The announcement of the members of the new National Education and Training Council by the Minister of Basic Education, Ms Siviwe Gwarube, is an important step towards restoring faith in South African education. This is not only significant for public schools, but also for everyone engaged in education in South Africa. All South African learners receive the same National Senior Certificate, regardless of the examination body.
Our educational system has been in a state of crisis management ever since Professor Sibusiso Bengu hastily implemented outcomes-based education shortly after 1994. Efforts to provide equal education to all have repeatedly resulted in fundamental changes being made without proper prior consultation.
A sense of stability was restored when former Minister Angie Motshekga implemented the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) in 2012. These provided clearer content guidelines and facilitated teaching.
However, some of the most significant shortcomings in the approach to education have persisted. These include overloading teachers with administrative tasks and the poor pass rate. Not to mention the shortcomings related to executive incompetence, such as inadequate infrastructure and a building programme that fails to keep up with population growth and demographic shifts.
Despite these shortcomings, an overhasty reform programme implemented by a minister eager to sweep clean like a new broom is the last thing education needs right now. This kind of approach creates two problems for every one it solves.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) is not hopeful that South African education will break free from its current ideological foundation; which includes the centralisation of education as enshrined in the BELA Act and a version of so-called “nation-building” that disregards cultural identity.
Nevertheless, the Freedom Front Plus is cautiously optimistic that the Council will make a positive contribution.
