Be grateful you have a school...

On Friday evening, at the Sans Souci FACETS prize giving, the MEC for Education, Mr Cameron Dugmore, spoke about problems facing South African schools. In his 30 minute speech, he outlined problems of race relations, lack of funding and violence. Although his speech was largely irrelevant at a function which aim was to celebrate the cultural achievements made by hundreds of students and was directed at an audience that really just wanted to go home, he did have a point.

What he was trying to discuss was the growing amount of real problems facing South African schools. A very important issue which needs to be resolved.

South African school children are apparently not becoming more tolerant and integrated as many studies would want us to believe. Instead, it is apparent that violence amongst students is actually worsening. One study claims that 33.5% of injuries recorded in Western Cape schools were intentional. What this means is that the learners involved made a choice to harm another learner and succeeded.

Firstly, there is the racial issue, which Cameron did try to explain. One researcher feels that the “root cause of playground assault is the almost universal and deep-seated South African belief in stereotyping”. I would agree that South Africa’s social history does contain the notion that it is okay for individuals to be stereotyped, especially when it comes to race. However, a problem occurs as it creates divisions amongst learners and opens them to ideas of superiority and inferiority and this, often forms the justification for school-based violence. Now, if we have a generation of kids that thinks it is okay to inflict harm if they feel superior, then we have a big probem. What’s worse is that many innocent learners become victims of such unfair stigmatization.

Then, there is the problem of violence. Many disadvantaged schools experience major violence, which we couldn’t even imagine happening at WGHS. Certain schools in the Western Cape have to face threats from gangs who use schools as a thoroughfare to settle squabbles. Many gangs also threaten the lives of students and teachers. Robberies are a regular occurance, with teachers and learners never knowing if their personal items are safe. Drugs and alcohol peddling are a regular aspect of school life for many learners. Vandalism includes attacks on school learning equipment and gang-related messages in graffiti make up most the wall decoration. In essence, several schools have become centres of violence in communities. However, contrary to popular belief school violence is not limited to “township” schools, which are historically disadvantaged. School violence is not a product of poverty, but a product of circumstances. Namely, the value systems of learners and the school’s policies regarding conduct.

A lack of funds also poses a very real problem. The fact is, that poor schools do not have the resources that richer schools do. They can’t monitor school grounds or employ professional counselors to assist learners undergoing trauma. Furthermore, it is very difficult to raise funds for equipment when the vast majority of parents simply are not in a financial position to assist. It should also be noted that there is no point in acquiring new learning materials if there is a real risk of them being stolen or broken.

These problems really halt the learning process and alter schools from happy, safe environments to chaotic, violent ones. Imagine, going to school each day simply not knowing whether you’ll be able to learn. Wondering whether your teacher will have chalk to write with, whether a gang will invade, whether a fellow learner will harm you or whether you will actually make it home alive…

It really does make our problems seem miniscule, doesn’t it? What a luxury it must seem to have an RCL that listens to our suggestions and tries to help. A privilege to have so many cultural and sport activities to choose from. A gift to have desks, chairs, boards and grass. What a rarity a normal day actually is.

We complain daily about having too much work, too many responsibilities and not being allowed to do certain things. When the majority of learners in the Western Cape would sacrifice an arm to have the school life which we take for granted. So, next time you want to complain about something, remember how lucky you are to have a school.