Sowetan
*OBE system to be overhauled* *Tebogo Monama, Sowetan, Johannesburg, 6 July 2010*DON'T modify Outcome Based Education, dump it completely. That was the general reaction of teacher trade unions and education experts to revelations that Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga would today announce modifications to the system.
Head of Wits University's Business School, Stanley Mkhize, said: "I have always hated it. It was culturally biased. I know that people do not want to hear this but from when it was introduced in 1998, it has disqualified millions of black children who are a permanent underclass.
"It has increased inequality in the school system. OBE is resource- driven. It cannot work in a place where there is only a teacher and a chalk."
Mkhize said he was worried about what the new system would entail."Why have we turned out children into guinea pigs? Our leaders are obsessed with European ways. Why don't they take an Afrocentric approach to education?"
The unions supported Mkhize, saying OBE should be scrapped and not modified. The Grade 12 class of 2009 did not perform well and this has been a trend since 2003.
The new system will not see the complete scrapping of OBE but only the changing of "some elements that are not possible to overcome" according to sources in Motshekga's office.
When Motshekga was announced as minister, she appointed a task team to investigate elements of OBE that were not working.
Motshekga's spokesperson and adviser Panyaza Lesufi said: "The minister will introduce changes to the 2011 academic year and overall changes in the curriculum. I cannot call it dumping OBE. The system is called Schooling 2025.
"It is our vision to ensure that in 2025, the South African school system would be perfect."
In the new system, Grade 12 pupils would only be required to complete one portfolio instead of one for each learning area and the administrative work that teachers have to do would also be reduced.
SA Teacher Union's president Chris Klopper said: "We have always encouraged a move back to the old system. We welcome the move back to the classic method of education. We have always advised our members to use the old method and those schools perform better. Why should we abandon methods that have been working?"
Ezra Ramasehla of Naptosa said: "Our teachers have been complaining that they have been reduced to teacher-clerks. We hope there are plans to ensure that teachers are in the classrooms and not doing administrative work."
Mugwena Maluleke of Sadtu said: "We want serious changes. OBE has not been successful because it is very resource-oriented and schools do not have resources.
"We hope the modifications have provision for the training of teachers." *From: http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1158618* -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
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