Education

• Author: R. Morrell,R. Moletsane
• Date: 01 January 1997
• Published date: 01 January 1997
• DOI: 10.10520/EJC34829
• Pages: 33-54

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Education

R. Morrell* and R. Moletsane**

Introduction

The transformation of the education system, which has been a priority since

the 1994 elections, continued in 1997 and 1998. More laws were passed aimed

at facilitating the process and eliminating backlogs from the past. While few

would contest that change has occurred, there is vigorous public debate

about the extent and nature of this change. Government has been and remains

committed to two goals: eradicating racial inequalities and rationalising the

cumbersome administrative structures and huge bureaucracy inherited from

the Apartheid system. An additional aspect of redress became prominent as

the process of integration in formerly white, coloured and Indian schools

gathered momentum. It is now apparent that the inequality most resistant to

removal is concerned with social class. This includes inequality between

township and rural schools (serving majority African learners) and the

formerly white schools, and most importantly, that between town and

countryside schools. To some extent, ex-model C schools are relatively well

provided for in terms of resources and personnel. To a larger extent, the city

dweller is better provided with education compared to the impoverished

under- or unemployed rural resident. Trying to equalise education provision

between these contexts is destined to become the major problem facing the

Education ministry, particularly as Apartheid bequeathed abysmal

educational facilities to the former homelands and white farming areas.

Government plans have encountered numerous problems and

consequently demonstrable progress has been limited. It is for this reason

that the media headlines generally refer to education as being ‘in crisis’. The

media have often held the Minister, Sibusiso Bengu, responsible. For example,

in the past two years, the influential Mail & Guardian has assessed him as

* B. Journ, BA (Hons) MA (Wits) PhD (Natal). Professor, Department of Education,

University of Natal, Durban

** BA, UED, BEd (Fort Hare) MA (Ed) PhD (Indiana, Bloomington), Senior Lecturer,

Department of Education, University of Natal, Durban

Morrell and Moletsane

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exceptionally poor and called for a new minister to be appointed. However, it

is clearly far too simple to explain all the disappointments and failures in terms

of ministerial ineptitude.

This chapter looks at new legislation and what policies and projects were

introduced in 1997 and 1998. Whether these developments have led to real

transformation at the school and the classroom levels is the focus of

continuing debates in parliament, among teacher organisations, in schools,

communities and the media.

Legislation

Higher Education Act

In April 1997, the White Paper on Higher Education1 and the Draft of the

Higher Education Bill2 were published for discussion. Later in December the

Higher Education Act3 was passed by Parliament. The Act sought to redress

past discrimination, ensure representation and equal access in higher

education institutions, and to promote the values which underlie an open and

democratic society based on human dignity, equality and freedom.4

Although the autonomy of the institutions was highlighted in the

preamble, the Act was criticised for the wide powers given to the Education

Minister, such as the power to close public higher education institutions.5

Criticisms were also made in relation to the composition of the Council on

Higher Education, which is formed by a majority of members appointed by the

Minister.

Despite these negative aspects, which could be addressed through close

scrutinity to the Minister’s exercise of power,6 the Higher Education Act was

seen as a positive step towards creating unification and uniformity between

tertiary institutions.

1 Government Gazette 17944 GRN 712, 18 April 1997.

2 Government Gazette 17944 GRN 713, 18 April 1997

3 Act 101 of 1997

4 Preamble Act 101 of 1997

5 Section 25; Monica Bot, ‘A Tertiary Update’ -Edusource Data News No. 18

October 1997 and No. 22 October 1998, Education Foundation, Durban.

6 The Star 23 September 1997, The Citizen 7, 9 & 10 October 1997