Education system can be defined as systematized process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include teaching, training, storytelling, discussion and directed research. Education frequently takes place under the guidance of educators, however learners can also educate themselves. Education can take place in formal or informal settings and any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. The methodology of teaching is called pedagogy. Education system in south Africa has always been under severe scrutiny. There is quite a number of research publications pointing out the education system challenges. Various education commentators also draw out their insight on why the education system has declined in our country. Even the government in the name of department of education release publications highlighting the so called ‘’challenges’’ of the education system in south Africa. Unfortunately, most of the reasons cited by these publications as the hindrances and challenges plaguing the education system are incorrect. And from the government publication point of view, those challenges are a way to divert the truth about the real challenge of education system in south Africa – the information is falsified. This paper`s intention is to reveal the how research and government publications have misled the public about the challenges of the education system in south Africa. The paper will prove that even if the so called ‘’challenges’’ cited by different institutions are solved, the education system in south Africa would still remain in shambles. This paper will conclude by providing the only one simple challenge that has plagued our education system for a long time now.
South African education system is placed at the bottom of the education system leagues according to the education systems of the world. South Africa is amongst the top three African richest countries yet our education system is still languishing at the bottom of the African education systems league. In response to this, many government publications on education have blamed the failed education system on aspects such as; poverty and education inequalities, multiple languages, poor infrastructure, apartheid legacy, and many other challenges. The veracity is that; all these aspects are not the reason education in south Africa is so poor. Yes, these may have impact, however, there is one major common challenge that is always ignored by the south African government when addressing the challenges of the education system of South Africa.
On one hand, research from various higher education institution publications on education are citing challenges such as High student-teacher ratios (1: 40), poor physical resources, including no developed sports fields, lack of qualified teachers in subjects like mathematics and physical sciences, no support from the educational authorities in maintaining discipline, absenteeism of teachers who are burnt out trying to cope with big classes, poor behaviour and worsening socio-economic conditions etc. On the other hand, public and private media platforms are revealing that one way to fix the education system in south Africa is to ensure; a low student-teacher ratio (25:1), well- constructed schools with sports facilities, very qualified teachers, many teachers at private and Model-C schools receive additional remuneration for extra-mural activities, extra lessons in subjects such as mathematics, advanced programming mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences and home language. All these solutions are not the correct information to fix the education system in south Africa!
What is the use of having highly qualified teachers if the curriculum is designed in an irrelevant manner? How will the small class sizes help fix the education system if the curriculum is not designed to suit the unique traits of an individual child with individual educational needs? Extra classes will never help fix the education system if the curriculum is not designed to produce skilled workers. even if there was no poverty and any form of inequalities, the infrastructure was excellent, there was one common language was used etc., south Africa would still be producing unskilled workforce for the market. The curriculum would still be frustrating learners as it is currently frustrating them in public schools, that is the real educational system challenge. In short, no matter how much we fight poverty and apartheid legacy and build proper school infrastructure, all that won’t erase the fact that the curriculum is irrelevant and doesn’t prepare a child for the future. Which is why we would still be having the education system challenges nevertheless.
It is vivid that all the publications that have cited ‘’challenges of the education system in South Africa’’ are incorrect and have overlooked the core challenge (curriculum). South African education system is failing, not because of poverty, HIV/AIDS, apartheid legacy, school infrastructure, qualified teachers etc. our education system is failing because of the education engine itself (the curriculum). The education curriculum in south Africa is a mass curriculum – it forces learners to do subjects irrelevant from their life aspirations, it doesn’t provide workplace practical skills and knowledge. This curriculum is not designed to cater for the various educational needs of various learners. It destroys the uniqueness and individualistic talents of the child because it forces the child to blend in with the subject the school provides irrespective of whether those subjects are relevant or not. This is a monstrous curriculum that has destroyed many talents. That is the only education system challenge we have in south Africa. And that is the challenge we should be focusing on if we are to fix the education system.
Personalized Education Curriculum System (PECS) seeks to reverse the current curriculum irrelevancy into curriculum relevancy. The PECS is designed to save learners from the monstrous curriculum that forces them to undertake subjects they won’t need in the future. PECS is a transformative education curriculum system that, through its nature of design, will put an end to the whole confusion around curriculum debates. PECS will further sort out the pass requirement standards once and for all. PECS seeks to bring back the value and the dignity of our education system. PECS ensures that learners taste the glimpse of the workplace experience while still at school. That’s what makes our curriculum unique and highly relevant to inspire the education community of our nation, South Africa and the whole of Africa. And that is how we believe the education system can be fixed.
Know more about PECS: https://simnandisolutions.co.za/personalized-education/ – Click on PECS Powerpoint presentation.
Please answer these 3 questions and submit: https://simnandisolutions.co.za/pecs-questionnaires/