Are schools working as they should?

The South African education system is widely considered problematic. Where does Catholic education sit within this frame? CLAIRE MATHIESON finds out.

Teachers are not necessarily to blame for poor performance as there are gross inefficiencies across the school system.

‘Catholic schools have played a really important role in South African education,” said Anne Baker, deputy director of the Catholic Institute of Education (CIE). “The Church still has a role to play,” however, this role is taking on a different face—it’s not religious, it’s up to the laity and parents to take hold of education again.

The current situation is “dismal —simply because the reality is dismal,” Mrs Baker told The Southern Cross.

The education system is highly challenged and it’s not showing much improvement. And while Catholic schools generally outperform secular schools, “the struggle is across the board” and school performances are “going down”.

Mrs Baker said there was general difficulty dealing with the curriculum and its various changes. “There is also a distinct lack of resources for all our schools.” Each province and district is faced with differing challenges and the differences between rural and urban issues are stark.

“The Eastern Cape, for example, has had to deal with the issue of the redeployment of teachers.” Other schools have had a lack of books and still others, a shortage of teachers, she pointed out.

But Mrs Baker believes the education system is in turmoil because we have forgotten the basics. “Our literacy level at the foundation phase is not good at all.” While there were some exceptions, these were mostly the former model-C schools—and these were not showing an improvement in results. “There is a struggle throughout all our schools,” the deputy director said.

“English is one of the hardest languages to learn, but we currently have teachers who don’t speak the language well while teaching it. We have to go back to basics and focus on literacy. With the addition of a third language to the curriculum, we may see further issues.”

And teachers are not necessarily to blame. “There are gross inefficiencies across the system. People at the top are trying, but it’s never enough.”

Mrs Baker believes in a step-by-step approach. “The only way to move forward is to strengthen at the bottom end. We need to start with books. Reading is imperative. Reading comes first and then maths. It is essential we help children read more.” This alone would assist in literacy levels—a key contributor to South Africa’s poor ranking internationally.

To ensure this foundation is well established, the CIE also undertakes integrated services and is involved in health screening services.

“Social workers also need to be involved. A teacher cannot teach a sick child or a hungry child,” said Mrs Baker. The CIE is concerned not only with wealthy urban schools, but predominantly with rural and peri-urban schools.

Critical thinking skills were also lacking in children. “Our children are growing up in an age where they are entertained and where they just receive information. We need to help children to ask the right questions about the information they are receiving.”

This “receptive nature” is a part of the great divide between teachers and children on a technological level. “Children are able to use technology to find answers in a very short time, but we need to teach them the discernment of sources.

The Internet is full of answers, but they’re not always the right answers. Having said that, we need to ensure teachers are not fearful of technology,” said Mrs Baker. In addition, “we need to consider if a child is not exposed to technology, will they be able to take a place in this world? Engaging on a technological level is imperative for all.”

There are positive structures working in the background of Catholic education in South Africa, said Mrs Baker. “We always try to work in partnership for the common good. But our schools are not well supported.”

The deputy director said the involvement of parents at governing body level was another key area where support could be enhanced.

“Catholics schools are still sought after, but they are not doing as well as they could be. The system is under great challenge and it is a problem,” said Mrs Baker.

It’s a problem at many levels: the lack of teachers, or the lack of qualified teachers, and those teachers schools do have are often not motivated, she said.

Other positive structures at work behind the scenes include the “great interaction between principals in the different provinces. Internal Catholic network support has proved to be a great tool.”  In Limpopo, teachers are often twinned together to help develop the skills of each other.

“The Catholic Education Network also ensures that principals are visited and information is available at the end of the phone line—of course there are many that don’t want help. The Catholic Church is involved in collaboration and collegiality,” Mrs Baker said.

“We’re still above the national level, but we could be better.” In 2012, the national average was 73,7%, while the Catholic average was 86,4%. Mrs Baker said the independent schools, those that write Independent Education Board examinations, had performed better on the whole, thanks to the independent nature of the system, however, these schools too showed challenges.

Mrs Baker said religious education (RE) is another highlight of Catholic schools.

She pointed out that RE was not the same as catechesis, but since Catholic values and the ethos is enriched through RE, children learn another way of looking at the world and handling life—often in a more ordered and more respectful manner.

But it’s this very aspect of Catholic schools that needs to be preserved. “The religious that founded the Catholic schools are in short supply and are ageing. There is no one left. It is the role of the laity to keep Catholic schools alive. We need to take up the challenge,” said Mrs Baker.

Catholic contribution needs to continue despite the challenges. But because of the challenges, we are Church need to respond.