2 Wheels 4 Girls

The government isn’t too fond of foreigners entering migrant schools right now. Happy “60th Birthday” China.

September 20, 2009
Eager Students Fall Prey to Apartheid’s Legacy
By CELIA W. DUGGER

KHAYELITSHA, South Africa — Seniors here at Kwamfundo high school sang freedom songs and protested outside the staff room last year because their accounting teacher chronically failed to show up for class. With looming national examinations that would determine whether they were bound for a university or joblessness, they demanded a replacement.

“We kept waiting, and there was no action,” said Masixole Mabetshe, who failed the exams and who now, out of work, passes the days watching TV.

The principal of the school, Mongezeleli Bonani, said in an interview that there was little he could do beyond giving the teacher a warning. Finally the students’ frustration turned riotous. They threw bricks, punched two teachers and stabbed one in the head with scissors, witnesses said.

The traumatized school’s passing rate on the national exams known as the matric — already in virtual free fall — tumbled to just 44 percent.

Thousands of schools across South Africa are bursting with students who dream of being the accountants, engineers and doctors this country desperately needs, but the education system is often failing the very children depending on it most to escape poverty.

Post-apartheid South Africa is at grave risk of producing what one veteran commentator has called another lost generation, entrenching the racial and class divide rather than bridging it. Half the students never make it to 12th grade. Many who finish at rural and township schools are so ill educated that they qualify for little but menial labor or the ranks of the jobless, fueling the nation’s...

About a month ago I contacted Corinne of Stepping Stones – a Not for Profit started by her and based here in Shanghai. Taken directly from http://steppingstoneschina.net :

“The objective of this project is to assist students in migrant schools in Shanghai to gain interest and confidence in their English language abilities and to help them pass their middle school entrance examinations.”

If you aren’t familiar with the educational system of China…if you don’t get into a good middle school, you don’t get into a good high school – therefore, more than likely not passing your college entrance exam. your life is determined very early in life – it’s very unfortunate that innocent children just have to deal with the hand they’ve been dealt.

From the city center of Shanghai – it took about 45 minutes to get to the bus station. From there, I met Bernice with Stepping Stones and waited for 2 additional people with ai Community. From there, it took an additional hour to get out to the school.

You could hear the English repetition across the school yard – there are 4-6 large classrooms having class. Ages ranging by a couple of years in each room – along with attention span and studious attitudes. I did notice that the girls were paying closer attention than the boys and really trying. I was watching the behavior and games…and kids are really all the same, no matter where they live. There are little boys wrestling and punching one another in the groin while the little girls huddle together talking...

I did not take this photo – BUMMER.

So Wednesday, I am riding my bike to Chinese class at the Shanghai Business Center and I see one of the blue flat bed trucks loaded down with flowers. There are a couple of men unloading the packs down to the sidewalk to plant in the very small park/intersection. I have my 35mm film camera with me – but I am rushed to class.

After class, I pull my bicycle over to the side of the road and take a picture from a far. Of course, I am spotted…and it seems to be by the supervisor. He starts smiling, shouting, and waves me over. What? This is a total change of course.

So I roll my bike over to the park and one guy tells me in Chinese that he doesn’t want to have his picture taken, after “Supervisor” is smiling, making the act of taking a picture, and pointing to this guy. I ask, “为什么？“ That’s wei shen me – “why”?He then continues to tell me it’s because he is not “beautiful”. I respond that he is very beautiful. So after some chuckles, and then getting to deep into the language that I have found myself lost for words – they go back to work and I take some more pictures before heading home.

The city really opens up when you can talk the talk.

It’s moments like that and on Monday, when I was at the Shanghai Stadium climbing. There was a group of us – locals and foreigners – over in the Bouldering area. And the foreigners would speak English – while the Chinese would understand but respond in Mandarin – but us foreigners understood – but would respond in English. It’s amazing when you can carry on basic conversations speaking in your native tongue but listening to something so different.

It’s kinda cool.