Archive for January, 2010

Did you ever stop and think why something that lasted only 40 years is going to take more than double that time to remedy the wrongs that were caused. The major problem resulting from the apartheid era is that so many South Africans lack a basic education. Back in high school and even primary school, if I struggled with some homework, I had qualified educators and more importantly I had my parents at home to help me. It wasn’t too much more than correcting the wrong word in an essay or making me double check the answer to a quadratic equation. The point is that I had someone who had gone through the process and knew a little bit more than I did. Thousands of black individuals were denied the right to a quality education if an education at all. These people now have children and even though their children are allowed to go to school, if they have any problems, they won’t be able to go to their parents for help because the parents simply don’t know the work. This seemingly insignificant idea results in the child getting a reduced education. The child may graduate; say for example as just passing. Just a pass will be greater than what the parents received. When that child grows up he/she will have children and that child will be able to ask the parent for help and may be able to graduate with a D symbol. That child grows up and eventually has children and will help that child and the child will receive a C symbol. The child that gained a C average will have children that will be able to finally get above 70%. This is now 4 generations which equates to nearly 100 years. To correct the wrongs of the previously over advantaged is going to take an extremely long time.