Communities hold the key to South Africa’s (education) future

5 October 2021

Since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020, more than 400 out of the 2 034 schools in Gauteng have been severely vandalised. This constitutes nearly 20% of schools within the province. This percentage rivals that of schools destroyed in Britain during the Second World War!

In August learners of the Glenvista High School set their school hall on fire because they did not want to write exams – damage of more than R400 000 was sustained. The wave of destruction in KZN and Gauteng during July has caused an estimated total of R300 million in damages to school properties throughout the provinces. More than 2 000 schools across the country have been vandalized since the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions were introduced in March 2020.

Communities have the potential to either be a schools’ greatest ally or their greatest enemy.

Schools need to equip learners for the different roles they will play as adults in their community. No school can fulfil this role on its own. Schools function in close partnership with the communities they serve. In South Africa we see that some schools thrive despite limited resources and incompetent education authorities. When parents, members of the community and institutions like churches get involved in schools and take ownership of their children’s education, the whole community benefits. Adult participation communicates the importance of schools and demonstrates to learners that their work deserves the attention and support of adults.

Culture

Education expert Ron Berger succinctly stated, “There is no shortcut to excellence; everything depends on culture. If we can establish a culture in schools where learners feel pressured to do good work and be good people, we will be successful.” A positive school culture can help learners, even those coming from very challenging circumstances, to achieve success. It is not only about expecting excellence of learners; it is also about the example set by positive involvement, responsibility and commitment from parents, teachers and other adults in the school community.

In South Africa, successful schools are successful despite the state. Many schools thrive due to good management, dedicated teachers, and parental involvement. Despite challenges such as poverty within some communities, exemption from school fees and inadequate support from the state, prudent financial planning allows well managed schools to still appoint additional staff members and develop facilities that ensure high quality education.

On the other hand, we see that dysfunctional schools struggle due to an uninvolved or hostile community. In Gauteng, several new schools have been built and equipped with incredible technology, only to fall into decay within a year because the community did not take ownership to maintain and protect these facilities.

Greater responsibility requires ownership

Minister Motshekga strongly appealed to school governing bodies, parents and communities to value and protect their schools. She is correct. Greater independence and participation in school governance would indeed lead to greater accountability and ownership. However, the South African education system must confirm and support this statement by diverting more decision-making authority and responsibility to school level.

Unfortunately, the minister's words contradict her actions, because the public school system is currently experiencing greater centralisation and increased prescriptiveness from the government than ever before. The online admission system in Gauteng is just one example of many, where decision-making powers are removed from schools and parents alike. If a community has no say in its school and does not contribute to the success of the school, it also does not take responsibility for that school.

Free education is often in vain

Good public schools do everything in their power to control and positively influence their educational environment. Many public schools depend on school fees to survive. Parents that pay school fees hold their schools accountable and expect good quality education as a return on their investment.

In no-fee schools, parents often feel powerless and believe that they do not have the right – or the leverage - to insist on a good education. Parents and learners don’t contribute to the success of their school, which in turn cultivate a lack of responsibility and motivation to protect and improve the school’s facilities and educational resources. However, parents do not only contribute to the success of a school through finances; planting grass on sports fields, assisting with essential maintenance and taking part in fundraisers are equally important. People tend to value things more if they work and make sacrifices for it.

The way schools are funded by the government further contributes to this problem. Instead of funding of schools according to quintiles, a system with a fixed state subsidy per learner, that

follows a learner, irrespective of the school he/she attends, will significantly simplify the current complex system of quintiles, differentiated state funding, compulsory exemptions and claims for refunds to schools. It will also encourage ownership and healthy competition between schools.

School infrastructure

Time and time again, state funds earmarked for the construction of new schools and the development of education, are used to repair destroyed buildings and replace equipment. This is causing major classroom and resource shortages in Gauteng, where learner numbers are increasing by more than 50 000 per year, but very few new schools are built. As a result, the education department are currently forcing good schools to take in additional learners at a rate that surpasses the maximum capacity that building regulations, safety legislation and school infrastructure allow.

Ownership

Most countries with successful education systems, devolve as much control and responsibilities to school level as possible. In these countries, schools are funded by the state but run independently within a set framework, which ensures accountability. The performance of schools’ exponentially increases when they are free to make their own decisions and can take matters such as staff appointments, the academic programme and the allocation of resources, into their own hands. In South Africa, less state aid and legislation to enforce greater state control, have exactly the opposite effect.

Parents and children are not the only ones who benefit from good schools. The whole community benefit when there is a good school in their area. Property values increase and the quality of life for all members of the community improve. With internships, mentorships and shadow work, businesses can help learners discover their talents and guide them in developing crucial skills. The practical application of lessons learned within the classroom, is invaluable and will prepare learners for their future careers.

Opportunities

To ensure quality education in the long term, a strategy for greater independence of public schools is essential. As much as possible control and decision-making power should be diverted to schools and their governing bodies. If this responsibility is abused for personal gain, at the expense of learners' interests – as in the case of poor management, lazy teachers,

or the sale of teaching positions – strong action must be taken against dishonest individuals, without punishing everyone through greater centralisation.

In order to maintain standards and develop education for future generations, schools must be able to count on the involvement, generosity and protection of the community. This is only possible if parents and learners feel that the school is “our school”.

Churchill once said, “One of the signs of a great society is the diligence with which it passes culture from one generation to the next...”

We can rightly ask: what legacy will be passed on to South Africa’s next generation through the examples set by the adults in their school communities?

By Melanie Buys, Head of Development at the Solidarity School Support Centre, 5 October 2021