Lessons unlearned from ’76

Those who were “celebrating” the 40th anniversary of the June 16 1976 uprising conveniently avoided talking about the multiple causes of that event and focused on only one: the use of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction.

Some of the other causes were the lack of facilities such as libraries in township schools, a lack of teachers and the curriculum that was offered at those schools.

These problems are even worse today. The language of teaching and learning is English, which is not an African language. The shortage of teachers is still there. Dilapidated mud structures are still there and they are called schools.

Some schools have scholar transport and others do not. The current government needs court orders for it to build a school for black children.

The children of the elite are enrolling in schools that have the best facilities. They receive the best education. They stand the best chance of occupying the best positions in society. This perpetuates a cycle of poverty, unemployment and other social ills that are a result of the failure of the society to provide education for its children. Let us wake up before it is too late. — ■ It has been 40 years since the gallant fight by the students of our country. But some people are obsessed with comparing today’s youth with those of 1976, and condemn them for “failing” to emulate the youth of that time.

On the contrary, there is immense potential in our youngsters. If the so-called independent experts could take the time out of their busy schedules and travel along all the Rea Vaya routes from Johannesburg to Soweto, they would see the many youngsters gathered in groups, focused on their smartphones, tablets and laptops.

The future is already in their hands. All that’s needed is a lit- tle guidance for them to see that, through free internet access, they can find and create jobs.

Some youngsters have come under so much pressure to emulate the youth of 1976 that they have engaged in violent protests, burning schools, thinking this is what their heroes would like to see them do.

They have been misled, and in the process have not realised that in a democratic South Africa they have no business carrying Molotov cocktails and burning down everything their parents helped to build.

The youth of 1976 did not spring from a vacuum. They were a product of guidance and encouragement from older revolutionaries.

Thus, the role of elders today is not to keep painting a gloomy picture. Show the youth that the future is already in their hands, and they will do the county proud. Stop condemning them for “failing” to emulate the youth of 1976 and guide them accordingly. They deserve that. —