Analysis of the SIAS Policy and its Integration with CAPS: Evaluating Screening, Identification, Assessment, and Support Mechanisms in South African Schools

Abstract

Inclusive education remains central to South Africa’s post-apartheid education reform, aimed at ensuring that all learners regardless of ability, background, or socioeconomic status have equitable access to quality education. Despite this commitment, the practical realisation of inclusion remains uneven due to a misalignment between the Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS) Policy and the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). This study examined the extent to which SIAS is integrated with CAPS in promoting inclusive education in South African schools. Employing a qualitative desktop research design, the study analysed key policy documents, scholarly literature, and evaluation reports. Lasswell’s Policy Cycle Model and Bernstein’s Pedagogic Device informed the analytical framework, offering insights into how educational policies are formulated, implemented, and recontextualised in practice. The findings reveal that while SIAS and CAPS share similar inclusive intentions, their implementation is fragmented and inconsistent. The prescriptive nature of CAPS constrains curriculum flexibility, impeding teachers’ ability to effectively apply SIAS strategies. Moreover, inadequate teacher training, limited systemic support from School-Based and District-Based Support Teams, and administrative challenges further widen the policy practice gap. The study concludes that meaningful inclusion requires better policy coherence, sustained teacher development, and institutional capacity building. It contributes to policy and academic discourse by offering evidence-based recommendations to strengthen the integration of SIAS and CAPS, thereby advancing an equitable and inclusive education system in South Africa.