By Siliziwe Mahambehlala
On 25 April 2023, the Journalism and Media Studies 3 (JMS 3) class handed out SD cards with learning materials at Khutliso Daniels High School. This has been a tradition that Rhodes University Community Engagement (through the Vul'Indlela programme) in partnership with the JMS3 students have maintained since COVID-19 hit in 2020. The purpose of these SD cards is to give these learners easy access to learning materials without using data.
The state of the education system in South Africa is in shambles; learners do not have access to basic education, despite it being a basic right. While visiting Khutliso Daniels to interview the grade 12 learners, I found it both disheartening and sad that the learners had limited access to past papers, while some could not even access textbooks. While speaking to the learners about the SD cards they received through the campaign, I found that these SD cards have made a difference to some learners but not so much to others.
With bright nervous smiles, the learners I spoke to expressed gratitude for the SD cards. They expressed how helpful the SD cards were as they gave them access to past question papers without needing data. Besides this, the learners found that the SD cards contained examination outlines and guides on how to answer questions, which helped them learn how to answer exam questions excellently. They also expressed that the SD cards helped to know what to expect in the examinations. The SD cards made a huge difference in helping them prepare for the examinations, particularly considering that the Department of Education had not made any kind of means to help these learners prepare.
While speaking to these learners, I found it disheartening to learn about their struggles and how the education system continues to fail them. They are expected to pass grade 12 yet they are not given adequate resources by the Department of Education. They expressed how they had no WIFI in the school and therefore struggle to do research for assignments or projects. They also spoke about the school not having computers to learn basic computer skills which would prepare them for the demands of higher education.
It is deeply hurtful to see the struggles these learners go through - all they should be worried about is studying and passing matric not the lack of resources. The teachers try their best to provide an excellent learning environment for these learners, but there is only so much they can do without adequate resources.
Recommendations from learners for next year's campaign
Rhodes University has done such a phenomenal job in trying to bridge these struggles through its various campaigns and partnerships in local schools. Although the SD Card campaign is a great initiative by Rhodes University, it has its limitations.
The learners expressed grievances about the SD cards as they explained that some videos provided in the SD cards could not open. They also found that some subjects like English, IsiXhosa, and Tourism were popular subjects but were not included in the SD cards. One learner complained about the lack of History past papers on the SD cards.
It has also been a deep concern that some learners will not be able to access these SD cards as they do not have phones. One learner expressed that she had not looked at her own SD card as she had no phone to put it in.
The other concern that came up was that the past papers were outdated and therefore they recommended that recent past papers should be put in the SD cards. They also recommended that they would like to have memos along with the past papers so that they could know where they went wrong and correct themselves. The SD card campaign was never going to be as perfect as everyone could only hope it would be; there are always pros and cons.
This collaborative effort led by RUCE has done an amazing job in trying to help the learners of the community. It was heartwarming to hear the gratitude in the voices of these learners as they spoke about the SD cards, even though the SD cards did not contain everything they needed. Moving forward the JMS3 students along with Vul'Indlela can ensure that the information on the SD card remains up to date. They could also take into account all the challenges mentioned by these learners to improve for the following year.
For me, the fact that this university has embraced the spirit of Ubuntu by engaging with the challenges experienced by its community sets them apart from other universities in South Africa.
Even though initiatives like the SD Card campaign try and fill in the gaps where the Department of Basic Education has failed, the Department should be held accountable for its failures to do better in ensuring all learners receive the best education. I can only hope that the Department recognises its failures and tries to make the educational experience of these learners bearable because at this moment they are not enjoying their learning experience and their future is at risk. It is incredibly difficult to pass matric without the necessary resources needed like proper textbooks.