Beyond the usual official rhetoric, one does not get a real sense of crisis, and a sense of urgency from government to do some different. Introducing shortcuts, such as downgrading pass marks, is an indication of the lack of seriousness.

There is a link between the rampant anti-intellectualism in the country, and the poor matric results. In dominant political circles, knowledge is rarely appreciated. In poorer black communities’, education is not strongly enough seen as an escalator out of poverty.

Off course, the fact that many black learners see former matriculants wandering the streets, unemployed because they did not graduate with the right kind of subjects and results, that would make them employable, does not help.

No country after the Second World War industrialised without educating the masses. Japan, South Korea, Singapore and now China’s prosperity is based on educating their nations.

Education is the single most effective black economic empowerment strategy, or redistribution tool, to reverse the crippling apartheid legacy of deliberately under-developing black communities, to lift substantial amounts of the poor out of poverty. The continued slide in black education entrenches apartheid patterns.

A minority that are in private schools, mostly white, and a small black middle class, can access education that can compare with the best in the world. The majority, overwhelmingly black, gets the worst education imaginable, leaving them without the skills to navigate the world of work.

At this rate, blacks will continue to do the menial work, and whites will manage the sophisticated parts of the economy. But the lack of skilled blacks is not only a drain on the economy, black resentment, anger and powerlessness because of the economic marginalisation is a ready time-bomb.

The election of Jacob Zuma as ANC leader and South African President and Julius Malema, as ANC Youth League President (and anointed by Zuma as future ANC President) show that anyone, no matter how sparse their education can make it to the most influential positions in the country.

Yet, on the flipside, it could also easily send out the message that education does not matter. One can advance without education, if one only joins the ANC, became a loyal cadre, or links up with a local party boss, and stays loyal to him or her, and so on.

The current way in which the ANC’s deployment system is being frequently manipulated means that even if someone has impeccable education, one can be bypassed for a job in the public sector, if not connected to dominant party bosses – the jobs given to those who lack competency but are allied to the local party boss.

In most of East Asia, almost every second politician is an engineer or a commerce graduate.

To expect delivery on promises for better education without parents, communities and civil groups keeping the pressure on government and teachers is just silly. As black parents we accept too much mediocrity from our government.

Often a township school will be left without windows or a toilet, while the local councillor or politician supposedly representing the constituency drives an R1.2 million car.

Those parents that can must be more involved, not only in tracking the progress of their children, but also in putting greater pressure on schools and government to improve schools.

The reality that most black parents in poor communities cannot effectively support children. We must find ways to support them. School hours must be extended, and more after care support given at schools in poor communities. But poor families with children in school must be given a basic income grant. In return, the recipients of such grants, can be asked to guard, clean or offer general support to schools.

Good teachers must be rewarded by government, communities and parents, and lazy ones disciplined. It is not the trade union’s job to protect poor teachers, just because they are members of the union. In fact, it is the union’s job to see that quality of teachers – its members – is high.

Business must adopt poor schools, instead of appointing token politicians to boards and striking meaningless BEE deals with the politically connected. Government must provide resources to teachers and schools on time – and govern better.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMBAZUKA NEWS

* This article first appeared in the Sowetan.
* William Gumede is co-editor (with Leslie Dikeni) of the recently released The Poverty of Ideas.
* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at Pambazuka News.