Riyaz Patel

More than half of all the world’s children and adolescents aged 6-14 lack basic reading and maths skills, the UN said as it launched International Youth Day 2019 under the theme, “Transforming Education.”

The theme highlights efforts to make education more inclusive and accessible for all youth, including efforts by youth themselves.

“There are currently 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world. This is the largest youth population ever. However, more than half of all children and adolescents aged 6-14 lack basic reading and maths skills, despite the fact that the majority of them are attending school, the UN said.

This global learning crisis threatens to severely hamper progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the UN warned.

2019 Theme: “Transforming education”

Rooted in Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” – International Youth Day 2019 will examine how Governments, young people and youth-led and youth-focused organizations, as well as other stakeholders, are transforming education so that it becomes a powerful tool to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The UN says further that inclusive and accessible education is crucial to achieving sustainable development, and can play a role in the prevention of conflict.

Education is a ‘development multiplier’ as it plays a pivotal role in accelerating progress across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, be it poverty eradication, good health, gender equality, decent work and growth, reduced inequalities, action on climate or peaceful societies.

Education should lead to relevant and effective learning outcomes, with the content of school curricula being fit for purpose, not only for the 4th industrial revolution and the future of work, but also for the opportunities – and challenges – that rapidly changing social contexts bring.

The crucial role that quality education plays in youth development is well recognized as well as benefiting society-at-large.

However, what is less known is the fact that young people themselves are active champions of inclusive and accessible education. 

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/4.pdf

Youth-led organizations, as well as individual youth, together with various stakeholders and Governments, are concretely transforming education so that it becomes a fundamental tool both for sustainable development and for the full inclusion of various social groups.

Youth-led organizations are transforming education via lobbying and advocacy, partnerships with educational institutions and the development of complementary training programs.

August 12 was first designated International Youth Day by the UN General Assembly in 1999, and serves as an annual celebration of the role of young women and men as essential partners in change, and an opportunity to raise awareness of challenges and problems facing the world’s youth.

An image on the homepage of Somerset West Private School, which shows three pupils doing the “Nazi salute,” has unleashed a Twitter storm of outrage.

The principal of the school has tried to downplay the issue, denying it’s a Nazi salute, instead, inferring that it is a “Roman salute.” 

The image was of the 2018 matric class and has been replaced by a similar class photo with more formal poses.

But social media users were not buying the principal’s line.

Principal Morné Coetzer said: We do not promote or support any particular political or religious views. Learners are encouraged to develop as individuals, think freely and to express themselves freely, provided that such expression does not impair the dignity of others.”

The Constitutional Court has dismissed an appeal by Uitzig High School against Western Cape Education MEC Debbie Schäfer’s decision to shut it down.

There are fears that the drop-out rate in Uitzig could increase following the Constitutional Court ruling to close the only high school in the area.

Both the High Court and the Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).

In 2017, the department announced its closure, citing dwindling numbers, a low pass rate and major vandalism as reasons.

The WCED added it was too expensive to refurbish the run-down school building.

The school’s governing body called on the provincial education department to upgrade the school rather than shut it down.

In January, pupils and parents forced their way onto the premises, demanding the return of their teachers and the resumption of academic activities.

Uitzig Secondary School’s SBG member, Sharon Koeberg says that the school is in their hearts: “This school has stood the test of time. I am in my 50’s now and this school has opened up many opportunities for many learners. It’s part of our history. So many memories have been made here.”

The area has three primary schools.

Former Cosatu Western Cape secretary Tony Ehrenreich said this decision was unfortunate.

“In Uitsig we have three primary schools, there’s one high school and now that high school’s gone. The learners are going to have to move to a neighbouring high school which will raise the level of overcrowding and the drop-out level in Uitsig will now increase because of the gang problem in the community, so children can’t move from area to the next.”

Angry parents in Limpopo have shut down a dilapidated school in GaRatjeke village in Bolobedu.

The parents are accusing the education department of failing to respond to their demands to build a new school and move their children from the unsafe conditions at Ratjeke Primary School.

Residents also shut down Maekgwe Primary and Rama Secondary schools in the area.

They say their complaints dates back to 2003.

Local chief Thomas Selowa said the cracked and dilapidated Ratjeke Primary School was built by the community from mud bricks in 1977.

“We can’t keep repairing two blocks on our own. The roof is leaking and walls are cracked, there is no clean water in the school.

“We wrote to the department several times. We told them that we have found a site where the school should be build,” Selowa said.

Chief Selowa said parents have resolved to continue with the school shut down until the government commits in writing that a new school would be constructed.

Speaking at a gathering where parents met with officials from Limpopo department of education, Robert Kapa said they had closed the school because it was just a matter of time before it kill learners, The Sowetan reported.

“The department wanted to bring mobile classes and we rejected them because we know they will never build a school,” Kapa said.

The education department’s head of infrastructure, Rapule Matsane, said the department will provide feedback next week.

School governing body member Mavis Seshoka said they were tired of being told lies.

“For many years I have been attending endless meetings with various stakeholders and it’s promise after promise,” Seshoka said.