Department fails youth

Six months into the year and some Limpopo schools are still without textbooks. This after the department of education introduced a new curriculum called the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements for the grade 10 pupils.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga expressed her shock that beside the high court ordered deadline, 15 June, some Limpopo schools were still without textbooks. According to the Mail and Guardian, Motshekga vowed in a press briefing that the department would meet the deadline.

The way I see it, it takes no rocket scientist to note that South Africa’s educational system is failing the youth of the country. It is rather absurd that the future of the country depends on the education of today’s youth. However, the higher end of the education system is failing to invest in it. Perhaps it is of ignorance that I fail to understand how an entire department changes a curriculum nevertheless, without textbooks to support the change. Could it be that the changes were done by ignorant individuals during a work coffee break? That is if they were at work to begin with.

One would think that before any changes are made to an existing curriculum or any other system, thorough research would be undertaken. This to ensure that the change will be effective or not, and if not then plan B would be implemented. Maybe this is a farfetched notion. Conversely, are we to risk the country’s future and change curriculums as we please without sufficient material to support the change?