Ambushed by History: Ambushed by History: Education, well-being and Education, well-being and

security in the South African security in the South African school systemschool systemDr. Joanne Hardman

Educational Psychology School of Education

University of Cape Town E-mail: joanne.hardman@uct.ac.za

http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/educate/staff/jhardman.phphttp://web.uct.ac.za/depts/educate/staff/jhardman.php

Post-apartheid South Post-apartheid South Africa: Africa:

inequality and education inequality and education South Africa: colonial and apartheid legacySouth Africa: colonial and apartheid legacy Structural poverty and massive inequalities in assets, Structural poverty and massive inequalities in assets,

capital, skills.capital, skills. Vast disparities in education systemVast disparities in education system Low education closely correlated with poverty, race Low education closely correlated with poverty, race

and particular spatial contexts. and particular spatial contexts. Trans-generational: low levels of parental education Trans-generational: low levels of parental education

predict low levels of children’s education. predict low levels of children’s education. Working class (Black) kids more likely to be low paid Working class (Black) kids more likely to be low paid

or unemployed, “Inequality (is) thus being or unemployed, “Inequality (is) thus being reproduced over time” (Seekings & Nattrass, reproduced over time” (Seekings & Nattrass, 2006:265)2006:265)

Education, inequality and labour markets

Unemployed less formal education than employed Unemployed less formal education than employed Employment (1995-2003): 64% of tertiary graduates; Employment (1995-2003): 64% of tertiary graduates;

35% of matriculants (completed secondary schooling), 35% of matriculants (completed secondary schooling), 14% secondary school dropouts (Bhorat, 2004: 951)14% secondary school dropouts (Bhorat, 2004: 951)

Education (by developing country standards) Education (by developing country standards) comparatively well resourced, yet educational outcomes comparatively well resourced, yet educational outcomes remain stubbornly low due to teacher, systemic, remain stubbornly low due to teacher, systemic, management weaknesses. Failure of new ‘progressive’ management weaknesses. Failure of new ‘progressive’ curriculum.curriculum.

Hence additional material resources will not necessarily Hence additional material resources will not necessarily raise educational achievement - bigger budgets do NOT raise educational achievement - bigger budgets do NOT equal better education (Neves, 2009). Complex equal better education (Neves, 2009). Complex responses needed. responses needed.

Inequality in South Inequality in South AfricaAfricaAltbeker, 2008Altbeker, 2008

Learning to write in the sand at a farm school, Learning to write in the sand at a farm school, no stationary for each child. no stationary for each child.

Inequality and violence: Inequality and violence: threats to well-beingthreats to well-being

Greater level of inequality in a society, greater Greater level of inequality in a society, greater potential gains from crime vs. rewards from potential gains from crime vs. rewards from legitimate economic activity. legitimate economic activity.

BUT majority of violent crime is poor on poor crime, BUT majority of violent crime is poor on poor crime, due to unequal access to policing resources. due to unequal access to policing resources.

Human Rights Commission: 40% of school children were assaulted (fists, sharp instruments, firearms), or were victims of rape.

Violence is both peer on peer, student on teacher and teacher on student.

Bhorat (2008) finds a single incidence of crime in a school has a significant impact on matric pass rates.

School in a rural district. Computers as School in a rural district. Computers as teaching/learning tools have been shown to teaching/learning tools have been shown to have ambivalent impact on pass rates but have ambivalent impact on pass rates but influential in building self-esteem (Hardman, influential in building self-esteem (Hardman, 2008). 2008).

UNQUEAL EDUCATION AND ATTAINMENT:

TIMSS TEST SCORES SAPROVINCE MATH SCORE SCIENCE SCORE

INTERNATIONAL AVERAGE

467 474

WESTERN CAPE 389 386

NORTHERN CAPE 333 334

GAUTENG 304 309

FREE STATE 265 245

NATIONAL AVERAGE 264 244

MPUMALANGA 261 239

NORTH WEST PROVINCE 251 231

KSWAZULU NATAL 246 227

EASTERN CAPE 223 190

LIMPOPO 217 191

Education and labour Education and labour demands in an unequal demands in an unequal

societysociety On their own, improved educational outcomes may not On their own, improved educational outcomes may not

improve social mobility. improve social mobility. Educational attainment (specifically by poor Africans), Educational attainment (specifically by poor Africans),

is poorly correlated with labour market outcomes. is poorly correlated with labour market outcomes. This is not wholly explained by the poor quality of This is not wholly explained by the poor quality of education (also social networks etc)education (also social networks etc)

Low labour demand in capital intensive economy: the Low labour demand in capital intensive economy: the supply of labour outstrips demand, and would continue supply of labour outstrips demand, and would continue to even if workseekers were more educated. to even if workseekers were more educated.

Hence in South Africa education is therefore necessary Hence in South Africa education is therefore necessary but insufficient condition to alleviate chronic poverty but insufficient condition to alleviate chronic poverty (Neves, 2009)(Neves, 2009)

So what can we do?So what can we do?First step: understand what influences First step: understand what influences

matric pass rates. Bhorat, 2008matric pass rates. Bhorat, 2008Dependent Variable: Matric Pass Rate

OLS  Median[1] [3]

Pupil- Teacher ratio -0.002 0.005Independent 3.011* 1.826Lowest grade -0.264* -0.284*Non-std. classroom:learner ratio -89.044* -134.539*Specialist classroom:learner ratio -14.393 -22.578*Platoon School -1.442 -2.768Used for ABET -0.728 -0.582Principal’s Office -0.837 -0.596Accom. For Staff 3.462* 2.347*Tuckshop 0.840 0.843Boards per classroom -0.075 -0.079Seats per learner 0.346 -0.050Desks per learner 1.455* 1.094Overhead p.l 8.747 3.714Photocopier p.l 124.346 223.967

Production Function Results Production Function Results (1) (1) contd.contd.

Dependent Variable: Matric Pass Rate

OLS  Median

[1] [3]Library 2.634* 2.330*Computer for teaching 10.392* 11.173*Computer for admin 6.680* 7.199*Phone 3.028* 3.889*Water Indoors -0.016 -0.328Electricity 2.591* 3.619*Sports facilities 2.477* 3.429*Crime Incident -2.663* -2.492*Col./Indian School 13.039* 16.208*White School 26.904* 29.159*New School 1.908* 3.258*

Production Function Results Production Function Results (1) (1) contd.contd.

Dependent Variable: Matric Pass Rate

OLS  Median

[1] [3]

Rural 1.162 1.611

Household Size 0.134 0.137

Children per hh. -1.067* -0.603

Adult mean yrs of schooling 0.813* 0.726*

Poverty Index -0.182 -0.800

Sample Size 5014 5014

Pseudo R2 0.440 0.301

Key results about well Key results about well beingbeing

Bhorat, 2008Bhorat, 2008 Student-teacher ratio insignificant in Student-teacher ratio insignificant in

accounting for pass rate at matric level. accounting for pass rate at matric level. Material infrastructure such as classroom Material infrastructure such as classroom

resources insignificant impact on pass rates at resources insignificant impact on pass rates at matric BUT some specific variables like non-matric BUT some specific variables like non-standard classrooms and staff accommodation standard classrooms and staff accommodation significant. significant.

Conflict / incidents of crime significant. Conflict / incidents of crime significant. Household Variables: Rural/Urban Location & Household Variables: Rural/Urban Location &

Asset Poverty insignificantAsset Poverty insignificant Years of schooling of adults in community Years of schooling of adults in community

significant. significant.

Closing thoughts Education in context: high inequality,

structural poverty, exclusionary capital intensive economy

Education linked to labour market dynamics; poor education excludes many.

In addition demand side problem in SA labour market: insufficient jobs even if there were skilled workers.

Serious problems in SA schools: high levels of violence and low level of pass rates; high levels of insecurity in relation to well being, food security and future job prospects.