Judging Process

Brian Schreuder is currently a Specialist Advisor to the Western Cape Education Department in South Africa and to other entities. He is the former Superintendent General (Head of Department) of the Western Cape Education Department. He retired on 31 March 2021 after 47 years of dedicated service to education.

He is an EdTech, Curriculum and Examinations specialist who was responsible for the WCED e-Vision and the roll-out of e-Learning and e-Teaching in Western Cape schools, driving the Western Cape Government’s eLearning Game Changer. He was also responsible for the creation and rollout of the WCED Transform to Perform Strategy, a systems-wide strategy to improve values in all schools, change mindset for all teachers and growth mindsets amongst all learners.

Brian has served and still serves on various global and national advisory bodies, including The South African Certification Council (SAFCERT), UMALUSI (Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training) and the Interactive Science Foundation which governs the Cape Town Science Centre.

He has been a global judge of EdTech innovation projects and is a judge of the Global Teacher Prize, the Global Student Prize, as well as the newly instituted Global Schools Prize.

His experience includes Physical Science teacher (17 years), School Principal, Superintendent of Education, District, Director: Curriculum, Chief Director: Education Planning, Deputy Director-General: Education Planning and Development and Deputy Director-General: Curriculum and Assessment Management. He is regarded as a specialist schooling, as well as in assessments and national examinations.

His Qualifications:

B.Sc (1973);

S.O.D. Cum Laude (1974);

B.Ed (1977);

M.Ed (1981)

All qualifications obtained at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Other experiences, etc

• Co-author of a number of renowned series of Physical Science and General Science textbooks, as well as a best-selling series of Technology textbooks

• Part-time lecturer in Subject Methodology of Physical Science - University of Stellenbosch (1977 - 1979)

• Lectured Methodology of Physical Science to teachers during in-service training course - University of Stellenbosch: Institute for Mathematics and Science Education (IMSTUS) (1979 - 1980)

• Chairman of the Board of the Interactive Science Foundation (ISF) which governs the Cape Town Science Centre in Cape Town.
• Member of the Western Cape Education Council (2011 – 2014).

International experiences include:

• Appointed as a member of the Global Advisory Council of the New York-based The Education Partners, affiliated to GEMS Education. (2014)

• International Judge in the Microsoft Global Education Forum and participated in the Educational Leaders strand discussions, Barcelona, Spain (2014)
• Attended the Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) in Dubai over a number of years. Was part of a Global Launch Panel for The Education Partners Systemic Transformation Programme in Dubai.
• Attended the Global Education Leaders Programme (GELP) Conference in Durban (April 2015).
• Invited to do a presentation on the Western Cape eLearning Strategy at the Millennium Foundation Meeting in New York (August 2015).
• Was invited by the Brookings Institution to be a panellist discussing Leapfrogging Inequality at the ASU GSV Summit in San Diego, California in 2019.
• He is a Judge in the annual Global Teacher Prize
• Was invited as a Judge in the “Next Billion” EdTech Start-up Competition in Dubai
• He is a Judge in the Global Students Prize
• He is a Judge in the Global Schools Prize.

He turns 70 in March 2022, is married and has two daughters – a Lawyer and a High School Science Teachers. He is a Springbok Scout and an avid sportsman, having played 1st team Rugby, Cricket and Tennis at school. He continued to play league Cricket and Tennis competitively for many years and is a keen Golfer and recreational Gardener.

“The ongoing development and upliftment of Education in Africa is vital for sustained global educational, environmental and economic development. Impactful African Educational leaders at all levels of the education system are vital for this sustainability. In this context, the introduction of an Africa Education Medal is a wonderful initiative that will stimulate and focus the spotlight on impactful African Education Leaders.”