It is that time of the year again where the matric results are scrutinised, pulled apart and defended or doomed. Education officials vow to spend more money on improving the teaching situation for Grades 11 and 12. But is this where they should be concentrating their efforts? Money and effort spent on the other end of education — early childhood development (ECD) — would probably yield more returns.
Research shows very clearly that the fundamental development of language and abstract thinking in the brain happens between ages four and six and that the opportunity for meaningful changes in the brain becomes less easy after the age of 12 years.
We do not lose the battle for maths and science in matric; we lose it in preschool. With few exceptions, there is very little meaningful involvement by the Department of Education in ECD.
In one of the provinces, the person in charge of ECD acknowledges quite openly that she knows nothing about preschool education.
I recently came across three children in Grade 2 who were spending the day with a day-mother in Nellmapius, a suburb of Mamelodi. None of the three can identify primary colours, simple shapes or play a number game with me. My first reaction is: ‘Kill the teacher!” My second reaction: ‘The poor woman probably has more than 40 children in her class.”
At a rural school, a Grade 1 teacher tells me she has 45 children in her class. She is on the verge of a breakdown but cannot take time off because: ‘What will happen to my children?”
Another rural Grade 1 teacher told me she has 65 children in her group. She just shrugs and says: ‘What can I do with them? I try to keep them quiet.”
Research tells us that it is only in the foundation phase and lower that class size has a bearing on learning motivation. This research concludes that the maximum number of learners per teacher should be no more than 20.
Yes, I know we as a country have limited amounts of money. But not investing in the youngest is a very costly option. Tell me, what is the cost of repeating grades, remedial teaching and a negative self-concept? Every child has the right to have the best possible start. I am afraid we are failing our children and failing our own future.
The tragic thing is that teachers comply with these conditions without a murmur. Oh, they do complain among each other but never get up in a meeting and ask questions.
There is also, sad to say, not a culture of reading or research among teachers. To improve education in the foundation phase, we do not need permission from the education department. Just do it. Sign in on the University of the Masses, the Internet, and become immersed in the incredible world of research, innovation and passion — especially passion. Improving and expanding the knowledge base of teachers exposes them to a whole new teaching and learning culture. Working with young learners is probably the most exciting place to be in education. We can really change the world for these young learners — and, incidentally, have better matric results in 10 years’ time.
Elsie Calitz trains preschool and foundation-phase teachers through the Association for the Education and Care of Young Children