A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON

Over the last five years, since its inception, the Historic Schools Restoration Project (HSRP) has gone from strength to strength and during this time has become integrated into the broad challenges that face education in South Africa. While the HSRP operates in only a small number of schools at present, the challenges found at these schools are mirrored at schools throughout South Africa and directly affect the lives of millions of our young people.

In her 2011/2012 budget speech made to the National Council of Provinces, Minister Angie Motshekga said: “It is only through education that we can roll back the tide of poverty and joblessness and redress apartheid inequalities. It is precisely because of the pivotal role it plays in creating a better life for all that education remains the apex priority of the current administration.”

We applaud the Minister’s sentiments, for it is only through education that changes within the country can be effected. However, we read on a regular basis that the skills shortage within South Africa is one of the key inhibitors of growth and the underspend on departments’ budgets, both nationally and provincially is linked directly to this shortage.

So where is the problem? The problem seems to vest in the need for South Africa to show success within education, and in an effort to do this we have accepted mediocrity as an acceptable educational outcome for our children. In order for a learner to receive a National Senior Certificate (NSC) they are required to achieve 40% in three subjects, including their home language and 30% in another three subjects to pass.

Only one in four learners passed the NSC at a level which enables them to attend university. While much has been written about Mathematics, Science and Technology being fundamental to the future of South Africa, less than 40% of the 2011 matric candidates wrote maths. Of the 104,000 learners who wrote, almost half failed and it is not known how many obtained the minimum 50% required to enable them to move onto tertiary education in the faculties of commerce, engineering and medicine, where this pass rate is required.

In order for South Africa to begin to address unemployment, poverty and economic growth, we need to equip our young people with the necessary skills to make this a reality. We should not be accepting mediocrity as a standard but rather setting the bar at a level which allows for the young people of this country to make a difference in building this nation. This requires a significant shift in our thinking on education outcomes. It is important that this shift takes place as the long-term consequences for this country will be significant. Without a strong emerging middle class, growth within South Africa will be stunted and poverty will be perpetuated with all the social ills that this brings.

As South Africans we all have a vested interest in the future of this wonderful country and need to work together in ensuring that the education that our children receive is relevant, and that outcomes are pegged at a level that allows for tertiary education.

Mahatma Gandhi’s quote “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever” is perhaps a mantra we should all consider adopting, and we should all strive for life-long learning.

Justice Thembile Skweyiya
Chair: HSRP Board