The Best Things in Life are Supposedly Free; Education Not So!

There is an interesting discussion going on on Twitter this morning sparked by Lebo Mashile. She tweets: “A colleague said she spends nearly 100k on private schools for 2 kids under the age of 8. That is a new car every year! WTF?!” Lebo Mashile also voices her concern about the projected cost for her child when they enter grade 1 in 6 years to come. I must say her concern is a valid one.

A parent has three options for educating their child in South Africa. You can opt for a local government school. You can also opt for private school. A few parents are brave enough to go for home schooling. Whatever option you go for, the general consensus is that a good school costs money.

The cost of school fund – tuition costs paid in by parents – is a multi-factorial thing. The Department of Education zones schools according to the economic situation of the local residents. A school that falls in an affluent zone receives a lower subsidy – aka fees – compared to a school in a poorer zone. It is possible therefore to find a fully subsidised school at one end of a location and one that is partially subsidised at the opposite end. In a school that is partially subsidised, the School Governing Body (SGB) decides on the school fund. Here comes the trick. Parents in poor areas cannot afford a high school fund and at times R100 p.a. is a high order for many folks. In more affluent areas a cheap school can cost a parent at least R12 000, and that is a modest estimate. Parents have been known to pay in R30 000 and more p.a. to a government school. I don’t even want to fathom the cost of private school tuition, but I’ve heard parents mention R100 000 per annum.

I could stop writing here because I’m sure it is plain for all to see that South African kids are not all experiencing the same creature comforts at school. While some schools hardly have enough to meet administrative needs, the biggest concerns in some schools is whether or not to get an astro turf for the hockey team. Some schools have 1 teacher looking after a classroom of 50 hungry kids. In another school the SGB can afford to pay for extra teachers and thereby have better teacher-pupil ratios. Pupils in poorer schools also have to contend with ill-equipped teachers who are struggling to understand the work they are supposed to be teaching. These teachers also have their own personal problems, like debt and family issues which often are manifested in the classroom by teacher absenteeism amongst other things. Affluent schools are in another ball game. They have paid librarians, laboratory assistants, gym masters, cafeterias and school shops that sell souvenirs! Some private schools on the other hand have helipads and shuttle services to the airport. The differences are large and pronounced.

While there are poor schools that achieve impressive matric pass rates, the common belief is that a school with better infrastructure and more teaching staff have more to offer the pupil. There are a myriad of extra-curricular activities to choose from. Science Club, Debating Club, Chess Club, Environment Club and other clubs where pupils meet after school do not only supplement what is being taught in class. These clubs and societies also open up doors that lead to informed career choices, teach kids interpersonal skills, and give the kids the opportunity to develop leadership skills. In essence the pupils get life skills that prepare them for adult life.

While parents don’t mind making sacrifices to in order for their children to have better opportunities, parents are concerned at the high costs. Indulge me for a moment… When I was in Grade 8 my parents paid just over R2 000 for my tuition that year. This increased steadily over the years and by the time I was in Grade 12 my high school tuition was over R8 000. It is now 10 years since and my sister is in Grade 12 in the same high school and her tuition is now just over R18 000 for this year. Now I’m pregnant and in 18 years time my child will be in Grade 12. I’m afraid to extrapolate the cost for when that time arrives.

At present I’m not going to tackle the inequalities that exist between schools. Whether spending a fortune on tuition is equal to better matric results and a balanced young adult is a debate for another day. However, I want to acknowledge that access to good education will bankrupt some families. Something has to be done. I’m not sure what yet. I’m sitting here with my belly and wondering what kind of options my child will have in the future. One thing is for certain though, I have to start saving.

All Hail Abigail George

Today I wish to bring to you’re attention a gifted and brilliant poet. She was born in Port Elizabeth during apartheid times. She matured during at the dawn of the new democracy. Her work however, reveals that as a very sensitive child she might have grown to experience and understand things on a higher plane and paradigm than other children her age.

I first came to know of Abigail in 1997 when I befriended her sister. At first it was cool to learn that all three of us shared a birthday. I was exposed to her work before I met her in person. Her sister would often bring magazines that had published some of Abigail’s poetry. It was such a treat because in my eyes she was an instant celebrity author.

As I got to meet with her over the years I became grateful to know her. She always seemed to understand whatever troubles I was facing. She never really offered any advice now that I think about it, but it was always so refreshing to know that someone out there understands. Which, I promise you is a big deal when you are a teenager or a young adult still struggling to decipher the code of life.

Abigail doesn’t just deserve an honorary doctorate for being my tender shrink. She is worthy of an award for living life. She completed some of her high school in a foreign country, has worked in the film industry. She has travelled and seen exotic locations. I think it is art of living that has allowed her to experience adventures that made it possible for her to write so beautifully and eloquently. She writes in such a delicate manner which unavoidably transports you into her world.

That being said, I would love to introduce you to her anthology of poems “Africa, Where Art Thou?” with the following poem: 

Africa, where art thou? A collection of poems by Abigail George.

Fire in Bosnia 1992

The international press talk
In tongues reminiscent of old
Breathe air through iron lungs
Here the colour of death is bold.
 
War wounds are like stigmata
Earth signs pale in comparison
They wash over you like a downpour
Of rain over a suit of armour.
 
Residents in a crumbling community
Are much like a sculpture
An ethereal intrusion
In the eye of the beholder.

This book promises to be a valuable addition to your personal library. It has received raving reviews and a few have been added below. The book is available directly from the publishers, Drum Beat Media. Alternatively you can email the author, Abigail George, directly at abigailgeorge@isat.co.za

Abigail George writes with the sensitivity that touches all who devour her poetry.

KHANYILE MLOTSHWA, writer and journalist, Sunday News Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

In this collection of small and large framed poetry are portraits capable of lingering for a long time.

AHMED MAIWADA, poet, literary critic, Nigeria

Penetrating…profound…intense…grave…

            DORELLE ISAACS, educationalist, South Africa