Time is for community activism on education

Sir
No child should have his or her future limited because of the conditions of their school. Sadly the scenario at most public rural schools, including but not limited to Wasbank Primary School, which was publicised in your newspaper still represents conditions which undermine effective learning and teaching.
Earlier this year politicians and administrators of basic education in our province took responsibility for the dismal pass rate in 2014.
What must have shamed us all is that, of the 10 top ten best performing learners in our province, none came from the African population – this is in spite of the fact that our administrators of education and politicians at the helm of education are mainly black Africans.
Any commitment made in terms of improving results, as outlined by Sihle Mlotshwa, KZN education department, must be matched with the requisite allocation of basic but critical resources for effective learning and teaching to happen. This should underpin operation bounce back, nothing less.
Most schools still have no access to basic facilities like electricity, water, sanitation, sports fields, etc. Take for example the fact that 18,000 schools nationally have no libraries.
Operation Bounce Back has to deal in the main with other issues, that of lack of basic infrastructure in most schools.
The absence of basic amenities like water, sanitation, electricity and sports fields continues to define infrastructure backlogs.
According to the 2014 National Education Infrastructure Management System reports, half of all schools use pit latrines.
According to the Minister’s plan, in a secondary school with 1200 learners, access to sanitation has to be at 43 girls per toilet and 100 boys per toilet.
However, currently 70 girls share a toilet. Lack of access to soap, toilet paper and sanitary towels makes the situation worse.
By the end of November 2014, provincial departments should have made their plans in terms of norms and standards public.
Accordingly, our province and district should present such a plan to a whole range of stakeholders within the district.
Such a plan should include norms and standards for 2015 for all schools within the district.
This will enable community activists and organisations to hold the department accountable. Community activism similar to the one that defined the 80’s should be revived. The doors of learning and culture shall be open to all.
Thabo Manyathi
Sibongile