LEBUSA MONYOOE | Public institutions lack ability to execute efficient governance

In a transactional world, character precedes reputation and the latter is considered a hallmark for credibility, accountabilityand responsiveness. These are basic principles and values for efficient governance and delivery of public services.

Regrettably, most public institutions are found wanting in these principles, with dire consequences. The character of the nation is mirrored by the quality of education, administration and management of schooling.

Schools mirror the country’s vision and aspirations for socio-economic growth and development in a changing knowledge economy. We have made significant educational strides but failed to optimise the gains to transform the sector. We still decry poor school performance across diverse assessment regimes, like the Programme for International Student Assessment, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and Progress in International Reading Literacy Study.

We even abandoned our own national assessment testing for political reasons. Political rhetoric and knee-jerk strategies muddied addressing real issues and refining interventions to address these crises.

As the grade 12 pupils prepare to sit for examinations, we hope fort he best. Yet, hope needs to be anchored by practical regimes – efficient administration and governance, equitable allocation and distribution of resources, staffing schools with talented teachers steeped in knowledge and delivery of the curriculum and ensuring school environments are safe hubs for effective teaching and learning.

We struggle in all as evidenced by poor pupil and teacher performances across grades. It’s time we rethink what’s best for SA. There are lessons we can learn from the Vietnamese education system: Political will as an enforcer to policy change and implementation.

Provinces are implored to “spend 20% of their budgetson education” to address equity and redress. There is universality of education within a unitary system. The government ensures policies are adjusted to update curriculums and teaching standards.

Society at large shares the fixation. Its stellar performance is attributed but not limited to: calibre of its teachers; mastery of teaching, learning and as essments; empowering school and classroom environments; innovative teaching giving teachers “freedom to make classes more engaging”; incentive remuneration for regional inequalities – those posted to remote areas are paid more;  performance recognition; prestigious teacher excellence titles; and regular up-skilling of teachers.

Educational gains have led to the labour sector wanting “workers with more sophisticated skills” that the education system struggles to keep up with as the challenge for lucrative paying jobsi ntensifies.

SA should rethink the business of education and use resources to circumvent inherent systemic challenges such as a shortage of qualified teachers. This year ’s United Nation’s theme to celebrate World Teachers’ Day is “The Teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage is a challenge that SA cannot ignore.

School infrastructure and accommodation for equitable pupils per a class need to be addressed. Let’s reimagine and cultivate the skills appropriate for SA’s global competitiveness and technological advancement that transforms social disparities.

Curate teacher recruitment, qualification and deployment, especially at the foundation phases. The nebulous approach to schooling accountability and nonchalance by entrusted stewards sets us back.

There are no quick fixes except to embolden national aspirations through education.

■ Monyooe is a Sowetan reader