To the Minister of Basic Education

A letter to the Minister of basic Education of South Africa

Dear Angie Motshega

I am 44 years old  and so you can do the maths and see that I grew up as a little girl when Apartheid ruled our land.

I grew up much like many other little white children with many privileges attributed to us because we were white.

As I see it , the most wonderful gift I received as a white girl , growing up in Apartheid South Africa, was an education. The greatest educational gift of all begins with learning to read. Reading opens up a whole world that despite our circumstances, we can escape into. I am forever grateful for this privilege and gift. I know that many other little girls, who are now 44 year old women, were not afforded this opportunity and were denied this precious gift because they were black. There are really no words to describe the wickedness of Apartheid.

I grew on through school and decided to study to become a teacher. This was another privilege that my white skin afforded me. In my young adult years, we stood at the dawn of a new time in our beloved country. Democracy was knocking and we could all taste change. As a young, white woman, I had tasted some of the hatred of Apartheid and had in my whiteness joined the struggle. 

The day freedom dawned was both paved with the bloodshed of the late 80's and early 90s and smoothed over by the voice of reason and reconciliation. Those were glorious days.

I was one of those first teachers who taught in a school that was supposed to be full of white children but was full of black. Things were bursting for change and we, the youth, mostly black and us few white, were eager and excited. There were many dreams and plans afoot in education and I was party to some of those ideas that sadly did not blossom but died.For example, the great idea that every primary school have a grade R attatched to it was a fine idea and one that I hear we are revisiting again , all these years later.:(

I know now and I knew then that education can and does make a difference.It can take a child destined for poverty and put his little feet on quite a different path. Education opens the door to a world full of colour and extravagance. It will change the lives of countless thousands.

It will change our country.

I am still involved in education but not in the way I started out. I have 4 of my own children to guide and educate; I work on the side tutoring and building into the lives of many children. Education is both broad and wide and has many faces. 

But, in the words of Dr Seuss from The Lorax, UNLESS.

Unless, our education system really grows, shifts, and changes....

Unless you take the reigns entrusted to you and steer this horse to good pastures...

Unless principals and teachers lead and teach because they love their job s and really want to change lives....

Unless we stop overloading staff at schools with endless changes and new demands....

Unless we stop using Education for political gain and rather get our hands dirty with meaningful change.....

Unless the hearts of those who govern and rule our land, choose rather to look at what works and use that as a model for what could be. 

Unless these and many changes take place in education, countless children today, in post Apartheid , democratic South Africa, will leave school without a good enough education.

Lets all join hands and roll up our sleeves and put our brains together. There are real and good solutions to the insurmountable problem called education. South Africans are resourceful and we are survivors. 

Dear Minister, we need you to lead. Please don't simply make decisions like lengthening the school day so that politically we are doing the right thing but in reality our children are exhausted. Playing politics will never teach a child to read. 

So, stand up and be counted as one of the many who changed the course of Education in this country for good.

Will you do that for the children of this land?