R120bn cannot buy accountability
In his 2008/2009 budget speech, finance minister Trevor Manuel allocated a record R121.1bn to education. This is R15bn more than the amount allocated to welfare (the second largest beneficiary) and represents 5.3% of GDP. It entrenches South Africa’s posi
Degrees of denial
We are sure these opening paragraphs would elicit vehement denials from senior department of education officials. Such responses would be typical of a department intent on sidestepping every serious issue brought to its attention. When South Africa performs poorly in international mathematics and science surveys, instead of acknowledging the problem and setting a long-term plan in motion to address it, the department withdraws the country from future surveys. How can we expect more from our students when senior officials refuse to allow them to be measured by international norms?
When an independent international survey finds that South African pupils are scared to go to school the department dismisses it as media sensationalism. They forget the media has nothing to do with the survey or its findings apart from reporting on them. If anyone was causing ‘sensation’ it was the hundreds of pupils who want to be given a chance to excel; but are forced to spend half their school careers looking over their shoulders in case of an attack. In a properly functioning educations system we would expect the education department to brief media on the rising violence in schools, and announce comprehensive measures to address it, rather than the other way round.
In the interim, hardly a day goes by without a serious violent incident at one of our country’s schools. A few days ago a two Akasia High School pupils were stabbed after a fight broke out between them and three other pupils… Both were in hospital with multiple stab wounds and lacerations. And this violence does not only affect the five pupils mentioned. A school should be a place of safety – and no student is going to be able to give full attention to lessons when worrying about making it through lunch-break without getting stabbed!
Riots at tertiary education
Students who graduate from the country’s appalling primary and secondary facilities soon show their true colours at the country’s universities and technical colleges. At the beginning of the year, Durban University of Technology (DUT) students caused ructions when they demanded that the institution roll over their debts and allow them to register for the new academic year. Government has steadily cut grants to the country’s tertiary facilities and fees are vital for them to stay afloat. Yet the DUT reveals: “In January 2008, fees outstanding for 2007 alone are R72m. This situation is unsustainable and the university cannot continue to roll over student debt as they do not honour the acknowledgment of debt forms that they sign.” Commenting on the situation, education minister Naledi Pandor said: “While students and student organisations have a democratic right to protest, this right should never prevent other students from going about their normal university business or damage university property.” One would expect a product of the minister’s secondary education system to understand this message.
But a couple of weeks later there were similar scenes at the Tshwane University of Pretoria’s Garankuwa campus. Police had to resort to old riot-squad tactics of shock grenades and rubber bullets to disperse protesting students. The problem, according to students, was financial and academic exclusions. Again we ask: How do you reach a tertiary education facility with so little respect for the rule of law? Who gives our students the right to demand continued access to facilities when they neither pay for them nor meet the minimum levels of performance to continue their courses?
The latest disturbance occurred at the Free State University’s Bloemfontein campus. It seems approximately 400 students went on the rampage – burning tyres and damaging university property. The problem: an integration policy implemented by university management without consultation with students. The solution: trash the place. Who is to blame for universities full of candidates of such dismal quality? And how can someone who has a matriculation certificate with university exemption behave in such fashion? Intellectuals in a free society don’t solve problems by throwing stones – they don’t debate with broken beer bottles – and they certainly don’t engage in rolling street battles with the police. As an aside we feel sorry for the police who have to waste their valuable time babysitting (arresting) students who represent the cream (sic) of South Africa’s society.
Your education for a pledge
What has government achieved with the billions it has thrown at education? We suppose there has been a moderate improvement in the number of students attending schools. Matriculation pass rates have improved too; but many attribute this success to the department’s constant fiddling with the ‘bell’ curve and a significant lowering of the overall level required to achieve a pass.
Pandor’s response to the various problems in South Africa is to shift her department’s focus from education to the field of social engineering. Earlier this year, in typically brusque ANC fashion, she announced that all school pupils would be expected to learn and recite a school pledge. Making a mockery of democratic principles she had the completed pledge at hand when she announced that public participation would be ‘encouraged’. We believe the participation the minister had in mind was respectful applause.
Instead her announcement solicited sharp criticism from sectors of the public and the political opposition. Jaco Mulder, of the Freedom Front said: “The announcement that a pledge of allegiance which would give recognition to the injustices of the past and pay tribute to those who fought for freedom, henceforth be recited at all schools, is arrogant and shows contempt for the rights of minorities.”
We think the pledge wording is probably more appropriate for indoctrination at an ANC youth league camp. Furthermore, it is presumptuous of the minister to present the pledge wording prior to extensive debate and public participation. What Pandor should have done is say: we are going to implement a pledge – let’s debate it and come up with a wording.
Editor’s thoughts:
We can sum up the situation in South Africa’s education system as a ‘crisis of accountability’. Pupils have to replace the concept of a ‘right to education’ with the notion that education is indeed a privilege. What are your thoughts on the school pledge? And was the ANC right to include references to the freedom struggle? Send your comments to [email protected], or add them below.
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