The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) in the Ekurhuleni Region has rejected Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga's intention to deploy celebrities to act as online (e-learning) educators.
The party's regional committee says it upholds the importance of education as a significant drive to learners’ self-actualisation and development.
Committee secretary Vumani Makhanya says they are against the appointing of celebrities for the initiative because most of them are not teachers, which would make them unable to understand the teaching methods and curriculum.
Makhanya says it would be easy to give training to recent teaching graduates, rather than training celebrities who already have jobs in the entertainment industry, with an attempt to reduce the unemployment rate of young graduates in the country.
“If they see fit that older teachers or those who are already teaching do not have the knack of using modern technologies, the department should rather pair them with the recent graduates who I am pretty much sure that they are familiar with the new curriculum and modern technologies.
“Celebrities have to confine themselves to their area of competency which is entertainment, and leave teaching to educators who are competently trained. If there is a demand for online educators, we advise the Basic Education Minister to contract and employ many young unemployed graduates to facilitate the programme.
“If there is a demand for online or e-learning digital education for primary and high schools, Department of Basic Education (DBE) has to consult with all stakeholders, namely teacher unions, school governing bodies and educators. We also demand that the Basic Education Minister to be transparent by disclosing the source of funding for this programme and also disclose the appointed agency contracted to manage and deliver the programme,” adds Makhanya.
Makhanya also says minister Motshekga must not be blinded by her elitist capitalist social standing.
“She must realise the not all people have internet access thus the country operates on digital backwardness where the majority being the poor, unemployed and working class families and learners struggle against buying expensive data, thereby they do not have access internet.
“The economically unequal South African society is facing digital divide. We believe and demand that all schools, learners and educators to have digital access to advance knowledge, information and skills acquisition. Advance the country technologically by investing in today’s digital infrastructure and other resources such as tablets and data. Coronavirus (Covid-19) has shown that text book and chalk-board method are old and primitive methods of education,” asserts Makhanya.
Makhanya concluded by condemning those who continue to vandalize the schools in the country. He also says they have sent an e-mail to the minister regarding the e-learning teaching programmes, and that they are hoping to get a response from the department about the criteria that they use to select candidates for these programmes, but agrees that it is a great initiative in moving the education of the country forward during challenging times.
Cover image: ebnewsdaily.co.za
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