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Challenges in Education 2019

I have collected approximately 25 articles that is education related and found a few themes to share

The first theme is:

     Disputes in salaries earned by top education officials

This theme is reflecting the extremely high salaries of Education related high officials. The firt incident that was focused on was the high level of remuneration of university vice chancellors (VC’s). It was reported that the VC of the University of Johannesburg was earning R17.6 million during 2017. Of this remuneration, R13.7 million was in retention incentives accumulated over 10 years. Although this was an exception the highest earning VC, from the University of Stellenbosch earned R4.5 million including a R330 000 bonus. Close on this earning, the VC of the University of Venda earned R4.2 million. The VC that earned the lowest salary was from the University of Fort Hare with an annual income of R2.5 million. In its defense of the extraordinary earnings of VC’s, another article focusses on the merits and justification of the salaries earned by VC’s. The level of qualification in their respected disciplines combined with the exceptional experience of these academics in industry as well as academia, are regarded as main justification for their earnings.

Various other skill and requirements such as expertise in interconnected fields to competently run a complex organization such as human resources, higher education finance, innovation, technology, teaching and accreditation are pointed out as justification for the earnings. Often these CEO’s offers part of their salaries to students without mentioning it.  What was however further criticized was the fact that some VC’s receive houses for which they don’t pay. This gave rise to another article that deals with unfair add on in remuneration of VC’s. It alleges that the VC of North West University is staying in a guesthouse to the amount of R70 000 per opportunity. This comes in the light that the official house for the VC of NWU is maintained without any resident occupying it.

The former chair of the council of the Durban University of Technology claims that if Universities fail to bring about regulations themselves, then the government may have to intervene. He therefore claims that university councils should regulate the salaries of VC’s. This comes after calls for a probe by the Department of Higher education.

In a related article there are unhappiness about the salary of the Head of the South African Education union and are under investigation. It is in particular the allowances and profit sharing that came into dispute. A retired judge appointed to investigate the allegations recommended in the investigation of irregularities at the union, that the package of this official should be revised. There was however discrepancies between what the judge found and the opinion of the union on their official website. The salary that is disputed for the financial year 2017/2018 was R3.65million.

Finally in a related article the South African education union claims that an investigating officer of the Hawks requested a bribe in order to let the abovementioned investigation lead by the judge disappear. The investigation involved allegations of fraud, corruption, money laundry and contravention of the Act on Financial Intelligence centrum (FICA). Relating to salary probe, it was alleged that the Head of the South African Education union unlawfully earned double earnings.

           Violence in schools

Definition of school violence: School violence is typically defined as any act of violence that take place inside an educational institution, when travelling to and from school or a school related event, or during such an event. These school-based acts of violence can be both physical or non-physical and may or may not result in bodily or emotional harm to the victims.  This violence typically takes the form of learner on learner; learner on educator; educator on educator; and educator on learner. This normally disrupts the functioning of an effective schooling system.

https://www.saferspaces.org.za/understand/entry/school-violence-in-south-africa

Various articles address the increase in violent activities at schools. It is reported that the culture of teaching and learning that takes place at a school is greatly influenced by the society from which the school comes. The challenge however is put that South Africa is a country riddled with social problems where crime, violence and drug abuse sit high on the pedestals of social evils.

Unfortunately, the news is saturated with stories of violence at schools. Because of the impact of these actions and its unacceptable nature it become centre stage and talking points at various levels of social interaction. With the internet images of these actions can be available immediately. Teachers often decline to report cases of violent actions due to fear of victimization when they as teachers are involved.

It is reported that the South African School Act, the Abolition of Corporal Punishment Act and the Children’s Act among others protect learners to such an extent that teachers feel defenseless when enquiries are made into reasons that causes violent outbreaks.

It was stated in an article that Schools in South Africa are becoming more violent and dangerous for both learners and teachers. This was admitted by the minister of Basis Education and admitted that the recent spate of stabbings and attacks at learning institutions across South Africa is cause for major concern and called for an urgent meeting with law enforcement departments. With the fact that 800000 pupils in 8000 centres around the country that were participating in the recent National Senior Certificate exams, and with a disturbing antisocial trend manifesting in these centres, this should be prioritized.

A few incidences are mentioned:

In an incident between two schoolboys that took place in Durban, allegedly ended with one of them getting stabbed with a pocket knife. The school management begged for the Department of Higher education to start implementing harsher consequences for culprits regardless of the law who should also protect innocent people.

More examples of fatal violence actions occurred in North West province in 2018 where a 24 year old math’s teacher was stabbed to death by a 17 year old pupil. This attack took place in view of fellow pupils during a preliminary examination.

In a separate incident a 15 year old pupil from Johannesburg was arrested after pointing a gun at his teacher and threatened to shoot.

In another incident a girl in primary school was kicked, punched and throttled by a group of fellow pupils. This was video recorded. According the parents of this school this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to violent activities at school. They claim to be terrified to send their children to school.

In another case three sixteen year old girls in Paterson were stabbed in three separate fights in incidents that are all thought to be linked.

https://www.heraldlive.co.za/news/2018-11-15-violent-bullying-at-malabar-school/

On a weekly base amateur videos filming acts of violence at schools appear in the public domain demonstrating the urgency and nature of these acts.  

It is concluded that school violence is not isolated to particular areas but is a nationwide problem.

 In CJCP’s National School Violence Study it was found that a possible explanation of the violent activities at school is due to easy access to alcohol, drugs and weapons within schools.  It is however mentioned that these startling findings should be contextualized within the family and community environments in which these learners live.

A solution cannot be reached without the combined efforts of school authorities, parents, community leaders and government that school violence can be addressed effectively. The efforts should be located within a broader framework of an intensive social crime preventive strategy that addresses much of the violence that is beyond the reach of police and which occurs within the home environment

 (http://www.cjcp.org.za/school-violence-in-south-africa.html

The entire issue raises questions such as who is responsible for teaching children discipline, the school or parents.

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