Black South Africans are sending their children to schools that have a zero pass rate. The finding shines a light on the appalling conditions some black people are still enduring in consideration of the fact that South Africa is by far the richest nation in Africa and its largest economy.
Its public education, a form of segregation in itself, since most white people do not attend public school, is in dismal conditions.
The schools in rural states are in even worse condition, with large animals roaming the makeshift classes. Open pit latrines are the only place where the students can relieve themselves, and the stench boils up in the noon heat.
There is no air conditioning or sanitation in these schools.
Education in South Africa gets the biggest chuck of the national budget, to the tune of 23 billion dollars, which also includes sports programs and cultural events. However, none of this money is trickling down to the rural schools. In these schools there is no equipment, no labs, no scientific teachings, no library.
The government for its part says that the reason why these schools have a zero pass rate is that these places fail to attract good teachers. But the teachers in the public schools say that they are overextended and that they often have too many children and zero resources.
This failed subsystem of education has put South Africa in the same ranking as Yemen, a failed state by most assessments, in math and science education.
The truth however, is much uglier. The government has underfunded these rural and other public schools for decades during apartheid, a practice which seems to stubbornly persist even now.
The ANC too has come under fire for not forging bonds with the teaching unions.
In the meantime, the poor children of South Africa have nowhere to go, even if they finish school. The quality of teaching and the lack of resources mire these children forever.
Source : France 24/ 7.17.13
No comments:
Post a Comment