Corruption in education system undermines pupil merit

The real cost of our democracy lies in the price tag put on the political powers who are bought and sold daily as if they are cattle being readied to settle a dowry fee.

That a minister would sell her conscience for obscene amounts of liquor and groceries would leave one with nothing but a sour taste… the country is being sold, bit by bit, for lamb, whisky and a mere R1 500?

With the number of students accepted, then rejected at universities recently, there are whispers of corrupt student affairs staff.

They reportedly accept payments to place less academically achieving students ahead of those whose marks speak of their deserving work ethic.

If those rumours are anything to go by, the professionals being schooled are already starting on bad footing.

With the current state of affairs, we might have more social grants beneficiaries.

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The South African Social Security Agency is seen as a lifeline for many households, be it in the form of child support grants, pension payouts and disability grants.

These are used to put food on the table, keep the lights on and, as minimal as they may be, helping families survive from one day to another, one month to another.

We must, however, be able to admit that these very grants are sometimes received by people who do not value them as lifelines, but as pocket money for a night out at a tavern or clubs.

And now, the academically strong are becoming part of these beneficiaries when they have the means to work for a living.

There are tones of corruption. There is a spirit of teaching that brown envelopes can speak on one’s behalf when hard work and diligence are not present in the room.

The recipients of these ill-gotten advantages may not be party to the underhanded talks and interactions, but they will never know and understand the ramifications of dreams shattered, hope lost and a cycle of poverty possibly continues.

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We cannot, as a nation, continue this way.

We must rein ourselves in as a country.

But we must start with our families – the men and women in the mirror.

As a nation, as the home rots, the rot escapes the house and seeps into the community at large and other people and families must survive this.

Our moral compass is off. This is something we must remedy.