The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh will welcome four South African educators March 5-8 as part of a study tour sponsored by the National Council on Economic Education. The students, who are from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education and KwaZulu-Natal University in Durban, South Africa, will be learning how economic education is delivered in Wisconsin.

The study tour will include visits to Oshkosh and Neenah Schools, a hospital and local businesses. From 7-9 p.m. March 6, the educators will give a presentation to the University community about the economic conditions in South Africa.

The four educators recently completed an Economics Training of Trainers program offered by the U.S. National Council on Economic Education as part of the Cooperative Education Exchange Program funded through the Education for Democracy Act. As graduates of the program, they are now working to develop an economic education infrastructure in their home region.

“Since the end of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has been undergoing a major transformation as an emerging market with abundant natural resources and developing financial, legal, communications and energy sectors,” said Deirde Watts, program coordinator for UW Oshkosh’s Center for Economic Education. “But the country continues to struggle with economic problems remaining from the apartheid era including poverty, lack of empowerment among disadvantaged groups and major infrastructure shortages.”

After their stay in Oshkosh, the educators will travel to Colorado Springs where they will continue their study tour as guests of the University of Colorado Center for Economic Education.