There was a time when there was a clear divide between State Schools and Independent Schools. Those days are gone for ever. Now parents are faced with a dizzying array of options when it comes to choosing a school, and professional marketing people from schools are happy to dazzle the unwary with their “world class” educational offerings. Parents queue to put their children’s names down for “the best” schools, sometimes without examining the organization there are selling their child’s soul to. So here is an ever-so-brief guide to schools, which are, I have to warn, mutating faster than the flu virus at present.
No fee State Schools: in these schools everything is paid by the State – and parents generally pay nothing or a very small contribution to school funds every term. Pros: it means that every child in South Africa has access to schooling. Cons: classes are usually large, and the teachers salaries are controlled by the State. Schools that pay better than State salaries will tempt the best teachers to leave these schools. So generally the standard of teaching is not the best available
Ex-Model C Schools: these schools were established in the 1980s and early 1990s. They receive a hefty state subsidy including some staff salaries paid on the State Scales, but charge parents fees in addition to amount received by the State. Pros: they are multicultural and highly diverse, they pay their top teachers in scarce subjects really well and many offer high quality education at a very reasonable fee. Cons: relatively large classes, the higher the fees paid by parents the lower the subsidy received from the State. Some of these schools are struggling, while others are thriving, while most have good quality education parents should examine the school’s results.
State Schools on Private Property at the end of the apartheid era a number of independent schools gave up their independence to become state schools again, but retained the title deeds to their property. Most of these schools are very similar to the Ex-Model C schools, and offer quality education at a very affordable price. But some have declined drastically – so parents should be wary.
Inner City Independent Schools: these schools are often in office buildings, abandoned churches and any other low cost space. Their fees are low, they often employ foreign or unqualified teachers. However, given low fees and the fact that most of the learners in these schools come from disadvantaged backgrounds, their results are remarkably good! In some parts of South Africa these schools have established campuses in the older suburbs of small towns, and offer the only alternative to State Schools. Most receive a state “subsidy” – but outside Gauteng and the Western Cape the schools struggle to get the Education Departments to pay the subsidy due to them. A few have grown and developed (with good management) into affordable Independent Schools. These schools are not for the rich, but the good ones are an excellent and affordable resource for poorer families, and while a few owners are sharks, the majority are honest hardworking people who do not make a fortune out of their school. Again – ask questions before you sign anything!
Independent Schools, in the true sense, are schools owned by a Trust or a Non-Profit Organisation. Their fees and facilities range from low and very basic to astronomical. Pros: the independent schools can develop an excellent ethos and put a high quality “polish” on their learners; every cent that parents pay is ploughed into the running of the school; cons: the really good independent schools are way beyond the reach of the average South African, so the learner body tends to be elite, which is probably not the best preparation for life in Africa. Teachers’ salaries range from lower than State Salaries to the top salaries in the country, and top management staff are really well paid. The good South African Independent Schools really are world class, and aim to stay that way.
Private Schools, which in South Africa often call themselves independent schools, are owned by an individual, a group of individuals, a Private Company or a Listed Company and the underlying aim of the school is to make a profit. There are groups of schools (including groups of pre-schools) all over South Africa, and while most charge high fees, some (the Curro Schools particularly) have the stated aim of providing quality education at affordable. In the past ten years a number of companies have attracted international investment money and bought into the market. Many have developed outstanding facilities, and added a really modern feel to their school campuses. Strict quality control ensures that learners get excellent instruction. But somehow, the ethos is not quite the same as the top Independent schools.
The future looks a bit grim: Independent schools are now in serious competition with Private schools, and cost cutting is the name of the game. Class sizes are rising. Salaries of scarce staff are escalating. Competition for learners who can pay fees is intensifying. Schools that don’t produce the matric results parents expect will fall by the wayside, and be gobbled up by the next investor.
Parents and teachers need to examine schools carefully before they sign anything! It is common for a school to try to appear to be more than it actually is! Parents should look at the rate at which fees are rising across a number of schools, the matric results in High Schools, and in Primary Schools try to have a look at teachers’ qualifications and class sizes. Teachers should look at teacher:learner ratios, class sizes and the emphasis that the school places on in-service teacher training – as well as the salary.
The heat is on South African schools, and everyone is passing the the excess energy down the line. Whether you are a parent, a learner or a teacher, do your research before you enrol.
