By Sean Erasmus (BA, LLB, LLM)
The role of private schools in South Africa is a topic of relevant debate.
While private school proponents suggest that they provide exclusive, innovative, and often improved academic outputs, I would argue that private schools contribute to the erosion of the public education system.
Having taught and having been in education for over 30 years, I would argue private schools often exacerbate educational inequality.
Private schools accommodate those who can afford their exceptionally exclusionary tuition fees, creating a system where access to quality education becomes dependent upon financial means.
This perpetuates social stratification, as wealthier families can afford the advantages that private schools offer, leaving those from disadvantaged backgrounds in under-resourced government schools.
Such a division not only amplifies the division between the rich and poor, but also weakens the principle of equal opportunity, a cornerstone of a fair and just society in South Africa, and a foundation of our constitutional values. A significant problem for me is that private schools can deflect resources away from the public education sector.
When affluent families elect private schooling, by implication, they withdraw financial support from public schools through reduced public school revenues or charitable donations. This can lead to a vicious cycle wherein public schools, already struggling with limited funding are further deprived of resources, intensifying disparities in educational quality.
Furthermore, the presence of private schools can undermine the transparency and accountability of the education system.
While government schools are subject to government oversight aimed at safeguarding equitable access and educational standards, private schools often operate with greater autonomy.
This independence may occasionally result in a depletion of transparency regarding admissions processes, curriculum values, and teacher qualifications as well as general ethical standards.
A good but sad example is the well-known incident of sexual abuse of water polo boys which occurred over many years unnoticed (or undealt with) as a result of lack of transparency.
Without adequate oversight, there is a risk that some private schools may prioritise profit over educational quality and ethics, compromising the integrity of the education system as a whole, as illustrated by this unfortunate example.
I suggest in addressing these concerns, the executive should focus on investment in public education and encourage the nationalisation of private schools, which presents potential advantages in addressing the systemic risk issues accompanying private education.
First, nationalisation would promote the idea that education remains a public good, accessible to all South Africans despite their class identity.
This would reduce inequalities and promote social consistency by fostering a more inclusive learning environment where learners from diverse backgrounds have equal opportunities to thrive.
I would also argue that nationalisation of private schools could foster co-operation and knowledge-sharing among educators.
By incorporating private school employees into the public education system, valuable expertise and best practices from private institutions could be leveraged to enhance teaching methodologies and curriculum development in public schools.
This cross-pollination of philosophy would lead to continuous improvement and innovation in the delivery of education for South Africa as a whole, addressing the difficulties experienced by the country’s educational system.
I look forward to counter ideas to this possibly upsetting educational perspective.
Impermanence for the traditionalist is often a despised perspective.
Cape Times