Stopping exam disingenuous
WHEN I was a little girl I used to think my primary school teacher, Mistress Agnes, was larger than life.
Cosas is not a pro-education movement. They protest over issues that are none of their business
Her stern face had collapsed and her complexion was a gory shade of purple and pink. Clearly the skin-whitening creams had not been kind to her.
Her inability to smile made her all the more imposing.
She was tall and overpowering and as an eight-year-old girl I was convinced that if she reached out just a little bit she could lift the entire school building with one hand while writing on the chalk board with the other.
Every time Mistress Agnes looked at me I quivered and the walls of my bladder threatened to open up. Thankfully that never happened because she chose to turn away just in time.
On the first day of school she had stood in front of our class and told us in no uncertain terms that we were all going to pass with sterling results, whether we liked it or not.
She finished her lecture with a menacing threat: "Anyone who fails must bring the biggest sjambok because this classroom is not a playground and asizodlala la (we are not here to play). If education can save me, then it can save you too."
We all worked like demons and at the end of the year not one of us was asked to bring a sjambok. Mistress Agnes was pleased and, lo and behold, she smiled from deep within her heart and we finally saw her teeth.
We later learnt that she had not singled out our class for this lecture but had been doing this for over two decades before we came along. We were told, in all those years she always had a big, bright smile at the end of the year.
Mistress Agnes died several years ago and she had never crossed my mind until recently, when I saw a striking Sadtu member shout and swear at a police officer during last month's public service strike.
The officer was trying to restrain this woman and prevent her from throwing stones at the police. The clumsy, wobbly teacher was a far cry from the dignified and austere Mistress Agnes.
I thought about her again this week when I saw Cosas members wielding bins full of water, trying to disrupt an exam at Moletsane Secondary School in Soweto.
In Limpopo exams were written under police guard because earlier this week "striking learners" had barricaded gates, trashed furniture, smashed windows and generally created anarchy in classrooms.
This violent and unruly behaviour is all to prevent the matric prelims.
Cosas might be right in arguing that pupils are not ready because of the lost learning time during the public service strike but history has shown that this student body is first a political movement before being a pro-education, pro-learner organisation.
Cosas have not been taught to use their brains and mouths when protesting. They also have no insight to distinguish between the issues worth protesting over and those that are simply none of their business.
This was evidenced at Molemo "Jub Jub" Maarohanye's court appearance in relation to the deaths of four school children during an alleged street car race in Protea, Soweto.
Cosas was ready to lose precious learning time instead of prioritising education and allowing the courts to deal with this matter. They thought the violence and noise would influence what happens in a court of law.
Let's not forget the violent protest on the Cape Flats over the planned closure of certain institutions.
Again, the students prioritised politics over education. Cosas' claim that they are concerned for students who have been disadvantaged by the strike is disingenuous.
We live in a different reality where the demands of modern life mean that our country must work on being globally competitive. We need to create wealth for the country and ensure that not another generation of South African men and women will lack skills and education.
But for as long as the fervency and determination of Mistress Agnes and her students is lacking in our education system, we will continue to be bottom of the pile.
Socrates
Great article Redi, but I never imagined a feminist like yourself getting hitched unless the poor hubby is one of those "o jele ee, o kgotse ee".Report Abuse
noslen
I wish I had written this article. COSAS are not only compromising these children's futures, but the future of SA. Treasonable offence in my eyes.Report Abuse
Sageville
In the end, the students will still have to study and write exams, that fact will remain...They are wasting what precious little study time is left on protests, when they fail their exams and stand begging at the employers door they will then remember those wasted hours with shame.
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Phura
I still say BAN THESE IDIOTS, BAN COSAS! Most of these fools are not even of voting age, so I don't understand why they should be allowed to protest or participate in any political activity. These uneducated leaders of ours don't understand this inevitable catastrophe facing our country.Report Abuse
labubu
wt disturbs me da most about dis matter,is da fact dt only schools in the townships and rural areas are affected the most by the stupid decisions taken by a congress that is supposed to fight for their right to education.voetsekkk cosas voetsekk..viva education viva..Report Abuse
Moriski
Parents must take all the blame. Ke rona re rutang bana go strika yanoong re iketsa o kate ga re itse how much damage we have made, Teachers went on strike for 2- 3 Weeks, why didnt the department reschedule the exams. The kid has a point."Cosas demands that final matric and preliminary exams be postponed by a week, two hours be added to the schooling day, Saturday's be a normal school day and the September holidays be cancelled."
Please if all who where on support of the salary increase strike dont come a judge these kids.
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mthomlombo
Education shouldn't be a matter of choice in a country where there is a high level of functional illiteracy.No one should drop out of school or protest,If nothing changes,from salary teachers negotiations to tuition fees negotiations our country is in crisis,there is a problem solving skill in this country every year there is a strike,there ones who are responsible for this cant even come with preventative measure to avoid future strikes,most of these unthinking cosas leaders are consumed into government then we have a more malema's entrusted making important decisionsReport Abuse
SHAKA
The teachers and the Department are inconsiderate, how do you go on strike for 2 -3 weeks and come back and expect to conduct prelims without preparation??? (most of those teachers were not even protesting, they were drinking and playing pool la elokishini) The purpose of the prelims is to prepare matriculants for the final exams. I am not going to be surprised when the pass rate drops this year - Advice to teachers and nurses: Next time you decide to embark on a strike action, can you please do it during your lunch breaks tu aseblief!!!Report Abuse
oilthieves
the poor need2b smarter than the rich to reach their potentialthe rich play a trick on the poor in education
1st they corrupt the education system, they setup private schools for only the rich, they pump it with money,
they make sure the gap between rich schools and poor schools is so large that a dumb child in a rich school gets better results than a smart child in a poor school.
then they use this excuse to make sure all the best jobs in the country go to the children of the rich.
this corrupt system exists all over the world, in the usa,uk,france, spain, south africa, australia, brazil, chile, canada, south korea, singapore, japan, etc. etc. their governments and business are run by an unintelligent corrupt and criminal elite.
you cannot defeat these crooks by keeping your head down and working harder. no matter how hard you work or how smart you are - they will use the corrupt system to keep you at the bottom of the pile
the fact they rich have to use corruptions proves the poor are smarter than them. they are not fooled. the only way to end corruption is to oppose it. playing along with it and begging for the crumbs just encourages more corruption.
1.1st you have to clean out the system, remove the crooks in charge, create a fair system by making sure 80% of all jobs at all levels are for people who went to public schools.
2. put all teachers in public schools on performance related pay.
3. turn public schools into grammar schools.
4. and taxing private schools until the best public schools match the best private schools
5. then the poor can work hard and know they will get what they deserve
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Tau
I heard on the radio this morning that they were bliksemed by polise in Mpumalanga and I believe that is a way to go. They are wasting their own future, money they never worked for. Kids need dicipline and thupa is the only way. To all parents please behave in public hope you noticed what your immoral behaviour during the strike amounts to. Now we have to deal with.Report Abuse