On July 4th, in Johannesburg, I had the opportunity to meet with Dorothy Khosa, Program Manager of the Youth Violence Prevention Program, and Muzi Tshabalala, Trainer/Facilitator also of the Youth Violence Prevention Program. We discussed many things; mainly the state of public education in South Africa, progress towards racial integration and equality, the specific work of CSVR in terms of youth education, and the impact of HIV/Aids on overall South African society.
CSVR was established in 1989 as a non-profit, independent non-governmental organization dedicated to preventing violence in all forms, heal its effects, and to build sustainable peace and reconciliation both in South Africa and internationally. CSVR is well-known in South Africa for its work and has also received an Oprah Angel Network Award for their work in gender issues.
We started our conversation discussing my impression, from afar, that South Africa has been making much progress in the above regard since the fall of Apartheid. Indeed, there have been successes but many challenges lay ahead for South Africa according to Khosa and, by extension, organizations such as CSVR. As the poor become frustrated with continual inequitable balances in-country, "the dream of freedom is becoming a nightmare". Continual poverty, an incredibly high HIV infection rate, and high levels of domestic crime continue to plague the nation while the Truth and Reconciliation Trials only scratched the surface in dealing with perpetual racial issues.
In addition, many governmental institutions are still not dealing with the issue of race head on nor on an intrinsic level as single incidents, such as the kidnapping of Lee Mathews, can spark racial hatred. Still, racial profiling in crime investigation is rampant. Alsio, while there is a growing black middle class in South Africa, the majority of black South Africans, and a significant portion of women- 54% of the population, remain poor.
CSVR attempts to address these racial issues by educating members of South African society to look at the systemic and long-term reasons for ingrained negative stereotypical beliefs associated with race, promote opportunity for all, and to end discrimination/bullying. In an effort to positively affect the next generation of South Africans, CSVR's education programs conduct a significant amount of outreach in public schools - both Model C Schools (integrated, formerly white schools) and township schools. In conducting their "40 Safe Schools Project", "Safe Start", and "Smart Skills" Programs that incorporate the use of workshops, dialogues, and role-plays, Khosa has found that it is necessary for program participants, such as school administrators, teachers, and learners, to first recognize their own tacit stereotypical attitudes towards race before actual change in behaviors can be seen. For example, students have to begin to see teachers of color as equally competent as those whom are white while white teachers must also be able to see the equal potential of students of color. Tshabalala adds that it is for this reason that diversity programs must be funded long-term, over a year, in order for a change in attitude to be seen. While many more likeminded programs must be created, Khosa and Tshabalala see hope in CSVR programming in that whole school communities can begin to see their own responsibility in changing South Africa for the better. Indeed, one school in their studies changed the school name to that of "Diversity High School".
Yet, much needs to be done in public education in South Africa, especially in township schools. Low teacher salaries and the professional turnover and instability over this, as seen recently in the national strike, state financial commitments to other "mixed" schools over that of many township schools, continued problems with low literacy rates in the townships, violence in school and, for example, sexual violence against young girls, high absenteeism, the impact of broken families and the increasing number of disabled educators due to the scorge of HIV/Aids, principals being overwhelmed with surviving today as opposed to thinking long-term, and a lack of business networking resources continue to undermine both the current education of township students and their future long-term opportunities. CSVR does, however, continue to work with the South African Human Rights Commission as well as other likeminded NGOs such as LoveLine (HIV awareness) as a means by which to mitigate the effects of these crippling societal problems.
I will be visiting Love Line later in the week. My meeting concluded with a discussion on how CSVR and I might partner in exchanges between South African and American educators and students. CSVR representatives were also interested in understanding why, given the apparent availability of resources in the United States, our two countries share similar problems in public/urban education. I stated, in my opinion, this could be the result of educators not knowing how to best use resources, a disconnect between those purchasing resources and those using them, a misplacement of resources, people being placed in positions of authority over curriculum issues who may/may not be political hires and/or competent, and minimal educational follow-up in the home.
CSVR was established in 1989 as a non-profit, independent non-governmental organization dedicated to preventing violence in all forms, heal its effects, and to build sustainable peace and reconciliation both in South Africa and internationally. CSVR is well-known in South Africa for its work and has also received an Oprah Angel Network Award for their work in gender issues.
We started our conversation discussing my impression, from afar, that South Africa has been making much progress in the above regard since the fall of Apartheid. Indeed, there have been successes but many challenges lay ahead for South Africa according to Khosa and, by extension, organizations such as CSVR. As the poor become frustrated with continual inequitable balances in-country, "the dream of freedom is becoming a nightmare". Continual poverty, an incredibly high HIV infection rate, and high levels of domestic crime continue to plague the nation while the Truth and Reconciliation Trials only scratched the surface in dealing with perpetual racial issues.
In addition, many governmental institutions are still not dealing with the issue of race head on nor on an intrinsic level as single incidents, such as the kidnapping of Lee Mathews, can spark racial hatred. Still, racial profiling in crime investigation is rampant. Alsio, while there is a growing black middle class in South Africa, the majority of black South Africans, and a significant portion of women- 54% of the population, remain poor.
CSVR attempts to address these racial issues by educating members of South African society to look at the systemic and long-term reasons for ingrained negative stereotypical beliefs associated with race, promote opportunity for all, and to end discrimination/bullying. In an effort to positively affect the next generation of South Africans, CSVR's education programs conduct a significant amount of outreach in public schools - both Model C Schools (integrated, formerly white schools) and township schools. In conducting their "40 Safe Schools Project", "Safe Start", and "Smart Skills" Programs that incorporate the use of workshops, dialogues, and role-plays, Khosa has found that it is necessary for program participants, such as school administrators, teachers, and learners, to first recognize their own tacit stereotypical attitudes towards race before actual change in behaviors can be seen. For example, students have to begin to see teachers of color as equally competent as those whom are white while white teachers must also be able to see the equal potential of students of color. Tshabalala adds that it is for this reason that diversity programs must be funded long-term, over a year, in order for a change in attitude to be seen. While many more likeminded programs must be created, Khosa and Tshabalala see hope in CSVR programming in that whole school communities can begin to see their own responsibility in changing South Africa for the better. Indeed, one school in their studies changed the school name to that of "Diversity High School".
Yet, much needs to be done in public education in South Africa, especially in township schools. Low teacher salaries and the professional turnover and instability over this, as seen recently in the national strike, state financial commitments to other "mixed" schools over that of many township schools, continued problems with low literacy rates in the townships, violence in school and, for example, sexual violence against young girls, high absenteeism, the impact of broken families and the increasing number of disabled educators due to the scorge of HIV/Aids, principals being overwhelmed with surviving today as opposed to thinking long-term, and a lack of business networking resources continue to undermine both the current education of township students and their future long-term opportunities. CSVR does, however, continue to work with the South African Human Rights Commission as well as other likeminded NGOs such as LoveLine (HIV awareness) as a means by which to mitigate the effects of these crippling societal problems.
I will be visiting Love Line later in the week. My meeting concluded with a discussion on how CSVR and I might partner in exchanges between South African and American educators and students. CSVR representatives were also interested in understanding why, given the apparent availability of resources in the United States, our two countries share similar problems in public/urban education. I stated, in my opinion, this could be the result of educators not knowing how to best use resources, a disconnect between those purchasing resources and those using them, a misplacement of resources, people being placed in positions of authority over curriculum issues who may/may not be political hires and/or competent, and minimal educational follow-up in the home.
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