Two generations after democracy, South Africa’s public schooling system continues to underperform. Despite some gains, many South African children still don’t achieve basic academic milestones, and teachers are often blamed.

Where Light Shines Through allows glimmers of light to shine through the darkness of the public education story and reveals can-do teachers who are excelling despite the odds. It explores what we can learn from these teachers to build the quality of the schooling sector and the public sector more broadly – and turns our gaze momentarily away from public officials who are in power, towards those who are in service.

The remarkable stories of sixteen South African teachers from all over the country, illustrated with portraits from the Artist Proof Studio, show that while our attitude to life is often informed by our experiences, our attitude nevertheless remains our choice.