“The Education Scandal that Needs a Rewrite: A Debt of Social and Economic Injustice”
February 28, 2023 – As the Education Department’s Minister, Angie Motshekga, steps down, a sense of relief washes over the education sector. The sigh of relief is not just because of her departure, but also because the latest revelation about the alleged misuse of funds meant for school desks has left a bad taste in the mouths of many. The controversy surrounding the distribution of more than 2,000 MiDesks to schools across South Africa since 2021 has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the accountability and transparency of the Department of Basic Education.
When Motshekga’s successor, Adv. Clayson Gwarube, asks if he will still prioritize the distribution of desks, the jury is still out. However, one thing is clear: his predecessor’s departure does not eradicate the education crisis in our country. The desks were meant to address the long-standing problem of a lack of furniture in schools, but their distribution has sparked more questions than answers.
The school desk conundrum is a symbol of a broader issue in our education system: the systemic neglect of educational infrastructure. For decades, our schools have been struggling with inadequate facilities, lack of resources, and poorly maintained infrastructure, leading to a breeding ground for mediocre education. The esteemed Enoch Molewa, a renowned education expert, noted that “when a school starts with no desk, chair, or toilet, it sets the tone for underachievement.”
The question is, who is responsible for this mess? While the Department of Basic Education can point fingers, it is easy to see the systemic rot in our education system, which extends beyond the confines of the department and its leadership. The buck stops at our collective doorstep, as we continue to tacitly tolerate substandard education facilities, over-reliance on overcrowded, poorly maintained, and under-resourced schools, as well as the lack of collective action from parents, teachers, and the broader community.
It is past time for us to relinquish our complacency and demand more from our education system. We must engage in a meaningful national conversation about education, which goes beyond the distribution of MiDesks; it requires confronting the deeper issues of systemic inequality, budget mismanagement, and administrative incompetence. The desk crisis is merely a symptom of a deeper malady, a cancer that will continue to spread unless we take immediate and concerted action.
The answers lie not with the department or its leaders, but with us. We must cherish our democracy and recognize that education is the most potent tool for social mobility and economic growth. It is our collective responsibility to speak out against the injustices and demand better for our children, our youth, and our future.
Ultimately, the desk crisis should not be about finger-pointing, but about finding ways to overcome the systemic challenges we face. It is about recognizing that the solution lies not only with teachers, schools, and the department, but with all of us.
As we look to the future, let us heed the words of the inimitable South African poet, Esias Williams: “The education we have is a reflection of our value system.” We must re-calibrate our value system to prioritize education, recognizing that it is the foundation of our society, our economy, and our very existence.
It is time to rewrite the narrative of our education system, to reboot our mindset, and to once more empower our children to become the leaders, innovators, and global custodians they were meant to be. We must not let the desk crisis go to waste. It is an opportunity to reset, to reboot, and to re-imagine our education system, so that it serves the needs of all South Africans, not just the few.
Only then can we say that we have taken the first steps towards creating a new era of educational excellence, where the MiDesks of our children can rest on a solid foundation of social justice, equity, and economic empowerment.
This article is dedicated to the countless children in South Africa who deserve better education, better opportunities, and a better future.
