The state of SA’s basic education is a topic of constant debate — by political parties, the media, civil organisations and the general public. Even though basic education has had a positive impact on SA’s post-apartheid development, problems such as dismal educational outcomes and the absence of teachers torment us and, especially, low-income families.
These problems aside, some progress has been made in addressing and eradicating the legacy of apartheid in education. Increased access to education has accelerated the growth of the black middle-class so that, for the first time, in 2008, the size of the black middle-class surpassed that of the white.
Education has always been a big factor in nations’ development and SA’s prosperity, too, is dependent on the quality of its basic education. Even though SA’s education faces many challenges, it is fair to say that, on balance, the opening up of educational opportunities has had a positive impact on our society.
SAs basic education challenges
Even with the progress made since 1994, SA’s basic education is not doing as well as in other countries. The government is failing, in many respects, to pursue the reforms needed to improve the country’s education. Besides the absence of teachers and dismal outcomes, other problems range from the shortage of facilities to over-crowded classrooms, and the destructive actions by teacher unions, such as the South African Democratic Teachers Union.
Most affected by the government’s failure to improve public basic education are children from low-income families – where parents cannot afford to seek out alternative sources of education for their children.
About 20% of government expenditure — the biggest allocation compared to other sectors, as shown in the 2016 Budget Review above — goes to education. Yet the outcomes still disappoint.
According to Africa Check, SA ranks behind poorer African countries like Kenya, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zimbabwe on literacy and numeracy. That we are behind these poorer countries with all our privileges ought to unsettle us all. In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study results released in 2016, SA ranked second last in the world. Botswana, Egypt and Morocco all performed better.
Are independent schools the solution?
As the government fails to produce desirable results in public education, reforms are urgently needed to make improvements. The government needs to look into encouraging and creating an environment where independent schools can thrive and grow. Independent schools already have a significant impact on SA’s education. Between 2000 and 2010, according to an article in The Economist in December 2015, the number of government schools established in SA fell by 9%, while that of independent schools grew by 44%.
However, parents from low-income families cannot afford many of the independent schools; private education is expensive. The government needs to find ways to encourage the establishment of low-fee independent schools to fuel not only competition between private schools, but also competition between low-fee private schools and public schools, and so improve overall basic education.
Low-fee private schools have huge potential. The SPARK schools, created in Johannesburg and now opening in the Western Cape too, are a good example of the kind of education system the government could pursue.
"Quality independent schooling, such as SPARK, priced at R19,100 a year, means families with widely different incomes can afford to, or simply choose to, send their children to low-fee schools," Lisa Steyn wrote in the Mail & Guardian in December 2016.
Schools like the SPARK model are badly needed, and the task for the government must be to encourage the growth of such low-fee schools so that education becomes competitive and its quality improved. Competition would improve not only in private education, but also public schools, because public schools would have to compete with other schools in providing quality education.
The role played by businesses, parents, and communities in general, is critical to any effort to improve the education sector. These stakeholders must assume greater control of the schools in their communities. The participation of the private sector would demand greater commitment from all involved.
Dr Thomas Sowell, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, once said there are no solutions in economics, there are only trade-offs. Competition will not be the solution to SA’s education problem — but it could be the government’s first step towards bringing about significant reforms in the sector.
• Phumlani M Majozi is a youth co-ordinator and non-executive director at the Free Market Foundation.
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