I have always believed education and politics are intertwined. My political home always taught me this and I am not sorry I live my life by this dictum.
I lived my life under the apartheid system and now the ANC majority government. The terrible apartheid system wanted the oppressed to entirely divorce itself from the politics of SA. The herrenvolk decided for the majority in our country.
The ANC-led government promised a much better future but it seems the dictum now is they will decide what is good for the education of South African children.
There are classic examples where the present government forced education policies down the throat of its people. It started in 1994 with the pupil-teacher ratio of 1:40 supported by the biggest teachers union in the country, the South Africa Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu).
In 1996, 20000 teachers were rationalised. In 1998, 50 teacher training colleges were shut down. In 2012, 28 schools in the Western Cape were threatened with closure.
From 1994 – 2012 hundreds of schools, mainly in rural areas, were shut down. In 1998, with much fanfare, North American-based Outcomes-Based Education (OBE, the brainchild of William Spady) was introduced in South Africa.
What an educational disaster OBE was and it still runs in the blood of many teachers in South Africa… unfortunately. OBE was the 12th language all South Africans had to speak. Fortunately, progressive leaders taught us to think critically and oppose this disaster in a politically progressive manner.
Under the Western Cape Parent Teacher Student Forum (WCPTSF), the Concerned Education Forum (CEF) and Concerned Teachers’ Group (CTG) the National Department of Basic Education (NDBE) and the retrogressive Western Cape Education Department (WCED) were challenged on their ill-conceived policies.
They must take the blame for the educational system not moving forward. We are heading for a disaster in South Africa where 50% of primary school children will never see the inside of a high school.
We, the community, must take a stand and force our government to make education compulsory up to Grade 12.
I would like to think that school communities are debating what is happening between Russia and Ukraine.
We are exposed to the views emanating from the Western world who are supporting the present government of Ukraine which became independent in 1991 when the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) disintegrated.
On the other hand, according to Russia, in the eastern part of Ukraine there is much oppression against people who speak Russian. Russia says it is concerned about the oppression of people in the eastern part of Ukraine.
Some Western countries are blocking news agencies such as RT television because they are supposedly on the side of Russia. You will recall when the US invaded Iraq in 2001 after the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers.
Now it is part of history that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction.
It is important that ordinary citizens in South Africa become aware of both sides of the conflict.
Normally the Western world will say we made mistakes in the past but you must support us in our take on the present situation in Ukraine.
There is a saying – read the word to read the world. Teachers, it is your duty to present both sides of the argument to students in any situation and especially in the situation between Ukraine and Russia. War destroys lives.
We need to solve problems through lively debate.
* 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.
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