Apathy and inefficiency to blame for state failing EC schools Up schoolboy rugby Make games, not war

STATE fails EC schools” (DD, August 20) is indicative of the lack of power of national government and the lack of capacity by the Eastern Cape department of education officials.

This is a direct result of the influence of Sadtu and the apathy and lack of work ethics in education today, especially in rural and township schools.

We had high expectations recently to see a huge advert sourcing experienced and successful past principals to mentor weak schools, but this too was simply to gain votes before the elections. More empty promises and the dismal education continues.

Until there are mentors to guide and report directly to the EC department of education, nothing will change.

There are still thousands of schools without basic resources as there is no desire or capacity to spend the resources wisely, as most is used to pay salaries of ineffective and inefficient officials. — Hilton Williams economic development (LED) desk of the municipality, at least in our smaller ones. The question is, how?

Digital access nowadays is a critical delivery point in the betterment of the lives of the people. It stands to reason that, for an LED desk to claim efficiency in delivery, ensuring digital access for their communities should be on its priority list.

This will translate to access to myriad life-improving aspects: education enhancing access; free online applications to institutions of higher learning; access to free courses for alternative personalised learning sponsored by global known institutions; self-teaching and lifelong learning for everyone through access to free courses from a number of sponsored global platforms; access to alternative virtual teaching; access to employment opportunities (jobs, learnership, internships and consequently ease of applying for these); education-enhancing information for both teachers and learners (such as open teaching and learning resources) – the list is endless.

I am in Cathcart, a small community that is battling economically and otherwise. This town is under the Amahlathi Municipality. Life is stagnant for almost everyone here: no job opportunities, no further education opportunities, and many more!

There is no public internet access outlet in town, not a single one. However, the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture has equipped public libraries with a couple of desktop computers and Wi-Fi connection that is still “inaccessible” to the intended users. At present, the cost of accessing internet in the library is R8.60 for 15 minutes and R35 an hour, whereas, at all the profit-making public internet outlets in Queenstown, the charge is R10 an hour, and these still make a profit.

As an illustration, the Cathcart community does extended business in Queenstown. We pay R60 return fare. I often go to Queenstown for business and also access internet for, say, about five hours for R50. So R60 + R50 = R110, yet if I would sit for five hours in the public library in Cathcart, I would cough up R35 by 5 (hours) = R175. Still, there is a lot of savings in paying transport to Queenstown.

Affordable internet access will benefit all in a number of ways. LED desks should be vocal on these, through exerting influence in Integrated Development Plans and consequently municipality budget processes, as in the end credit goes to them when lives improve in communities.

Perhaps these are decided in our councils out of limited scope of their potential impact (internet access), hence the necessity of collaborative efforts from other departments that have interest in improved service delivery, probably Basic Education, Economic Development, Communications! — Nomahlubi Mabizela, Cathcart IT is very difficult to gauge the strength of schoolboy rugby in South Africa, no matter what websites one looks at or what anyone’s knowledge of the game is.

The one common fact over the last 10 or more years is that the top sides are more or less consistently there as leaders of the pack. By that I mean Grey Bloem, Affies, Paarl Boys, Paarl Gym, Paul Roos etc.

Then comes the next category of schools such as Grey High, Selborne, Dale, Queen’s, Bishops, Monument, Oakdale, Boland Landbou, Garsfontein/ KES, who all have outstanding sides every now and again.

At this stage, schoolboy rugby is in good hands. The years 2017-2019 could just be the Selborne College years with their present squad and very promising U15 and U16 players coming through.

We need one of our East Cape schools to be constantly up in the top five and leaders of the pack. Selborne College have been building for a number of years and are very privileged to be in this position and it’s absolute hats off to Dale College, who did so well this year against all odds.

My understanding is that Queen’s will also be a force to be reckoned with next year – so it’s thumbs up guys for Border schools next year and I think the big boys might just be in for a rude awakening. — Clive Muller, Hamburg IT has been wonderful to see so many nations competing peacefully at the Olympics. The younger generation, who have very fit bodies and have trained skilfully, won medals for their countries. There was patriotism but no racialism. Training in sport, rather than for war, is what the world needs. So much affection was shown and no hatred was seen. We must pray for world peace. Then people can live happily in their own countries. — Patricia, via e-mail excuse to cover up for those who misled the movement, hence we find ourselves in this humiliating situation.

To expect me not to raise issues that concern me as a member is an act of censorship. To engage, I must be able to utilise any medium that can reach fellow comrades, because at branches we are not allowed to debate positions openly. Delegates go to conferences and general councils without members making an input, while conference resolution documents gather dust at regional offices and Calata House.

Instead of threatening to deal with members like me, provincial leaders must take collective responsibility for rebuilding the organisation from the branches, guiding them into becoming political branches, not voting fodder. — Xola Tob, Mdantsane