It got published!

What an amazing feeling.

Last week Sunday, when I finally settled down to The Sunday Times with a cup of tea, there was no frantic scramble to the Reader's Review section. I did not expect my little letter to be considered. When I finally got to that page, my eyes quickly scanned the headings, confirming my suspicion - it was not there.
But then the word education caught my eye. I read the first sentence with a sense of recognition...It was indeed mine! They changed the heading!!!!

I am terribly proud of this achievement, which might appear trivial but when you are still unsure of whether your stuff is good or trash, something like this is a grand victory! I had to plop the picture into this post, just for the ego...

Education - SOS

The Sunday Times of last weekend published an article written by Michael Rice, who taught for many years at the Johannesburg College of Education. He really hit the nail on the head in discussing ‘After OBE, let’s stop the rot in our schools.’

The issue is close to my heart. It’s tragic that the thousands of students who sit in classrooms don’t gain maximum education, if any at all.

I wrote to the Sunday Times and hope that the letter will feature in the readers page.

Here it is:

Students beg: Stop the rot in our schools!

Being a 17 year-old student and having attended five different government schools in Gauteng, I could only agree that Michael Rice captured the exact essence of the countries educational crisis in his article ‘After OBE, let’s stop the rot in our schools’. His plea for a serious shift in attitude is urgent!

There are two main issues that affect me and all other students. Firstly core leadership in this department is crumbling with incompetence, resulting in teachers with poor ethics. From there hang the results. Teachers need to start becoming productive. However not all of them are useless. Those who are passionate and professional can teach without textbooks and computers. They can control a class without merits and demerits. They respect students and don’t waste their time. These teachers are scarce and do not get the credit their hard work deserves.

The second issue lies within the constant systems modifications. The department needs to implement a long term system that is compatible with both ‘first and third world’ schools, so to speak. The OBE concept is fantastic, but it has succeeded in only some cases. It can not work without resources, one of which is accomplished teachers.

Michael emphasized that professionalism involves self sacrifice. That all very good, but at this stage it’s not a mater of going the noble extra mile. Teachers need to do their jobs. They need to lead by example. They need to respect in order to be respected. Handing out exam answers to compensate for laziness says its okay to slack and leech off someone else. Mooching around the class watching movies from off a laptop during lessons says it’s ok to slouch around the house and abandon homework. Sexually harassing students in view of a young audience says it’s okay to exploit others. Fabricating marks says it’s okay to cheat….

The millions of young South African minds are valuable. The youth is powerful. The institutes that mold them need to be free of corruption. They should be places of learning, development and discipline, lead by morally upright and professional teachers.

I just wonder: What will actually be done to address this crisis?

A Magical Farewell

Last night, with my jaw on the ground and watery eyes, I watched the momentous succession of light, laser beams and 3D graphics that formed the spectacular closing ceremony of the 2010 World Cup. South Africa made us proud- a brilliant host!

They certainly did a suburb job in co-coordinating the closing ceremony. It took all of 18 powerful projectors, three Gripen fighter jets, 4000 performers, 13 plastic ellies, Shakira, a handful of highly acclaimed South African artists, Madiba and an electric display of fireworks, to set the giants calabash a whirl with magic.

The unreal scene of virtual graphics, projected onto the pitch, were the work of VWV, who snuck 18 of the worlds most powerful projectors in six groups of three beneath the stadium’s roof. Innovative French software, Only View, was used to create mind-blowing effects such as water being sucked up by the ellie and the newspaper tearing open.

The addition of talented performers to the elaborate lighting arrangement pumped the final touch of energy and life into the ceremony. Watching South African artists such as Freshly Ground, Jozi, Slikour and the Lady Smith Black Mamba’s, bid the world farewell with such beautiful music brought the tears to my eyes.

I deeply regret not paying whatever colossal amount of cash for a ticket to the finals. One cannot equate that experience to money. I am only too grateful for the TV I so often take for granted.

People are raising
Their expectations
Go on and feed them
This is your moment
No hesitation

Today’s your day
I feel it
You paved the way
Believe it…….Waka Waka!!!

Well done everybody! We all felt it! We all believed! Thank you South Africa!!!

Creepy old Men

In preparation for a successful World Cup the issue of child trafficking has been brought to our attention. Being a topic of great concern, tales of kidnapping and abduction that seem dramatized and exaggerated are passed from girl friend to the other. I often wonder how real and widespread child trafficking is. Is it just the hype of the media over isolated incidents? Or are there truths behind the stories that have crept into tea parties, baby showers and school corridors?

Last week Sunday whilst ice skating with the family, my mother pulled me aside, concerned about my little sister, an avid skater of five years. She pointed out an old man who I had noticed at the skates’ counter- he stood out from the crowd. Roughly aged between 60 and 65 years, his graying head was covered with a billabong beanie. He wore tracks with a formal jacket and shirt, finished off with a blood red oversized tie that looked more like a posh napkin. As I forced my feet into the scrappy hired skates I saw him fish out his own pair of skates from a giant sized suit case that had a Ghana flag stuck to the side. That gave me the creeps. Why the colossal sized suit case?

When mum told me that he commented on Babes (my sister) and offered her sweets my mind wondered into a world of gruesome possibilities. He looked like a child snatcher, chatting to random children and teenagers with a sneaky smile that revealed a bad set of teeth.

One can never be sure. Perhaps he is what I suspect him to be. Perhaps when we left the rink, a little girl left with him, lured by his practiced charm. And perhaps by the time we arrived home the little girl realized her tragic fate and screamed for her mother in vein.

I hope that all the children who skated that night fell asleep safely, in their own beds. Chances are they did.

But how do we know? How many cases go unreported? Is it closer to us then we think, perhaps a house away, a block away or a suburb away?

I alarmed by the amount of children that I see without parental supervision in malls, parks and on the streets. At the ice rink I would estimate that over 70% of the children and tweens were unsupervised which made my concerns even more valid.

The reality is that you can’t take the chance. The reality is that vigilant parental supervision is non negotiable. The reality is that you don’t know what could happen. Don’t under estimate the potential danger.

Here are some top tips on keeping your child safe:

1. Have a plan if your child gets separated from you in a public place. As soon as your child can’t see you they must sit down or not move, making it easier for you to find them.

2. Get into a routine. Establish a routine for picking your child up from school and other events. Agree on who is allowed to fetch your child and a code that must be used in the event that you are unable to fetch them.

3. Inform your child. Your child should always consult you before going out and you should let your child know of your where about.

4. Drill the details. Your child should be able to recite their parents name, phone number and physical address. Equip younger children with an identity wristband, containing the above details.

5. Stranger alert. Ensure that your child has a good understanding of who a stranger is. A child’s perception of a stranger can change depending on what a person looks like, says or does unless they have a clear understanding.

6. Talk about abduction. Make your child aware of abduction using methods they will understand. You are not protecting your child by sheltering them from the issue.

7. Never leave your child alone. Never leave your child unattended in a public place and ensure that they are always in sight. If they need to go to the bathroom, always go with them.

8. Listen carefully. Listen closely when your child talks about their friends and other people who they may spend time with when you are not there. If you feel uncomfortable about what they mentioned, asked questions and get clarity. Never doubt your feelings or think that you are being silly.