Education in South Africa
Education has almost superseded HIV/AIDS as the most pressing concern to South Africa’s government and citizens. Teacher shortages, disciplinary problems, insufficient resources, and inadequate infrastructure are just a few of the features plaguing the nation’s high-cost, low-performance educational system. Despite the fact that national pass rates for the matric (the grade 12 graduation exam) have been increasing over the years, these numbers only offer a skewed perception of South African academic achievement. Matric pass rates do not account for the extremely high drop out rates across the nation. It is expected that only about fifty percent of students entering grade one will ever reach their final year. Furthermore, struggling students are often pushed through the system until school administrators weed them out, to prevent low matric pass rates from impacting the school’s standing. There are few mechanisms in place for students who don’t pass (no GED equivalent, no summer school, etc.) and students who do pass aren’t guaranteed enrollment into a university because of high costs and limited space.
School Profile
Paterson High School was founded in 1925 as a predominantly coloured school. According to veteran staff members, Paterson was once the highest achieving high schools in the Northern suburbs of Port Elizabeth, with competitive sports teams and engaging extracurricular programs. However, after the fall of apartheid in 1994, its test scores quickly followed suit, due to high performing students now having the opportunity to transfer to ex-Model C schools. Today, Paterson’s matric pass rate stands at eighty percent, and continues to decline. In South Africa’s struggling economy, it is difficult to secure resources, repair building damages, and provide holistic learning opportunities for students at Paterson High.
What do we do?
South Africa, often referred to as “The Rainbow Nation,” has eleven official languages, representing the majority of its diverse population. However, school is primarily conducted in English and Afrikaans. Because many South Africans speak one or more native languages as their mother tongue, this creates a difficult dynamic for both learners and teachers in the classroom. As Fulbright English Teaching Assistants, we are tasked with assisting teachers to help improve English fluency and literacy in the community, while dreaming up fun and creative ways to facilitate English learning spaces in our schools. In addition to managing the school’s library, we are currently working with about forty learners to improve their reading and creative writing skills, and have also introduced an art club and theater club to Paterson High. We are bringing a career expo to the school to discuss future employment opportunities with the students, as well as organizing a recycling program to deal with the school's excess waste.
What can YOU do?
Improving literacy is a top priority for students and teachers at Paterson. But along with teaching learners the skills needed for classroom and workforce achievement, we also want to create a culture of reading for pleasure. We believe that providing Paterson High with a functional library space is equally important to, if not necessary for, students' academic success. With your help and generosity, we can provide our students with new books, working computers, and stable internet to help make the library a space they are comfortable in and proud of!
