Lessons from the Past, Plans for the Future

This one is currently reading Transformations issue 4, from 1987.  Among many other things Transformations was a journal on "Critical perspectives on Southern Africa." Note: Southern Africa.
The very first paper is the one that has moved my moving fingers to Write. The paper is call "Let Us Cry For Our Children - Lessons from the 1955-6 school boycotts." It is an excellent piece of Political Science literature, and looks at some of the failings in the ANC and it's partner's attempts at boycotting the Bantu Education system which was being put into place.

Their methods, rallying together, having national meetings as well as provincial ones, attempting to mobilise the ANC Youth League and of course the boycotts themselves, told me quite a bit. The most interesting thing I see, though,  is how very much like the previous government the ANC currently is, in response to issues involving education and curricula.  Also, the quality of education has been a strong debate in the  South African sphere recently, as we have gone through so many assessment policies I could hardly keep up. By the way, I remember needing 50% to pass a subject, now the standard is 40%.

A quote from the Depertment of Basic Education:

"In 1997 we introduced outcomes-based education to overcome the curricular divisions of the past, but the experience of implementation prompted a review in 2000. This led to the first curriculum revision: the Revised National Curriculum Statement Grades R-9 and the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12 (2002). Ongoing implementation challenges resulted in another review in 2009 and we revised the Revised National Curriculum Statement (2002) and the National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12 to produce this document"

Here it is, and it's documents are at the bottom of the linked page : National Curriculum Statement

 Anyway, there's alot to discuss when it comes to the issue of basic education. The Chaotic Front was built as an engine of information, after all.

We'll start here: that the ANC believed that a People's Education system could be built seperate to the government's education system of the time. The intellectuals of the time met at their conferences and discussions were had, but not much got off the ground. Jonathan Hyslop (1987) says that "while the leaders of the 1986 (People's Education) movement  were fairly clear on the limitations of their ability to provide an alternative to the state's education system, expectations seemed to be fueled by the high levels of militancy, especially among the youth."

We of 2016, have taken a different tack. And I cry. Because the Fees Must Fall as well as Rhodes Must Fall movements have not taken any autonomy stance at all. If anything, they ask that the state either subsidize fees, or make education free. There is also the issue of in-sourcing skills. But that is aside for now.  While the old movements carried some (lofty) illusion of building a parallel education system, this generation chooses to keep the buildings and systems as they are, just make them free and less White.  White people surely were the problem, but they weren't the only problem. not then, not now. The issues at hand are far less racial and are a simply a matter of responsibilities.

In April 1955, there was supposed to be a nationwide boycott. It did not happen for "lack of membership response" by March. The education boycott also failed in 1986 even though the events of 1976 had shown what militancy can attain. The state remained in power, and finally decided on a handover in 1990 and elections 4 years after that. But the education system barely got better. For we have enough complaints about lack of skilled people, both in hands and intellect. The teachers don't want to implement the new policies, and the Department of Education is forcing it down the children's throats. So, what does this Anarchist say?

This one says that the ANC failed then and it's failing now, with the power they fought and killed for, with the power others died for before even seeing it put to use. The state has not done good by it's people. School still sucks for many pupils. If it's not the teachers and their abuse or lack of skill, it is the schools themselves in terrible condition. If it's not the schools, it's the teachers vs the department. If not that, it's the lack of budget for books or extra-curricular activities. The ANC failed to rally and manufacture a People's Education system during the Struggle. That is kind of acceptable, considering the many challenges any agent of dissent would have to face. Meetings were difficult to host, eventually the ANC was banned, the Youth League was disjointed and efforts at a Mass Youth League failed (Hyslop, 1987) Right now, the children of Philipi High School have more than a bone to pick with our president.

Not to say that it was abject failure, though their defeat was a lot clearer by 1956. The Cultural Clubs which taught People's Education curricula were mostly well run, some boasting up to 1000 children, while some had feeding schemes for their children and well trained choirs.

The failure lies in the fact that our current ANC has all of this responsibility on their shoulders yet the perspective seems warped. The education system has hardly improved, even though I can study with any racial group I want to. Even though we have votes from every racial group, we still cannot seem to get the simple matter that unity only happens if we have something to unite for. Zuma isn't the only one that must fall. His cronies and employers must. And even though, according to democratic tenets, that is us, truthfully, it is the corporations and international groups that judge what really goes on here. If we succeed in dropping Zuma, the system he works for will still be in place. We are too busy dealing with our daily lives instead of dealing with the issues right before our eyes. These jobs of ours are meant to keep us too busy to manufacture policy. So instead we choose people to do it for us. And look how well that's worked out for us.  Over 20 years of indecision, corruption and ineptitude will definitely reveal their selves. As they are already.

We could dwell on that all day, but let's move on. I would just like you, Dear Reader, to keep in mind that this South African  education system has been under serious challenges before democracy was achieved. And is still facing some. The shortage lies im the lack of strong alternatives.  This one would also like to raise the point  that the ANC is the only one with a strong Youth League which has a presence when policy decisions are being made. Is it time that we, as the generation of the now,  build systems of our own that learn from history and apply our wills to manufacture the country that we need. Yes, Black First Land First, We hear you. Land is pivotal. But what of our institutions which obviously do not cater for the African world view. Or to even nurture an African world view in our citizens, us.  What of the lack of a South African Youth League, which would be inculcative/inclusive and not ask that one be an ANC member or align with ANC views in order to plug into the policy making arena? It may be time to build. It may truly be high time.

Before we receive change, the change must have the tools to be put into action. These tools need training, discipline and an unstained. The political alliances of the past did not unite. A case in point is the still unresolved tensions between the ANC and IFP. The 2 largest political parties have not as yet built the schools we need to engineer the citizenry which will raise South Africa above its station. We are still bound by the old (to use a Hip Hop colloquialism) beef.
Here, at the Front, we are suggesting uniting the youth, rather than the old and present political party factionalism which is still present. We no longer have the White Oppressor in Parliament, moving our grandmothers from their fertile farms into filthy congested townships. We no longer have the police coming to sut down our cultural clubs. But still, the lack of unity is hurting our progress. I call upon the revolutionary movements such as The September National Imbizo, Black First Land First (sadly, the EFF is currently in Parliament, they are left out for now),  Stand Up! and others to unite in forming a Youth League which will take on these issue, with the youth directly involved. Movements like Fees and Rhodes Must Fall have no central and permanent leadership. Their plight is clear to us onlookers and partakers but the real change will come from a united front against the failures of our predecessors. To correct and build better systems. We are more than capable.

If you would like to hear more about the failures of the 1955 boycotts as well as the 1986 ones, we can write further on that, but for now, the important thing is to spread the word that unity is what is needed. We do not need to politicize and factionalize every element of our actions with the state. We need to build cohesion in the face of a system which thrives on the division of its people. We have a channel to do that, here at the Front. Join us for discussions on bettering this country of ours. REach me, comment, email, do whatever it takes. It is not too late. We're not dead yet.

And remember: Death lurks where life is cheap.