By Khethelo Xulu
Reading what other young people in the country think about the future and the direction the country is taking is thought-provoking. As a young citizen of the country, I usually follow and participate in such debates. The most recent debate I have engaged in centers on universities’ admissions policies. An article about the admission policy of the University of Cape Town (UCT) kicked off this debate.
It is very important for everybody across political ideologies and backgrounds to engage genuinely with this issue. We are all aware of the history of UCT as a university for mainly English-speaking whites. To date, the university has made significant strides in changing this rather unfortunate part of its history. One of the factors that have contributed to this change has been the utilisation of the admission policy as a tool with which to redress the educational imbalances of the past and the prevailing socio-economic conditions of the populace – predominantly the black people.
We all want to live in a non-racial and non-sexist society as envisioned by the great leaders like former president Nelson Mandela. This does not mean that we should apply the colour-blind mentality as suggested by the Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (DASO). It is an undisputable fact that the majority of black learners attend disadvantaged schools in the townships and rural areas. Given the prevailing conditions in those areas, how does DASO expect these learners to demonstrate the potential to achieve excellent academic outcomes despite an inadequate primary and secondary education? Unless they get distinctions and are in essence “head-hunted” by tertiary institutions, these learners dare not dream about studying at institutions like UCT. Will such a state of affairs not continue to perpetuate the existing class divide, wherein we have a few blacks actively participating in the economy?
Next, I turn to the issue of how we select between a black and a white learner who both went to a private school and come from similar backgrounds. Dr Max Price, the vice-chancellor of UCT, has responded to this question quite extensively. Price has also sufficiently justified the use of race as the best proxy up to now in the university’s admission policy. He offered a rather thorough answer in his two-part article published in the Mail & Guardian on why race has been the best proxy in the university’s admissions policy till now. I will not dilute his eloquent articulation. Instead I would rather appeal to all South Africans to be more patient with each other and be realistic about the time frame within which sufficient progress can be made in levelling the playing field.
Ideally, we should have moved to a system where race is not and will never be the main criterion for selecting a particular student. It is possible to reach a stage where learners will be selected based on their academic performance rather than race. However, this requires that we improve our educational system and ensure that all the learners are on par in spite of the school they have attended. This requires all the stakeholders to play an active role in assisting government to achieve this objective. The increase in the number of black graduates will indeed go a long way in contributing towards this agenda. Young people coming from the rural areas and townships will have positive role models from within their societies; there will be a new breed of parents who care and are able to assist their children with their schoolwork, particularly during early development stages. Instead of moaning about the current admissions policies let’s all be active citizens and participate in the education of our children so that the next generation can engage in this debate more fervently and reach a different conclusion.
Khethelo Xulu is a masters researcher in medical sciences at the University of Cape Town (UCT), a One Young World ambassador, and an alumnus of UCT Emerging Leaders and SA’s Brightest Young Minds. He currently offers career guidance and mentorship to high school students within the Obuka tribal authority outside Empangeni in KwaZulu-Natal.
Try and sell this to the young lady in Cape Town who, with seven distinctions, was told that she did not qualify to study veterinary sciences at Pretoria. It is a sad day for democracy when you cannot choose your career path because of racism.
The basic education system is in a shambolic state. Education is the government’s responsibility and after 18 years they have failed the country dismally. Because of their failures they are denying the young lady in Cape Town and indeed the country of much needed professionals for the future. Applying “race” as a proxy is to perpetuate racism. The term “race” should be abolished from all forms, applications and statistics.While we keep judging everything on the basis of race, no one will ever be free in this country.
The obsession of SA with a university diploma is pathetic which makes the process of getting access to such an institute subject to the whole story of poor, not so poor, black, white and all shades in between…in short more a political issue than an education and competency issue.
A University education is NOT an automaticly right, granted by entering the earth. If one does not have the background, one should not be admitted.
How to get the background for admission at tertiairy level is another part of the traject both on the shoulders of parents, primary and secondary school quality.
A few things come to mind and that is that until the government of the day can get its education system working (strange that it is working in old Model C schools) the only way to level the playing fields is to allow admission to disadvantaged students with lower grades than advantaged students who may have excellent grades. This does cause unhappiness but university education is expensive to both student and government. In turn this then begs the question (as the root of the problem is education starting from grade “R” to grade XII), is the poor education the suppression of the masses, (which will perpetuate this unhappiness) or is it the lack of political will to get this country’s education working? Judging by the go-slow’s, protest marches and general lack in creating that learning desire in both teaches and parents it would appear that alas, the growth of higher education will always be stunted because the little brother primary education has not been corrected not to mention the other brother secondary education.
Khethelo
I fully agree with you and UCT on this one. Coming from a white background I couls study under electric lights, with a desk an chair. Surely a student that had to work at candlelight, on the kitchen sink is at a disadvantage! BUT, in the same vain, do not discriminate againt a white student with all rhe correct credentials, academic achievements and the like, because that person has also busted his/her gut and worked hard. That is going to stimulate the brain drain!
We have a very peculiar situation in South Africa and unemployment can not go together with skills shortage. Yet we have high unemployment AND a skills shortage. How do you marry the two?!
I like this debate and I think both parties are equally right (or wrong for that matter). The question is where is the middle ground?
Regards
The “young lady in Cape Town with seven distinctions” who was not admitted at Pretoria because she is white will be received with open arms in other countrys’ universities. Another loss for South Africa.
Do we need middle ground or simply sufficient places for those who qualify for admission?
Some admissions are limited because there would not be sufficient jobs for graduates if too many were accepted.
But when too many students drop out during or after the first two years, there is no way of bringing the numbers back to acceptable levels. If disappointed hopefuls are able to study through Unisa, they can keep abreast of their chosen course and possibly occupy vacated places in practical courses (that cannot be done via Unisa) as they occur.
I think SA should seriously consider this possibility, since we need every capable, competent graduate we can get. Lowering the bar(s) will do nothing to help scarce skills; the intention of universities should be to attract those with the will and dedication to see their studies through. Sadly, many have little idea why they have chosen the course they enroll for.
OPEN LETTER TO MAX PRICE
Dear Max ,
With a heavy heart – as ex Wits classmate 79 – I have followed your comments and leadership on the issue of racial classification as a prerequisite to UCT amission .
How times have changed !!
Not a long jump from the camp of the oppressed to that of the oppressor – but not unusual in history at all !
Your rationalization of this overt , institutionalised ( and in BEE – legislated !) racism flies in the wind of the liberation principles of those dark times .
What you are trying to justify in your own conscience is ” Do circumstances justify racism ? ”
As analagous ,you are aware ( of course ) that the success of the National Socialists in the 1930s – was partly justified bythe percieved domination of the German economy by Jews after WW 1 – and that the percieved racial ( rather than historical )inequalities of the early C20 was used to justify the racism that resulted in Apartheid .
I think your good brain would be better used in addressing the wrongs of education PRIOR to tertiary education – the primary problem – where, in areas, teachers do not teach ” if it is too cold ” , ” if the headmaster insists classes are taught after middays Fridays ” or ” if the headmaster is not a member of SADTU ” . We are all born equal – it is THAT system that has failed young South Africans – not the Universities !
( Of course the issues of press freedom and constitution changing could use your scrutiny ! )
You will be welcomed…
Xulu learnt well from Dr.Verwoerd. He was an educated, highly intelligent individual
With enough insight to seek to simply protect minority cultures from the brutal
bulldozer oppression Visited upon them today under “democracy” by the exponential
breeding of the Bantu tribes from Central Africa. For him too skin-colour was an
accurate proxy for culture. So I find it interesting that Xulu would today heap praise on
someone so many Blacks despise.
How is it that a black person can come from an education system
Screwed up by other blacks, and suddenly it becomes my debt because I’m european?
How is it that One Of the most expensive education systems in the world-squandered billions by black
Officials- becomes my debt because I’m european? Pray explain.
If you were european and lived in a squatter camp and attended a dysfunctional school
Yet achieved 9distinctions because of sheer hard work- would you not be miffed at a university
Telling you that Sandton schooled and Sandown domiciled black guy with a D average gets your
Place because, as Xulu eloquently states- it satisfies the proxy. Never imagined him an apartheid fan.
I’m emigrating from this racist cesspit before I’m too old.
A better policy would be this : half the vacancies available on a race-based “representivity” basis, and the other half strictly on merit.
@Kathelo, it is correct to yearn for the ideal world, but it is incorrect to make this argument right now. I note that your proposals(?) are quite simplistic. You begin with a premise, A and then conclude that because of AAAA, the only conclusion, is the one you have come to. Now in debating, you would know that a good counter-argument would show that your argument has reached a slippery slope conclusion simply because you have ”boxed” your argument with limited reasons. Also, where is the global reasoning? The biggest problem I have with your argument is that you are directing this to a certain audience only. I think if you made this argument in Langa eg. you would have a big problem. I am also left wondering why you would want to be so hard on the poor and disadvantaged? I also think that Max Price needs to go a little further. He is a control freak and I do NOT accept that UCT has done a lot in terms of transformation either. This is well documented. Also, you have NOT touched on the many ”foreign” students who study here. But is disingenuous to argue the way you have. It fails to address all the conditions on the ground. If fails to address the needs and it fails to identify a proper program to deliver the outcome. It patronises blacks in general by telling them that they are not participating, correctly in education and therefore they should NOT come to the likes of you for handouts. Thats just plain arrogance.
Race is the best proxy we have used thus far, it is however a fallacy to say it is the best possible proxy.
The use of any of the following would be better and a combination would give excellent results. I am certain a brave Master’s Thesis in Statistics could do a lot better.
School
Location of primary residence
Tax Return
Etc.
We use race not because it is the best factor or because using others would be too hard, we use it to pacify.
As they say in the world of computer programmes, “rubbish in – rubbish out”. Why should a university be any different? If South Africa wants the best future we have to get ‘the best in to get the best out’. This is supposed to be a rainbow nation and yet the only part of that rainbow that needs assistance and extra support is the black part of the rainbow? Race should play no part in admissions as it is ‘racial discrimination’ against many of the ‘best’ students. Racial discrimination is supposed to be against the law but, of course in South Africa there are no laws other than those that suit the ANC. White preference has been replaced by black preference, except that the white ‘preference’ seldom if ever includes financial support or extra marks at school or university for being black.
@ash : “A better policy would be this : half the vacancies available on a race- based “representivity” basis, and the other half strictly on merit”
Are you proposing a transition or a final selection method? the final should always be the “strictly merit”. University education is too expensive to play with predictable loosers.
@Peter: “This is supposed to be a rainbow nation and yet the only part of that rainbow that needs assistance and extra support is the black part of the rainbow?
Pity that the rainbow has no black in it. In physics, black is defined as the combination of all colours of the rainbow.