Mabutho Cele.
The problem in the system of education is the system of education itself, says the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu). The union’s deputy president, Mabutho Cele, said during the debate on improving maths performance: “I feel we are speaking in silos. We all know what the problems are. But currently we see the government supplementing the work of NGOs, when it should be the other way around. The annual national assessments (ANAs) are meant to assess the system, not to judge schools and demoralise teachers. So diagnostics are made after the ANAs, yet the system is not improved.”
Referring to last year’s dismal grade nine maths ANA results, Cele said results at grade nine level are a symptom of what is happening in earlier years. “We need to address this from grade R level. In fact, our best teachers should be at foundation phase level, not matric level,” he said.
Cele also noted that teachers were often frustrated by what appeared to be a disconnect between the training they received at university and the practice they experience daily in the classroom. There are also staffing challenges, he said, with schools unable to fill vacancies, and teachers not qualified to teach the subjects having to step in.
He said Sadtu was of the view that improving matric results depended on three main pillars: the quality of teachers; equipping them with adequate tools of trade; and a quality teaching and learning environment in schools.