Die ou refrein wat al ‘n cliché geword het, naamlik: “Dit is apartheid se skuld”, het vir die Zoeloe koning ‘n bietjie dik vir ‘n daalder geword! Hy het skoolhoofde toegespreek oor die toestand in die onderwys na ‘n verslag daarop gedui het dat Suid Afrika weereens feitlik die swakste in Afrika presteer het.

Nommer 75 uit 76 lande is vir hom onaanvaarbaar! Volgens Zwelithini is die tyd nou verby, (na 23 jaar), om apartheid die skuld te gee vir die volgehoue swak prestasie in die onderwys. Daar moet eerder gekyk word na die verkoop van onderwysposte, unies se bemoeienis, drank en dwelmmisbruik, ligging van drinkhole naby skole en die gebrek aan toewyding van onderwysers, het hy hulle mee geraps.

Selfs na hierdie nugtere oomblik kon hy dit egter nie nalaat om darem sommige probleme uit die apartheidsera as oorsaak te noem nie. Om daarvoor te vergoed het hy opgemerk dat die toestand van sommige skole nie eers in jou verbeelding bedink sou kon word in die tyd onder apartheid nie.

Zwelithini en sommige onderwysamptenare se voorstelle om die slaagsyfer te verhoog, hou nie tred met die swak prestasie van die Suid Afrikaanse onderwys in vergelyking met selfs die swakste lande in die wêreld nie. AL sou hulle ‘n 100% slaagsyfer behaal, verander dit niks aan die kind se vermoë wat deur ‘n ontoereikende silabus geskool is nie.

Hoe gouer die Afrikanerkind uit die staatskool gehaal word, hoe beter sal hulle toegerus kan word vir die volwasse lewe. Dit was President Kruger wat aan onderwysers gesê het dat as hulle nie ook instaat is om ‘n kind tot belydenis van geloof te bring nie, van so ‘n kind wat bloot akademies onderrig is, gesê sal kan word: “Hoe groter gees, hoe groter beest!”

Terwyl onderwys feitlik totaal ontdaan is van Godsdiensonderrig, is die effek daarvan ook reeds oral sigbaar, ‘n Britsopgeleide minister van onderwys ten spyt!

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DON'T BLAME APARTHEID, SAYS KING ZWELITHINI

KwaZulu-Natal / 23 August 2017, 06:29am / Bheki Mbanjwa

Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini File picture: Siyasanga Mbambani

Durban - King Goodwill Zwelithini has decried the poor quality of education in South Africa, saying it is unacceptable that the country ranks even lower than some of the poorest nations on the continent.

The interference by unions, selling of teacher and principal posts, alcohol, drugs, the proximity of taverns to schools and the lack of dedicated teachers were to blame for the current state of education, he said.

Addressing a gathering of high school principals in Ulundi on Tuesday, the king said the time for blaming apartheid is over.

He cited a study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development which showed that South Africa was ranked 75 out of 76 countries.

“While some of these problems could be attributed to the lack of resources during apartheid, we cannot run away from taking responsibility as parents and teachers and you as principals.”

He said some of the schools were in a state that was “never even imagined during apartheid”.

He called on teachers to prioritise education by being dedicated to their children.

“There is a danger when some hold us at ransom when things don’t go their way.

“Those who do so mean they are more important than educating our children,” he said in reference to unions in the education sector.

He lambasted the alleged selling of posts in the Education Department, saying it had impacted negatively on the calibre of teachers that are in the system.

“We should also ask ourselves if we are not the ones who are a problem.

“Most of our problems are created by us, but sometimes we may not be aware.”

The king also accused some teachers of “lacking discipline”.

“In some areas the word teacher has become synonymous with drunkard. The profession is in danger of losing its integrity because there are many who enter the profession because they are seeking employment.

“Teaching is not a place to hide, it is a calling.”

While the department has set a 76% matric pass rate target this year, the king challenged the officials and principals to aim for 80% and above.

“I do not see why you should not aim for 80% this year so that next year, when I celebrate my 70th birthday, you can give me 100%,” he said, to much applause.

KwaZulu-Natal Education MEC Mthandeni Dlungwane said the province would do all in its power to increase its pass rate from the 66% achieved last year to 76% this year. This would also affect the national picture as the province accounts for 23% of matric pupils who are expected to do well this year.

“There are more than 154000 pupils for the province this year. Therefore, if we decline as KZN, nationally there will be a decline.

“As we are going to increase this year, it means that the country will increase,” Dlungwane said.

Stressing the importance of getting the pass rate right in KwaZulu-Natal, Dlungwane said the uMlazi district has registered more pupils than the Free State and Northern Cape provinces combined.

“That shows the magnitude and the level of which the administration in the province is so huge and also puts a serious responsibility on all of us to ensure that we perform.”

However, while the province says it is edging closer to its target for the year, an analysis of results shows that the progressed learners are struggling in subjects such as maths, accounting and agriculture.

In all but one of the 12 education districts in KZN, the progressed pupils scored below 15% in maths.

Only the uMlazi district scored a promising 42% average.

“We have a responsibility to support progressed learners,” said Dr Barney Mthembu, the director of examinations at the department.

Progressed pupils are those who are promoted to matric despite failing twice in the further education and training phase (Grades 10 to 12).

The Mercury