October 4 Elna Cavendish

Two disturbing conversations yesterday:

An older Lady was pleased that her children and grandchildren were already out of the local education system, that they no longer needed to deal with a deteriorating situation. She then proceeded to launch into a spewing of hatred and anger toward otherness. The details of what she shared were irrational and insane, but her hatred and anger was palpable. She feels strongly that there should have been a war in South Africa in the early nineties, that everything should have been razed to the ground! I felt contaminated afterwards and went on a shopping and sugar binge in an attempt to process the poison!

On reflection, and gathering threads from other conversations, the contemporary ’multi-culturism’/global melding of humanity, comes as a massive challenge. Particularly for older generations, and particularly where socio/cultural groups have strong identities, or at least where individuals are strongly identified with their socio/cultural group.

Later that evening I was at a dinner party; an older gentleman, who has a BSC and teaching diploma, responded to an appeal, in a Durban news paper, for Math teachers; that there were 250+ vacancies. He arrived at a school to make application, only to be turned down because according to new rules, his teaching diploma is no longer valid; he requires the new two year diploma. He later informed that there are 87 cases of teachers who have raped students, who have been stuck off there positions, and still receive full pay!

His research reveals that educational policy is in place, but the administering and regulating of that policy is severely skewed. He lays fault at the individual schools, teachers and principals who have no principles, yet display remarkable skill at fraud.

He continued to say what is most important are the 2 E’s, education and ecology. Without a clear focus and engaging with these we are doomed.

A third conversation also compared ecology and education. The principles of self-sustaining, self-regulating and self-generating where explored. I have understood these principles to fall under the term self-learning/life-long learning. These principles often threaten the status quo, industry/ the establish(ed)ment. It implies that people no longer need to be controlled.