What is your background?
I am one of nine children, Jewish, passionate about my country. I was banned in 1976 for five years and detained numerous times. I believe in a caring, compassionate society, one that values debate and intellectual achievement. I am writing a novel and doing an MA at Wits.
Why have you taken such an interest in school education?
I have great faith in the young people of our country, their concern for their future and their common right to shared opportunities, which include education and jobs. I was impressed by the integrity and sacrifice shown by youth in Cosas [Congress of South African Students] in the 1980s and their real militancy. Education is an area [in which] I can give back on some of my privileges — it is the key to liberation.
What went wrong with the education system post-1994?
We lost focus and priority. We demobilised a vibrant education movement. We forgot to stress excellence as the foundation and basics of achievement. We forgot the detail of literacy and numeracy. [And] all the other sins of our society — poverty and unacceptable inequalities. We lacked vision of what education could be and could do in a developing economy and society like ours.
What were some of the biggest mistakes made by the government in education post-1994?
Disempowering stakeholders or assuming their automatic involvement, teacher retrenchments and poor teacher training and support strategies, outcomes-based education [OBE]. Lots of mistakes — mostly through approaching things too bureaucratically.
Some of the achievements of the government in education?
Creating a national, nonracial education system based on a new curriculum, the logistics in preparing and running a matric exam, school nutrition, the beginnings of redress in infrastructure.
You participated in a group in 2008 that campaigned to end the revised OBE system. What was your motivation?
I concluded that [educationist] Mamphela Ramphele was right and I spoke out. OBE was a distraction and a negative roadblock that, at the least, required proper facilities and confident teachers. It held us back from teaching the basic foundations of maths and literacy and was interpreted rigidly with a lot of paperwork by the department. OBE had to go, despite its many good points.
What would you do to fix the system if you were the minister of basic education?
If I were the minister, I often say, I would have a heart attack. The task is daunting. First prize is to develop a national debate and consensus around priorities. Then to hear teachers and get them on board — teachers have to be part of any solution. Fix the education districts, make sure provinces have working operational structures with helpful and competent officials. Hold teachers, officials and politicians to account.
Are the teacher unions too strong? If so, how can they be reined in?
Teacher unions have to be brought on board or, if needs be, confronted. Unions have neither learned to curb the worst excesses of their members or officials, nor to rise above the range of real problems. There are poor conditions in many schools — the impact of instability is felt mainly by township and poor rural children. We all have a responsibility to get involved in finding solutions to fix our schools, especially the teachers.
What do you think constitutes a functional education system — how would you measure functionality?
The most basic measures are grade three and six [assessment] results, matric passes and throughput. Are there jobs and vocational and tertiary options? But it is “complex”, as they say — we want schools to nurture young people’s talent, give them opportunities, teach them to work hard and to be the best. How do you measure good citizenship — a sense of solidarity and tolerance, sportsmanship, a caring approach? We must shoot for the stars.