I can’t tell you how many parents have told me about their troubles with getting their kids enrolled into a high school.
I’ve been hearing several stories every week, since the application process closed last month. I’m hearing more stories of kids getting declined, rather than getting accepted.
And I fear we might be in for big problems when the 2024 academic year kicks off.
This year is barely past the halfway mark, and already parents are worried sick about what to do about next year.
Many have appealed the decisions, or are furiously looking for alternatives. But because it’s school holidays now, all they can do is wait and stew in the uncertainty.
As one parent reminded me, these are the young teens who are emerging from the trauma of the Covid lockdowns and now they are having to deal with another trauma.
What a terrible introduction to what’s meant to be the excitement of high school.
Then there’s the other issue of continuity. Some of these kids come from primary schools that are considered feeders for nearby high schools, often of similar cultures and existing co-operation.
So there’s a familiarity that eases the transition for the kids, which doesn’t only make sense, but should be a convincing priority in the decision-making process.
We can’t consider only academic and sporting prowess, as kids develop at different paces and have different interests at different ages.
Schools are meant to nurture these interests, and what better way than providing a consistent and supporting environment as they grow?
Now, I know the decisions are made centrally, and I get why that is.
We need to give opportunities to other kids who are often overlooked, largely because of their socio-economic circumstances. That, too, makes sense in the greater scheme of things. But it’s problematic if one kid is being disadvantaged for the benefit of another.
They are both kids and should both be accommodated, regardless of their parents’ social or economic standing. Or even their academic ability.
This is where we breed the custodians of our future societies. We are either creating disillusioned, disinterested, anti-social youth who fall by the wayside, or we are encouraging whatever contributions they are able to make, no matter how “soft” it may seem.
And don’t we desperately need more of those qualities alongside academic excellence anyway?
dailyvoice@inl.co.za