Latest news with #Naptosa
The Herald
6 days ago
- The Herald
A simple code of conduct is a starting point to stop bullying, says Naptosa
A simple code of conduct that is enforceable, where everyone knows what is expected of them in terms of behaviour and dress code, could be the starting point to end bullying at schools. This is according to Basil Manuel from the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of SA (N aptosa), on the back of the recent violent bullying incidents at two schools, in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. One incident was at Thuto-Lesedi Secondary School in Vosloorus after which a 16-year-old pupil had to undergo facial surgery. He was attacked on July 23 by a group of older pupils at the school after refusing to hand over a bag containing sweets he was selling at school. In another incident, a video has gone viral showing a male pupil from David Mama Senior Secondary School in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, assaulting a girl on a school bus. 'I have said to principals, if your code of conduct can't be memorised by every teacher, and in turn by every pupil, it's too long and it has too many nonsensical issues [then it's useless],' Manuel said. He said a code of conduct must be such that you can quote 10 or 20 lines of it and it becomes simple to enforce. ' But if you have to check and research your own protocol, then it's useless. 'The bottom line is that we have a beginning. We are far from reaching a point where everything works. We can only get, say, if everybody is running in the same direction and let's face it, there will always be people who think they should run in the opposite direction,' he said. He said the tide becomes stronger when more people are running in one direction and those in the opposite direction are eventually forced to change. The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) condemned the incidents, which it said highlight the growing violence in schools, despite the existence of codes of conduct which should guide appropriate behaviour and discipline among pupils. 'Sadtu is concerned that such measures are failing to protect vulnerable learners and create a culture of respect and safety. It is evident that more must be done to instil values of empathy, caring and tolerance among learners,' it said. Sadtu said schools cannot fight this scourge alone and reiterated the need for active involvement of parents, community members, teachers, pupils and government departments in creating a safe and nurturing school environment.
Mail & Guardian
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Mail & Guardian
Unions slam basic education department over no maths at 464 schools
The South African Democratic Teachers Union alleges schools are pressuring learners in grade 10 and upwards to drop maths to protect overall matric pass rates Teacher unions have called out the department of basic education for failing to hire maths teachers after it emerged that 464 schools in the country no longer offer maths as a subject. 'There needs to be a serious talk about how the department handles its human resources department, because we have universities that are graduating students, but how many of these teachers care about the needs of learners at the schools?' said the South African Democratic Teachers Union's (Sadtu) Mugwena Maluleka. The National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (Naptosa) said the high number of schools not teaching mathematics does not bode well for the education system. 'Naptosa is concerned that any number of schools not having mathematics will hinder the progress of our education system — the department needs to stipulate how it plans to restore mathematics education to these schools,' said Naptosa's spokesperson, Basil Manuel. Last week, the department of basic education said these schools include 135 in KwaZulu-Natal, 84 in the Eastern Cape, 78 in Limpopo and 61 in the Western Cape. According to statistics released by the department last week, the percentage of learners opting for maths declined from 46% in 2011 to 34% in 2023. In 2024, only 255,762 learners registered for the subject, down from 268,100 the previous year. The department added that a persistent shortage of qualified maths teachers and resource constraints, including budget and timetabling limitations, have exacerbated the issue. 'While mathematics remains a high-priority subject, schools may not have sufficient resources or demand to offer both mathematics and mathematical literacy,' said the department's spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga. Sadtu claims that schools in rural areas are threatening children in grades 10 and higher to not take maths as a subject so that the school maintains a high matric pass rate. 'We need to hold the department accountable, schools in rural areas only want matric outcomes so they stop children from doing mathematics because they don't want them to fail so that they don't have a low pass rate,' Maluleka said. The education movement, Equal Education, warned that with limited or no resources for core subjects such as maths and the physical sciences, learners have difficulty progressing through the curriculum. A staggering 82.4% of public schools don't have laboratories, essential for 'Schools in rural provinces also have some of the worst historical infrastructure backlogs, with many learners forced to learn in undignified conditions with poor sanitation and dilapidated infrastructure,' Equal Education's Stacey Jacobs said. Data published by the Human Sciences Research Council and the Parliamentary Monitoring Group in 2023 shows that a substantial portion of learners in the early grades, including grade 5, lack the minimum competencies in basic maths. Grade 9 learners in South Africa were placed 38th out of 39 countries in maths and came in last for science, while the country ranked 62nd out of 64 nations for grade 5 maths performance, according to the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Announcing the 2024 National Senior Certificate results in January, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube warned of a spike in learners who progress through the basic education system without mastering foundational skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy. 'These deficits accumulate over time, limiting learners' abilities to succeed in higher grades and in these gateway subjects and diminishing their prospects of accessing further education and employment opportunities,' she said. 'This trend manifests itself in the perennial decrease of enrolment in subjects such as physical sciences, mathematics, accounting and economics, which are all subjects that are critical for a nation's ability to advance in science, innovation, and economic development.' In 2024, 69.1% of learners The Western Cape achieved the highest pass rates in maths (78%) and physical science (79.4%). Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi criticised the low number of learners taking those subjects, and called on the department to introduce measures to improve the 50% pass mark in maths and physical science. 'The basic education system is not producing enough matriculants with strong problem solving, critical thinking, literacy and numeracy skills, who can go on to higher education, training or apprenticeship,' he said. Many tertiary institutions in South Africa require between a 60% and 75% achievement level in maths and physical sciences for admission into the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) fields. The low achievement levels affect learners who aspire to pursue higher education, according to Stellenbosch University. To qualify for admission to Bachelor's degree studies, candidates need to achieve at least 40% in their home language, 50% in four other subjects (excluding life orientation), 30% in the language of instruction and 30% in one other subject. They must also pass a minimum of six out of the seven subjects taken. 'Without meeting these benchmarks, learners are effectively locked out of opportunities that could change their lives and contribute to South Africa's economic growth,' said the chair of the department in psychology of education at Unisa, Ramodungoane Tabane. Tabane added that a lack of graduates in STEM subjects could hamper South Africa's expertise in these fields. The country has only Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has called for a collective effort to transform South Africa's education system, with a particular focus on strengthening STEM education. 'We must emphasise that the future of South Africa's youth and the country's development largely hinges on equipping learners with the skills and knowledge that these subject fields provide. The world is rapidly evolving, and our education system must evolve with it,' he said.
