Hijacking education and futures

We celebrate pupils who survived the adversity of their backgrounds – the mundane cycle to get to and from schools – in communities struggling to keep the lights on or ducking bullets around dawn and dusk.

There are children who must endure these difficulties and some never overcome them and end up falling prey to the streets.

But others do make it, surviving a hostile environment created by adults.

I watched a video of pupils who obtained multiple distinctions speak about how they had to sacrifice their bread money to buy a candle to burn the midnight oil while they studied.

This is an Eskom problem. A state-owned enterprise that was mismanaged and literally brought to its knees.

Today, while its executives have back-up generators to keep the lights on their suburban homes, it is in the townships where the hardest pinches are felt.

With the intention to one day live a better life, because we have been told that education is the key to a better life, pupils sacrifice bread, food money, for a candle to study – let that sink in.

The same pupils will mention how, at times, they have to shut out the loud music in neighbouring taverns in the townships.

Although it is plastered on all forms of media when examinations commence, adults still don’t support pupils in their communities by fostering a living environment that is conducive for study and betterment.

Where is the sense in allowing over-18s to dance until the sun comes up while the child next door is struggling to prepare for a morning examination.

One night can make such a huge difference to the life of a matric student who is writing an exam the next day.

While many tavern owners plead that alcohol and music are their means of putting food for their families on the table and getting their children through school, is it sensible to gamble with the education of children who want to excel?

There is a failure not only as communities in the delivery of our children’s education, but also in our apathy towards anything that is not laced in social media hype, not followed by the media and not full of controversy.

As parents, can we simply do right by our children and make education not only fashionable but also something that is worth attaining?