Professor Mary Metcalfe has worked in education since 1974 as a teacher, principal, and lecturer. After working in the field of remedial education, she lectured at the Johannesburg College of Education and the University of the Witwatersrand. From 1994 – 2004 she served as the MEC for Education and then for Agriculture, Conservation, Environment and Land Affairs in Gauteng. She was the Head of the School of Education at Wits from 2005 to 2009 before joining the Department of Higher Education and Training as Director General in 2009.