THE NELSON MANDELA INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION
AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
President Nelson Mandela launched the Nelson Mandela Institute for Education and Rural
Development (NMI) at the University of Fort Hare in 2007, to take forward his legacy work in the
area of education and rural development.
The NMI was founded as a partnership between the University of Fort Hare, the Department of
Basic Education, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, based at the University of Fort Hare within
the Faculty of Education. The Institute is governed by a Board of Trustees representing the
University, the Department of Education and innovators in education and rural development.
The mandate of the organisation is to work in long term partnerships with rural schools and
communities to develop sustainable solutions to improve public quality education into the future.
The Institute focuses on early grade African language based bi‐literacy and mathematics,
developing specialist understanding of teaching and learning in African language dominant
settings.
As a part of the Faculty of Education, the NMI contributes to the development of the isiXhosa‐
English bilingual Bachelor of Education for Foundation Phase educators, launched in 2018.
Members of Staff:
Executive Director: Dr KA Porteus, BA (Dartmouth), MSc (Wits), PhD (UFH)
Deputy Director: Dr Brian Ramadiro, BA (Newport), MA (New England) MBA
(De Montfort), PhD (UFH)
Bilingual Literacy Lecturer: N Mahobe, BEd with Honours (UCT)
Financial Manager: Kudakwashe Mugova, B.Com (Hons) (UFH), CA (SA)
Administrator: Ms S Dotyeni, Nat Diploma (Border Technikon)
Members of the Board of Trustees:
 Ms M. Morojele, National Business Initiative, Chairperson of the Board
 Prof M Tom, Faculty of Health Sciences, Deputy Chairperson
 Prof. S. Buhlungu, Vice Chancellor, UFH, Trustee
 Mr Sello Hatang, Chief Executive, Nelson Mandela Foundation, Trustee
 Ms U. Nqandela, Director, GET Curriculum, Eastern Cape Provincial Department of
Education, Trustee
 Mr N. Dladla, CEO, Rural Development Trust, Trustee
 Prof. M. Mavuso, Interim Dean, UFH, Trustee
 Representative of National Department of Basic Education
 Dr K Porteus, Executive Director, Nelson Mandela Institute, UFH
232
Contact Details of the Institute:
All correspondence should be addressed to:
Dr K Porteus
Executive Director Nelson Mandela Institute
University of Fort Hare
Gasson Centre, 4th Floor
50 Church Street, East London
Website: www.mandelainstitute.org.za
Telephone: +27 (0) 43 704 7235
Fax: +27 (0) 43 704 7240 / 086 625 2362
Email: kporteus@ufh.ac.za