THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

Curriculum Challenges
and Poverty
IN SA SCHOOLS
 Poverty In South Africa
It is accepted that South Africa has one of the
highest levels of poverty and inequality in the Average Income Per Race Group
world. R 80,000
R 60,000
This inequality manifest most prominently R 40,000
between race groups but is also obvious R 20,000
across geographical and social divides. (as R0
1917 1936 1956 1970 1980 1993 1995 2000 2008
illustrated in the graph to the right)
Wite Coloured
Asian Black African
This largely attributed to Apartheid
governments policies of direct racial
privilege.
While the poverty levels have decreased
steadily since the year 2000, it is most
credited to the rise in social grants during the
same period, though some research does
mention a growing private sector as a
contributing factor
 Poverty In South Africa [Cont]

Poverty generally affects the most

vulnerable members of society thus Major Sources of Income
these social grants are mainly geared
100%
towards the elderly, the disabled and
90%
children.
80%

It is estimated that these grants benefit 70%

more than 25% of the South African 60%

population the recipients being largely 50%

black Africans. 40%

30%
20%
10%
0%
Quintile 1 Quintile 2 Quintile 3 Quintile 4 Quintile 5

Investment Remittances Wages

Old Age Pension Disability Child Grants
 Enrolment Rates In SA Schools
Fig 1: Percentage Aged 5-24 Attending an Educational Institution Fig 2: Percentage Aged 5-24 Enrolled Per Phase
FET
White

Indian/Asian Senior

Coloured Intermediate

Black African Foundation

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Census 96 Census 2001 Census 2011 Census 1996 Census 2001 Census 2011

Fig 2: Percentage Aged 5-18 Enrolled Per Phase And Population Group
72.7 77.5
69.2 64.8
64.2 68.8 6868.6
67.5
80 62.6
61.8
56.5 56.15457.9
50.4
60
40
20
0
Black African Coloured Indian Asian White
Foundation Intermediate Senior Phase FET
 Poverty in SA Education
As shown previously, poverty in South Africa is tightly linked to racial background
and geographical location, consequently researchers have observed that South
Africa effectively has two public school systems:
One that is performing, affluent, able to educate effectively and caters for
roughly 25% of the school population and one that is actively failing the
remainder by being practically dysfunctional.
Since black Africans from rural and semi-urban areas (where poverty and
unemployment is most rampant) make up the larger part of the student body, it
is they that suffer most from this inequality.
To this end, various studies have concluded the following:
41% of rural grade 6 learners are effectively illiterate contrasted with 13%
from urban areas.
50% of learners who speak languages other than Afrikaans or English, could
not read by grade 4.
A mere 44% of African and Coloureds in their early twenties achieved matric
 Contributing Factors
Home & School Factors Resource Based Factors
90% 100%
Performance
80% 90% 700

70% 80%
600
60% 70%
500
60%
50%
50% 400
40%
40%
30% 300
30%
20%
20% 200
10%
10%
100
0% 0%
0
Quartile 1 Quartile 2 Quartile 3 Quartile 4
Reading Score Maths Score
School in an Urban Area
Has Own Reading Book
At Least 1 Parent Has Matric
Has Own Maths Book
Has Used a PC
 Contributing Factors (continued)
While most researchers agree that reform implemented by the Department of
education is praiseworthy, the consensus is that the ingrained inequalities makes
them hard to implement and maintain.
Other factors that amplifies the effect of poverty and in some cases are the direct
result thereof are:
Lack of in-service training to provide teachers with skills to prepare effective
task and assessments.
Inadequate provision of resources such as workbooks.
 Recommendations
Promoting capacity and retention of good teachers
Although South African teachers earn more by international standards a case
could be made for incentivising good teachers to stay at rural/poor schools
and to attract high value candidates to the teaching profession.
Encouraging Instructional Leadership
Weak leadership in schools will often manifest as poor management of
resources. Promoting an instructional leadership, where principals and school
management teams do not only focus on purely managerial functions but
also play roles in curriculum coverage and teaching, allows for greater insight
into the resource needs of the school and learners.
 Recommendations
Reinforcing Relationships and accountability amongst stake holders.
Although the partial decentralization of education (through school governing
bodies and district authorities etc.) have given communities greater
autonomy over the education of their children it has not been accompanied
by strong systems of accountability from the various stake holders. E.g.
Striking Unions, Weak SGBs and largely uneducated parents. This could be
remedied by properly defining roles and responsibilities, promotion of
partnerships between the various stakeholders
Improve the quality of Early Cognitive Development (ECD) facilities
Gaps in cognitive ability based on socio-economic status are evident from the
time learners enter formal schooling thus research and interventions during
this stage will go a long way in mediating the effects of poverty on later
academic achievement. The appointment of ECD specialists, effective
monitoring of the sector (e.g. to avoid wastage of funds) and the support
through support materials and pedagogical training are critical during this
time.
 References
Leibbrandt, M., Woolard, I., Finn, A., & Argent, J. (2010). Trends in South African income distribution and
poverty since the fall of apartheid.
Statistics South Africa, 2011. Census 2011: A profile of educational enrolment, attainment and
progression in South Africa, 2011, Johannesburg: Statistics South Africa.
Spaull, N. (2013). Poverty & privilege: Primary school inequality in South Africa. International Journal of
Educational Development, 33(5), 436-447.
Bernstein, A. (2014). South Africas Key Challenges Tough Choices and New Directions. The ANNALS of
the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 652(1), 20-47.
Chisholm, L. (2003). The state of curriculum reform in South Africa: The issue of Curriculum 2005. State
of the nation. South Africa, 2004, 268-289.
Spaull, N. (2013). Poverty & privilege: Primary school inequality in South Africa. International Journal of
Educational Development, 33(5), 436-447.
van der Berg, S. et al., 2011. Improving Education Quality in South Africa, s.l.: National Planning
Commision.
 Group Members
Mihlali Gadu 215138082
Kayla Kurten 215185935
Cameron Groom 215303954
William Grootboom 20415231
Alexander