If you asked someone to list 10 words they associate with South Africa, "crime" would almost certainly be among them. With 35 000 young people under the age of 21 currently awaiting trial or sentenced and imprisoned, it would seem that lawlessness is going to be a defining feature of South Africa for a long time to come.
I have a question for all teachers and principals: do you feel free to speak to the media? Or do you find yourselves "censored" — either because your district manager tells you that you can’t be interviewed by a journalist without going through the official "channels" or because the Voice of the Department speaks on your behalf?
You can love him or hate him, but the works of Shakespeare are a poetic force that can’t be ignored — and can be taught creatively THAT most famous bard of Elizabethan England, William Shakespeare, is being subjected to an experiment. The aim is to find out whether his plays are relics of old (not […]
While some say ‘we told you so’, few are against changing the curriculum ALL those 66 specific outcomes you drummed into your head — well, now you can forget about them. This is one of the recommendations of the Curriculum 2005 review committee that have been accepted by Minister of Education Kader Asmal. The only […]
While learners at Volkskool Orania receive an education for the 21st century, they’re also taught a philosophy tied to the racial divisions of the past. LEARNERS at Volkskool Orania seem to embody two contradictory forces: that of the future, with their extremely modern schooling system; and that of the distant past, with an exclusively all-white […]
Should Shakespeare retain his hallowed place in our curriculum? ”MARRY, before he fell down, when he perceived the common herd was glad he refused the crown, he plucked me ope his doublet and offered them his throat to cut.” Pardon, Shakespeare? Did someone who’s getting married fall down among the cows? What exactly is going […]
Bryanston High school has much soul-searching to do in the wake of a brutal incident that has highlighted racial tensions at the school. THE holidays came just in time for the rattled Bryanston High school community, but there is more work than usual waiting for everyone when they return next term. The soul-searching that the […]
The oldest culture in Southern Africa faces huge changes if it’s to survive LOOKING like odd anthills, the hundreds of dark brown army tents set up between the scraps of bush and vast stretches of dusty nothing add to the outlandish appearance of this harsh Northern Cape area. This is a tent-town called Schmidtsdrift. It […]
Crucial changes are planned for the 2001 matric exams BOTH long-standing education issues and more recent natural and man-made disasters occupied the attention of top education authorities at this month’s Council of Education Ministers. The meeting was attended by Minister of Education Kader Asmal, all nine provincial MECs for education, and other senior education officials. […]
Proposed labour law changes will affect teachers negatively AN array of amendments to existing legislation on labour relations has recently been proposed by government — which, should they be passed, will have a significant impact on the working conditions and rights of teachers. The amendments range from those governing labour relations generally, to others which […]