MEC Barbara Creecy
Mayor Amos Masondo
Reverend Gift Moerane
Ms Sibongile Nthinyane
Mr Aubrey Mokoena
Black Management Forum representatives
Organised Labour representatives
Ladies and gentlemen
It is thirty five years since the watershed incident of student uprising took place in Soweto. The world over fondly associate Soweto with the history-making incident which saw the formidable revolutionary forces launch an onslaught on the barbaric and dehumanising system of BantuEducation. Led by the highly conscientised and disciplined force of young students, the onslaught delivered a telling blow on the entire system of apartheid and racial segregation. It reminded the apartheid regime that South Africans were no longer prepared to remain docile and submissive. It sent a very loud and clear message that the days of living under the yoke of oppression and undemocratic rule were numbered. Indeed, the Soweto uprising heralded the beginning of the new socio-political order in our country. This new order became a reality after much blood was spilt, thousands incarcerated and multitudes exiled. Consequently the democracy we so much enjoy and cherish today is the product of the selflessness and sacrificed made by our people who were determined to build a society and country free of prejudice, injustice and oppression.
Therefore, their sacrifices and efforts cannot be in vain. We cannot fail that generation of heroes and heroines. We cannot stand on sidelines and watch the rot creep in and devour our centres of learning particularly in Soweto.
Programme director, please allow me to say that today we are gathered here not to pat each other on the back nor offer each other false smiles and gratitude. We are here because we have all agreed that there is a crisis affecting our schools and schooling in Soweto. We are here because of the challenges – either by default or design – facing our learners and learning. And we have also sacrificed our Saturday in which we could be doing other things to be here to discuss the problems besetting our teachers and teaching in this historic township of ours.
This summit is a result of several consultation sessions with various stakeholders who are profoundly concerned about the state of education in Soweto.
We are not here to point fingers at anyone, but here to pursue common solutions to what we have all identified as a common albatross around our neck. The truth of the matter is that education in Soweto has been compromised and is in a state of decline because of the pursuit of selfish interests by scholars, teachers and parents, which are not in sync with the objectives of promoting the education of an African child.
Above all, teachers seemed to have lost the sense of duty that is bestowed upon them by this noble profession.
One of the eminent American thinkers of the 19th century, Henry Adams once said: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops."
If you read reports about a teacher who sets a bad example in their conduct to the learners, it saddens ones heart especially when you consider the counsel given to us by the eminent American thinker, Mr Adams. Adams makes us understand that whatever a teacher impresses to the learners – be it formal education, wisdom or conduct – has the potential to shape the person and citizen that the child becomes.
The rapid decrease of learning performance in Soweto is one of the red flags that have prompted us to convene here today and take action. The culture of poor learning in which learners and teachers are not adhering to the 7 hour learning days cannot go unchallenged.
We have ironically gathered a few months after the University of Johannesburg took a bold step to increase the capacity of the Soweto Campus by building world class academic and sporting facilities. If this situation is allowed to deteriorate we might end up having these state-of-the-art facilities standing empty.
While we acknowledge that some of the reasons for the poor outcomes, attendance and concentration spans of our learners are directly linked to the socio-economic status they face but it doesn’t give anyone a licence to create chaos and cause havoc in our education system. In our attempt as government to address this pathological situation, we committed ourselves to place education as priority number one in this country and Gauteng.
We have demonstrated our determination of providing tangible support through various schemes such as teacher training and School Nutrition Programme.
In a democracy such as ours, every citizen enjoys certain constitutional rights accompanied by responsibilities. Unfortunately, what we have witnessed in our democratic state is the abuse of rights and the downplaying of the responsibilities which slowly erodes moral values that bind us as members of the community.
While we respect the freedom for every government employee, including teachers, to take part in labour union activities, but we are quite worried about the manner in which some of our teachers have been abusing that freedom. Illegal industrial actions cannot be encouraged or even tolerated within our education system. It is incumbent upon all our educators to take responsibility for their actions and bear in mind that by engaging in such acts, they are not only violating their employment conditions but risking the opportunity and possibility of affording an African child quality education - one of the most fundamental rights we have as enshrined in our Constitution.
As government, we are in support of and encourage high levels of managerial performance in our schools. What we are against however, are situations in which management meetings are taking place at periods that are at odds with learning times.
It has also been noted with shock and extreme concern that some of our learners have not been behaving as well as they should be. The blame cannot only be apportioned on teachers for the downward spiral of our education system in Soweto.
Reports of drunk pupils, late coming, bullying, high level of absenteeism and even the assault of teachers by learners is extremely against the learning culture that we would like to inculcate. Learners should go to school to learn so that they can be better parents and citizens of tomorrow. It is not up to learners to take drastic actions in situations where they feel teachers are not doing what they are supposed to be doing or ill-treating them. There are proper channels for learners to register and address their concerns. Otherwise, then there is no point to have Learner Representative Councils, School Governing Bodies and Principals at our schools. These governing structures should be respected.
The unbecoming behaviour of our learners which is slowly becoming a norm in Soweto cannot be curbed if parents are not taking their role in the education of an African child seriously. Most of the parents are guilty of abdicating their responsibilities and expecting the teachers to mould and shape the young on their own.
The commitment we show in running the stokvels and the merry-making kitchen parties, should be the same dedication we display to participate in the affairs of our schools.
It is about time that parents take their parenting responsibilities serious and make sure that they meet the teachers half way. We must actively participate in every way in the formal education of our children. Parents must realise the benefits of increasing their own intellectual bank accounts by assisting with the school work of their own children.
Programme director,
Whilst we celebrated the outstanding achievement by the Grade 12 matriculants who made Gauteng the number one province with a 78 percent pass rate last year, this status quo may not remain the same if we do not stop the rot now.
In summary, the challenges encountered in our education in Soweto which this summit must consider can be stated as follows:-
- Majority of schools in Soweto are dysfunctional and the learner performance is below the expected levels
- Schooling is disrupted by illegal strikes and meetings held during school hours
- Low levels of discipline from both educators and learners. This includes –late coming, leaving early, absenteeism, drunkenness, poor performance, embezzlement of funds, use of corporal punishment, drug and alcohol abuse, physical assault on educators and fellow learners, and gambling.
- The recent searches and seizures in some of the Soweto schools have revealed dangerous weapons carried by learners to schools.
- The carrying of dangerous weapons threatens stability and functionality of schools, and has high potential to put the lives of other learners and educators at risk.
- The learner enrolment in Soweto schools has declined and in contrast learner migration out of Soweto is on the increase
- Low levels of parental involvement in educational matters.
- Ineffective School Management Teams and School Governing Bodies
- Low levels of planning and accountability
These challenges have impacted directly or indirectly on the decline of learner performance in Soweto schools. Failure to construct a decisive action plan may lead to further deterioration of the situation and unfortunately the African child will be the victim. The African child cannot suffer in perpetuity.
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is within our power to change the course of events that will derail the education train. It is within us to muster the will to save our education not only for the benefit of the current generation but also for posterity.
Dankie, Ngiyabonga.
God Bless Africa.
Source: Gauteng Provincial Government
