Chairperson, it was recently reported in our media that, "a high-level panel of education experts has concluded that South African schools are dysfunctional."
The Democratic Alliance therefore welcomes the findings and recommendations of the Ministerial Committee on National Education Evaluation and Development Unit, as being illuminative and significant, and the DA wants to urge the hon Minister to regard the establishment of such a unit as a matter of high priority.
On a positive note, the DA wants to congratulate the department on the introduction of the Foundation for Learning Campaign. This initiative was launched to improve learner performance in reading, writing and numeracy and it provides clear directives to the entire education system on minimum expectations at each level of the general phase of schooling. Its primary focus, namely to highlight the importance of literacy and numeracy as a basis for achieving quality education for all, is laudable.
Chairperson, the core of any schooling system is its curriculum. The curriculum determines the nature of the system and forms the axis around which all the components of a school system revolve. I want to focus mainly on certain aspects of the national curriculum, which prescribes an outcomes- based approach to education.
Whilst the DA supports this approach, it is also keenly aware of the fact that learners should be equipped with a firm bedrock of knowledge to enable them to demonstrate certain required skills by applying knowledge.
The curriculum for each grade should be set at an appropriate level. It should neither bore children through oversimplicity, nor be set at an academic level which is unobtainable.
Voorsitter, in hierdie verband wil ek vier aspekte aandui wat dringende aandag vereis. Eerstens behoort alle leerders die voordeel van moedertaalonderrig tot en met graad 6 te geniet. Dit is wetenskaplik bewys dat leerders, benewens hul moedertaal, alle ander vaardighede ten beste deur middel van hul moedertaal verwerf.
Tweedens skep die oorgang van graad 3 na graad 4 baie aanpassingsprobleme. Waar daar in graad 3 nog grootliks op taal- en rekenvaardighede gefokus word, moet leerders in graad 4 meteens 'n aantal nuwe leerareas bemeester, wat net te veel gevra is.
Derdens behoort leerders nie vanaf graad 10 tussen die vakke Wiskunde en Wiskundige Geletterdheid te kies nie. Die benaming Wiskundige Geletterdheid is misleidend. Dit is nie Wiskunde nie. Dit rus leerders met sekere rekenkundige vaardighede en nuttige kennis vir hul loopbane toe, maar dit kan nie 'n grondslag vorm vir 'n beroep waar wiskundige kennis en vaardighede vereis word nie.
Vierdens is die vak Fisiese Wetenskappe as 'n verpligte vak die Achilleshiel van tegniese onderwys. Hierdie vak, met sy groot chemie- komponent, is te akademies van aard vir leerders met 'n praktiese aanleg, wat 'n tegniese studierigting verkies. Die departement behoort die daarstelling van 'n vak soos Toegepaste Fisiese Wetenskappe vir die behoeftes van sodanige leerders te oorweeg. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Chairperson, in this regard I want to indicate four aspects that urgently need attention. Firstly, all learners should enjoy the benefit of mother- tongue education up to and including Grade 6. It is scientifically proven that, in addition to their mother tongue, learners acquire all other skills best through their mother tongue.
Secondly, the transition from Grade 3 to Grade 4 creates a lot of adjustment problems. Where the focus in Grade 3 is mainly on language and calculation skills, in Grade 4 learners must all of a sudden master a number of new learning areas, which demands too much of them.
Thirdly, from Grade 10 onward learners should not choose between the subjects mathematics and mathematical literacy. The name mathematical literacy is misleading. It is not mathematics. It equips learners with certain calculation skills and useful knowledge for their careers, but it cannot form the basis for a career where mathematical knowledge and skills are required.
Fourthly, the subject physical sciences as a compulsory subject is the Achilles heel of technical education. This subject with its big chemistry component is too academic in nature for learners with a practical aptitude who prefer to study in the technical stream. The department should consider introducing a subject like applied physical sciences to cater for the needs of such learners.]
Chairperson, the DA believes that the broad curriculum, presented in our schools, should be relevant. Learners should leave school with skills that are appropriate for managing different aspects of their lives. This requires amendments to certain subjects, as well as the inclusion of some new subjects. In this regard I suggest the following: Firstly, it is essential that the South African history curriculum should be redesigned in order to ensure that the subject is presented in a balanced and unbiased manner. It is therefore important that a new basic motive, or leitmotiv, should be identified, which can produce a new image of our history and which is acceptable to the entire South African nation.
Secondly, I agree that South African Sign Language does not get the attention it deserves. Hearing-impaired and deaf South Africans should have the right to learn, develop and use their primary language. In the spirit of the DA's policy an Open Opportunity Society for All, it calls upon the department to develop a South African Sign Language curriculum.
To conclude, hon Minister, the Mail & Guardian recently speculated on the question of whether you are tough enough to become "Ms Fixit". The DA is watching you, but we are also right behind you in the sprit of the slogan: Together we can build a better future, and will assist by handing you some of the tools required to fix our dysfunctional education system. Thank you.