Education in South Africa

1. EDUCATION IS THE MOST POWERFUL WEAPON WHICH YOU CAN USE TO CHANGE THE WORLD
This is one of the most recognized quotes of Mandela, Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change
the world. He was very important not only for South Africa community, even for the people of every parts of world. Why?
Because he changed the fate of many people. At 1999 he could achieve that 1,5 million of children start to go to school.
In some places in the past, before becoming colonies the education was in charge of the elderly. They
taught about rituals, dancing, party, singings, etc. But with the arrival of the Europeans the things
started to change. The education should now allow Africans to compete with countries such as the US,
among others.
On the other hand the education system in Africa is very poor.
The rates of participations in education are low. Schools don’t often
have many basic services, the universities suffer from overcrowding,
and the staff frequently migrates to the west because the pay is better
as well as living conditions.
Only a small part of the population has access to it. And just low
quantities of people are the ones that receive the learning which on a
future will give them the opportunity to have an access to a better job.
The schools are very selective and we can see it more in the
universities and private schools.
This division also exists between those who have financial privileges to attend private schools, although
even there you can see the supremacy of white people who seek to marginalize the experience of black
students.
This is because there is a difficulty to interact between the teachers and the students. These last are
discouraged to talk and study African languages.
The professor Jansen recommended the introduction
of English as the language of instruction as early as
possible, he observed many black parents recognize
that English proficiency is important for successful
participation in the economy, and therefore concluded
that their children should be instructed in English.
The problem appears because the education policy
makers have a dilemma in countries with multiple
home languages, such as South Africa. So the exams
are only available in English.
The education is the
great engine of
personal
development, is through it that the daughter of a farmer can become
a doctor, that the son of a miner can be head of a mine, it isn't what is
given us, but the ability to appreciate what we have is what
distinguishes one person from another.
Alumnas: Dominguez Guadalupe, Flores Maite, Godoy Sofia, Lopez Luz
CURRENT EDUCATION POLICY
4th
Grade
(Primary School)
Instructions using
English or
Afrikaans
Primary School
(First 3 years)
Instructions using
mother tongue.
60% learn other
language than
English or
Afrikaans.
Only 5% learn
other language
than English or
Afrikaans.