framework to teacher-education policy texts in Australia, South Africa, and Mexico.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Reframing the Policy Discourse

Comparative policy analysis of teacher preparation for RRR education

Policy analysis framework and selection of policy texts

Findings on historical influences and metrocetric bias

Policy recommendations for assets-based local approaches

education policy analysis archives A peer-reviewed, independent, open access, multilingual journal Arizona State University | Volume 29 Number 82 | June 14, 2021 | ISSN 1068-2341 | | --- | --- | --- | Reframing the Policy Discourse: A Comparative Analysis of Teacher Preparation for Rural and Remote Education in Australia, South Africa, and Mexico Susan Ledger Newcastle University Australia Alfred Masinire University of Witswatersrand South Africa Miguel Delgado Angel Diaz Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México México & Madeline Burgess Murdoch University Australia Citation: Ledger, S., Masinire, A., Delgado, M., & Burgess, M. (2021). Reframing the policy discourse: A comparative analysis of teacher preparation for rural and remote education in Australia, South Africa and Mexico. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 29(82) . [https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.6233](https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.6233) Abstract: The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has highlighted a ‘vicious cycle of decline’ in rural, regional and remote (RRR) regions, with significant inequalities in educational outcomes between rural and urban areas. However, interventions have not resulted in transformative or lasting improvements to education in rural contexts. This paper presents a cross-comparative country analysis of current global policy on RRR education. We used a policy analysis framework to interrogate national policy texts concerning teacher education for RRR contexts in three countries-Australia, South Africa and Mexico. A rigorous selection process of the literature yielded 17 key policy texts, which were examined for the influences, practices, language and outcomes relating to teacher education preparation for RRR locales. Findings highlighted a legacy of historical influences and ametrocentric bias in policy texts, with limited examples of assets-based education. We argue that these factors may be perpetuating the significant and persistent disadvantage in RRR education. We recommend an alternative policy discourse that recognises the productivities and potentialities of an assets-based approach within the local context, where school leaders and teachers are positioned as central change agents in RRR education. Keywords: rural education; teacher education; school leadership; comparative policy analysis Encuadre del discurso político: Análisis comparativo de la preparación docente para la educación rural y remota en Australia, Sudáfrica y México Resumen: La Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económicos DPI haidentificado importantes desigualdades en los resultados educativos entre las zonas rurales yurbanas, y en particular, un "círculo vicioso de declive" en las regiones rurales, regionales yremotas (RRR) , donde las intervenciones educativas no han tenido como resultado mejoras transformadoras o duraderas en contextos rurales. El presente estudio es un análisis comparativo cruzado de países de la política global actual sobre educación RRR , para suelaboración utilizamos un marco de análisis de políticas para interrogar los textos de políticas nacionales relacionados con la formación docente para contextos de RRR en tres países: Australia, Sudáfrica y México. El estudio empleó un riguroso proceso de selección de la literatura, basado en 17 textos de políticas educativas clave en dichos países, que fueron examinados en busca de influencias, prácticas, lenguaje y resultados relacionados con la preparación de la formación docente para los contextos educativos de RRR. Entre los hallazgos destaca un legado de influencias históricas y un sesgo metrocéntrico en las políticaseducativas de los países estudiados , con ejemplos limitados de educación basada actividad directa. Argumentamos que estos factores pueden estar perpetuando la desventaja significativa y persistente en la educación RRR. Recomendamos un discurso político alternativo que reconozca las productivi

FAQs

What problem does the OECD identify in rural, regional and remote (RRR) education?

The OECD points to a “vicious cycle of decline” and significant inequalities in educational outcomes between rural and urban areas.

Which countries are included in the comparative analysis?

The study compares policy on RRR education in Australia, South Africa, and Mexico.

How were policy texts selected and analyzed in the study?

A rigorous selection process produced 17 key policy texts, which were examined for influences, practices, language, and outcomes related to teacher preparation for RRR contexts.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca