Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves.

In a recent article, which can be found here, Professor Jonathan Jansen of the University of the Free State discusses the current state of the South African education system. Specifically, he dissects and argues against the current coding system implemented by the Department of Education. This article has made the rounds throughout EwB, but the reason for really mentioning  it at all is that the core argument behind it has constantly cropped up in the last two to three weeks. Here are some of my thoughts on the article itself.

Obviously coming from the U.S., the idea of passing with a 30% (or 40%, 50%, and 60%) is ludicrous. If you only know 30% of any material, do you actually know it? Learners are happy with passing with their 30%, and why shouldn’t they be? They are lauded as an educational success story, they passed, they can be someone. However, by continuing to maintain this 30% they will, as the article says, continuously be behind in school, university and work. This will create a generation of inept, incompetent and quasi-useless work force.

At school, I have had many discussions with teachers and tutors over this new-ish code system that rewards mediocrity. The big complaint being that the learner’s are not really learning anything, and a 30% pass for a class is almost like saying each grade has an automatic promotion. You really have to actively try to fail a grade to not move on. Within the program we continuously try to make the magic number 60%, always saying that you can’t get into university without those numbers. So we try to deflate the idea that 30% is a successful grade and continue to make them work hard to raise their own levels instead of rest on their laurels.

Yet, I do have one grudge against the article. The way it is written seems to blame students for some of the problems. While I believe that their ineptness is a product of the system, they are just working in what they know. It is the governments responsibility to change the educational system to one that is more representative of the actual situation. On top of that, it is universities responsibility to curb their admission requirements accordingly or they will continue to face high drop out rates and attrition. It is common sense. It is impossible to start a ground-up attitude for ALL learners, it just won’t ever happen. This needs to be one of those rare places where a top-down approach is best used. The biggest reason being, why would a learner actively try to change something that does not benefit them. Why would they support something that no matter what makes them a worse looking student.

However, on top of this Professor Jansen must remember that changing the codes isn’t the only thing that must be done. To create better learners, you need more efficient and effective use of resources, better teachers, computers, incentives, schools, field trips or a myriad of other things that could influence a child to want to be better. Its a problem with no simple solution, but one that needs to be fixed immediately if South Africa wants to take that next step in development.

Come Over To The Dark Side...We Have Candy

Yesterday one of my learners from the program brought me a candy bar as a gift. One of the tutors asked me "What happened to the days where students brought teachers an apple? Why did she not give you one of those?".




I told her that along with teaching English and Math, I am teaching my classes how to be awesome. Who wants an apple when you can get a candy bar. Long live deliciousness!

We Are Fezeka

There has been something missing from the EwB blog. An important element that I am not capable of reaching. An aspect that none of us writing here can articulate. We see it, but we have not lived it. This is why I wanted to start "We are Fezeka", an attempt to hear the stories of those that have lived or are living IT. It could be a simple telling of what they did that weekend, or who there favorite athlete is. It could be an in depth dissection of the importance of math or an attempt to express the apprehension of going to a new school. Anything to understand the daily lives of those at Fezeka. If we do not take the few seconds to get to know them, then we miss something.
The very first blog under the "We Are Fezeka" comes from one of our brand new grade 8 learners, who just joined our program this school year. Her name is Dianetsi Mosiuoo, and in an exercise where learners were asked to pick a word from a group and write what it means to them, she chose the word freedom. This is what she wrote.

Grade 8 Learner Dianetsi Mosiuoo

Freedom

Freedom brings peace to our people and our nation. Peace is the first thing that a person should have. Nelson Mandela brought freedom to black people so that they could have peace with white people. 

 Peace make people love you and black people to have peace with white people.

Freedom has bring happiness to black people. Happiness is the joy to black people. Our country has happiness with other countries. Happiness is the joy to white and and black people

Freedom brough respect and peace in our nation to love each other. Respect one another, respect our beliefs and respect our religiouns from our cultures. Respect elders because if we do not respect our elders we will order bad luck for our future and for our nation. Freedom has brought us respect.

Freedom gives us opportunities to have a good education and a opportunity to have good jobs when we group up. Nelson Mandela brought us opportunities to have all things that we want like white people. If Nelson Mandela was not here we should not have the opportunities to have education like white people. Freedom has come with opportunities in our country.