The following article by Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, landed in my inbox a few days ago. I though it deserves a read, as it highlights the glaring misgivings of our current education system here in South Africa.

By Jonathan Jansen

I have in front of me the 2010 “Statement of Results” for the National Senior Certificate statement of a youngster who demands to study at university.

They are: Afrikaans 43, English 39, mathematical literacy 38, life orientation 78, business studies 41, computer applications technology 31, life sciences 28.

At the bottom of the certificate is this unbelievable statement: “The candidate qualifies for the national senior certificate and fulfils the minimum requirements for admission to higher education.”

Understandably, this young woman takes these words literally, and correctly demands a seat in any place of higher learning. With the young woman’s claim to study I have no problem. With the society that sets the bar for performance so low, I have serious problems.

Slowly, slowly we are digging our collective graves as we fall into a sinkhole of mediocrity from which we are unlikely to emerge.

We make excellence sound like a white thing. Behind a massive wave of populism, and in the misguided name of regstelling (setting right the past), we open access to resources and universities to young people without the hard work necessary to achieve those gifts and to succeed once there. Of course, you’re a racist if you question this kind of mindlessness; how else do you, as a politician, defend yourself against the critics of mediocrity in an election year?

I miss Steve Biko. In the thinking of black consciousness, he would have railed against the low standards we set for black achievement, in the language of the 1970s.

This young (incidentally black) person did not achieve anything above 50% in her Senior Certificate results for any exam subject, but we tell her she can proceed to higher studies. What are we saying? That black students are somehow less capable and therefore need these pathetic results to access higher education? No, I am sorry, but today I am angry about the messages we send our children.

I saw black parents and students squirm the other night when I addressed a racially diverse group of parents and students and made this point clear: “If a black student requires from you different treatment and lower academic demands because of an argument about disadvantage, tell them to take a hike.” (Okay, I used stronger
language.)

I saw white teachers squirm when I made the other important point: “If you have lower academic expectations of black children because of what they look like, or where they come from, that is the worst kind of racism.”

Our society, schools and universities have adjusted expectations downwards, especially in relation to black students, and that is dangerous in a country with so much promise for excellence.

As stories come rolling in from across the country for our Great South African Teachers book, I am struck by one thing. That many black professionals who are chartered accountants, medical scientists or corporate lawyers tell of attending ordinary public schools under apartheid, often in rural areas, and having teachers at the time who, despite the desperate poverty and inequality, held high expectations of their learners. There was no compromising on academic standards; there was homework every day; there was punishment for low performance; and there was constant motivation to rise above your circumstances.

Not today. Mathematical literacy is a cop-out, a way of compensating for poor maths teaching in the mainstream. Parents of Grade 9 children, listen carefully – do not let your school force your child into mathematical literacy because they will struggle to find access to academic degree studies at serious universities. Insist your child does mathematics in Grade 10 for that important choice determines what your child writes in Grade 12.

It is not, of course, mathematical literacy that I am concerned about; there are good teachers of the subject. It is about the message we send: that children can’t do maths.

In other words, a message again communicated of low expectations. Do not buy into this culture of mediocrity in the way your child makes subject choices. Also, tell your child not to take life orientation seriously; as you can see in the above results, there is no positive relationship between high marks in academic subjects and this thing called life orientation.

Small wonder young people with better results than those above are without work. The marketplace, and serious universities, know this child will not succeed with these kinds of results, even if Umalusi does not “get it”.

Statement by Minister Angie Motshekga on the national teachers’ strike

The national teachers’ strike has been a major blow to public education, and has had a particularly devastating effect on the education of poor, rural and black children. I am pleased that the industrial action is now probably behind us and that we can begin the process of stabilizing our schools.

The Council of Education Ministers and I have considered a range of options, including the extension of the school day, classes on weekends and how best to use the September school holidays, to make up for the lost schooling time. All these options would have serious implications for what is already a challenging situation. All considerations and their potential impact are therefore being carefully evaluated and implications considered for action, if need be, and the Department will make an announcement on this matter shortly.

Our main focus at this time is that schools remain focused on learning and teaching while our particular focus is on our Grade 12s. There is no time to waste. I have asked all MECs to consider the suspension of all extra-mural activities until the end of the year. All available time must be spent on learning and teaching.

The strike has put the system under severe pressure. I have considered all activities  that will impact learning and teaching and have come to the conclusion that we need to postpone the Annual National Assessments planned for 3 and 4 November for Grade 3, 6 and 9. These assessments will now be conducted in February 2011. I am convinced that this will provide the system with the time and space to ensure that all learners are adequately prepared for these assessments.

My department will distribute exemplars of ANA literacy and numeracy tests to enhance the focus on literacy and numeracy. I also urge all schools to make literacy and numeracy their primary focus and that any enrichment or additional programmes that schools introduce should be premised on the need to improve literacy and numeracy. These are critical foundational skills that learners need in order to be able to learn.

We should also be prepared that the recovery of learning and teaching for our learners will need to continue into 2011. Our Grade 11s will be entering Grade 12 and our younger learners need to strengthen their foundational skills of literacy and numeracy.

Our Grade 12s are deserving of our special support during this time. We need to build their confidence and restore their hope. These young men and women are on the cusp of entering new lives, either the world of work or further and higher education and training. They need all the support they can get. I am calling on all South Africans to rally behind the Class of 2010, like we came out in support of Bafana Bafana during the World Cup.  Provinces will continue to offer special tuition as well as mass revision programmes. We will continue to work in partnership with the SABC. Learners are also urged to make use of the learning support materials on our website (www.education.gov.za) as well as the Thutong education portal (www.thutong.gov.za).

I am confident that the provinces’ recovery plans will strengthen learning and effective preparation for the end of the year examinations.  It is important that our Grade 12 learners avail themselves of these opportunities and see this as a chance to achieve their full potential. I also call on parents and communities to encourage Grade 12s to participate in these additional programmes. We have agreed with MECs that each province will communicate regularly with learners and parents to update them on the support programmes being offered.

We will engage all stakeholders, especially the teacher unions on the details of a comprehensive recovery programme to mitigate the challenges we face following the strike. Nothing prevents a school community from deciding, in the interests of learners, to continue with support and enrichment programmes during the holiday period.

In addition to what provinces have put in place, my Department will directly assist in those districts where schools have consistently underperformed.  We will ensure that our direct interventions will be accompanied with good learning and revision materials and our learners will be placed under the expert guidance of subject specialists.

I am making a special appeal to parents, schools, teachers, NGOs and the private sector to prioritise support to our young people during this time. As we countdown to the start of the examinations on 25 October 2010 we want all South Africans to pull together to support the Class of 2010. As of today, we have 45 days left. Learners must make the most of this time and also take responsibility for their own revision. We have shown during the World Cup that we as South Africans can do anything we put our minds to. Now is the time to support our children. Let’s support the class of 2010!

Issued by the Ministry of Basic Education

Enquiries:
Ms Hope Mokgatlhe
Ministerial Spokesperson
071 680 6849

Granville Whittle
072 148 9575

I found this letter to the editor this morning while reading through the Cape Times. I consider it a follow up to my previous article, You’re a teacher. Deal with it.

The following letter was written by RM Dugmore.

I write this as an ex-teacher and headmaster of 40 years’ experience, whose family has been involved with education for many years. A recent comment in one of the newspapers that the dropping of OBE was not a cure-all has prompted me to write in support.

While acknowledging the inequalities in education, one has at the same time to give credit to the role played by dedicated teachers. Apart from the hard work in the classroom, true teachers willingly participate in helping to organise sport and cultural activities.

It seems to me that many teachers today are in it for all the wrong reasons. I know certain schools where teachers are late for class, who take their time finishing takeaways over break. They fraternise with their pupils, use “stress” as an excuse for staying away and do little to prepare their charges for final examinations.

Yet these teachers draw the same salaries as their conscientious colleagues.

The argument that some schools get results because of the facilities their pupils enjoy is not true. What about the outstanding results achieved by some very poor schools? What do they have in common with more successful schools? Dedicated teachers!

The staff at these poorer schools generally have a competent, dedicated principal and a staff who turn up on time and help coach weaker pupils in the afternoon or even over weekends.

We now have pupils (why learners?) returning to school after a ridiculously long break to find teachers (why educators?) preparing to go on strike.

This at a time when we are told 1GOAL – education – and coinciding with the appeal on Madiba’s birthday to sacrifice their spare time!

I believe there are some 100 days to go before the exams come round. This is usually the reason why lazy teachers and lazy pupils choose to strike.

Anything to drum up an excuse for the poor exam results which will inevitably follow.

What do YOU think? Add your comments below.

My gripe with teachers is that many of them always seem to view the teaching profession as something that’s gone to the dogs.

I suppose I’m generalising here, because even in the work place (i.e. business) there are people who absolutely despise their jobs to the point of rather wanting to work on a kibbutz or log pine trees somewhere in remote Siberia while drinking vodka and singing the “Volga Boatmen’s Song”.

My point, however, is that teaching should first and foremost never be seen as just a job. If there are teachers who teach merely for the pay slip every month, then I sure as anything want to keep my own child far, far away from them.

I was recently invited to speak at the parent teacher evening of *Habibia Primary School in Cape Town. The event itself was hosted at Alexander Sinton High School as Habibia do not yet have their own hall. During the various talks given by many of the teachers, I was surprised, no, shocked, to hear of the challenges that their teachers face daily in terms of the learners (for the benefit of our international visitors, the students).

From general laziness and incorrect uniforms to offensive language and adult material on cellphones, I simply sat there thinking “Wow, times have changed since I was last in school”.

But, have times really changed all that much? Are learners far worse now than they were 20 years ago?

I’d like to say that things were much better when I was in school, but reflecting back on those days, I was reminded that there is certainly no new sin under the sun.

There was general laziness, there was always uniform and hair-style issues, there was certainly offensive language and very often alcohol and drug problems too. Not that I was involved in any of those, barring general laziness and the occasional detention for styling my hair with gel (wax was not the ‘in thing’ during my high school years). At the end of the day though, discipline has always been a problem since Adam and Eve first bit into that apple.

So the question begs, have times changed? Are learners worse? Do they give teachers more reason to go on stress-related leave and be out of the classroom so frequently?

My father, ex Head of Science at Fairmont High School, once told me that never in 20 years of teaching did he send a child out of the class during a lesson, nor refer the child to anyone else for discipline. He always handled everything ‘in-house’ so to speak. Granted, those were the days when corporal punishment was still allowed, but I doubt very much that he metered out many beatings.

He told me: “Adrian, the trick to getting those kids to respect you is by using subtle techniques that show them you’re very much in control of the situation. Never, ever lose your composure in your classroom. Own your classroom, and let them know that when they walk through that door, they’re walking onto your property and into your domain.”

This is not achieved by screaming and shouting, nor by dishing out wholesale punishment in my opinion. The trick is to set the tone from the very first lesson onwards.

When I was in grade 8, I had a teacher, Mr Titus, who set the tone very well during our first history class. He told us upfront that he was not there to be our friend. He was there to be our teacher. He laid out the rules for his classroom, and also detailed the consequences of not adhering to his rules. He applied the “do not smile for the first 4 months” philosophy and needless to say, we experienced quality teaching in his class with few discipline-related disruptions.

Did he possess some magical power? No. Did he have unwavering support from the Department of Education? Probably not. Did he have advanced training and high qualifications from some top university? No. Was his salary much higher than YOURS? No. Was his salary higher than YOURS at all? Probably not.

So, my advice to teachers is this:

1. Stop complaining about the money. If it’s REALLY about the money, then find a different job.
2. Stop complaining about the children. They need love the most, when they deserve it the least. You can make your mark in history by making your mark on them.

You might ‘only’ be a teacher, but by being a teacher you can shape the future. If you cannot see the truth behind this, then in the words of Danny in Hot Fuzz: “Jog on!”.

* Habibia Primary School is an institution that is working hard at making it’s mark in history despite facing daily challenges. The school has many experienced teachers, some who have been teaching for over 40 years. This is a school were teachers do not complain about the state of education, but simply get on with the job of educating the nation.

Dit is al van kleins af in my ingeprent dat mens nie in die publiek oor geld moet praat nie. Of dit nou reg of verkeerd is, en of my ouers nou bedoel het om dit vir my te leer of nie, dis iets wat ek al van my kindsdae af glo. Dus was dit nogal ‘n aanpassing toe ek begin onderwys gee en die ander onderwysers sommer al van die begin af so oop en bloot oor geld praat. Of eerder… oor geld kla!

“Die geld is te min, die geld kom te laat in die maand, die geld hou nie tot die volgende maand nie en die verhogings is te klein!”. Dit is die tipe klagtes wat ek moes aanhoor.

Dit was nogal iets om aan gewoond te raak, want ek was op daardie stadium tog net te dankbaar om ‘n werk te hê. Ek het egter gou agter gekom waaroor dit eintlik gaan. Dit gaan nie, net, oor geld nie, maar eintlik gaan dit oor ‘n gebrek aan waardering.

Ja, hierdie kwartaal veral is besonder kort en die hoeveelheid werk wat gedoen moet word is besonder baie, maar tog dink ek dat as onderwysers net meer bedank en waardeer word vir wat hulle doen, hulle minder sal kla oor geld. Onderwysers wil ook maar net weet dat hulle nie verniet moeite doen nie!

Daar is sekere mense wat voorheen in die onderwys was en besluit het dat die geld te min is en die werk te veel is en daarom onderwys verlaat het, en ek respekteer ook daardie besluit. Tog weet ek, dat ten spyte van die nadele van onderwys in Suid-Afrika, is die gevoel wat jy kry wanneer jy agterkom dat daar selfs net een leerder is wat jou moeite waardeer, dat daardie gevoel dit alles die moeite werd maak. Dit is immers waarom al hierdie kla-kouse nog in die onderwys bly!

So, aan alle onderwysers, wanneer een van jou kollegas weer kla oor geld, herinner asseblief daardie kollega aan die “vergoeding” van sien dat jou leerders vorder in hul werk na aanleiding van moeite wat jy gedoen het. Sê tog ook asseblief net vir daardie kollega dat jy hom/haar raak sien en waardeer!

Sterkte met die res van die kort kwartaal en mag die opstel van eksamen-vraestelle julle nie te veel laat nagte gee nie! Ek waardeer julle moeite!

It’s amazing how learners, parents, even teachers themselves, are still grappling with the answer to a big question that is frequently yet silently asked to the ordinary teacher: “Was teaching your chosen job, or your calling?”.

Well, it all depends on the definition one assigns to both “the job” and “a calling”. To me, a job is an execution of a task or rendering of a service for the purpose of acquiring payment. Whether one enjoys or feels passionate about it, it’s of secondary interest to all parties involved. A calling on the other hand, is a combination of executing a task and enjoying every moment of the whole process. Yes, the payment forms part of it, but one happens to have a strong sense of suitability for this particular job or career.

Though it may seem far fetched, especially in the present economy,  teaching, to some of us is indeed a calling. There is nothing more exhilarating than to witness an “AHA-moment” or experience the facial expressions of learners in your classroom as you are busy imparting knowledge or a skill to them. These learners come to your class dragging their feet, maybe because of the weariness brought on by climatic conditions, or weariness brought on by emotional tension they might be experiencing because of their domestic challenges. Even possibly weariness, derived from the previous lesson where they couldn’t make head or tail of what was being disseminated, let alone expected from them.

As they sit down and blankly stare at you, expecting the same mental torture, you skillfully, with love, engage them in the concept you have prepared for your lesson. You see them gradually but steadily liven up. It’s not because of your fancy skill, but because of passion, love, determination, understanding and caring that you exude throughout the lesson. The atmosphere is so light and encompassing that if it was possible, you would stop the bell from ringing and just continue with this lesson that has kept learners transfixed to their seat, focused on the delivery and captivated by the enlightening experience they are receiving.

If you’re a departmental official, what should you do if you encounter a teacher with such capabilities?

Do you encourage him or her to apply for a post at the office, or even a promotional post which will give more office-bound administrative duties that move him or her farther from teaching? Teaching that caused him or her to choose this field in the first place.

I’m at present two levels away from learners that give me a reason to get up every morning. Yes, teaching and developing other teachers is also part of teaching and training, but to me, it’s not as fulfilling as teaching learners. The rewards are so different.

I do not believe that which puts some of the best teachers on the map is their skill, per say, but rather the chemistry evoked by the reciprocity one receives from working with fresh, curious minds in a classroom. For one to feel that chemistry, it has a lot to do with the recipients. In my case, it’s definitely the learners, for they learn for the purpose of learning. I’m on top of my game in doing my office job, managing the curriculum, the debit system and even the institution itself, but my heart and soul isn’t in that at all. It’s within those four walls that a teacher, and I mean a teacher who loves his or her job,  feels alive.

It’s actually with a sad note that one discovers the fact that high ranking officials, with expertise to manipulate the system, become so myopic to the fact that a good teacher doesn’t necessarily make a good head of department, deputy principal, principal or even a school management developer. That, in order to access better remuneration, we have to leave the classroom and abandon our calling, is a total detriment to the society and future generations. On that very same note, you ask yourself about the present hype that is so controversial – is a new curriculum the sole source of the high failure rate of the modern matriculants? Is it not possible that the system, the way it has tailored the growth of a teacher, contributes a lot by disarming learners of the best teachers and mentors? Is it a fictitious dream or ideology for teachers to move up the remuneration ranks without actually leaving their calling?

Add your comments below.

If you’re a teacher reading this column heading with shock and disgust then hang in there. I do know how to spell and my grammar is about as good as any 24 year old, technically-savvy, sms generation man.

I matriculated at SACS High School in 2004 after spending both my junior and high school careers at the oldest school in South Africa. When I finished school, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life other than knowing that it would be along the creative line. I toyed with the ideas of being a chef, a fine artist or something in the film industry.

After two years pottering around working random jobs and generally gaining post-school experience I woke up one day knowing exactly what I wanted to do with my life … I wanted to be a graphic designer. What’s more, I had made the decision all by myself, and I knew it was the right one.

“Take that, people who said dropping maths and science would be a grave mistake!” I thought to myself as I read my acceptance letter to study Graphic Design ND at CPUT. “Take that teachers! In fact, take that school! What did you do for me?” I thought.

Sure I had studied Art at school and that was probably my favourite subject (not only because we could get away with almost anything thanks to a few very liberal teachers over the years). Otherwise I couldn’t think of a single other subject that I had taken and stressed-out about come exam time, which played the slightest role in what I had decided to study and most likely would make a life of.

“What a waste of money!” I convinced myself. All those years of wearing a uniform and boater and getting average marks when I could have just gone to some design school to begin with.

I actually immaturely held that view for most of my tertiary education until it gradually dawned on me that what I had learnt at that fine school was far more important than the subjects or the sports games.

I had learnt how to be a gentleman, a people’s person and a confident young man. I had learnt social skills, etiquette teamwork and leadership. Qualities that made me stand out from others and skills that made me proud of everything I had achieved. Skills that didn’t come from any particular subject but from my entire, fortunate schooling experience at the hands of dedicated teachers and traditions that dated back over 150 years.

I now see the absolute importance of a good education and how vital it is to developing character, as well as a sound academic mind. It doesn’t matter whether or not the subjects you did had any bearing on what you end up doing after school.

Today I am working as a Marketing Manager for a company that develops educational software for schoolchildren and teachers.

Thank you SACS.

Malcolm Venter

Years ago, I came home with a delightful little book entitled Bureaucrats: How to Annoy Them. The author, who loathes bureaucrats with a deep, deep loathing , relates some hilarious tales about how he set out to annoy British bureaucrats – a sort of revenge saga. Knowing that I have similar sentiments about these people, my wife’s comment was, ‘You don’t need that book!’

There are many others who share our feelings. One such is Rick Bayan, who describes ‘bureaucracy’ and ‘bureaucrats’ in his Cynic’s Dictionary as follows:

Bureaucracy A stubborn clog in the sewer pipe of government.

Bureaucrat The mole-like creature who enjoys lifelong job security and a generous pension for making sure the pipe stays clogged.

To this should be added the fact that they have a penchant for being officious, demanding that things be done to suit themselves. In the context of teaching, this means that they expect teachers to work in such a way that it is easy to monitor what teachers do in terms of check-lists and piles of paperwork – rather than in terms of ensuring that they teach effectively and that their pupils learn effectively. All of this done, of course, in a meticulously prescriptive manner.

So they will demand that a school do things their way, even if the school is functioning perfectly. They will, for example, criticise a school which does not have a Finance Committee, even though the Governing Body, which acts as a Finance Committee, is doing a splendid job of managing the school’s finances.  They will berate the school for not have a Learner and Teacher Support Material (LTSM) Committee, despite the fact that it has a group of people who act as co-ordinators for textbooks, stationery, audio-visual equipment, all very efficient, but who commit the sin of not meeting together to say things like, ‘Hi, how’s it going with your textbooks?  I’m doing a great job with my stationery orders.’ They will rip teachers apart because they do not have ‘written reflection’ on their lessons – even though they are clearly great teachers, and despite the fact that nowhere is it written anywhere in policy that they have to reflect in writing (but, let’s face it, how else can the poor bureaucrats know otherwise? – they might have to observe the teacher properly!).  They expect teachers to list all sorts of things in their lesson plans; and, even if the lesson is great, they slam them for not doing the paper job ‘correctly’. Clearly, they have never of the saying that the proof of the pudding is in the eating!  Then they demand that all the assessment tasks are nicely assembled in portfolios – with an index indicating what is what (as if they can’t work out, for example, that, in a language portfolio, a letter is a letter is a letter).  Possibly the worst is that they prescribe certain teaching methods without any scientific grounds that they are the only ones that work. And so on, and so on ….

In an article by Lorna Bannantyne published in an earlier edition of The Teachers Monthly entitled ‘The Demise of Paperwork’, she portrays the mindset of the education bureaucrats perfectly – demand paper trails and compliance with the letter of the law– and to hell with whether you are doing anything worthwhile in the process!

Dr Richard Hayward, in his editorial to most recent edition of Quality Education News (which can be accessed at www.saqi.co.za), raises the question of how to attract ‘our finest young people to become teachers’. He comments as follows:

In Scandinavian countries teaching is a much-sought-after profession. Why? Salaries are good; the professional and academic training is thorough and teachers are highly regarded in society. Also, the profession is treated professionally. Teachers are given the freedom and space to teach the curriculum as they deem most suitable to the unique set of youngsters found in every class. Prescription to the smallest detail by education officials is out; professional autonomy is in.

So, yes, this can’t apply to all teachers or schools. The department needs to hound those who do not do what is required of them.  But why so the same when schools and teachers are producing the goods?

The Minister of Basic Education recently announced that, as a result of a review of the curriculum, some of the bureaucratic constraints are due to be abolished. The question, however, is whether those who clog the pipeline will take cognisance of this.  I’ve heard that one provincial representative who attended the meeting where the Minister announced the changes was very troubled. ‘But how will we be able monitor then?’ was her plaintive cry. Teachers will need to stand up against departmental officials – be they curriculum advisors or WSE supervisors – who continue to wear their bureaucratic caps with ever-misguided fervour.

Hey bureaucrat, leave them teachers alone!