Lack of language skills hurt pupils

I AM an educator in a school in Phoenix. We have about 40% black pupils who pay a great deal for transport or walk long distances to our school because they want to come to an English-medium school.

Language is an important aspect to consider when enrolling pupils in a school.those enrolled at the foundation phase, especially Grade 1, adapt much easier as they are taught in English from the start of formal schooling.

When older pupils come from schools where they were taught in Isizulu, they battle to cope as they now have to learn all subjects in English. To compound this problem, our first additional language is Afrikaans and the older pupil has no Afrikaans background.

Imagine this pupil learning science, maths and technology in English and having to catch up with Afrikaans from Grade 1.

We have to refuse admission to such pupils because we know admitting them will only do harm. Parents need to understand this. LOGIE NAIDOO

Phoenix

Treatment of black Jews reveals racism

CRITICISM of Israel and the Israel lobby is not anti-semitism and everyone knows it.

Israel has taken a hard line against its undocumented African immigrants, many of whom came there seeking freedom from oppression or better work.

But upon arrival in the ostensibly democratic country, the migrants have faced intense persecution and have been branded “infiltrators” by rightwing politicians and activists.

Israel has a black African population that it desperately wants to expel or ignore. There are about 4 000 asylum-seekers in Israel, mostly from Eritrea and Sudan. They face institutionalised racism from the government, judiciary, army and public.

Ethnic and religious minorities are uniformly oppressed, from Palestinian Muslims and Christians to African migrants. The inequality is well-documented. However, it is the treatment of black Jews that reveals most about the racism.

Israel says their crime is illegally crossing the border and that they are a threat to the security of the state. However, their real “crime” is that they are not Jewish and that they are black.

RUGEN PILLAY Durban North Cancer patient deprived of dignity

“I WAS told to go home and die” was the headline in the Sunday Tribune Herald. Today is a very sad day; I am ashamed.

A wise friend told me that in times of crisis, the best and worst of people are revealed. This has shown to be true during a real crisis. Hoosen Mahomed was refused treatment when he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He was told by a doctor he was old and going to die.

As human beings we consider ourselves the most intelligent life form on Earth, yet the behaviour of some doctors and nurses belies this notion. It is the skill of doctors and nurses that establishes the foundation of an excellent health service.

Our community seems unable to react when we hear of such abuse. I won’t betray my conscience by being quiet on what matters most with regard to the respect and dignity of patients.

The Department of Health must take stern action against doctors who show disrespect to patients.

DHAYALAN MOODLEY Mobeni Heights