Schools must be launch pads for innovative thinkers and doers

The pioneering child-development psychologist Jean Piaget was of the view that the goal of education is to create men and women capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done. It would be interesting to see what he would have made of the challenges faced by South African educators and students in 2022. Our matriculants can’t even find jobs, let alone have a shot at changing the world. Against the odds, the 2021 matriculants have achieved impressive results with an overall pass rate of 76.4%. Announcing the National Senior Certificate results, basic education minister Angie Motshekga pointed out that the matriculants faced disruptions caused by two years of Covid. The disruptions were significant — interrupted schooling for all, parents who lost jobs, caregivers who died, hunger, and in some cases abusive homes. These young adults deserve an A for resilience and perseverance.

At the same time, a stream of interventions by the department — mostly without fanfare — have led to the kind of outcomes South Africans have long wanted to see.

The percentage of children at no-fee schools achieving bachelor passes has risen from 51% in 2015 to 62% now; the provision of school meals and transport is paying off, making more room at the table for poor children. Figures quoted also indicate that fewer children are dropping out, and more girls than boys achieved bachelor and diploma passes.

No-one wants to see boys falling behind, but it is encouraging that girls are doing so well. Economic independence is the ticket to an independent life — and that includes the freedom to leave abusive relationships, one of the country’s scourges.

And yet. The depressing reality is that these achievements come with the crushing realisation for many school-leavers that they will not have opportunities to earn a living. Industry complains that schools aren’t producing adults with employable skills, while our economic growth remains low. This means unemployment will remain dangerously high, at 57% among youth. Without jobs, matriculants and graduates can’t gain work experience or live with dignity.

Researchers at Stellenbosch University observed in a 2020 paper for the National Planning Commission that international evidence shows the quality of basic education is fundamental to long-term economic development. The Human Resources Development

Council of SA also found a high correlation between the quality of education and rates of entrepreneurship.

The quality of education in SA has been rising but, according to the World Economic Forum, it is improving off one of the lowest bases in Africa.

Against this backdrop, it is encouraging that computational skills — robotics, coding and other elements of digital literacy — are to be introduced at primary schools. A big challenge will be making sure that our teachers are equal to the task.

Entrepreneurship is also being worked into the school curriculum. This will teach skills for youths to create work for themselves and will help those who cannot access formal tertiary education. Motshekga has said that in every grade the curriculum will be enriched with projects to develop these skills.

The three-stream model, which the department has introduced at secondary level, aims to provide technical and vocational pathways in addition to the academic pathway. According to the Stellenbosch research, this could be the most ambitious reform in the schooling sector after undoing the apartheid funding model. In part, it is about providing youths with 21st-century skills.

The economic ecosystem will need to change too. Young entrepreneurs will need finance and mentorship. Regulations and red tape are daunting. Data is expensive.

The youth of SA have so much to offer. Let’s make it possible for them to have enriching, productive lives. And yes, to be capable of doing things that have never been done before.

Give our youth the chance to boldly go where no-one has gone before