Among sub-Saharan nations, the educational system in South Africa is probably the best. Nevertheless, education in South Africa is in serious trouble. South African educational institutions face deep-seated organizational problems, a lack of up-to-date facilities, and an acute and growing shortage of qualified teachers. Adding to these difficulties, educators must contend with the adverse effects on students of high levels of poverty, health problems, and rising levels of gang viiolence.

During the apartheid era, South Africa did develop a good educational system. Unlike most sub-Saharan countries, South Africa was not merely ruled by Europeans, it was actively settled by large numbers of whites. They brought with them the European educational system. Although the level of access to this system was limited (at best) for non-whites, the system itself was very good. Following the advent of democracy and the dismantling of apartheid, efforts to broaden and reform South Africa’s educational system have not fared well.

In some respects, there has been progress. Approximately 92% of South Africa’s children are enrolled in primary schoola far better figure than is true of most African countriesan achievement reflected in an overall literacy rate of 85%. Unfortunately, in recent years, the number of children completing the 5th grade has fallen to just 77%. In part, this is due to severe economic problems South Africa is facing, but it is also attributable to dysfunctional aspects of the school system.

Schools and educators face a serious lack of needed resources, including computers and other information technology now commonplace in the classrooms of developed countries. Efforts at curriculum reform and making schools more inclusive have resulted in mounting levels of bureaucracy and paperwork.

Most serious of all is a critical shortage of qualified teachers. South Africa currently needs 21,000 new teachers annually, but is producing only 5000. Classes are often taught by people lacking adequate teacher’s training, and even so pupil-teacher ratios have reached 60-1 in same schools. Teacher’s salaries remain extremely low, discouraging young people from becoming teachers.

Aggravating this situation, many teachers are joining health providers, engineers, and other professionals in emigrating to Europe and elsewhere in search of better opportunities. In fact, in the United Kingdom, where there is also teacher shortage, qualified educators from South Africa are actively recruited to fill gaps in their teaching ranks.

The problem is not simply a matter of increasing funding and teacher’s salaries. South Africa is better off economically than most African countries. For example, while some 11% of the population lives on less than $1 (US) per day, this is a far lower figure than the 50% that is the continent-wide average. But these figures are only relative. The reality is that South African children face severe hardships. Many children routinely lack enough to eat and/or face health problems due to poverty. Unemployment is running around 25-27%.

The most direct effect of the economic situation is that the government, under the best of circumstances, must choose where to allocate inadequate funds. This forces choices between health care, aid to those who cannot find work, and education. Added to this is the harsh reality that many government officials are indifferent to the mounting problems. If not actively corrupt, many are more interested in holding their jobs than in attempting to change the system. Those officials willing to take action are frustrated by the endless bureaucratic paperwork.

The long term consequences of the decline in South African education will be devastating if it is not reversed. As the world moves further into the 21st century, economic growth depends on a work force that has high levels of education and skills. Analysts studying the situation say the South African educational system is increasingly less able to produce those workers. With inadequate resources and too few teachers, more children will grow up without the skills needed in a modern economy. Without that work force, South Africa faces slowing economic growth as businesses go where they can find skilled workers. Without enough people entering teaching, schools will become less able to produce those workers, or the next generation of teachers, for that matter. Unemployment rates may continue to rise, further miring much of the population in poverty.

Sources
Millennium Goals, http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
UNICEF, http://media/media_23511.html
Current Trends, http://www.busrep.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3654711