Why education in KZN is failing our children

Professor Vimolan Mudaly explores the alarming state of education in KwaZulu-Natal, highlighting the challenges posed by budget cuts, lack of resources and the impact on pupils’ learning. He questions the accountability of the Department of Basic Education, and the implications for the future of South Africa’s youth.

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1AM CONSTANTLY reminded of the adage: “Every child has the right to an education.”

Although simple, it clearly articulates the fundamental right of children to access education. Beyond the idea of simply providing education, the quality of education in KwaZulu-Natal needs to be questioned.

If just half of the allegations made by Sadtu are partially true, then our children are in serious trouble. Everyone should be concerned.

The fact that we have schools does not guarantee that quality education is being provided. Many of our schools have been barely managing to survive over the last few years, financially and in terms of teaching and learning.

Absent or insufficient infrastructure, lack of teaching resources, and no clean drinking water or proper ablution facilities have been major hindrances to the high-quality education we would expect from a well-functioning education system. Lack of one or more of the listed resources reduces the learner’s ability to manoeuvre successfully towards becoming competent in a rapidly evolving society.

There might be a perfectly good explanation for their actions, but the KZN Department of Basic Education ought to let the public know. Why has the basic funding allocation for the different schools decreased? Schools are, most often, not able to collect fees. How do they then ensure that the basic needs of the school are met?

That money belongs to the school, and any unilateral decision taken that negatively affects the school should be justified publicly.