Challenges In The Educational System of South Africa

In order to comply with both national and international human rights standards, South Africa must tackle several obstacles in their educational sphere. This article will present some of the most prevalent educational challenges in the country.

 

Infrastructure

One of the main problems in the educational sector today is the facilities available to students. It is of utmost importance that schools include facilities that are safe and secure for children, and the necessary equipment for students to pursue their education. According to Equal Education (EE, 2016) in 2013, the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Montshegka, accepted a law obliging schools throughout the country to have at least water, electricity, internet, safe classrooms with up to 40 students in class, security, and the necessary facilities to study and practice different sports. Although the target was set for 2016, today, many schools have problems far worse than a bad internet connection. The country is looking towards meeting the set goals, but there is still a long way to go. Numerous articles highlight reported deaths of learners due to poor facility infrastructure. Additionally, the inadequate sanitation of the schools is an issue that affects students’ health. An example of this is seen in their toilets and pit latrines, where students are at risk of health issues in light of their improper hygiene. These obstacles prevent students from focusing on their education and development.

 

Inequality in education

Inequality is largely visible in South African schools. According to Amnesty International, children in the top 200 schools score higher in maths than children in the other 6,600 schools. Other statistics highlight that more than 75% of nine-year-olds cannot read for meaning. In some provinces, the percentage is as high as 91%. The educational system is still healing from the Apartheid era, resulting in children being treated differently because of their background, wealth, or skin tone. The Quality of Primary Education in South Africa, a UNESCO report, states that, theoretically, all children have equal access to the three levels of education in the country. However, many institutions schooling students from low-income communities have failed to improve the quality of education they provide. The government must tackle the problem of poverty and education.

Poor education

Furthermore, the schools’ quality of education is a prevalent issue in South Africa. According to research undertaken by Gustafsson in 2021, the retirement of teachers in South Africa will reach a peak number by 2030, which will consequentially result in the need for newly trained educators and the restructuring of classrooms and institutions. Currently, half of the classes have 30 students per class, but the other 50% can exceed up to 50 children in a class. To reduce the numbers, it is estimated that around 100,000 new teachers enter the educational system, which requires largescale training and financing.

Another challenge that the educational sector in South Africa faces today is the quality of the instructors. Over 5,000 of the current teachers are underqualified for their profession. Instructors are not competitive in the job market; they have little understanding of the curricula and no pedagogic competency, leading to students graduating from school without the necessary knowledge.

 

Cycle of illiteracy

Finally, according to the OECD Report from 2019, South Africa has the highest share of people aged between 20 to 24 in the NEET sector (neither employment nor education). South Africa scored almost 50% on this criterion, the largest of all the countries examined by the OECD report. Professor Khuluvhe’s 2021 report discusses the seriousness of the illiteracy problem, stating that, in 2019, the rate of illiterate adults (over the age of 20) was 12,1%, or around 4,4 million. This equates to a considerable part of the population not achieving a 7th grade or higher level of education. Illiteracy poses far-reaching consequences for the population, including uneducated offspring and non-contribution to the society, thus harming the country’s economy. South Africa needs to tackle this issue and minimise the percentage of illiteracy as far as possible.

 

 

References

1. EE. (2006, July 19). School Infrastructure. Eqaleducation.Org.Za. Retrieved February 17, 2022, from https://equaleducation.org.za/campaigns/school-infrastructure/

2. Amnesty International. (2020, February 7). South Africa: Broken and unequal education perpetuating poverty and inequality. Www.Amnesty.Org. Retrieved February 17, 2022, from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/02/south-africa-broken-and-unequal-education-perpetuating-poverty-and-inequality/

3. Gustafsson, M. (2021, August 26). A teacher retirement wave is about to hit South Africa: what it means for class size. The Conversation. Retrieved February 17, 2022, from https://theconversation.com/a-teacher-retirement-wave-is-about-to-hit-south-africa-what-it-means-for-class-size-164345

4. Khuluvhe, M. K. (2021, March 1). Adult illiteracy in South Africa. Www.Dhet.Gov.Za. Retrieved February 17, 2022, from https://www.dhet.gov.za/Planning%20Monitoring%20and%20Evaluation%20Coordination/Fact%20Sheet%20on%20Adult%20Illiteracy%20in%20South%20Africa%20-%20March%202021.pdf

5. Editor. (2019, December 27). Opinion: The Challenges Facing The Education System In South Africa. iAfrica. Retrieved February 17, 2022, from https://iafrica.com/opinion-the-challenges-facing-the-education-system-in-south-africa/