In the United States, we view education as a right, not a privilege. This thought is reinforced through various means; such as, laws that require a minimum level of education depending on which state you live in and the way transportation is made available to every individual so they can attend a public school. As Americans, generally speaking, we do not give education a second thought. It is something that was always there, is always there, and will continue to be there.
However, after various encounters with individuals and many experiences over the past two and a half weeks, it is clear that education is not viewed in the same way in South Africa. This is seen in the book Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane, in which he recalls a time when his mom had to find a job to get the money to send him to school after fighting with his father about whether or not it was worth sending him to school. While this is a story during the Apartheid, it is not the only historical account that highlights the differences between the American outlook and the South African outlook.
During the Apartheid, Afrikaans, a combination of Dutch, German, and English, was taught in all black schools as a form of oppression. By teaching Afrikaans, the black students weren’t able to learn or practice English, which was the main language used to communicate with all people in South Africa. I, personally, have never thought of receiving an education as a form of persecution, but this is a prime example of how the Apartheid government took something that should be a tool for enlightenment, inspiration, and success and turned it into a weapon to defeat blacks, specifically black children.
Currently, the South African educational system still faces many troubles today, as do most educational systems around the world. Language is a continual challenge, as there are 11 official languages in South Africa. It is difficult for educators and administrators to find a balance between English, Afrikaans, and the tribal language of the region when teaching students.
It is a struggle for many families to send their children to schools, especially those living in the poor townships. Some students do not attend school because they are needed to watch the other children in the family while their parents or at work. Or, there are simply not enough funds to send a child to school. If the funding is available, it might only be for one child. And how is a mother or father to decided which child is worthy of an education? These are only a few of the many reasons why education is not a top priority for many South Africans.
There are also discrepancies about the quality of education found in schools throughout South Africa. During our visit to the American Consulate, we learned that a vast majority of children go to schools that fall far below average and, as a result, are leaving with less than average skills. Because of these inequalities, the United States has made assisting South Africa with its struggling education system one of its main goals. They are accomplishing this by providing funding and by sending South African students to America to study our educational system and to learn about how we address various issues in public and private schools.
But even if a South African child does receive an education and makes it to the university level, that does not mean guaranteed success. A colleague of mine interned at a local newspaper for her work immersion in Cape Town. During her time with the newspaper, she went out and interviewed a handful of young adults aged 22-29 who had all received a high level of education but had yet to ever be hired and work a job. In the United States, it is assumed that if you have a college degree tied to your name a job will come and you are sure to be “successful.” This is a prime example of how that mindset is not the same in South Africa. Education does not guarantee a job, money, or an “easier” life. It also does not mean that those students will abandon the townships and shacks they grew up in. If a young person does get a good job and is making money, he or she might add on to the shack that they live in or make improvements to it. Some will choose to continue to live in that shack within the township opposed to moving to a nicer house in a neighborhood where they do not know anyone. The thought of moving away from the family is a very American thought and one that is not adopted by most South Africans.
But more than anything, I am personally shocked that children here are not educated about future possibilities. Since the age of three, I remember being asked what I want to be when I grow up, and my answers changed every time. One day I would want to be a ballerina, another day a lawyer, another day a lifeguard, and another day a doctor. However, when a colleague asked a young boy this during his work immersion program, the young boy responded “I want to work at the Pick n’ Pay, (a local grocery store).” When my friend said, “Why do you want to work there?” the boy replied, “Because that’s where my dad works. What else would I do?” It breaks my heart to hear a story about a young boy with so much potential and a long future in front of him to only strive to work at the grocery store because that is all that he knows. He hasn’t been exposed to other options, and whether that is a problem within the families or the schools is undecided. But regardless, it is a problem of educating the youth of South Africa.
Tomorrow, Monday, January 23, our class will be visiting a local school to assist them in a variety of ways. While it is just one school, our small contribution will benefit many young children and is hopefully a start to improving the South African educational system.
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