Serious problems with education department

SO the Eastern Cape is yet again at the bottom of last year’s matric results nationally, this after even admitting to having raised certain subjects’ marks.

How can the education department celebrate results when the pass mark for maths was lowered to an embarrassing degree? There is seriously something wrong with the dysfunctional education system.

There’s an outcry over the dismal performance by the matrics, yet nobody seems to take a step back and look at real, practical solutions. Raising the marks and lowering the pass mark is certainly not a solution.

Why doesn’t this education department implement a proper long-term plan whereby ever y 25 children in the foundation phase are privileged to have a teacher in front of them? Post establishments should allow this

plus the education department must ensure it employs sufficient teachers.

It is disturbing to note that some foundation phase teachers have 54 to 82 and more pupils in their classes. How can anyone do justice to these children under such circumstances?

Why does the department allow this? Does it not realise how vital the foundation phase is? If children cannot cope lower down, it’s no good trying to expect miracles in matric.

Once the foundation has been laid solidly, then the intersen (Grades 4 to 7) teachers can have 35 pupils in their classes. But education department, provide the teachers please!

Another problem with our education department is the allocation of bursaries. Why are bursaries only available to African student teachers?

Or why are they only awarded to students who have Xhosa as one of their languages? Surely you will not end up with your top 100 (or whatever the intake is) students.

Why aren’t the best 100 students chosen for bursaries regardless of language? Or is this now another BEE manoeuvre?

The education department also does not want to listen to comments from teachers about the Caps syllabus! It has been thrown out, rejected by a few top countries.

It is not working. Too much jumping around is done with no consolidation of knowledge, especially in maths.

No wonder we are at the bottom of the world’s maths rankings. Why forge ahead when teachers are crying out for officials to listen?

After all, who are the ones who sit with confused children? It almost seems as if there is no will to improve.

Another matter where the department seems hopelessly ineffective is with paying salaries on time. What takes it so long when someone is new or a substitute is appointed?

Why do some of these teachers only get paid four months after their forms have been submitted? Then some teachers haven’t been paid at all!

The department also wants to use bullying tactics to force schools to take children, even when they’re full. But this very same department is not concerned if the classes are bursting at the seams.

This department is not concerned should these parents not pay school fees. You want us to have X number of children, then please provide sufficient teachers.

A serious jack-up of this department is urgently needed should we want to be able to compete with other provinces. We’re just not making the grade!

Falling on deaf education department ears, Port Elizabeth