Desperate times call for desperate measures — and our schooling is in dire straits

Equal Education's Law Centre (EELC) has found that 80% of schools in South Africa are dysfunctional. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, claims that only 7% of South African adults have a tertiary education, the lowest among all OECD and partner countries.

Tertiary attainment is equally low among younger adults: only 6% of 25-34-year-olds were tertiary educated, also the lowest across OECD and partner countries and well below the G20 average of 38%. Trends in maths and science studies revealed that the lowest-performing countries were Botswana (391), Jordan (386), Morocco (384), South Africa (372) and Saudi Arabia (368).

Professor Mark Tomlinson from Stellenbosch University recently criticised Angie Motshekga, the Minister of Basic Education for completely ruining South African education. I believe this is an understatement.

Education, as it exists in its present form, is detrimental to the well-being of children — in fact, in many cases, they most likely would benefit more by staying away from school. Are we not just wasting our children’s time when standards have reached the lowest of the low or when 300 primary school teachers will be sent for training after they failed a Grade 3 English first additional language test?

Maybe the pupils should teach the teachers?  There is absolutely no reason why South Africa should do so badly in these global assessments. How can Angie Motshekga contend that education in SA is on the rise when it has deteriorated to such an extent that I could never envisage the bigger picture of equity and equality being accomplished? It is only when these two essential elements are realised that education will improve.

Every successful nation is supported by an excellent educational system, so it is no wonder South Africa is deteriorating at such an exponential rate. In the majority of OECD countries, higher educational attainment is associated with higher employment rates. Without doubt, education is the key to the future.

Urgent action needed

If South Africa is going to rise up, there is no time to waste, it must be done now because I can foresee a storm of discontent rapidly growing. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) must recognise that Mark Tomlinson is 100% correct when he says that SA education is completely ruined.

As a last resort (apart from a miracle — which is extremely unlikely), what is desperately needed is a completely different approach to education. To this end, we should no longer think of schools as schools, but as learning environments where children can work at their own pace while being motivated by caring teachers who are role models. If children feel safe and secure they will learn.

It also goes without saying that teachers are central and play a critical part in this new plan. One good teacher can replace three average teachers. It is essential that prospective teachers be required to attend a series of interviews and that the BEd degree must be upgraded.

The school community is an equally crucial part of this plan, should it come to fruition. I am fully aware that I have only scratched the surface of the myriad of problems and issues that afflict rural schools.

Notwithstanding, I believe it is possible to bring about meaningful change, but for this to happen community values must be addressed and respect for all established.

Further to this, different evaluation strategies must be implemented on a monthly basis so that weaknesses and strengths can be identified and adjustments made. With a budget next year of about R330-billion, there is plenty of money to employ quality teachers and develop a new curriculum that will be grounded in context and lift the overall standard of education.

Apropos the curriculum, many new subjects have been introduced, but have teachers been suitably trained and are there enough quality teachers to take the lessons?

I have an intuitive feeling that the curriculum is going to be so full of subjects that it will leave little room for the elements that make us all human — art, music and drama. DM