TEACHERS DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OF A SCHOOL

I HAVE always believed that as a teacher, you must measure the quality of education of your school against what is happening in the country. You are then able to see what you must do at your school to improve education.

I went to schools in Cape Town. My family stayed 100m away from the Rosmead Primary School. I attended in Mathew Road Claremont from 1960-1966 and South Peninsula High in Old Kendal Road Diep River from 1967-1971. Both schools survived the dreaded Group Areas Act of 1950.

I taught at South Peninsula from 1977-2016. I was dismissed by the non-progressive Western Cape Education Department twice in 2016 for disobeying its bureaucratic decisions. I am not sorry I opposed their undemocratic stance in the Western Cape.

When I joined the school in 1977 as a biology teacher, the schooling system in South Africa was racially divided. Apartheid ruled our lives, but fortunately, our teachers adopted a non-racial stance, which we are still fighting to achieve in South Africa. Our principal in 1980, one of the few progressive principals at the time, Mr MN Moerat (his son Dr Aadil Moerat was also a South Peninsula pupil who was killed in his surgery in Nyanga in 1998), encouraged us as a young staff to give of our best academically, on the sports field, and extramurally, which often meant becoming politically involved.

Our teachers introduced us to the literature of the Non-European Unity Movement, Teachers League of South Africa, and the Cape Teachers Association. We regularly attended Western Province Senior School Sports’ Union meetings where we learned the slogan “No normal sport in an abnormal society.”

Most schools in South Africa are struggling academically. Matric results are poor. There are few sport and extra-mural activities in the majority of our schools.

I have always believed that the teachers will determine the success of the school. I highlighted the success of one school in the article because of the teachers’ contribution to education. Yes, you can criticise the lack of work being done by education departments in South Africa, but as teachers, we must educate our nation. We, as teachers, cannot betray our pupils. Congratulations to the individual teachers in the classroom who ensure our pupils receive a high-quality education. I salute you.