EDUCATION SYSTEM
Poor, black pupils at a disadvantage
The matric results highlight the plight of SA’s poorest children in getting an education, says lobby group Equal Education
SA’s education system is failing black pupils, especially those from poor socioeconomic backgrounds, lobby group Equal Education says. The group said on Monday the education system continued to reward those who had a solid preschool and foundation phase teaching, and failed those who, due to poverty, had an inadequate primary schooling. The matric results released last week by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga showed that poor schools, especially those in townships and rural areas, continued to largely underperform. "[Pupils] who cannot read fluently by the end of Grade 4 cannot engage with the rest of the curriculum in meaningful ways. This is primarily because in grades 1 to 3, the curriculum focuses on learning to read and, from grade 4 there is a shift from reading to learning. For most [pupils], passing matric well and potentially obtaining a university degree is already largely unattainable by the time those [pupils] reach the end of grade 3," said Equal Education gener...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.