TOO WEAK TO LEARN
INDIA is no exception to this phenomenon. In South Africa we are founding huge amounts of learners that do bad in their studies. Together with learner atittude, social ills; being too weak to accept lessons is widespread within the African continent.
Of the interviewed sample, some learners came form orphan-headed, single, troubled and extended families. The collapsed family structure makes education of an African learner very hard. So hard that some learners quit school without achieveing their primary education.
Notwithstanding the unique challenges and the quantity attention given to them, the 1994 government inherited a disordered classroom. Previous regime wanted NGUNI Schools to only supply them with unskilled labour, period. The new, energetic government prioritized education big time. Over 200 billion ZAR (p.a) is currently spent on Education!Not to mention that a number of organizations support our Ministry of Education, all for the benefit of the NGUNI class.
MULTITUDE OF TROUBLES
Pity the problems did not stop. It is an open secret that, we have a crisis of outcomes. HIV/AIDS has had a negative effect on Education in SA. According to COSATU, about 30% of Educators work days is lost due to Educator absence at school.
Of this percentage, about 12% is HIV/AIDS related absences.
Sad it is that Learners are not immune to this phenomenon. High percentage of learners arrive to school ill, tired and too weak to learn. A number of these learners come from poor households that can only afford to give them , on average; one meal a day. This meal is normally supper. This situation is worser on learners who are taking ARV treatments! This treatment ,like other processes; requires that one be well fed or else the very medication becomes a health barrier to the affected learner. The learner who took these medicine is drained and left tired. No to mention when they did not have any breakfast.
NATIONAL PASSES- A VALIDATION
Negative effects of the pandemic put additional pressure on an already depleted and struggling educational system. Not long ago INDEPENDENT ANALYSTS highlighted that our National passes are not true. We are not accounting for all learners that started Grade R twelve years ago. Too ill and hungry learners rob them of their right to compulsory education.
This aspect is but not limited to: responsible for the 50% learner dropouts in our country!