Parents identify challenges in education

Alex parents have identified what they think is hampering education in the township.

At a recent meeting with government officials, councillors and school governing bodies, the parents urged for less talking and more action to resolve the challenges which they said impeded their children’s education.

Milton Buthelezi, of the Association of National School Governing Bodies, said there was no biological factor inhibiting black African children from possessing an equal intellectual capacity as their white counterparts who passed impressively at their schools.

“Better social conditions, resources and support make the white child excel and obtain 100 percent pass marks using a similar curriculum, and the same conditions should be availed to the African child,” he said.

He deplored celebrating pass marks less than 100 percent in matric and asked political organisations to set aside their differences to help improve local education.

Thabang Lidira, a local youth attributed the lack of quality passes in the lower grades to teachers who don’t pay attention to individual children’s challenges due to a large student-teacher ratio. “Parents should take this seriously and motivate for more schools and libraries, and encourage education support programmes like the Secondary Schools Improvement Programme, and compensate tutors to conduct weekend tutorials.”

Parent Thembi Skhosana complained that some religious activities were held in school classrooms. “They burn incense and worship idols in their weekend devotions which cause children to faint or get possessed by spirits left in the classrooms.” She added that the education department should include technical skills training in the curriculum to carter for the less academically inclined children.

Another Phil Mashile and Steve Thamaga, member of the Community Police Forum called for improvement in school assets, infrastructure development and security. “Teachers are forced to cope with overcrowded classes, poorly maintained infrastructure and learning items, and with burglaries and theft. Residents should stop the criminals who they know and prevent the huge losses incurred in educating their children,” said Mashile.

Thamaga called for partnerships with private security companies for added capacity to the school and neighbourhood patrollers. He also urged for better transport for schoolchildren, who currently squeeze in large numbers into small vehicles, risking their safety.

Others urged for the containers which are used as classrooms to be better ventilated, for discipline to be instilled in children, and for parents to be actively involved in ensuring their children were punctual for classes.