It seems that the South African engineering and geomatics professions, like many others in our society, has grown accustomed to and accepting of a failing public education system. There is the annual lament over poor matric results; or a too-quick joy over meagre improvements in the pass rate such as the 73,9% witnessed in 2012. There are fleeting expressions of horror over results of the Annual National Assessments (ANAs), which look particularly at educational outcomes in literacy and numeracy in the foundation phase; only 13% of grade 9 students passed maths in 2012. And there is dinner table-talk around issues like the Limpopo text book delivery crisis that lasted throughout 2012.
But then business gets on with its business. Those that can afford to take their children out of the public schooling system, succumb to paying high fees for a small number of reputational schools. Many more parents pay lower (but still high) fees for private schools of dubious quality and origin. Those that can't pay but can travel try to cram their children into former model C schools. And those that can't do any of the above, suffer... too often in silence. Something is rotten with this state of affairs. It is time that advocacy and action for a quality public education system was made a part of every sector of business. Why?
First of all there is the economic and business imperative. The South African engineering abd geomatics sectors compete in a global economy that more than ever before utilises and competes over people with skills. Acquiring a domestic competitive edge - and growing employment in the profession - depends upon home-grown skills and innovation. In this context our school system MUST supply access to knowledge, and understanding of modern forms of technology and communication.
A public education system is the first critical stage in producing new generations of professional engineers. But ours not only does not, it cannot. Achievements in literacy, science and maths are declining. This is not the fault of learners but of schools that are almost medieval - with far too many without electricity, water, libraries, essential teachers, never mind the standard technologies of the modern world.
Secondly there is a social imperative. It has been calculated that only 32,9% of the children who entered the school system at Grade 1, exited with a matric pass in 2012. Even those that "passed" matric (at the 30% pass rate) did so without acquiring the levels of literacy and numeracy required for an engineering degree or skilled employment.
Nearly 600 000 children drop out of school between Grades 1 and 12. Where do these children go? Onto the streets, into the informal economy, into crime. If our schools are allowed to continue failing our students for another decade we are preparing a social explosion. Business cannot operate effectively or productively as an island in a sea of poverty and instability. There is a point where the sea will overwhelm the island. It is thus better to invest in making the island bigger and better, and draining the sea. The educational system is a means to do that.
And finally we should stand up and advocate for a better public education system because we can. We have the resources: the amount budgeted for education is largely sufficient - the problem is that this money is mismanaged. We have the desire: South African has demonstrated that we have both learners and teachers, who can excel, if the environment is improved.
So, what is missing? I would argue that it is forthright advocacy and oversight. We need to put our heads above the parapet rather than bury them in the sand. The understandable response of much of the engineering sector to this crisis has been to direct ever larger amounts of corporate social investment (CSI) into "education".
Worthy though many of these projects may be, they do not change or address the systemic failures that are undermining our system. CSI must be combined with a louder voice, investment in community oversight of the education system as well as in advocacy for social justice that works within the bounds of our Constitution, but without fear or favour to tell the truth and advocate for a better deal for our children and economy.
The choice is yours.
Mark Heywood, Section27, Tel 011 356-4100,
[email protected] 
