Let me start by saying the following:
No,I don’t have children of my own, so I can only speak from my perspective on the topic of our schools reopening.
It is a heated topic on the lips of many involved parties, all trying to figure out what’s best for our education system.
It’s been difficult to find accurate information on this – so many people are saying so many things, it’s hard to make out what’s fact and what isn’t.
Also, the facts seem to change every other day, so there’s no use in holding on to those ideas for too long.
An unpredictable time if ever there was one…
The Department of Education has released a statement saying schools will reopen on June 1.
The Department of Health is predicting the peak of this pandemic to hit around September.
This leads me to ask: Should we be opening schools months before we’ve even seen the worst side of this virus?
Yes, I suppose proper social distancing measures can be put in place, but can we trust that hundreds of South African children together are suddenly going to put their cultural norms aside when placed back into a crowded environment?
Here’s another thought, suppose one child is infected and spreads the virus to his/her peers.
One of these children then spreads it to a teacher, who spreads it to every other teacher.
There goes an entire school.
We don’t yet have enough understanding of our enemy; we simply shouldn’t be risking our lives for the sake of economic progress.
It cannot be worth it.
We live in an age where all the information in the world is available at the touch of a button, you can speak to a relative on the other side of the planet as though they were standing right in front of you.
Technology has advanced to such a degree that I can’t see why we feel the need to go back to our primitive ways of conveying knowledge.
Depending on who you talk to, many have been of the opinion that our educational system is outdated, virus or not.
The fact is, we send our high school graduates proudly into the real world, grossly unequipped for the challenges they are bound to face.
Coping skills, time management and general ambition are some of the things that are not covered in our current curriculum.
We are taught to memorise facts rather than think outside the box.
We aren’t taught the value of individual thinking and problem-solving, academics consume the thoughts of South
African teenagers and those who don’t perform well feel like they’re failing.
I believe a system designed to accommodate all learners shouldn’t alienate those who aren’t necessarily academic.
Unfortunately, I have had more than one conversation with young learners who feel like they can’t achieve because their way of thinking is simply more technical than most.
Children are being put on medication for simply having brains that work at a quicker tempo than others.
I know this, I’m one of them.
By saying this, by no means am I dismissing the need for medication such as Ritalin for children who really need it; however, ADHD has become like a pronoun we’re forced to associate with, when really there’s just no room for people who aren’t exactly like we expect them to be.
Someone needs to be looking at this from a bigger-picture perspective and realise we’re really not doing things the best way we could.
Cramming 30 children into a class and expecting them all to understand the material the same way is preposterous.
I scraped through high school and entered the world knowing I would definitely not be doing anything too impressive.
I barely had university acceptance and even so, the last thing I wanted to do was feel frustrated for a further three years.
Our education system does not promote a culture of lifelong learning.
Also read: Finding a new normal in an abnormal situation
We aren’t taught to value education and knowledge.
Rather, it’s forced upon us by a system that only works for a select few individuals.
Education is a privilege, so why did it feel like a punishment?
Teach your children the things you wish you knew when you left home and life hit you in the face with the harsh realities that are never taught to us.
Teach them how to file their taxes, apply for a tax number, open an account, draw up a proper business plan for a good idea they might have.
Encourage your children to be life-long learners, let their own interests and passions guide them in the direction they need to be going.
Knowing everything is both impossible and pretty impractical.
Knowledge doesn’t always come in the form of books and slide shows, simply listening closely to people who know more than you can teach you more than you might have learnt in a full week at school.
Should we not utilise this crisis, to find better, more efficient and safer ways to continue as a society?
Editor’s note: While many of our readers may not agree with Mare’s sentiments, please bear in mind that this is his opinion as a Springsite and concerned South African.
Also read: Please stop sending hoax messages
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