As we approach Youth Day, we are reminded to think progressively about education in South Africa and address the problems facing education.
Those responsible for providing schools throughout South Africa must meet communities to ensure the physical construction of schools, especially high schools. They should not wait for communities to protest before building schools.
Our government must be honest with the people of this country and inform them about the number of schools needed in South Africa. They should not spread misinformation, such as claiming that pupils are failing en masse at our schools. South Africans are aware that for every two primary school pupils, there is only one place for a high school pupil.
This issue must be addressed immediately. If it had been addressed during the pre-apartheid, apartheid, and post-apartheid eras, we would be much further along in addressing the shortage of schools. The same applies to our universities.
We must address the training of teachers in our country. The universities that have accepted responsibility for training teachers must seriously speak to the government about increasing the resources for teacher training. They cannot simply blame the government for closing down 50 teacher-training colleges in 1998.
At schools, principals must ensure that they put pressure on education departments to ensure that they receive the necessary number of teaching and non-teaching staff.
Teachers must put pressure on their teacher unions to ensure that the education departments support teachers. In the Western Cape, teachers are discussing the formation of an educators’ organisation to fight for the rights of teachers.
Teachers cannot stand back and say they are too busy with academic work and ignore the other important work that has always been associated with teaching around the world, such as involving pupils in sports and extracurricular activities.
The government must become involved in covering the transportation costs for these extracurricular activities.
The government must become involved in maintaining sports facilities. Surely this will help to nurture the students.
We cannot become negative about the education of our children. Here I think of the wonderful contribution that teachers around the world have made to the education of children.
I am very positive about the future of education in our country. I agree that we have many problems in education, but we can work on these problems and create a better future for our children.
Today we remember all the people who sacrificed their lives, especially on June 16, 1976, so that the present generation of pupils and students can have a better education.
* Brian Isaacs.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
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