© 2017 South Africa - The Good News
24th of January 2018
CAN WE PARTNER TO IMPROVE EDUCATION?
by Justin Foxton
“DEAR SOUTH AFRICANS, WHY ARE WE SO GULLIBLE? HERE GOES MINISTER ANGIE MOTSHEKGA ONCE AGAIN LEADING YOU BY THE NOSE.” FORMER UNIVERSITY OF FREE STATE VICE-CHANCELLOR PROF JONATHAN JANSEN RESPONDING TO THE RELEASE OF THE 2017 MATRIC RESULTS.
Each year at this time, we the public face up to the spectacle that has become the announcement of the Matric results; a proxy for the state of basic education in the Republic. It’s become a bit of sport. Forget the boxing day test match; it’s more like the Matric results tennis match with the Minister serving up ever more creative ways to spin the announcement of the Matric results, and commentators and education gurus like Prof Jansen and Stellenbosch University academic and educational economist Nic Spaull replying with winning returns to prove that she is smoking her socks. It would be rather entertaining were it not for the fact that it’s our children’s lives – and de facto the future of our country – that they are talking about.
Desperate cover-up
The devil is in the detail.
...[read more]
Follow us:
By Alec Hogg
A London pal reminded me that Rob Hersov, scion of SA’s famous mining family, recently relocated his family back to South Africa. After more than a decade in the UK, Jacques Basson, creator of the Klipkouers podcasts, has done the same. Judging from conversations after December 18’s historic Ramaphosa victory, the homecoming revolution trickle is likely to become a flood.
Attracting those with globally marketable skills back to SA is a very good thing. It sparks a virtuous circle which helps raise the entire SS South Africa. It raises competitiveness which comes through improved expertise, and sparks higher tax revenues that help the entire ecosystem.
...[read more]
An Open Letter to President Donald J. Trump
President Trump
We have read with consternation reports of your derisive comments characterising African nations and others as “shithole countries,” and questioning why the United States should allow immigrants from our continent, or other similarly described nations like El Salvador and Haiti. You also stated a preference for immigrants from “countries like Norway.”
The overt racism of these statements is self-evident, and a stain on an office as august as yours.
We are Africans. Like many of our compatriots, we are well aware of the serious challenges faced across the continent–poor governance, unacceptably high unemployment, inadequate public healthcare and education systems that, while improving, remain below the levels needed for us to bootstrap ourselves out of poverty. Some of these challenges are self-made, many are the inevitable result of centuries of colonisation and its aftermath.
...[read more]
THIS WEEK'S FAST FACT
Back to school
Dress code: A survey of three school uniform suppliers found that the cost of a generic school uniform (not school specific items) would cost between R300 and R863. For schools that require school specific items (branded items sold only at specific suppliers), a full uniform would cost approximately R1,600. If sportswear is required this will cost an additional R1,300 (excluding sports shoes).
(Source: www.Eighty20.co.za)
