by Brian Isaacs
South Africa (many South Africans want it renamed Azania) is a troubled country. There are so many divisions in our beloved country. It is a country with so many problems all because of greed.
Since 1652 the indigenous people of this land have been subject to all kinds of oppression. The colonialists never allowed the people of this land to reach its full potential.
It has been a long fight for the majority of South Africans to obtain political freedom in 1994 but economically the masses in South Africa are still oppressed. We see this in the education system in South Africa.
At the moment there are thousands of students trying to find places in our high schools and universities. The fact of the matter is 40% of our children will never see the inside of a high school classroom. What is to be done about it!
Principal's at high schools can no longer boast that their schools are full. Principal's and teachers must rally together and place our government under pressure.
They need to demand that government admit that there are not enough high schools for our learners. Once government admits this, we can begin discussions on how many new high schools should be built.
We owe it to the students of 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1996, who protested at the lack of facilities at schools and especially to those who lost their lives in the Struggle.
As we reflect on the results of the 2020 matric learners, who worked under hellish conditions and deserve credit for their hard work, it exposes once again all the flaws in the system: Under-resourced primary schools with a lack of teachers; high schools offering very few subject choices and lack teachers; and schools being forced to do away with maths and physical sciences because of low numbers. These two subjects are the gateway subjects into the pure and biological sciences.
A lack of teachers in these subjects makes it extremely difficult for learners to follow these subjects. The government's neglect of the arts in schools of the poor leads to most schools not offering these subjects.
Even the introduction of focus schools in the arts in 2005 is now threatened by the Education Department withdrawing funding for these schools.
Surely all schools should offer most of the subjects the department offers. This will create a situation where students can follow their passion.
The department constantly rationalises schools of the poor thereby stunting the growth of the majority of schools. It is time for progressive teachers’ trade unions, parent bodies and student representative councils nationwide to engage our government.
If we fail to do this we will be doing our country a disservice.
* Brian Isaacs obtained a BSc (UWC) in 1975, a Secondary Teacher’s Diploma in 1976, BEd (UWC) in 1981, and MEd (UWC) in 1992. He is a former matriculant, teacher and principal at South Peninsula High School.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
Cape Argus
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