Education system dumbs down the citizenry

Old-fashioned teaching by welltrained teachers in disciplined schools is the answer, writes John

It is a well-known fact our education system is not only dismal, but dysfunctional as well, except for most private schools and a few of the former Model C schools. The education departments in all provinces, plus the general public, know what the problems are. These have been expounded by all and sundry time and time again, yet these departments, as well as national education, with all their meetings, think tanks, advisory boards etc, still don’t know how to fi x it.

They, just as our universities, are more obsessed with transformation, white supremacy, racism, removing of statues, changing of names etc, than the real problems facing education.

Higher education thinks it’s marvellous when six of our universities are ranked from 120 upwards to 600 out of 800 universities. Shocking! When one of our universities is ranked in the Top 20 we can celebrate.

That is never going to happen if primary and high school education is a disaster. Modern technology, such as computers and tablets, are not the answer. They don’t alter results in any way.

Good old-fashioned teaching by well-trained teachers, well-run and disciplined schools, with constant inspections as a vital part of the set-up, is the answer.

No interference by unions is an absolute prerequisite for good education. President Jacob Zuma says we need clever citizens for the future. That is not going to happen with the present state of affairs.