Transcript Reconstructing SAHE

Do you belong here?
A case study of the inequality at an urban school in KZN.
Intersection of race and class
Pete Jugmohan
University of KwaZulu-Natal
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Overview of Presentation
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Introduction
Newstone Secondary School (NSS)
Changing socio-economic context
New Principal - Lived reality of leading, teaching and
learning.
Data and analysis : Key themes.
Way forward
Conclusion
Introduction
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Significant advances - last 16 years – race issues in SA society.
DoE – shifted vision and direction of education system since 1994
DoE - restructure education - in line with the constitution.
Although racist policies – dismantled – poverty, homelessness,
disease, unemployment, HIV/AIDS - distinct social profile,
disproportionately affecting Black South Africans.
Complexity – sch. life - new SA – intersection of race and class
inequality- this combined-create debilitating environ. - effective T&L
cannot take place.
In addition race, ethnic & gender inequality in education continue to
act as profound barriers to quality education for all.
Complete fragmentation of edu.- apartheid era- most visible legacies
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Race issues highlighted - children from different racial and cultural
backgrounds migrate between schools.
Deep trouble & without resources and support – out of trouble.
Not of their own making- historical and systemic i.e. a legacy of
apartheid.
Case study - investigate leadership & multi-cultural challenges
experience by a newly appointed Black principal - an Indian school
Challenges presented – overwhelming -balances competing roles:
education leader, political leader, activist in an urban community.
Using Critical Race Theory – to explore and analyse the case study.
History of the Newstone Secondary
School
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Began as a primary school with missionary influence – early 19th.cen
Relocated to Indian area in 1969 – Group Areas Act cited as reason
Become Secondary School in 1978
Political “township” violence (1982) – impact on learner population
Influx of Black learners changed the demographics of NSS –
85% Black, 14.5% Indian and Coloured 0.5%
Migration across town and exodus of Indian learners in 1990 – to
e-Model C and Private schools
Staff component
Poor socio-economic context
Changing socio-economic context:
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Shoe and clothing industry - long history - provided employment.
1980’s factories began to close on a regular basis - growing unemployment.
Increasing unemployment - related social problems grew.
Sold their homes and children dropped out - sought employment.
“township” violence 1982 - impact on learner population of NSS.
Black families displaced - sought refuge in greater northern suburbs.
Informal settlements mushroomed - vicinity of NSS
Railway line and cemetery as its borders.
Families refused to move.
Children - informal settlements & number of “township” children commute.
Fee structure is the lowest.
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Number of Black learners began to grow – Indian parents senb
“Indian flight” - migration into ex-model C and private schools.
NSS Black learners unconditionally – 1990 - racist practice entrance test.
Influx – changed demographics - diverse races – educators not
trained nor prepared.
Challenge - not only to deal with the diversity - with the educators’
own prejudices.
Immediate vicinity of the school.
Trade with impunity - extreme vandalism targeted at the school.
Ina Cronje – then MEC of Education
“The school is in a bad way. If it were a patient
it would be in the Intensive Care Unit. Parents,
the education department and other
stakeholders need to work together to get the
school functioning again for the sake of our
children because at the moment they are not
receiving quality education. We need to identify
the problem correctly and we need to
collectively own the problem.”
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Main themes
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Leadership and management
Race talk and race relations
Lack of intervention by DOE
Privatisation of education
Leadership and management
Leadership alone cannot solve these problems.
When asked what he knew of NSS before he applied for the post , he said ……
One of the critical things I knew about NSS was that the community population is
one of those that can be called, from the poor social economic background. The
high unemployment rate of the parent body, particularly because they have been
working for the leather as well as the textile industry and obviously with their
demise, you know for a fact that quite a number of the parents from school vicinity
are unemployed.
He further states that ……..
One is well aware there is a proliferation of drugs, also the learner discipline was
one of the lowest. The only thing I did not know was the kind of educator
component one was going to work with. So I can basically say I knew what was
happening around the school, but what was actually going on in the school itself,
was an eye opener to me.
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Race talk / Race relations
this is becoming like another township school. His administration ability is lacking. He is now
becoming an obstacle. We are not getting any guidance. He is piggy-backing on the staff’s
ideas. (unsuccessful applicant)
I am shocked that the deputy-principal, who had been acting as principal, did not get the
appointment as principal. The new principal knows a lot, but he is not translating this into
action. When it comes to labour laws, political awareness and union issues, he is terrific. But
this is where it ends. (unsuccessful applicant)
It is sad that there is open defiance by an individual who also applied for the post of principal
and was not successful. He has a group of like minded friends supporting this non-supporting
and obstructive stance. (SMT member)
at the initial meeting, he was very convincing. He gave a good speech and we were looking
forward to change. We felt that he had a lot of educational background and we could benefit
from his expertise in union and labour issues. (Level 1 educator)
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Parents’ reactions
I am very concerned about the low levels of sensitivity to change and lack of vision by the
teachers. I always thought that schools are there to play a vital role as unifying agents on our
transforming society. But amazingly enough, this school has unnecessarily resisted change in
the name of culture or preserving culture.
I know that they want to preserve their culture. Culture is a very good thing, but preserving it at
the expense of progress can be detrimental. Resistance to change has become a trademark for
some of these teachers.
I believe that it’s time to make big changes before new procedures are imposed. We must
accept our new principal. I believe that we can only survive the winds of change if we raise our
sails and set off smoothly. But we must remember that those who resist and keep their sails
down will pay a very high price as they drift off to islands of seclusion and suffering.
I believe in the preservation of Indian culture and all our traditions, but I don’t think that our
culture will be destroyed by accepting our new principal, although he is not an Indian.
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Lack of intervention - DoE ……..
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The constitution and DoE policy speaks to desegregation & deracialisation of society,
but schools need support and programmes to make such ideals a reality.
Without these – inequality is reproduced and the poor continued to be deprived their
rightful education and their chance at success in the rainbow nation.
There is a vacuum. There is no such policy in place nor has there been a programme
implemented to empower such school managers. We do have some form of induction for office
based officials, but there is nothing at the school level. We are busy developing a handbook for
school managers. This is indeed a matter that must be attended to immediately.
(Senior
Education Management, Governance and Development official).
We have no policy or guidelines of this nature in place. We have not had an induction or an
orientation programme for the newly – appointed SMT members. We need to work together
and put systems in place. I agree that there has to be mind shifts in terms of work ethics.
(Ward Manager)
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Principal’s comment i.r.o. DoE
intervention
Unfortunately, no, none of those. Only, until very late in the year, when a
new Superintendent Education Management, came in , who I happened
to know, who is coming from the same union background as myself, and
also knew the dynamics in the community of NSS, in particular the school
environment of NSS. She happened to know it and she stepped in. She
stepped in and she has been supportive, providing fulltime support in
terms of physical visibility in the school.
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Privatisation of education
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As state withdraws resources - funds from parents.
Broader neoliberal agenda - puts cost ahead of social justice -inequality.
Poor communities suffer greatest - to pay user fees low.
Migration to private and ex-model C schools.
The privatization process - poses a great challenge to Mr. Khumalo.
He commented ……..
The school fees is for me confusing. The more privileged schools easily collect
fees. Here we have a low fee structure and still very few pay. How are we going
to manage ? Tell me. We cannot pay for lights and water, let alone other needs
of our school. We cannot fund raise because most parents are unemployed.
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Way forward …….
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All role players - must engage in active and structured dialogue.
Strategies to dispel racial tensions and class conflict.
Schools are vehicles for change in race.
Participation - desired transformation in education.
Include devolution - from the central office to the school, SMT.
School leaders to lead this effort to build a sense of citizenship - tackling
racism and prejudice.
Way forward continued …..
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Power to influence race relations - despite powerful constraints and
barriers.
Staff collaboration, increased staff awareness about inter-race relations.
Allows other role groups - to lead efforts to improve inter-race relations.
Encourage leadership - race group other than that he/she belongs to.
System of tracking progress -root causes of racial or ethnic conflict be
addressed.
Way forward continued …..
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Decentralized education districts.
Advantages of local level intervention.
Local, regional and national actors.
The new curricula.
Multicultural education.
Conclusion.
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Leadership is a moral agency.
Leadership has to comprise school managers …….
………and address the challenges.
Must include racial conflict, staff divisions, poverty …..
This diverse community formation of role players.
To achieve democratization of education in South
Africa, the ideal situation is that democracy should
embrace the multiple voices in society.
References
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