Guest on the line: Iviwe Mtubu- is a 21-year-old teacher currently teaching Geography and Mathematical Literacy at Westerford High School to grades 8-10, his other teaching is Methodology in History.
The state of South Africa's education requires some reflection and magnification. 28 years after South Africa's democratic transition, its most disadvantaged communities continue to be denied access to a decent education. It is concerning that rural schools still lack concrete infrastructure after 28 years.
The issue around Apartheid special planning with regards to education has not received sufficient redress since the dawn of democracy with regards to geographic space and location.
Architectural intention reflects the value which people attach to a place. We need to move to a more justice-driven education system and not just an equitable education system as research has found South Africa is the most unequal society in the world but has one of the most celebrated constitutions in the world. Research conducted by Amnesty International showed that in the Eastern Cape alone, the number of mud schools in the province increased from 436 in 2018 to 582 in 2021. In 2013, the government enacted the Minimum Norms and Standards for Educational Facilities, which required the government to ensure that all schools had access to sanitation and electricity by November 2016 which has still not been realised.
Where do we think are South Africa’s poorest performing schools? In our rural and township areas, decent education needs to take place in decent settings. Equality and access can only be realised if the Education system reflects their potential and maximises their capabilities.