Julia Grey visited an exceptional little school lost in the platteland Ahe town of Verkeerdevlei, lost in the Free State, is almost as short of landmarks as it is of people. The patch of swamp after which the town is named is about the only distinguishing thing about it (it is known as “the wrong […]
The start of the school year was better than others have been in the past, but it was very far from perfect. Julia Grey reports The many years of nagging schools to begin the year professionally and on time seem to finally be making a difference, as the majority of schools kicked into action on […]
The community it is supposed to serve has moved on, just as the farm school is given new life writes Julia Grey ‘WFor thirteen years, Dikeledi Nthethe and Caroline Shai have gone about the business of teaching local farm children in the dilapidated stone building they called school. For accommodation, the two teachers lived in […]
Educators face the hardships of poorly resourced schools, hostile farm owners and a lack of crucial training. ‘We are struggling. There is no electricity, no toilets, and no running water – which is the biggest problem. Nobody supports us and nothing changes. There is no transport for the children. This year we also got nothing […]
The history of farm schools has much to do with the present difficulties in which many of them continue to struggle. Reports Julia Grey Between a rock and a hard place is where the majority of farm schools are currently sitting – and they are likely to be stuck there for some time to come. […]
As the costs of schooling exceed the government’s limited resources, even the bare necessities can be painfully slow in coming. And no one knows this more than the educators and pupils at Mqanduli Primary School in Mahlungulu, near Umtata in the Eastern Cape. Stuffy and dilapidated rondawels have served as classrooms for 16 years but […]
There are times to run and hide. And then there are times to stand up and be counted. the Teacher and Unicef, in partnership with the Department of Education, believe now is the time for girls and women to dig in their heels and insist on their rightful place in society. We are creating this […]
The cries of cultural ‘purists” are horribly reminiscent of the narrow-minded dogma so readily trotted out by religious fundamentalists. In the view of these purists, on the same day the world was created, so were the traditions and expressions of their culture. Some say their cultures burst forth fully formed from a holy egg; others […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
The latest war is on, like background music, on TVs and radios in all corners of the world. It’s high drama, reality TV with enough fly-encrusted corpses to turn the head of even the most dumbed-down couch potato. I’m not one who can watch it for long. I soon find myself scowling with the effort […]
Imagine this: a farmer wearing a pair of rubber boots and dirty overalls climbs into a tractor. The engine starts and the farmer drives away to fetch her kids from school. So how many of you had to make major adjustments to your mental picture when you found out that the farmer is, in fact, […]
It’s little wonder that it’s taken more than a decade to arrive at a draft policy on the place of religion in education. So prickly and emotive is this realm of human experience that the final policy will only be publicly released next month. The policy-makers need to be congratulated on the sensitivity they have […]
One of the words that come to mind when I think ‘teacher” is long-suffering. The demands of the job seem relentless and increasing; the rewards, few and far between. There’s a very strange mismatch in our world between the acknowledged importance of educators to creating a functioning society and the status they are given. Everybody […]
Assessing the Department of Education’s (DoE) performance this year is no straightforward business. One thing the DoE definitely gets a positive mark for, though, is its launches. With practised pomp and fanfare, it gets the message across very clearly that its newest project or body is significant. Three that stand out this year are the […]
If I was one of the matric Class of 2003, I reckon I’d be pretty peeved. There I am, pleased as punch with how well I’ve done to cross that mighty hurdle that everyone and their mum had said I had to cross since I was six, and suddenly there is a general public uproar […]
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 […]
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. […]
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, […]
Last month’s performance in the streets of Johannesburg has reinforced the fact that Congress of South African Students (Cosas) has neither the organisational skills nor the leadership to direct its membership in a positive direction. Marches take a lot of effort and know-how if they are to be a lawful and successful demonstration of dissatisfaction. […]
The written word is going through a tough time in Africa these days. Besides the daunting levels of illiteracy in the continent, many of the millions who know how to read simply don’t bother. But there is a rich history of literature in the continent that’s worth remembering. The Malian city of Timbuktu is one […]
If you intend to sample as many of life’s adventures as you can and still have time to change the world – at least a little – then you’re going to have to live to be at least 102. Margaret Byrd Rawson (1899 – 2001) from the United States began her career as a teacher […]
Newly qualified teachers, and those coming back into the profession after a break in service, may be compelled to teach in rural or disadvantaged schools, if proposed changes to education laws go through. These proposed amendments to the Employment of Educators Act were released for public comment last month and have drawn criticism from teacher […]
The gloves are off in the clash between the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) and the ANC-aligned student organisation, the Congress of South African Students (Cosas). This follows an illegal march organised by Cosas through the streets of Johannesburg. Besides facing charges relating to holding an illegal march, Cosas may also face other criminal charges. […]
Escalating violence between Israel and Palestine prompted a strong response from leaders of South African education last month. A message of solidarity to the people of Palestine was signed by Minister of Eduction Kader Asmal, his deputy Mosibudi Mangena, and other high-ranking officials, including seven of the provincial MECs. The two MECs who declined to […]
The Education Rights Project (ERP), which will formally be launched in June, is being jointly driven by the Education Policy Unit (EPU) and the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (Cals), both based at University of the Witwatersrand. In an article in the February 2002 edition of the Teacher, it was reported that legal action against […]
Due to be released this month, the Department of Education (DoE) has developed a policy for dealing with drugs in schools. These guidelines are meant to help schools effectively prevent, manage and treat learners who abuse or are dependent on drugs. The policy is also meant to assist those who do not use drugs themselves, […]
I wonder if the education big shots – those with the lion’s share of responsibility for the education system – sleep well at night. If I had their portfolios, I don’t think I would. The interminable list of education shortcomings, coupled with the hard fact that the lives of youngsters – and the future of […]
I recently tried to help a mother sort out a school fees nightmare. She has four of her own children at schools, and is paying for the education of two of her relatives. The six are enrolled at four different schools. As a domestic worker, she doesn’t exactly make a fortune, and the going sometimes […]
It’s not new, but getting louder: the Department of Education’s maddening mantra about improving maths and science, M & S, M & S — There are more awards than I can count for maths and science teachers – but what about the ones for outstanding history, geography and life-orientation teachers? And, of course, there’s the […]