An overview of education in South Africa

Robert Calbeck & David Montecucco

EDSE 501 – Psychology of the Exceptional Child

Diversity in Education:

Apartheid (ap-ar-taet) is the policy and the system of laws implemented and enforced by "White" minority governments in South Africa from 1948 till 1990; and by extension any legally sanctioned system of racial segregation.

Dictionary.com, 2010

To understand the attitude toward children when it comes to education in South Africa today we must first study the history of the persecution of the black people until 1990.

Nelson Mandela was an attorney, received his law degree just before the Apartheid regime took control. He receiving his law degree in the late 30’s. Then became an activist against the apartheid political machine that was taking over the country.

southafrica.info, 2008

Bantu Education Act of 1953 which was in effect until 1990

• There is no place for the African in the European community above the level of certain forms of labor

• White South African children received a quality schooling virtually for free

• Teacher: pupil ratios:• 1:18 in white schools• 1:39 in black schools• 96% of teachers in white schools were certified• 15% of teachers in black schools were certified

southafrica.info, 2008

Nelson Mandela:

1994 Mandela becomes President

• 1990 released from prison• 1990-1994 spent negotiating peace between the

black population & the government

• Immediate plan set forth to educate the masses• Create health care for the Bantu population

southafrica.info, 2008

southafrica.info, 2008

• Mandela is committed to developing a rigorous academic environment

• We believe all students, given adequate time, effort, discipline and support, will be able to graduate ready to enter college or fulfill other goals fully prepared for the academic work required

• Mandela set forth the following decree: Our school theme, Bridging Multiple Worlds, uses the lens of multiculturalism and social justice as we prepare students academically to be literate in their native language and in a second language.

• focuses on community and family collaboration

southafrica.info, 2008

1994 South Africa Demographics

1994 South Africa Demographics

southafrica.info, 2008

percentages

Age range

South Africa United States

Birth Rates 20.6 births per 1000

14.20 births per 1000

Infant Mortality 42.5 deaths:1000 births

6.4 deaths:1000 births

Life expectancy 50.7 years 78 Years

Death Rate 22.4 deaths/1000 population

8.3 deaths/1000 population

Languages 11 official languages - Afrikaans English IsiNdebele IsiXhosa IsiZulu Sepedi Sesotho Setswana SiSwatiTshivenda Xitsonga

English, and 1 possible second language

southafrica.info, 2008

1994 South Africa Demographics

Official Language Breakdown, 1994

southafrica.info, 2008

• Aids Health Care Crisis:• 5 million people infected with HIV• 31% of pregnant women are infected with HIV• 20% of people under 20 years of age are infected with

HIV• 3.5 million orphans as of 2005• *** 18.1% of children under 2 yrs of age are infected

as of 2009!!!

Wikipedia, 2009

• Literacy:• Defined as 15 year olds who can read & write

• 86.4% as of 2008***• 10% of students fail to pass 9th grade• 40% of students fail to pass 12th grade

• Government support:• 20% of budget spent on education• 15% of budget spent on health care

southafrica.info, 2008

southafrica.info, 2008

Wikipedia, 2008

• 3 bands of education• General education & training, age 7 to 15,

emphasis on: read, write, calculate.• Further education & training, age 15 to 18,

emphasis on: proficiency in general subjects and second language

• High education and training, age 19 to 25, similar to colleges world wide

southafrica.info, 2008

• 26000 formal schools total….including all levels of education• 400 special needs schools• 60 pilot schools were established by 1998 (2 in each of the 30 regions) which were based in

‘full service’ education featuring specially trained teachers who were based in the local culture and circumstances. The emphasis was on diverse education.

• specialized services and support in rural and previously disadvantaged areas, to gain access to education

• Early Childhood Development ECD is a comprehensive approach to programs and policies for children from birth to nine years of age with the active participation of their parents and caregivers

• Its purpose is to protect the rights of children to develop their full cognitive, emotional, social and physical potential

Interesting foundations set up during the late 90’s

southafrica.info, 2008

Certain educational concepts were emphasized over and over

• Human rights @ 4 different grade levels• civilizations, apartheid, Us Civil war,

slavery of different centuries

• Health & Welfare• Sex education ( 2 levels), society and

fellow humans

• Democracy @ 4 different grade levels• Equality, freedoms, education,

imperialism, fall of USSR

southafrica.info, 2008

Democracy in the Classroom Project was launched in August 2003,in conjunction with United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID) and United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID)

Outcome of this program was to recognize barriers in education:autism behavioral problems visual impairment tuberculosis children in conflict with the law physical disability neurological and specific learning disabilities Multi-disability intellectual disability hearing impairment communication disorders epilepsy over-aged learners.

Wikipedia, 2010

• Teachers and Case workers:• Immediately they sought out people from each region to become

teachers and social workers because they new both the language as well as the culture of the region

• Establish systems to handle the orphan problem, which meant to get them in school as well as develop a system for psychological help.

• 2004 – the emphasis switched to administrative help and principles• 366,000 educators were trained and put in place by 2004.

• This was done in conjunction with the United states Agency for International Development (USAID) and United Kingdoms Department for International Development (DFID)

Wikipedia, 2010

Special Education is done at the totally inclusive pilot schools (1 reason there are 2 such schools in each region) as well as the over 400 special needs schools.

• Parent involvement is high• All children are given an education• Education to the 9th grade is held in high regard• Regulation of curriculum is in the ‘regional’ level, while funding is

supported at the national level• Special education is a high priority since 2003• Special attention to ‘orphans’ • Seek help from outside, US & UK• Social/cultural issues take priority

Conclusion - South Africa is a fledgling education systemWhich seems to have initiated some great ideas:

southafrica.info, 2008

Apartheid. (2006). In Word IQ. Online. http://www.wordiq.com/definition/ApartheidBBC study in south Africa. (2003). In BBC.UK.study in world history

Onlinehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/andrewharding/2010/07/south_african_education_return.html

Demography of the United States. (2007). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from Wikipedia Online. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States

Education in South Africa(2010). Tourism of South Africa, Online. http://www.southafrica.info/Education in South Africa. (2008). Unesco Institute for statistics Online.

http://stats.uis.unesco.org/unesco/TableViewer/document.aspx?ReportId=121&IF_Language=eng&BR_Country=7100

South Africa. (2007). In Wikipedia. Online. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South%20Africa?redirect=no

South Africa Classroom. (2002). In South Africa History Online. http://www.sahistory.org.za/classroom/index.htm

South Africa Classroom. (2008). In South Africa History Online. http://www.sahistory.org.za/classroom/grade4/grade4.htm