Learners leave school unable to write basic sentences

Too many young South Africans are leaving high school unable to write basic sentences or express themselves clearly.

That’s according to a mental health practitioner who works closely with adolescents and says he sees the impact of these gaps playing out in his therapy rooms.

Muhammad Coovadia is a registered counselor and intern Counselling Psychologist at the University of the Free State.

He's raising some serious concerns about the state of the country’s education system.

In a recent opinion piece published ahead of Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube's 2025 National Senior Certificate exam results next Monday, he writes, "To clap for the pass rate is to become complicit in a golden masquerade".

He says the future of many learners is 'grim', due to the 'failure of others'.

"Firstly, the people of the past. Bantu education has had an impact on the current education system."

Coovadia suggests the Department of Basic Education has also failed, and school educators and even citizens.

"We know this crisis is happening. As community members, we have responsibilities to do something about it."

Coovadia explains that a broken system is holding back bright, motivated learners.

"The system is against them. They fail, and it's made to be like they are the problem."

The impact on the self-esteem of such learners cannot be underestimated, he says. He adds that many struggle with simple written tasks, causing distress and humiliation.

"In reality, the system did not provide them with the opportunity."

Coovadia says the celebration of matric pass rates hides a deeper crisis. He says the results fail to reflect the realities faced by many learners once they leave the classroom.

He says it's time to start focusing on solutions.

"I really feel that our technical colleges also need to be held up in merit and seen as possible career paths because the reality is, for many of these learners, maybe they can't enter into further education, but they can become great in apprenticeships, in plumbing, coding, etc. Those are critical skills."

To listen to Coovadia in conversation with CapeTalk's John Maytham, use the audio player below: