Deputy Minister of Education Mosibudi Mangena is leading the campaign to help South African learners and educators get to grips with maths, science and technology. This is an excerpt from his speech at the launch of the initiative
Figures relating to the participation and attainment of our learners in maths and science are both alarming and depressing. Participation rates in maths and science at higher grade, as reflected in matric results from 1997 to 2000, are around 20%. The pass rate in these crucial subjects consistently falls below 5%.
What does this mean? It means a lot of negative things for our society.
Firstly, it contributes heavily towards the matric failure rate. Hundreds of thousands of our young emerge from 12 years of schooling with nothing. This has implications for their employability. This has a negative impact on our skills base, our economy, social stability and therefore crime.
Secondly, it means fewer young people qualify to enter institutions of higher learning. This means that our ability to train enough young people in the sciences is reduced.
Thirdly, it means our economy will be starved of the skills necessary for growth and sustainability. Our country will be unable to make progress towards the narrowing of the economic and digital divide. Two of the most important reasons for this sorry state of affairs are the dysfunctionality of many schools, and the large number of unqualified or under-qualified maths and science teachers. We are certain there is absolutely nothing the matter with the learners.
We propose to start putting the following elements into place:
– Upgrading the unqualified and under-qualified teachers.
– Exploring ways of utilising retired or unemployed teachers.
– Co-operating with other governments in upgrading our teachers.
– Recruiting matriculants to get them trained as teachers.
– Working with universities and technikons in advancing this process, and
– Implementing maths and science-dedicated school projects. In doing this, we need the support of everybody: officials in the Department of Education at every level, school governing bodies, parents, teachers, principals, NGOs, companies and individuals.
Individually and collectively, we could do any number of things to help this campaign, including popularising maths and science, mobilising school governing bodies, organising and financing maths and science festivals, contributing towards the enrichment of our teachers.
The department is establishing a unit to spearhead this effort and to co-ordinate the inputs and contributions that will be coming from all of us.
In importance, the school is second only to the home in this regard. Children are what we as adults make them. They do not fail maths and science – we are failing them.
– The Teacher/M&Media, Johannesburg, August 2001.