The release of the results of the class of 2024 provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our pupils, while also reflecting on the disparities that plague our education system.
In rural and under-resourced areas, pupils face uphill battles. Yet, these pupils are expected to sit for the same matric exams as their peers in well-resourced schools and we share the results as if both are equal.
I read an article recently, “250 pupils fail maths because they don’t have a maths teacher”. Not only that, but they were lacking a principal and a deputy principal.
The department of education is accountable for appointing suitably qualified educators and providing necessary resources and support. This includes professional development and training on teaching strategies.
Another pressing issue is the widening digital divide. Many urban schools have shifted from textbooks to fully digital learning environments. Yet 80% of SA schools, primarily in rural and township areas, lack even basic technological infrastructure. In some cases, there are two or three textbooks between 30 pupils.
I once observed a student teacher who had to improvise in a school that had no chalkboard. She used a large poster, turned it over and transformed the back into a makeshift blackboard. Her innovation and resourcefulness highlight the dire circumstances many teachers face daily.
As educators, we have our own role to play in addressing disparities.
At Nelson Mandela University, we emphasise humanising pedagogy principles and prepare our future educators to teach in diverse contexts, with a strong focus on understanding their pupils’ lived realities. We expose our student teachers to both well-resourced and under-resourced schools.
Comprehensive practical training is crucial to help student teachers to adapt to the real-world challenges. Whether it’s teaching without access to technology or working in multi-lingual environments, educational institutions need to prepare students to think critically and creatively, drawing on community resources.
A commitment to inclusive education is another cornerstone. It is important to teach student teachers how to identify and address learning barriers; and to understand that no two pupils are the same. This understanding helps them create an equitable learning environment.
It is also imperative that for our multi-lingual country, we ensure that our future educators are equipped to teach in diverse linguistic settings, as SA moves towards embracing mother tongue teaching.
Let the announcement of the matric results not be a once off event, but let us use this period to reflect on the systemic changes needed and may this reflection lead to action.
A great teacher uses education as a tool for transformation. But for education to be the transformative force we all believe it can be; we must recommit ourselves to eradicating inequality in schools.
Only then can we truly say we are on the path toward a liberated and just society.
