The failing standard of basic education in south africa. Overcrowding problems arising through overcrowding today affect the entire staff and school population in so many communities. May 01, 20 education in rural areas has been in the headlines recently, with scandals over missing textbooks, overcrowded classrooms and inadequate facilities. Statistics in some of the schools are shocking where there are up to 57 children in a grade five class and about 47 in grade two. Overcrowding in kwazulunatal schools has reached alarming proportions 670000 pupils are being taught in classrooms of more than 55 pupils each, the da claimed yesterday. Social development 2 closer to defining social competence rather than social intelligence. This meant that for every 32 students in the school, there is 1 teacher. The result is many schools with crumbling infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms and poor educational outcomes. At the same time, a privileged few are able to study in comfortable, wellresourced and safe learning environments. Some of my best years of teaching were in packed classrooms because i was challenged to figure out how to manage an overcrowded classroom, which made my teaching better organized.
Crumbling classrooms, horrendous bathrooms, cracked fences, and nonexistent libraries and laboratories remain a reality for thousands of schoolgoing children across south africa. The results from the study can help policymakers in other countries with similar challenges of overcrowded classrooms, in particular south africa to make informed decisions about reform in public secondary schools. The focus of this study is to explore teachers experiences with overcrowded classrooms in a mainstream school. Today, most districts have squeezed as many kids as possible into classrooms, taking a toll on teachers and students alike. Teachers struggle to be heard above the din of 40 plus kids, and kids struggle to hear. Pdf the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of overcrowded classrooms on the academic performance of the students at secondary level find, read and cite. The south african education system is characterised by a shortage of teachers and inadequate school infrastructure which is contributing to the overcrowded nature of south african classrooms. According to a report, the gauteng education department failed to build as many schools as it should have, resulting in overcrowding. View report in english download pdf topics south africa africa right to education children. Only a total approach, coordinated by school leaders and using all avail able resources, can alleviate this prevalent and urgent condition.
Saharan africa and 1 mathematics textbook for about 3 students. Overpopulated schools, overcrowded classrooms and empty. This was said to angop on thursday in saurimo city by the local. There is no simple lasting solution to the problem of overcrowding and shortages of classrooms.
This is intended to establish a disciplined and purposeful school environment. The effects of overcrowded classrooms are farreaching for teachers and learners. The prospects for the introduction of incentives in south africa are discussed, with the conclusion that the systems in place at the moment are not conducive to introducing teacher incentives. All teacher training institutions ought to ascertain whether they offer appropriate teacher training.
The effects of overcrowded classrooms are far reaching for teachers and learners. Increasing class sizes is a sacrifice many schools have to make in order to keep their doors open in an era where schools are underfunded. This would naturally impact negatively on the already overcrowded classrooms in the eastern cape and the rest of south africa. One of the milestones to achieve this is to provide adequate classrooms to more than 11 million learners in south african public schools who continue to receive education in overcrowded classrooms. According to south african learners, the top problems facing schools were a lack of textbooks, overcrowded classes and incompetent teachers. An investigation of the challenges affecting teachers classroom assessment practices by mantsose jane sethusha submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of doctor of education in the subject curriculum studies at the university of south africa supervisor. Teachers complained about overcrowded classrooms where large numbers of learners are gathered without an orderly arrangement. Chiara amato world bank buildings, classrooms, laboratories, and equipment education infrastructure are crucial elements of learning environments in schools and universities. Overcrowded classrooms through the eyes of student.
She said overcrowding in classrooms was an obstacle to effective teaching as the teachers movement around the room and monitoring of. Overcrowding becoming the norm in some western cape schools. Overcrowded classrooms present difficulty for teachers in south africa mtika, 2010. Mobile judges travel to prisons to hold court hearings. The study was conducted in one mainstream school in the durban south area. Schools with 100 pupils per class face overcrowding crisis. In south africa there are many signs that show that there is a crisis in education. Teachers pointed out that they do not control the learners work. Predominately overcrowded classrooms are a the influence of large numbers on learner major problem in some schools in south africa. Although there are policies put in place to alleviate the problem of overcrowding in classrooms, this is not. On average, 14 students share the same mathematics textbook in cameroon, 5 in chad and south sudan and 4 in equatorial guinea. Sout h african journal of education copyright 2010 easa. Philip eric akech research paper postgraduate pedagogy pedagogic sociology publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay.
According to him overcrowded classes effect the efficiency of the. An investigation of the challenges affecting teachers. Since s tudent teacher s involve ment in teaching in overcrowded classrooms in south africa has not been addressed in depth to d ate, t he study is intended to raise awareness of its critical. This is considered overcrowded, compared to the teacher to students ratio in singapore public schools, which are 1. The publication contains statistics on national schooling from grade r to grade 12, early childhood development ecd, and schools with special needs subsectors. Overcrowded classrooms are unfortunately part of south african. Overcrowded classrooms can be stressful, exhausting, and intimidating. Teachers are struggling to cope with overcrowded classrooms at emvumelwano primary school in wallacedene, western cape. Overcrowded classrooms jeopardize teaching process. Causes of overcrowded classes in rural primary schools. There is strong evidence that highquality infrastructure facilitates better instruction, improves student outcomes, and reduces dropout rates. Submitted in accordance with the requirements for degree of. Abnormal ratios of one teacher to 94 learners and even 1.
The journal is interdisciplinary in scope and seeks to stimulate the exchange of ideas in a variety of subjects, contexts, and issues in childhood. So lets begin by looking at some of the ways in which large classes and crowding affect teaching and learning. Reimagining teachers experience with overcrowded classrooms. Teachers in south africa are becoming increasingly distressed about discipli nary p roblems in schools, as corporal pun ishmen t has b een outlawed by legislation, such as the constitution of the republic of south africa republic of south africa, 1996a and the south african schools act republic of south africa, 1996b. The ratio of teachers to students in south african public schools is 1.
The current national learnereducator ratio ler is 33. Some of the causes of overcrowded classes are having one school serving big community. The provision of quality education to all south africans remains a commitment of south african democratic government since its inception in 1994. Saurimo overcrowded classrooms in the eastern lunda sul province have impaired the quality of the teaching and learning process. Pdf the challenges facing the integration of ict in. A definition of intelligence should focus on the ability to learn to do. Shortage of textbooks and crammed classrooms hampering. Most government schools and colleges in south africa have overcrowded classrooms, where the teachers struggle to deliver effective lessons to over 5060 children. Jehangir shah 2012 investigates the impact of overcrowded classrooms on the performance of the students at secondary level. Kids sit on counters, on the floors, wherever they can find a space. The coming of democracy in south africa in 1994 ushered in a new era which came with what luckett and sutherland 2000 and biggs 2003 refer to as the massification of education and the diversification of the classroom, especially at tertiary level. With the number of students enrolled in schools increasing, according to the national center for educational statistics, schools are forced to put more children in each classroom or use smaller. Inclusive education in south africa policies prof mirna nel optentia research focus area northwest university south africa mirna. The impact of overcrowded classrooms to teachers and.
In these schools with overcrowded classrooms, student teachers have to complete their teaching. Department of inclusive education, college of education, university of south africa, pretoria, south africa while the practice of inclusive education has recently been widely embraced as an ideal model for education, the acceptance of inclusive education practices has not translated into reality in most mainstream classrooms. The specific objectives were, to determine the challenges facing teachers in teaching overcrowded classes, to examine relationship between overcrowded. Doc effects of overcrowded classrooms and academic. Overcrowded classrooms present difficulty for teachers in south africa mtika. An overcrowded classroom presents challenges that can feel nearly impossible to overcome, even to the most effective teachers. Education in rural areas has been in the headlines recently, with scandals over missing textbooks, overcrowded classrooms and inadequate facilities. Peninsula technikon, bellville, south africa tommy botha, brian wilson western cape education department, cape town, south africa abstract teachers working in under resourced and overcrowded classrooms in the historically disadvantaged schools of south africa have traditionally used the blackboard as the main means for transmission of.
Teaching of writing in two rural multigrade classes in the. Data for more countries are available on the uis website. But with some organization, you can make the best of a lessthanideal situation. Some of the creative measures taken to address this problem have included. Research done by dr hafiz muhammad inamullah and jehangir shah in their study, the impact of overcrowded classrooms on the academic performance of the students at secondary level, shows that learners in smaller classes develop more positive attitudes. School resources and learning environment in africa. In 20, p a memorandum from the organisation, equal education, was handed over at parliament in cape town and at the department of basic education in pretoria in which overcrowded classrooms were. South africas forgotten schools in, in south africa there are many signs that show that there is a crisis in education. Teaching in an overcrowded classroom can be frustrating, overwhelming and stressful. Where we used to lack space, now we now lack seats within rooms. However, overcrowding in classrooms has remained a challenge to most rural schools and may remain part of the system.
Contemporary issues in education research third quarter. The department of basic education dbe is pleased to release education statistics in south africa 20, the 15 th such publication since 1999. South africas forgotten schools in pictures world news. There are however models in chile and brazil, for example, that may work effectively in a south african setting, given their explicit handling of. The study adopts a qualitative research approach in which a case study design was adopted. The effects of overcrowding on student academic performance. Abstract this study assessed on the effects of overcrowded classrooms in academic performances. Overcrowded classrooms the achilles heel of south african. Enacting understanding of inclusion in complex contexts.