Equal Education sends 650 Yellow Cards to Government

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Click here to view a sample of the Yellow Cards.

Click here to view an image of 200 learners  holding up their Yellow Cards at an Equal Education Mass Meeting.

 

In the spirit of the World Cup, Equal Education (EE) has delivered 650 Yellow cards to various members of government including: President Jacob Zuma, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, Minister in Presidency, Trevor Manuel, Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Enver Surty, Director General of Basic Education, Bobby Soobrayan, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and Chair of Parliamentary Portfolio on Basic Education, Fatima Chohan.

 

The Yellow cards, which were given “for failing the people of South Africa on quality basic education and school libraries” were written during a door-to-door campaign in Khayelitsha and at various EE events in communities and at schools.

 

Among the pleas, comments and suggestions sent from learners, parents, teachers and community members were: 

 

"We need more classes, our classes are overcrowded and currently we are facing an increase of failing, with such huge numbers the teachers find it hard to look at out problems individually." -Aphiwe Dinwo

 

“Equality in education seems to be failing day by day and it is sad that nothing is done about this issue because at the end of the day it is the learners that suffer and this may cost them their futures.”-Nosibonece Kwatsha 

 

“I know that people are complaining for lot of things but can we just start with a library so we can make better ourselves”- Khaya Mgxats

 

“Each school must be provided with its own library, as not all of us can afford to send our kids to the Cape Town.”-Ayanda Qunta

In the case of school libraries, Equal Education has enjoyed victories in the gazetting of the National Policy for the Equitable Provision of an Enabling School Physical Teaching and Learning Environment (NPEP), a framework for long term plans to improve infrastructure like libraries and also recommends that Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure be adopted which would set clear targets. The Director General has assured EE in writing, that these will be in place by the end of the current financial year. 

 

Minister Motshekga has also assured EE in writing that the new post-provisioning model for educators and support staff “does make approval for librarian posts. No such provision existed before.” This recognizes one of the major demands of our campaign.

 

Equal Education hopes that the Yellow card recipients will take a take time to read and reflect upon the messages sent, as they are a reminder of how much work still needs to be done.