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Education Crisis In The Eastern Cape (22 October 2009)

Written by Tashi from the blog Cutting Edge Teasers on 22 Oct 2009
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Coming up on Cutting Edge:

Episode Title: Education Crisis In The Eastern Cape
Broadcast date: 22 October 2009

Tonight's Cutting Edge looks into some of the reasons behind the high matric failure rate in the Eastern Cape. For the past few years, the province has been experiencing a gradual drop and was one of the two worst performing provinces in 2008.

The show visits Mpheko Senior Secondary School, outside Mthatha, where teachers are alleged to be fighting over positions.

Speaking to different classes, learners unanimously told the show that teachers have long stopped going to classes. The footage captured will reveal how learners sleep during school time simply because there is nothing else to do.

One grade 12 student representative talks to the show and paints a bleak picture of the future as students find themselves being drawn into a seven year-old infight at the school.

The school got a 14% pass rate last year. Out of 106 learners who wrote exams, only 15 passed the exams with a certificate that will never enable them to access higher education - there were no exemptions.

The provincial education department said it will investigate the matter and promised that heads would roll before the end of this year, as an attempt to solve the problem and turn the situation around but Mzansi matric learners are writing their final year exams in a few weeks -  so it's all too little too late for Mpheko High School learners.

Education Crisis in the Eastern Cape is written and produced by Ntsiki Nohiya, edited by Unathi Kentane and filmed by Sam Msibi.



Cutting Edge is on SABC1 on Thursdays at 21h30.



27 Comments

Lungelo75
23 Oct 2009 09:25


I was deeply disturbed by the footage which was shown yesterday evening regarding poor teaching habits of educators at Mpeko High School.
I really don't think that those educators are aware of their purpose to be at school- hence they don't know (if they really don't know) why learners are failing.
Furthermore and most importantly the principal is also failing in her quest of ensuring that the learners's interest are at heart because there are rules and regulations that guide them in the execution of their duties, for example the Employment of Educators Act (Act 76 of 1998) clearly stipulates that an educator has committed a misconduct if he/she fails to comply with legitimate instructions in the execution of his/her duties. So for me I find it hard to believe that she has been trying to implement policies to ensure that the school is runned effectively, but there are certain elememnts who are trying to undermine her authority.


Fortunately now we have IMG ( Institutional Management Government) advisors, Circuit Managers, District Managers, Labour Relations Officers, and School governing bodies, all which are stakeholders in the smooth running of the school.I was once a Senior Labour Relations Officer for Western Cape Education Department so I am certain of my deliberations. If you can't instill discipline in school, then why are you a principal and if you can't educate learners in classrooms then why are you in the payroll of the Department. These educators are making the DOE their "cash cow" and I won't be surprised if they do have businesses because you can see when they were shown sitting in their cars that they don't have passion in what they are suppose to do. We cannot allow a situation to continue where learners are victims of infighting because educators are spiteful of each other because of positions. I urgue Cutting Edge to follow-up on this matter with the Eastern Cape Education Department to ensure that those responsible face the arm of law.

Last but not least I am very proud of you guys (Cutting Edge team) for a good job well done in trying to ensure that South Africa becomes a prosperous country where everyone employed in the public service account of the responsibilities vested in his/her shoulders. We need committed people who have passion in what they are doing. Those educators in Mpeko High need to ask themselves the following :

(a) What is to serve?
(b) Why are they at school?
(c) The core business of the EC DOE.

Because by killing the needs of those learners, denying education to those learners, they are killing the future of our country- they are killing the future leaders, doctors nurses, engineers,to mention but a few and despite this I am still proud to be a South African, a public servant who serving people with humility.



Mr. L.T. George
Principal Planner ( Assistant Director)
Regional Land Claims Commission: WC
Dept: Rural Development & Land Reform
Tel : (021) 426 2930 (021) 424 5146 (Fax)
083 583 2077
Fax to Email : 0865492888
Email : lgeorge@ruraldevelopment.gov.za

Tholi
23 Oct 2009 09:34

yooooooooo!! those educators can chew the gum yeeeseeeeees!!

they being very selfish coz their kids goes to private schoool. they really disgust the hell out of me!!

TheLady
23 Oct 2009 09:37

"Lona ongxamuza ichewing gum...nawe mbukeli uyazibonela iyathandwa ishungama kulesikole" LMAO-Mr Sineke was killing me

The teachers looked like the dumbest sh!t acting like they were  it!! Especially Miss Sadtu cap.They irritated the crap out of me! I also don't think the principal is as together as she acts. Btw if she has a staff of 24 teachers 5 are trouble makers where the f are the the rest abo 'goody two shoes'? Only 2 teachers were at the assembly-one teacher was teaching...the rest were either in their cars, walking around and some just standing and enjoying their chewing gum..hayi maan gov must really do something..

LOL at the school girl in her marron uniform with pink lipstick.

Green.arrow
23 Oct 2009 09:49

The school girl in her marron uniform with pink lipstick....i was wondering about her nje...but i was like hai!....what can i say...and the prefect young man and his bee shoes....i thought he can speak!!!!...very artistic with everything he says....unless thts how xhosa generally sounds.

Bigups to cutting edeg indeed,they really cover relvant issues,not just the big news makers.
I was reminded of the schools from home. We had 6 high schools,one of the best has been transformed into an fet college...so tht most students dont even complete matric they just go there jsut to "hang".
Of the 5 left,only 2 are good. I found out last week tht in the other 3, students are apparnetly so mean to teachers tht teachers dont go to classes. Apparently if you wanna learn you will go and ask the teacher????
And this is a township. I dont know what is happening elsewhere,but if this is the current trend then im seriously worried about our youth. Education is supposed to be one of the tools by which they system is atleast equalised......but at this rate it seems like the gap between the privillgaed and underprivillgaed will continue to widen even in the future.
Saddening?...whats the problem....is it obe,the abolishment of corporal punishment...what is it?

Cande
23 Oct 2009 09:54

LOL @ the presenter saying iyatyiwa e chewing gum kule skolo

maud
23 Oct 2009 09:57

Green. Arrow that young man, i must say i have noticed something in him, if given change he will make it , he had the ways of putting words,  i dont want to talk about those teachers they are disgrace in the teaching industry, fighting for position? which position?, are you not suppose to qualify to be a Principaal ? to think that i wanted to be a teacher, the teachers of today has no morals. abanasidima in my language

Mafresh
23 Oct 2009 10:04

I wonder what will happen if the government give some tenders or sort of pre-privatize school. My idea is: A government funding a private company to run schools. La mamistress, ba tla utlwa gore we dont kgola mahala mo private sector, we sweat to meet dead lines.

LOL @ a girl who has VIKI no.7 on her lips. Stoep sa gage be se benya ke sunbeam.

Green.arrow
23 Oct 2009 10:11

I agree with you maud.....pity the people who are supposed to be maulding him are not doing their jobs, but he seems like the kind who will fight all odds, and i hope he does. Unfortunately its only few people who can do tht without guidance. Thank God for teachers who understand the power of what they are doing...and shame on those who dont get it. 

This whole teachers and their kids at private schools thing...its been there for a while...and the sad thing is those kids arent always reflecting the kind of education they received,...to put it bluntly,were i come from,we public schools kids are doing much better...... Their results reflects the characters their parents instill in them directly or not...and any teacher who does what this teachers do with impunity certainly has a questionable character.

TheLady
23 Oct 2009 10:17

It's always hilarious how people in EC calls female teachers 'iMisi' LOL

Cande
23 Oct 2009 10:27

Those teachers were brave enough to do that in front of the camera. IYHUU they have a liver & a half

Cande
23 Oct 2009 10:29

the teachers of today has no morals.>>>>some teachers NOT all of them!

Best-Achiever
23 Oct 2009 10:39

Tjo .. that was very shocking .. and i wish what you are talking about Mafresh was already in place

Zah000
23 Oct 2009 10:44

I felt ukuthi the Principal was just acting for TV. Out of 24 teachers only 5 are trouble makers?? Where was the 19 then??

LOL @ the chewing gum comment nengane ye lipstick e-pink

Mafresh
23 Oct 2009 11:03

Isibindi sa la boMis, siphuphuma emafutheni. nxxxxxxxxxxxxx!!!!!!! to da highest

nekzo
23 Oct 2009 11:09

they dont care about the childrens as long as bona behola inzima lendaba, I wonder what's going to happen

Ngqesta
23 Oct 2009 11:22

Mna nje I was surprised by how the DOE seemed 'oblivious' (if at at all they were) to the challenges that the school is currently going through. That entire situation is disheartening. One can just tell that the two gum-chewing-educators are the instigators of it all.......they just could not be bothered. I must say I found it hillarious how was the cap-wearing one can 'showing off' her ability to speak english when she was being asked questions in Xhosa.......pity she could not speak her english all the way to the classroom to be infront of the pupils where she ought to be....and perhaps share her English knowledge with them!

Cutting Edge team is really on the cutting edge of investigative journalism....touching on real issues!

J-Girl
23 Oct 2009 11:35

@ Nqesta - lol at your last line ingathi ungu Debbrah Patta maroro maan...

anywho its sad coz my mom was a teacher in the EC and when the school she was teaching at started turning for the worst now she is a teacher trainee, still in the industry but at least there she feels she is making a positive difference... call her a non-fighter but she felt she could not handle playing in a team of 10 as 1.

Green.arrow
23 Oct 2009 11:46

And thts were most of the good teachers are going J-girl. I guess when you are a proactive teacher you dont get support from other teachers,coz you expose them for their laziness. And it takes a lot to tolerate all that. I have seen this a lot and its saddening. The best teachers i knew from my neighbourhood upgraded their skills to law and research companies.

Ngqesta
23 Oct 2009 11:51

tl tl tl....unyanisile yhaz J-Girl....mabandiqashe ndibenze ijingles. uyibonile i ruj yomntana wesikolo...ingasekho purple kangaka

maud
23 Oct 2009 11:55

@Cande - sorry Sisi, yes some of them

J-Girl
23 Oct 2009 11:57

@ g.a and you know what the saddest part is in this whole equation - it is the learners who will suffer the consequences, especially whose parents cannot afford to take them to any other schools

@ nqesta I didnt watch but my mom called me to tell me what was happening coz she knows that school very well and the sadtu members she worked with them as well while she still belonged to the union

Sips
23 Oct 2009 12:33

Lona unxwakuza ichewing gum...nawe mbukeli uyazibonela iyathandwa itshungama kwesisikolo i so laughed at that - and a friend was like Abanondindwa betishala balibele kunxwakruza ichappies ndaweni yoba bafundise abantwana...What the hell was up with " I don't know" from both those irritating teachers ze-chappies....they made me so sick...
The pick lipstick....and the eye shadow...kwi-student....i thought..yho...hay kumnandi kwesisikolo....And that boy who said they don't care about them non of their kids are there and that they're being taught in the schools that they're in ....was right they really don't care.How can one be brave enough to show such foolishness on national tv people...i wonder if her SADTU crew gave her thumbs up after watching show last nite...J-Girl - am just thinking about how Debbrah would have squashed with questions....

At first when they showed that SRC boy walking towards them (when they showed them shoes) i thought he was a teacher...(abantwana bakhula kakhulu mani) yes also aggree guys the younf man has something in him...

Out of 24 teachers only 5 are trouble makers?? Where was the 19 then??  I kept asking myself that Zah....And what has she done about this 5 - i mean i don't understand her....she was saying when ever she said they must do this they talk about their rights....okay what does she do after that?? Nothing....And the SGB members...??? what have they done?? bathi they've got proof so why are they not doing something?? 
Every teacher in that school must thank God that things have changed and the students there are  quite young otherwise if it was when we were still students in the 90s they would have been locked up in the staff room by the students and threatened to death....

Mna nje I was surprised by how the DOE seemed 'oblivious' (if at at all they were) to the challenges that the school is currently going through. @Ngqesta i was also suprised, i just couldn't undertand how that was - and did you see how "casual" that man was??

myname
23 Oct 2009 14:29

I’m glad I was not the only one who was disturbed. To think of it, there are people who would love to teach but they are unemployed but qualified teachers. Don’t get me started with those 2 witches. I was freaking mad man. How can u do that to poor children? It was more than selfish to me. Really I cannot express the way I feel after watching that show. It’s disgusting! Those teachers have no humanity whatsoever. They are cold heartless people & I wish they can get 10years suspension without pay or disqualify them for the rest of their lives.
By the way, what makes someone to become a principal? Isn’t suppose to be someone who can handle the staff, meaning both teachers & pupils? Isn’t suppose to be someone who has leadership skills since you will be dealing with people?
I believe it was 19 voetsek when I was in high school but some things are still odd even today. How can you let students wear lipstick? Where I was studying, we used to have rules (from primary until high school). We were not allowed to wear lipstick except Vaseline/zambug/lip-gloss but not too much lip-gloss because that thing is too shiny & some of the hairstyles were not allowed even if you can afford them. But the things I saw yesterday left me puzzled. We were not allowed to have long nails with nail polish even if they are just long. I found it so (can’t find a perfect word). But I believe the principal is not doing her job either. They are all the same to me. A class is like home. They are rules everywhere & if you don’t set rules then we’ll all have schools like that one. And if someone doesn’t follow those rules they get punishment. What made the whole thing worse is some students are hungry for good education. They want knowledge not behaving like kids at crèches e.g. sleeping during school hours....What is that?
It’s a shame.

Cody
23 Oct 2009 14:51

shame, this was sad indeed, bo teacher bao ba na le sebete sa ho tlotsa tau ka lipice, they are not even ashamed, i thought ba tla tatazela when they saw the cameras but no, they acted like there is nothing wrong.

come to think of it, i didn't even see the principal at the assembly, she is relaxing as well. i wish i could get my money like like, wake up and do nothing.

maud
23 Oct 2009 15:08

dont worry they will be suspended on the next follow up of Cutting adge, we already contacted the Zuma hotline with the query .

they are all out,

TheLady
23 Oct 2009 16:17

Si-ri-ya-si maud?

maud
23 Oct 2009 16:22

watch the space, the Union wont have anything to fight against as , the constitutional right of , Children has the right to learn has been violated.

struuuuuuuuuu


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