It has been 29 years since apartheid officially ended in South Africa, but the disparity between our previously disadvantaged schools and the former model C schools remains. Last month, the minister of basic education announced the 2022 matric results, showing a pass rate of 80.1%, which is an increase of 3.7% from the 2021 results.
These numbers, read directly, may show some progress, but it is important to compare them with our level of literacy in the system from the first grade of school.
The latest Progress in International Reading Literacy Study report shows that 82% of students in 4th grade cannot read for meaning. Although this study focuses on these classes, it is a representative sample that shows serious weaknesses in our basic education system in all classes.
In particular, this report shows that the attitudes and habits of students, teachers and communities about reading are at a disappointing level. Reading, writing and learning seem to be a dead culture in the schools and homes of most South Africans.
While some may argue that comparing “successful” matric results with the current decline in literacy at the primary school level is irrelevant, we cannot ignore the fact that those in 4th grade today will be in matric in a few years. If the habit of reading is not cultivated at a young age, it can become a setback in adulthood.
This poses a major risk to the overall development of young adults and can threaten their potential to lead successful professional lives. The crisis of poor reading habits in children is an existential predicate.
Education does not happen in a vacuum
Education is a social function that grows from the seeds of the community context. Parents, teachers, organizations, students, media, leaders and community members have the power to determine what should be the core mission of the school. He is the person who can initiate the necessary connection between schools and values for community development.
In other words, unless society begins to see school as a site of personal development, articulating skills, cultivating cultural and family values, and allowing curiosity and critical thinking habits, then nothing will be done to make schools accountable for what they teach. children. In addition, if the home itself is not a conducive environment for non-formal learning then the efforts of the school are handicapped.
These challenges are exacerbated in previously disadvantaged schools. The majority of these schools are located in cities. It is a community that faces layers of human challenges, which are transferred to schools. As a result, children in these communities must be more resilient to cope with a society designed to fail them. Because this is where most of the students are, we are at high risk as a country of finding ourselves trapped in a future that lacks critical and empowered citizens.
The Readers 2030 Panel chaired by former vice president Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka released a report last week that showed the literacy crisis is worsening in the developmental levels of young children. For example, students in grade R and grade 2 from poor communities were found to have difficulty understanding basic alphabetic sequences.
This challenge, coupled with the lack of reading found among 4th graders, has prevented the government from meeting its target of universal access to literacy by 2030.
We must urgently begin to do the work necessary to address these structural challenges. Socio-economic factors at the household level must be systematically addressed to give children a better chance in life.
Families with adults in good jobs or stable families have a better chance of giving their children a good education. In addition, the community and the government must play a role in managing public schools. The sudden collapse of the city’s community library, for example, signals the breakdown of social cohesion and active citizenship in the community.
He also highlighted the low level of performance that has characterized the municipality and the education department. The more shocking fact of this matter is the lack of public concern about the future of their children. No one wants to fight for the education of poor children anymore.
This situation must change. Parents and families should be involved in their children’s education and should establish daily relationships with teachers.
They should attend parent meetings, track their children’s progress and ensure that the school has extracurricular activities that stimulate students to enjoy school and socialize more.
Furthermore, the different stakeholders responsible for education need to come together more than ever to address children’s development. Creating a culture of learning is also the responsibility of society.
A local library that can be used to communicate the culture of the learning community, as well as provide a safe reading space for children. NGOs should also play a more productive role in informing children and parents through awareness campaigns, reading road shows, mobile libraries and human rights advocacy for infrastructure justice in public schools.
These initiatives will go a long way in addressing the challenges in underserved schools.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect official policy or position Mail & Guardians.