Schools Crisis Entrenches Inequality in South Africa

Kristen Smith, Friday February 1 2008, 12:03 pm, Poverty & Inequality

Before the Apartheid Regime fell in South Africa in 1994, almost all of the money that was put towards education and schooling was put towards white-only schools. When Nelson Mandela became the country's new (and first) black president, he vowed to make education the number one priority of the new administration South Africa, and budgeted over 20% of the "overall national total" towards all schools. Although this was a big change for blacks and their schools, it doesn't seem to be enough. Not only are the schools in poorer areas in bad condition, with primitive toilets and little supplies to offer students, there is no funding for any programs that could benefit students, like after school help and tutoring. One school in Soweto (South Africa's biggest township), had only 1/3 of it's students pass their matriculation exams this year. Another problem with the schools is that the teachers aren't teaching what teachers in the middle and upper class schools are teaching. They aren't being taught skills that will help them in the new, faster economy of South Africa. Some of these schools have one teacher for ONE HUNDRED students. The pay is so horrible for teachers at these poorer schools, that the "good" and "educated" teachers don't work there, because they can get better pay at a nicer school. Therefore, the schools must hire who they can - teachers who just show up for work and take home their paycheck, not teachers who are passionate about helping kids to learn.

I think it's really sad that even though the Apartheid movement ended over a decade ago, inequality is still such a huge issue in South Africa. It seems so unfair that since it's been like this for so long, that it continues to be. It reminds me of the US a little. It's sad that there are children out there who want to learn, but they just don't have the same resources as those who have more money. These children have to work even harder than those who do go to the more privileged schools, because they end up teaching themselves a lot of the material. South Africa should dedicate more money and time to making sure that everyone has a good education, not just those who can afford it. (Of course, that's something that we in the US need to dedicate ourselves to as well.)

Link to article:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i7aUzibQU8C2SfV_ztvOdQXQmL0w