The rural town called Centane, which lies between Butterworth and the ocean, has five junior secondary schools servicing the area. No doubt this is too many for the size of the local population, if you judge by the pressure to secure enrolments-and teaching posts. Patricia Noah Junior Secondary and Mpentsa’s Junior Secondary are examples of […]
Schooling is going ahead in fits and starts as provincial mismanagement makes itself felt in the classroom. Reports and photos by Julia Grey Incompetence in the Eastern Cape Province Education Department (Ecped) is taking its toll on the smooth running of many of its schools. Ntlalo-Ntle Senior Secondary in Steynsburg is just one school facing […]
As Kader Asmal sidles off to quieter pastures, all in education must be wondering what to expect from Naledi Pandor, the new Minister of Education. Her track record, both as an educationist and a politician working in the structures of the government, certainly inspires confidence. She would seem to have the necessary experience and ability […]
The alleged incidents of rape in a primary school classroom in the township of Kagiso in Gauteng last month are so shocking that it’s an effort not to be left speechless by them. The story is this: the Grade 3 class had allegedly been left unsupervised for a week because their teacher was on study […]
As you may recall, my last editorial was a whinge about how difficult it is to be a journalist covering education — mainly because it’s a real challenge not to repeat yourself to death because change happens so very, very, very, very slowly. But let me tell you about some perks of being a journalist. […]
The fuss and fanfare that the highstake matric exams attract from the public and education departments alike is quite hard to fathom. It’s as if we all agree to buy into the idea that the results really are a reflection of the health of our education system, despite the many sides that are masked by […]
So you dream about taking a little bit of dis and a little bit of dat and recording your groove on your very own CD? Well, you may as well dream of flying to the moon because you have to be rich or plain lucky to have that kind of technology available to you – […]
My route to work takes me past the bottom-end of Hillbrow in Johannesburg. Every morning a very disturbing sight awaits me: on an island in the middle of a busy intersection, a group of wretched children begs from motorists while sniffing from glue-filled containers. Two things always strike me. One is what future these children, […]
For most youngsters, deciding on a career path is a daunting process. With little self-knowledge and even less experience of the world, it’s no surprise that figuring out a future is a terrifying prospect. Add to this financial constraints and an education system that is yet to clearly align itself with the world of work, […]
The Review of the Financing, Resourcing and Costs of Education in Public Schools represents two months of intensive research and analysis by departmental officials into the structure of state funding and the costs of education that are so often compromising the child’s basic right to an education. It was motivated by concerns of Minister of […]