J anuary marks a period of focused inquiry at the Laubscher Institute for Research. This month’s work centres on assessment governance, curriculum standardisation, and market dynamics as interconnected features of South Africa’s schooling system, rather than as isolated policy concerns. A key area of attention is the growing circulation of commercially produced, CAPS-aligned assessment and memorandum resources. These materials are increasingly positioned as practical solution

January marks a period of focused inquiry at the Laubscher Institute for Research. This month’s work examines agriculture, policy, and power structures not as separate domains, but as interconnected systems through which authority, cost, and responsibility are distributed. Rather than approaching these areas through outcomes alone, TLIR’s focus is on the structures that shape decision-making, compliance, and long-term system stability.

The Laubscher Institute for Research (TLIR) was established as an independent research initiative dedicated to the study of psychology, power, culture, and the systems that shape human behaviour in the modern world. TLIR exists to provide a space for rigorous thought, original theory, and interdisciplinary dialogue—free from the pressure of trends, algorithms, or ideological conformity. At its core, TLIR is driven by a simple conviction: meaningful progress begins with unders