By Humairaa Mayet
Edited by Imaan Moosa & Tasmiyah Randeree
Basic education is a human right afforded to all citizens of South Africa. Although it is widespread, it is not entirely effective and there is room for growth and development. The basic education system in South Africa is yet to reach its full potential.
Photo: The Conversation
The basic education system, which caters to primary and secondary schools in South Africa, is riddled with a multitude of gaps and inconsistencies that not only affect learners and teachers but the country in its entirety.
Can the basic education system offered to South African learners be described as free and quality decolonised education? In a word, no. Effectively, primary and secondary schools should offer free and quality decolonised education. This will pave the way for tertiary institutions to follow suit. However, this can only be achieved once the infrastructural issues which plague schools across the country are addressed.
In 2015, the Fees Must Fall movement swept across South African institutions of higher learning, with protesting students calling for free and quality decolonised education at universities, colleges, and Technikons. This call, although noble and apt, has its roots elsewhere — in basic education.
South Africa, a country with incredibly high levels of school enrolment and attendance, needs to pay attention to its basic education system. Ninety-eight percent of all children in South Africa between the ages of 7 and 17 are registered at either primary or secondary schools. This equates to approximately 12 million children, all of whom make up a significant portion of the population (20%) in a country of close to 60 million people.
The majority of schools in South Africa have limited equipment and infrastructure, particularly those in townships and rural areas. Over and above the sub-standard spaces learners and teachers are subjected to, they are provided with a curriculum that, although sufficient, fails to prepare children for life after school, whether it be at a tertiary institution or a job.
The children of South Africa deserve an education system which has their best interests at heart, one which places their growth and progress above all else.
Oftentimes, rural schools have very dilapidated and informal classrooms. Photo: Mail & Guardian
The restructuring of the basic education system, now more than ever, is imperative. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the flaws in the system; as lockdown after lockdown was enforced upon the country in an attempt to curb the spread of Covid-19, learners and teachers were not able to cope with the ‘new normal’.
Sparse technology available quickly closed channels of communication between learners and teachers, effectively halting the syllabus. As online learning was slowly phased in, many schools were unable to keep up with the pace. Teachers could often not get a hold of their students and were unable to provide them with updates about learning programmes or work to be completed. Shortly thereafter, learners fell behind.
The pandemic has proven one thing: basic education needs to be reimagined in a manner that takes into account these challenges, including in a manner that prepares for unprecedented events such as the one currently experienced.
Before one can sufficiently restructure the basic education system, all issues need to be addressed; learners must be provided with the resources they need to receive quality education and teachers must be adequately trained to deliver knowledge.
The attribution of funds toward improving the infrastructure of schools is only the first step. A once-off lump sum will not solve any problems in the long term. Instead, money must be funneled systematically into schools over extended periods of time to be used gradually to cater to the needs of all constituencies.
A stark contrast between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’: a private school and a rural school. Photos: 2Oceansvibe and Brand South Africa
The government will be required to fulfill the main role in this reimagining and subsequent restructuring. Although the budget allocated to education is relatively large, a majority of the funds are misappropriated. Checks and balances must be put into place to ensure that this is no longer a common occurrence.
A bottom-up approach will assist in laying the foundation for more complex and technical reforms. Beginning with primary schools, South Africa must take a long and hard look at the basic education system and think of effective and efficient ways to fill the gaping holes. Although the basic education system seems to be sufficient for the time being, sufficient is not good enough.
In all realms, and with regards to education specifically, South Africa must strive for excellence.
The future holds within it a multitude of uncertainty but one thing is certain: if South Africa is to develop exponentially, basic education must be the starting point.
The government, the private sector, and the broader public must all work together to ensure that adequate learning conditions are provided for school-going children, after which they must ensure that each and every child has access to free and quality decolonised education.
Children walking to school. Photo: Africa Check
Education will prevail as a light amidst the darkness.
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