Geagte voorsitter en minister,
Minister, last year I started off to say that every year feels like Déjà Vu and it seems it is the case again. The more time changes, the more things stay the same, except that I may add that the entropy of the basic education system is increasing. In other words, things are falling apart but at a greater speed. When we notice these trends, it is with great trepidation for the future of the children of this country.
Dit is baie hartseer dat basiese onderwys eenvoudig net nie behoorlike begronding kan kry nie. Ten spyte van die dramatiese hoeveelheid van die jaarlikse begroting wat gespandeer word, is daar steeds nie vordering nie. Inteendeel, daar word eerder gekyk hoe die slaagsyfer nog laer aangepas kan word en daar word gekyk na die uitfasering van wiskunde en wetenskap bloot om die slaagsyfer beter te laat lyk. Die gevolg is dat leerlinge eenvoudig deur die stelsel gefaal word en nie gereed uit die skool gaan om verder te studeer op tersiere vlak of die moderniserende ekonomie direk kan betree nie. Ek moet eerlik wees. Hierdie situasie herinner ‘n mens aan die HIV-skandaal waar die regering ontken het dat hulle hoef in te gryp in die ontvouende tragedie. Die verskil is egter dat dié tragedie ‘n lang uitgerekte ekonomiese siekte skep wat die bevolking in armoede gaan hou.
The problems of this Department do not relate only to the curriculum and low pass rate to ensure higher pass outcomes of unemployable learners, but also to the current trend not to build schools and the concomitant pressures applied on existing schools. So, learners are forced into a system that provides inadequate infrastructure and allows the opportunity for race-baiters, like MEC Lesufi, to ensure that communities clash with each other about access to basic education. His mismanagement has ensured that regular clashes between Black and White, and Black and Coloured take place based on access. It has also ensured that the press referred to the Overvaal High School incident as “Lesufi’s War”. I have to ask, what type of MEC wages war on innocent school communities?
This has to end by building more school infrastructure that ensures mother tongue education is implemented which in turn will ensure that mathematics and science education become world standard.
Minister, die vierde industriele rewolusie is besig om die wêreld van werk drasties te verander. Diegene wat nie behoorlike skoolonderrig ontvang in wiskunde en wetenskap nie, gaan in armoede agterbly. Die voorvereiste daarvoor is moedertaalonderrig in die basisfase. Meeste leerlinge wat matrikuleer moet in die moderne ekonomie kan meeding, want die ongeskoolde arbeidsmark gaan al hoe meer krimp soos werkers deur masjiene en robotte vervang word.
Daarom as ons praat van moedertaalonderrig gaan dit oor die versekering van ons kinders se toekoms. Dis nie bloot net politieke praatjies nie.
Dankie Voorsitter
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