Quality education for all shapes democracies
FREEDOM Day signified the end of more than 300 years of colonialism, segregation and white minority rule. A new democratic government elected by the people, for the people was established.
In attempts to overcome an unjust past, our nation has readily embraced the meritocratic beliefs of equal opportunity, human rights and inclusion. This is evident in our laws, policies and actions.
Twenty-eight years later, however, our country is still being eroded by egregious inequality.
As we mourn the loss of life and tally the cost of the destruction left in the wake of the catastrophic KwaZulu-Natal floods, we become even more aware of this inequality.
More than 600 already resource-constrained schools serving marginalised communities have been damaged, while an existing basic housing crisis has been exposed.
With each passing year in post-apartheid recovery, it becomes ever more apparent that universal suffrage is merely the tip of the democracy iceberg. We ought to expect and strive towards more in the name of our hard-won democracy and these efforts must begin with quality education for every child.
And, for economic growth to occur, quality education is indispensable.
In South Africa, education experts have identified six critical areas we need to focus on to improve the quality of education our children receive.
Among these are infrastructure development, teacher development and the oft-overlooked leadership development of principals.
Historically, South Africa, much like its counterparts on the African continent, devotes significant resources to education infrastructure. But this alone is not enough to create lasting change in this vital sector.
There is consensus among education experts that school principal leadership, after teacher quality, is pivotal to the provision of quality education in schools.
Yet school principals serving marginalised communities in South Africa face overwhelming leadership challenges, including inadequate school infrastructure, under-qualified and demoralised teachers, and learners who are often hungry and ill, do not have proper clothing and lack parental support.
Under-capacitated principals get a raw deal: they find themselves overburdened, disillusioned, isolated and dispirited.
They often possess the passion and energy to improve their schools but have not been empowered for that task.
If we are to achieve the democracy that we all dream of, we must urgently turn our attention to school principals so that they are equipped with the tools and skills they need to succeed in such a way that enables the next generation to succeed.
During the infancy of our nation’s newfound freedom, Zanele Mthembu, a South African broadcasting, television and film production specialist, issued a clarion call for government and citizens to join forces to “make this democracy work for us.”
She used the Zulu phrase Izandla
ziyagezana, which literally translates to “one hand washes another”.
“Government is one hand, and ordinary citizens the other hand.” Mthembu said, and “… we need both hands to wash away the legacy of apartheid so that we can sit with clean hands at the table of democracy, and enjoy the fruits of our labour.
“We need a reconstruction of the people’s mindsets, and this can only be done through education. The better educated our nation, the better our future is going to be.”
This analogy should illuminate our way forward, especially now, as we begin to heal from the most recent tragedy that has befallen us.
We have an opportunity to revive the spirit of this message by working together to build #TheFutureWeWant as our Constitution envisions: a democracy that acknowledges its very dependence on quality education for all.
The floods in KZN have dealt a severe blow to our efforts at building a democracy underpinned by quality education for all.