The deep structural problems in the education system, the rise of black graduates and employment. The Zuma years will be a good read one day.

The deep structural problems in the education system, the rise of black graduates and unemployment. The Zuma years will be a good read one day.

During apartheid, most of our parents either became teachers or nurses because it was literally the only thing available to them. They had no desire or love for teaching or nursing and all this frustration is finally coming out years later.  They hate teaching. They not equipped to teach the syllabus of today, they not equipped to handle the attitude of children today. Most of them just come to class, read what must read and leave. Because we always need someone to blame, we blame the Minister of Education, but blaming or changing ministers does not change problems, there are far deeper structural problems in the system than a minister’s incompetence.

Once upon a time, South Africa had teachers colleges which Mandela and Trevor Manuel shutdown. You see, we have this problem, Universities receive 20 000 application for a teachers degree and there’s space for 5030 only. Teacher colleges taught teachers how to educate. But anyway…

Our seasonal interest in education is problematic. Which was recently sparked by the Minister of Education’s plan to lower the pass rate again. Ey kunzima eSouth Africa, we should consult Zimbabwe on how are they doing it, but are we as disciplined as the citizens of Zimbabwe? Seasonal Interest? Nam’ angazi nje ngizwe ngento nje ithi gqi…Skrr skrr uthini lo? 1. We care more on educational issues when the middle is affected. 2. We care more on educational issues when sparked by the media. 3. Those that can, are doing nothing to educate a black child. How many kids in your hood are struggling with math, Science and Accounting and you just happen to be good at those! But we come on social media and bleed out our ignorance, start cursing the Education Minister and the President’s lack of education, forgetting that that man is self taught, is a president, a brilliant strategist and a historian (etc)

But anyway, are we ever going to blame lack of parent involvement as another major cause to the decline of our education? How many parents today check the progress of their child at school, check homework, go to school to find out why their child is failing, would that not also motivate teachers to do better if parents were more involved? Because it seems like the attitude of parents not caring enough also would affect the child, me thinks.

The education department again wants to lower the pass rate? Why is that? Is the minister wanting to keep these kids at school so that they can at least get a matric certificate and at least get into FET Colleges or have some sort of training? Honestly I have no idea but ima blog away anyway, I’ve actually never listened long enough to the minister to get to the part where she explains the lowering of the pass rate. But let’s look at the stats, close to 60% of the unemployed have not completed secondary education. In 2015 General Household survey showed that 50.5% of those between 20-24 years of age had less than grade 11. The age group between 24-34 was 49.9%. The study further shows that 36% of males between 7 – 18 years of age are not in school because they don’t see value in education. Thixo was Johannesburg. How can we keep these kids at school? Do we blame the government? Our community leaders? Our parents? We can blame whoever but this poor education system still requires an individual’s effort to excel for it to progress. A large number of you are products of this poor education system.

Oh ya one last point on the lowering of the pass to 30%. Just over 1% of high school learners passed with 30% and 30.6% passed with university entry and none of them will ever protest against their SRC for bringing them bashes and concerts. The day when students protest against campus bashes, I’ll know we are serious about education as a youth. You have 2 supplementary exams but you the head of organizing bashes and concerts.

Also, there’s needs to be a serious intervention of school kids being in towns and malls during school hours. I remember back in our schooling years, being in town during school hours, strangers would stop and ask you why aren’t you at school. Mall security guards did not allow you in during school hours unless you with an elder. What went wrong with this generation?

There was a time when the middle class was screaming for a President with a University degree, well, the name Kgalema Montlante doesn’t even have such yet people insist on two things, English and a Degree are a measure of intelligence but that’s a story for another day

Having about 30% of the matrics passing with a University entry, 90% of Technical College graduates are guaranteed jobs. How? Well, let’s have a look, there’s an Adopt-a-TVET College campaign to promote co-operation between industry and TVET colleges. Of the 50 TVET colleges, 24 of these had been adopted by companies as of 2016.

The country needs skilled people. The skills shortage in the country doesn’t imply that only university degrees can plug the gap.

Before I exit, the unpopular fact is:

The graduate unemployment is not in crisis.

In 2015, the black graduate unemployment was at 9% And at 3% for whites. Yes there are unemployed youths with diplomas and degrees and in 2017 it has barely changed, the graduate unemployment is still very low. 

Universities are producing huge numbers of graduates in arts and social sciences, which are not needed in the workplace. South Africa lacks artisan skills and had to import 1000 artisans from Thailand due to shortages locally.

According to Human Resource industry reports, approximately half a million jobs in SA cannot be filled due to a lack of necessary skills. Besides the skills, asikwazi ukukhuluma isingisi kuma interview.

Finish ke dankie.