'Restoring the promise of freedom': Agang SA launches short film series tackling the key issues facing South Africa
Johannesburg; 17 January 2014: Agang SA today premiered online the first of a series of short films describing the policies the party has adopted after extensive consultations with communities across the country, and through which it will set about restoring the promise of freedom for all South Africans (see below).
In the series of films entitled ‘Restoring the Promise of Freedom' party leader Mamphela Ramphele talks about how Agang SA will take steps to ensure jobs are created, ensure world-leading education, and guarantee citizens enjoy safer streets and access to excellent healthcare.
The series begins with ‘Education', which will premiere today on Agang SA's Facebook page. The release of ‘Education' comes after Ramphele visited schools in Jabulani and Bram Fischer in Soweto on Wednesday 15th January, to deliver a motivational message to learners as they returned to school.
Ramphele said:
"It is time to restore the promise of freedom for all South Africans. After 20 years of freedom millions of our fellow citizens are still living like forgotten people. Enough is enough.
"We must start with education, the great leveller. It doesn't matter where you come from, if you work hard and get a good education there is no limit to how far you can go. To make the dreams of our young people come true, teachers and learners must aim high. That means aiming for excellence, and excellence for us will begin when the Matric pass mark is raised above 50%".
Agang SA's full education policies were published last year and include proposals to raise standards, with better infrastructure, higher pass marks, teacher training and performance audits. The party is also proposing an innovative voucher system, by providing a higher social grant amount to families for students who achieve a 70% pass in any year and for matriculation.
As a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Town and dedicated life-long learner, Ramphele is passionate about education being the number one route to economic redress by giving all young people the best chance of a decent job.
‘Restoring the Promise of Freedom' comes as the Agang SA election campaign gathers pace ahead of the launch of the party's manifesto, due at the end of February. \
NOTES TO EDITORS
Agang SA's full education policy can be read here.
Key challenges and proposals are included below.
The Problem
Our schools are failing our children on a massive scale.
745,000 (66%) of students who enrolled in grade 1 in 2001 did not pass matric in 2012.
Today's grade 6 learners average only 43% in Literacy tests and 27% in Numeracy tests.
Only 10% of 2012's 'born free' cohort were eligible for studies at tertiary level.
In 20 years the government has not adequately addressed the biggest issue: poor teacher quality and training. Just 38% of grade 6 maths teachers could answer questions from a grade 6 test.
Corruption and mismanagement mean after 20 years we do not have proper learning environments:
400 mud schools continue to exist.
Schools still lack basic infrastructure: 14% of schools do not have electricity, 20% have no or unreliable water facilities, nearly half have only pit latrines (4% have no toilet facilities).
Few schools have advanced learning infrastructure: 79% do not have libraries.
We have a second-class system that accepts second-rate results. 30% or 40% is not a pass. No one wants a nurse, teacher or plumber who only knows 40% of the requirements in their field.
Agang SA's Plan
AIM HIGH: We will aim to be a top 10 education system globally and make decisions accordingly. Incremental change will no longer be accepted.
PUT STUDENTS FIRST: We will conduct subject-specific competency tests of all teachers; provide intensive teacher training and link pay increases to competency/qualifications; introduce minimum standards for new teacher hires with an eventual goal of all teachers having bachelor degrees; encourage and stimulate the growth of ‘Teach South Africa' working with ‘Teach For All'; and provide incentivized fast-tracked leadership training.
FILL TEACHER VACANCIES: We will hire 15,000 more teachers with a focus on unemployed youth with bachelor degrees; provide allowances for working in rural areas and scarce skills (e.g. maths); and develop teacher internship training opportunities for school graduates in high-performing schools.
UPGRADE INFRASTRUCTURE: We will eradicate mud schools, fix basic infrastructure and build libraries to provide our youth with proper learning environments.
SET MINIMUM STANDARDS: We will define minimum standards for all elements of the education system so parents know what they should expect from government and can hold it accountable.
ELIMINATE MEDIOCRITY: We will abandon the 30% pass mark in all grades and introduce a 50% minimum pass mark for all subjects and grades.
TOP-UP SOCIAL GRANTS FOR EDUCATION RESULTS: We will provide additional social grant money to families for students who achieve a 70% pass in any year and for matriculation.
FOCUS ON LEADERSHIP TO ACCELERATE EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATION: We will establish applied national and regional leadership institutes in education; and identify, train, support and fast track instructional leader champions in all schools, district-by-district.
ESTABLISH NEW SCHOOL SYSTEMS: We will introduce new legal options for new school systems to be initiated, supported and monitored. For example, we will create provision for "contract schools" targeting access to quality education to be funded as public schools.
REVIVE DINALEDI SCHOOLS: We will inject funding and human resources into Dinaledi Schools within a differentiated framework. These schools will be categorized in terms of history and performance and, for each of these categories,
Statement issued by Agang SA, January 17 2014
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