What was a chore is now a learning life raft

Apropos the letter by professor Alethea de Villiers, “Middle-class solutions miss the reality for our students” (April 5), it is not clear what “old-fashioned approach” she advocates for those university students disadvantaged by the lack of access to the internet, possibly because her letter was shortened.

As I was going into retirement, the notion of “blended learning” came into vogue. To me this fanciful term implied a combination of the written word with the latest technologies available.

One old-fashioned approach that complements blended learning is the production of comprehensive study guides, as distinct from a mere course outline. For decades — and in one instance for over a century — distance education providers in SA have relied on the written mode to teach students, both the advantaged and those disadvantaged by circumstances.

During my tenure as full professor at one residential university, it was mandated by management that we produce study guides (SGs). I was one of many who resisted writing SGs because we felt that we were not a distance-teaching institution.

Finally, we buckled down to the task and complied with management. The other day I phoned a former colleague at this institution and asked if the SGs we compiled were useful during times of student unrest and our present crisis occasioned by Covid-19.

His positive response convinced me that SGs are the answer to the times we live in, not only for distance-learning institutions but for all universities.

To repeat, these are not course outlines, but cover tasks or assignments and assessment guides.

Harry Sewlall, Parkmore, Johannesburg

A new economic consensus

In “The Left must save SA from surrendering autonomy to the IMF” (April 5), Imraan Buccus writes: “The Zuma years left us with … an entrenched economic crisis. Finding our way out of the profound mess left by his kleptocracy was never going to be easy. But now that our own national crisis has intersected with the global crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic, everything has changed.”

Buccus seems to distance the Left in the ANC-led alliance from the governing party under Jacob Zuma. But it was an integral part and it is disingenuous to speak of a Left project in the context of years that seriously weakened state capacity and entrenched an economic crisis.

It is ludicrous to believe there are Left forces in the ANC-led alliance to stop SA knocking at the door of the International Monetary Fund, cap in hand.

Post Covid-19 presents SA with a window of opportunity to seek a new consensus outside a neoliberal paradigm. We have nothing to fear from our sovereign junk status. What’s required are fundamental economic reforms that will place people at the centre of economic transformation. Central to the reforms are a state bank, a basic income grant and strategic equity partners in the energy sector. SA needs a new consensus post state capture and post Covid-19.

Mzukisi Gaba, Cape Town

Singapore and state capture

S’thembiso Msomi, I read “This health crisis offers Ramaphosa and the country a Singapore moment to revitalise an ailing economy” (April 5). I also read Lee Kuan Yew’s book a few years ago about his challenges in turning Singapore around. I agree with you; our continent has wasted decades in complacency and conflict.

I went to Singapore several times for work and could not help but be impressed with the efficiency, cleanliness and feeling of safety whenever I walked around, no matter what time of day or location it was.

You mentioned Lee, his team and their dictatorial tendencies. My observation was if you obeyed the law in Singapore, you had absolutely nothing to worry about.

My big gripe with your piece, though, is that you forgot to mention the corruption that is endemic in Africa. Much has been written about state capture in SA and who has been responsible. Surely there must be an element of truth to what has been written, but none of the usual suspects are in jail, and now that our eye has been taken off the ball with the corona crisis, that doesn’t look like it’s going to happen any time soon.

Tod Burns, Summerstrand

Our rights go up in smoke

Cigarettes not “essential” during lockdown, says the government?

Whoever gave the government the power to decide for the 11-million smoking voters that cigarettes are no longer essential for them? Certainly not the public, nor the constitution. This type of bullying reminds me of the National

Party’s approach to people’s rights during the apartheid years.

There must be a protest from the smoking public, or this unilateral decisionmaking on the part of the government will lead us down the road to totalitarianism.

We have quite a bit of corruption already and the government must be kept accountable to the citizens of this democracy, or we must acknowledge that the constitution is not worth the paper it is written on.

Piers Steenekamp, Port Alfred

Play ball, sportspersons

It’s a disgrace that mainly overpaid professional sportsmen and sportswomen can’t forfeit their salaries for a while for the benefit of their societies.

Don’t they know themselves that without their supporters, fans and spectators they would not have their existence?

E Piepke, Milnerton

Write to PO Box 1742, Saxonwold 2132; SMS 33662; e-mail: tellus@sundaytimes.co.za; Fax: 011 280 5150 All mail should be accompanied by a street address and daytime telephone number. The Editor reserves the right to cut letters