South Africa has a long tradition of private education. Some of the first education institutions in the country were missionary schools. The growth of private schooling accelerated during the apartheid period and by 1990 there were about 500 private schools in South Africa. Unfortunately, perceptions of private schools have remained largely unchanged since 1990, while the sector itself has changed significantly in the past 15 years. This has led to several myths regarding private schools that need to be dispelled.
Myth 1: These schools are white, wealthy and exclusive
In 1990, this may well have been correct. However, over the past 15 years the number of independent pre-primary, primary and secondary schools has increased to about 2000. According to a comprehensive Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) survey 2004, the majority of these new independent schools serve black communities and had fee levels of less than R6 000 a year in 2002.
Whereas in 1990 the sector catered for a majority of white learners in high-fee traditional schools, the HSRC also found that 70% of the learners in the sector are now black.
It is true that the traditional schools initially became paler with an exodus of black learners due to the opening of public schools to all racial groups. However, most of these schools are making a concerted effort to increase enrolment of black learners and have been able to surpass their 1990 black enrolment levels.
Myth 2: South Africa has too many independent schools
The growth in independent schools is not unique to South Africa. Private education has grown rapidly on a global scale over the past 10 to 15 years. The growth of independent schools has been particularly dramatic in developing countries. India, Eastern Europe and most of Africa show increasing numbers of independent schools. China, previously a bastion of centralised state education, is now actively encouraging private education. It is important to remember, however, that despite the growth of independent schools in South Africa the sector still educates only 3,4% of the school-going population (about 400 000 pupils).
Myth 3: South Africa doesnt need independent schools because it has high-quality, semi-private schools
There are no semi-private schools in South Africa. Section 21 public schools formerly known as model-C schools are often referred to as semi-private, but this is misleading. Although they have a degree of budget autonomy and many have significant discretionary income, Section 21 schools remain public schools. They are controlled by the South African state and do not have the same admissions, staffing or curriculum options as independent schools.
Myth 4: Independent schools use state resources that would be better spent on public schools
It is a common misconception that all independent schools receive a state subsidy, and that high-fee independent schools drain resources that could better be spent on disadvantaged public schools. Since 2000, subsidies have been awarded to independent schools on a sliding scale, largely determined by the schools tuition fees. High-fee schools receive no state subsidy at all.
At the other end of the scale, the lowest-fee independent schools often situated in informal settlements and deep-rural areas are entitled to a maximum subsidy of 60% a pupil of what a state school receives. As these low-fee schools in many cases charge virtually no fees, they struggle to survive, especially if subsidy payments are delayed or reduced. Yet these schools perform a vital service in areas where there are often no public schools, or the public schools are dysfunctional.
Far from draining public resources, independent schools save the state money. If every learner in an independent school had to transfer to a public school, the state would need to allocate at least an additional R1,5-billion a year to the education budget considerably more than the amount paid in subsidies to independent schools.
Myth 5: Independent schools are insular and contribute nothing to South Africa
Independent schools are rich in both human and social capital. They contribute significantly to the development of high-level skills, especially in scarce subject areas such as mathematics, science and languages. Independent schools are able to react more quickly to change than public schools are, and therefore serve as a useful test bed for new education policies. For example, independent schools were involved extensively in the development of the new National Senior Certificate.
Independent schools are also directly involved in their communities. More than 64% of independent schools have community development and outreach programmes, usually benefiting under-resourced public or independent schools.
Most importantly, independent schools provide choice. By its nature the public school system cannot be all things to all people, and parents should have the choice of a diversity of schools with varied purposes and approaches to education. Freedom to choose is one of the cornerstones of democracy.
While independent schools cherish their autonomy, they also recognise the need to be accountable to the wider society. The Independent Schools of Southern Africa tenets of independence state that in the interest of the public good, our schools seek to contribute to the development of quality education for all children in South Africa.
Simon Lee is the communications manager for Independent Schools of Southern Africa association of Southern Africa