Paying assessors unviable

I am a black mother who educates her children at home. I would like to continue doing that without fear, but I am being shackled by the proposed amendments to the law coming from the Department of Basic Education.

I have watched many dreams disappear in my life. The dream of moving my parents out of the township, of having relatives that can afford all the necessities.

I dreamt of an end to crime — I am tired of losing loved ones to violence. Home-schooling, where there is no bullying, no abuse, was my dream. It is still my dream.

I want my children to gain confidence in themselves and their heritage before they experience what other members of society are like. I want them to view each person, no matter what grouping they belong to, as worthy of receiving respect.

I cannot accept the end of the freedoms I thought we received with the new Constitution of 1996.

I want my children to be free to do their best, to compete against themselves instead of against other children.

I want to know for sure that there is no security guard or janitor or teacher who will sexually molest them.

I want to be able to educate them using a curriculum that is accepted and recognised everywhere in the world.

I want them to be citizens of the world, to be free to go anywhere without having to prove themselves.

Having to pay assessors as proposed in the amendments to the law is just not financially viable. The government knows the burden of the “black tax”, it knows the economic burdens black people bear.

We are currently using a very affordable American curriculum. I am very aware of any academic weaknesses — our minimum pass mark is 70% because I provide one-on-one attention to my “learners”.

I want to be free to educate my children where I can do my best to keep them safe from physical and psychological harm.

I want to be free to use our finances to feed those who need feeding, the most desperate and vulnerable among us.

I beg the department to let us raise upstanding citizens the way we see fit.

Thandi Nkomo Via e-mail