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BRIDGING THE GAP
Rural education needs to adress sustainability of the community
Sustainable development was defined by the World Commission on Environment nad Development, in 1987, as: „Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.“
Inherent in this statement is the understanding that resources will be well managed and protected against abuse by greed and other motives. In rural communities where resources are often scarce and basic living requirements are not met, it becomes imperative that people are provided with information regarding alternative energy supplies rather than deplete natural resources where increased population growth impacts negatively on locally available natural resources.
The PEACE Foundation was established in 1993, as an independent trust, based at the University of Natal. Its main purpose is the allevation of poverty in rural communities. The acronym PEACE stands for Planning, Education, Agriculture, Community (co-operatives) and Environment, with each world providing a key factor in the implementation of an integrated, holistic, sustainable process of development.
Its mission statement reads: „In the understanding that development means the development of people, it is our objective to provide disadvantaged communities with the necessary tools and information to bring about their own development, and in so doing, improve educational and economic standards in their communities.“
The PEACE model is aimed at delivering sustainable solutions for providing educational programmes and information linked to local economic opportunities in remote rural communities, utilising school buildings and infrastructure to foster economic development in surrounding communities.
BACKGROUND TO POVERTY IN SOUTH AFRICA
In an effort to address issues of poverty, it is vital to have an understanding of some of the circumstances, policies and politics in which these conditions are rooted. The following points deal with some of these issues:
In a report published in 1998, entitled „Experience and Perceptions of Poverty in South Africa“, poverty in South Africa is described as being rooted in three main forces:
- The actions of a repressive state through apartheid legislation
- Shocks which do not have a direct political root, such as domestic or criminal violence, drought and ill health
- The lack of resources from which an income an be generated.
In this paper we focus briefly on the first of these factors. The second factor, although the result of circumstances beyond individual or state control, is often exacerbated by poor socio-economic circumstances. It is the third factor, however, which is of most relevance with regard to addressing rural poverty and uplifting educational standards for purposes of providing sustainable development.
In dealing with the third factor as a root cause of poverty, it should be noted that this should be qualified. It is not always a lack of resources that causes poverty, but rather a lack of information regarding the possible utilisation of resources. In addressing this issue, the PEACE model, using information technology to provide information on how to maximise the use of natural and other resources – for instance waste products – becomes vital to the process of poverty allevation and the implementation of sustainable development.
EVALUATING RESOURCES
In evaluating resources, the value of people should also be recognized as a potential source of wealth, and, therefore, a valuable resource. It should be acknowledged that „human capital“ is as vital to economic development as is any other form of capital. Traditionally, capital is referred to as a stock of wealth used to produce goods and services. This usually refers to buildings, machines, natural resources and technical equipment. „Human capital“ refers to people´s knowledge and skills, and the recognition of the importance of the „human factor“ for the provision of sustainable economic development, places enormous emphasis on the importance of delivering educational opportunities to as wide a sector of the population as possible so as not to squander the valuable potential of the „human factor“ in economic development.
Reversing the damage of the Bantu Education system and bridging the gap between rural and urban is a daunting challenge. It is important to note that the links between economic policy and the delivery of educational programmes to suit those policies, are inextricable. In adressing the educational needs, therefore, of the multitude of rural school children who are still victims of the inequalities brought about by apartheid´s policies, one must take cognizance of the links between economics and education, when proposing solutions.
The problem is not simply one of providing classrooms, nor is it even one of providing books or additional teachers. And even if these were solutions, they are a long way from being implemented in a way that adequately addresses or alleviates the problem. Essentially, the problem that needs to be addressed is that of rural poverty, and the solution to this problem is multi-faceted and requires an integrated, holistic approach.
The poor standard of education currently available to children in rural schools, where the lack of classrooms results in many children being „taught“ under trees, and where a lack of text books, stationery and educational aids is exacerbated by the prevalence of inadequately qualified teachers, perpetuates the poverty cycle by not providing children with skills which they can use competitively in the labour market.
The absence of tertiary institutions or technikons in rural communities, where practical skills could be acquired, adds to the difficulties for rural children to acquire some form of tertiary education. The PEACE model addresses some of the problems facing rural children.
PEACE MULTI-PURPOSE CENTRES
The above-mentioned factors make accessing information vital for the improvement of educational standards and consequently for economic developmet. A PEACE develpoment centre, equipped with computers and the means of delivering distance education, through the provision of access to a wide range of educational material for both teachers and pupils. The establishment of satellite campuses at these centres will deliver technical skills to local youth in desperate need of employment opportunities.
The mission statement embodies the foundation´s belief that, although service delivery such as the provision of roads, water and housing are vital to the improvement of people´s quality of life, these factors in themselves will not necessarily have a substantial impact on the alleviation of poverty if they are not accompanied by the development of local people´s skills and the provision of opportunities for local economic development. It is here that educational institutions have a vital role to play in bridging the gap between education and the local economy by utilizing school premises as nodes for the delivery of information not only to scholars, but also to local business people, and by providing the local community with opportunities to provide for the needs of the local school. Items such as school uniforms, desks, cleaning materials and other such requirements that can be locally manufactured should be supplied by local entrepreneurs, with the school becoming the first market for locally produced goods. This would provide local communities not only with a sense of self-sufficiency, but would also provide much needed economic opportunities to local entrepreneurs.
The PEACE model provides for the establishment of PEACE development centres which draw together local communities, government, private sector, and local and international students into vibrant hubs of mutually rewarding innovation, learning and development in an effort to address the large-scale unemployment and poverty prevalent in rural communities. The utilization of school buildings as multi-purpose centers ensures that community needs are addressed in the most cost-effective and integrated fashion. Providing schools with faxes, telephones, photocopiers and computers which serve not only the school, but also the wider community, provides teh school with an additional income and provides the local community wit hmuch-needed service and communication infrastructure.
Rural education needs to adress sustainability of the community
Sustainable development was defined by the World Commission on Environment nad Development, in 1987, as: „Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.“
Inherent in this statement is the understanding that resources will be well managed and protected against abuse by greed and other motives. In rural communities where resources are often scarce and basic living requirements are not met, it becomes imperative that people are provided with information regarding alternative energy supplies rather than deplete natural resources where increased population growth impacts negatively on locally available natural resources.
The PEACE Foundation was established in 1993, as an independent trust, based at the University of Natal. Its main purpose is the allevation of poverty in rural communities. The acronym PEACE stands for Planning, Education, Agriculture, Community (co-operatives) and Environment, with each world providing a key factor in the implementation of an integrated, holistic, sustainable process of development.
Its mission statement reads: „In the understanding that development means the development of people, it is our objective to provide disadvantaged communities with the necessary tools and information to bring about their own development, and in so doing, improve educational and economic standards in their communities.“
The PEACE model is aimed at delivering sustainable solutions for providing educational programmes and information linked to local economic opportunities in remote rural communities, utilising school buildings and infrastructure to foster economic development in surrounding communities.
BACKGROUND TO POVERTY IN SOUTH AFRICA
In an effort to address issues of poverty, it is vital to have an understanding of some of the circumstances, policies and politics in which these conditions are rooted. The following points deal with some of these issues:
In a report published in 1998, entitled „Experience and Perceptions of Poverty in South Africa“, poverty in South Africa is described as being rooted in three main forces:
- The actions of a repressive state through apartheid legislation
- Shocks which do not have a direct political root, such as domestic or criminal violence, drought and ill health
- The lack of resources from which an income an be generated.
In this paper we focus briefly on the first of these factors. The second factor, although the result of circumstances beyond individual or state control, is often exacerbated by poor socio-economic circumstances. It is the third factor, however, which is of most relevance with regard to addressing rural poverty and uplifting educational standards for purposes of providing sustainable development.
In dealing with the third factor as a root cause of poverty, it should be noted that this should be qualified. It is not always a lack of resources that causes poverty, but rather a lack of information regarding the possible utilisation of resources. In addressing this issue, the PEACE model, using information technology to provide information on how to maximise the use of natural and other resources – for instance waste products – becomes vital to the process of poverty allevation and the implementation of sustainable development.
EVALUATING RESOURCES
In evaluating resources, the value of people should also be recognized as a potential source of wealth, and, therefore, a valuable resource. It should be acknowledged that „human capital“ is as vital to economic development as is any other form of capital. Traditionally, capital is referred to as a stock of wealth used to produce goods and services. This usually refers to buildings, machines, natural resources and technical equipment. „Human capital“ refers to people´s knowledge and skills, and the recognition of the importance of the „human factor“ for the provision of sustainable economic development, places enormous emphasis on the importance of delivering educational opportunities to as wide a sector of the population as possible so as not to squander the valuable potential of the „human factor“ in economic development.
Reversing the damage of the Bantu Education system and bridging the gap between rural and urban is a daunting challenge. It is important to note that the links between economic policy and the delivery of educational programmes to suit those policies, are inextricable. In adressing the educational needs, therefore, of the multitude of rural school children who are still victims of the inequalities brought about by apartheid´s policies, one must take cognizance of the links between economics and education, when proposing solutions.
The problem is not simply one of providing classrooms, nor is it even one of providing books or additional teachers. And even if these were solutions, they are a long way from being implemented in a way that adequately addresses or alleviates the problem. Essentially, the problem that needs to be addressed is that of rural poverty, and the solution to this problem is multi-faceted and requires an integrated, holistic approach.
The poor standard of education currently available to children in rural schools, where the lack of classrooms results in many children being „taught“ under trees, and where a lack of text books, stationery and educational aids is exacerbated by the prevalence of inadequately qualified teachers, perpetuates the poverty cycle by not providing children with skills which they can use competitively in the labour market.
The absence of tertiary institutions or technikons in rural communities, where practical skills could be acquired, adds to the difficulties for rural children to acquire some form of tertiary education. The PEACE model addresses some of the problems facing rural children.
PEACE MULTI-PURPOSE CENTRES
The above-mentioned factors make accessing information vital for the improvement of educational standards and consequently for economic developmet. A PEACE develpoment centre, equipped with computers and the means of delivering distance education, through the provision of access to a wide range of educational material for both teachers and pupils. The establishment of satellite campuses at these centres will deliver technical skills to local youth in desperate need of employment opportunities.
The mission statement embodies the foundation´s belief that, although service delivery such as the provision of roads, water and housing are vital to the improvement of people´s quality of life, these factors in themselves will not necessarily have a substantial impact on the alleviation of poverty if they are not accompanied by the development of local people´s skills and the provision of opportunities for local economic development. It is here that educational institutions have a vital role to play in bridging the gap between education and the local economy by utilizing school premises as nodes for the delivery of information not only to scholars, but also to local business people, and by providing the local community with opportunities to provide for the needs of the local school. Items such as school uniforms, desks, cleaning materials and other such requirements that can be locally manufactured should be supplied by local entrepreneurs, with the school becoming the first market for locally produced goods. This would provide local communities not only with a sense of self-sufficiency, but would also provide much needed economic opportunities to local entrepreneurs.
The PEACE model provides for the establishment of PEACE development centres which draw together local communities, government, private sector, and local and international students into vibrant hubs of mutually rewarding innovation, learning and development in an effort to address the large-scale unemployment and poverty prevalent in rural communities. The utilization of school buildings as multi-purpose centers ensures that community needs are addressed in the most cost-effective and integrated fashion. Providing schools with faxes, telephones, photocopiers and computers which serve not only the school, but also the wider community, provides teh school with an additional income and provides the local community wit hmuch-needed service and communication infrastructure.
igel - 13. Dez, 18:22
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