The past few days I have been engaged in a very interesting conversation concerning education. Of course being here I am grateful for the education I have had in my life and for the opportunities I have had in general. I have also seen first hand the limitations and obstacles faced in school systems here and how lack of education or access to education can affect a person, a people, a country. I find that the more I see and learn and understand about the issue, the more value I put on education, whether my own or others, and the more significant is the role that it plays in my life.
On Friday the group met a woman named Molly Blank, who came to South Africa as a Fulbright Scholar in 2005 and made a film called Testing Hope about secondary schools in South Africa, specifically about the Matric exam which is taken at the end of Grade 12 and determines…well…everything.
As we discussed Friday, the U.S. really has nothing like the Matric. There is nothing that carries such weight and significance, not even the SATs or ACTs. It is a completely differenct concept that we can barely relate to. Failing the exam means one cannot attend university. Even some passes scores do not qualify for university, but even worse, names of those who pass are published in the newpaper. The lists are public. Its not only a matter of acceptance into a University but it also carries with it such a strong emotional situation in which students assess their own value and the community assesses their intelligence, value and worth based on these scores. This is not just an exam. This is your one shot. This is your life, and if you fail, you’ve failed yourself and your family and your community. It must be devastating and terrifying.
Anyway, that is what the video is about. I’m not sure if its available in the U.S. but Molly is from there so I would assume it is…its not very long but its informative so if anyone is interesting take a look. Again the name is: Testing Hope. But since seeing that film and having the conversation with Molly, what I’ve really been thinking about is parents. We discussed parent involvement, or lack thereof, and the obstacle that this presents for students and for the education system here. It got me to thinking about my education, growing up with supportive and educated parents, and about what advantage that automatically gives a child. I am so fortunate to have had that, and I know that I want to give my children the same thing. It is an added obstacle for children whose parents don’t speak English or who did not complete school, for they might not have that support and help at home if they need it, and often they don’t receive encouragement and motivation from parents who appreciate the importance of education. Other times, parents do appreciate the importance of education, especially if they did not have the opportunity for it, but the only support they can provide is that encouragement and pressure for their children to do well, though they cannot offer substantial assistance. There are obviously more unique situations as well, and unfortunately here there are no PTAs or parent groups encouragement parent involvement. I know what a significant role that played in all of my schooling-and how integral it was to my education to have my mom always be the head of it! I wish that I could start something like that at my schools here, but unfortunately its not part of the culture, not to mention that it would be very hard for me to communicate with the parents, who only speak Xhosa. Its little things that make me realize how fortunate my upbringing has been and that we take things for granted at home. I can honestly say that I will never take my education for granted every again, even if I am complaining about papers and exams! I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to have gotten to this point…and while Grad School sounds terrifying and stressful, I welcome another opportunity to further educate myself and to pursue a career where I can someday use that education to help others substantially.
Oh and P.S: There’s a little rumor going around that Desmond Tutu is going to be at St. Mary’s School, where I work, on Tuesday. I sure hope its true…meeting Desmond Tutu has been a dream of mine for SUCH a long time!
molly, it is so true . i wish that i could write as you do ! . makes me wonder why , here in the states , we continue to battle over education. we should know and do better. my mind is spinning with ideas and hard to articulate ..... perhaps a project will grow here as well.
ReplyDeletelove u
and yes i saw the photo of u and desmond tutu ....speachless