A new education system for South Africa

[tec0]

tec0 - you need to understand that pie in the sky is great but reality is somewhat different and a lot harsher. Love and attention doesn't cut it, getting off one's ass and putting in the hours is the only way to learn anything.

I think you have the two subjects confused. If it wasn't for the pie in the sky then we would have nothing today. We will still be in caves hunting food with sticks and stones. Anything and everything we have today was an idea once. A dream once seen demands action therefore it is the often if not always the first step towards a better tomorrow.

As for life being harsh... I have seen many evils experience much pain. My life was a nightmare in the happening, so don't talk about "harsh realities" and hard work. Fact is your generation had it easy. Fact is you had choices... we don't. You had a future and squandered it. We have to work twice as hard just to survive.

So if others and I want to envision a future for our children it is our right to do so.

[adrianh]

Fact is your generation had it easy. Fact is you had choices... we don't. You had a future and squandered it. We have to work twice as hard just to survive.

Tell me more, I would love to understand the reasoning behind this statement.

[Blurock]

w.
Fact is your generation had it easy. Fact is you had choices... we don't. You had a future and squandered it. We have to work twice as hard just to survive.

So if others and I want to envision a future for our children it is our right to do so.

I suppose this remark was made out of ignorance. Every generation has its own problems and opportunities. Education has always been expensive and my generation was no exception. We had no internet or access to information like we have today. Only top achievers were awarded a bursary to get into college or university.

I, like many of my generation who could not afford higher education, had to find a job after leaving school. I only started studying at a later age and was fortunate as my employer paid for most of my studies (while I was working full time). I realised the value of ongoing studies and was awarded a masters degree at age 50.

What I have learnt is that Opportunity is what you create for yourself. Do not wait on others to give you an opportunity, create your own. Too many of our people are waiting on others; they wait for the bus, they wait for the taxi, they wait for the manager to tell them what to do, they wait for a job to fall into their lap... You can see them at the station, at the shops, on the streets and everywhere you go. People waiting for tomorrow. Manjana.

Stop waiting for something to happen and go and grab the day. Carpe Diem!

[tec0]

I suppose this remark was made out of ignorance. Every generation has its own problems and opportunities. Education has always been expensive and my generation was no exception. We had no internet or access to information like we have today. Only top achievers were awarded a bursary to get into college or university.

I, like many of my generation who could not afford higher education, had to find a job after leaving school. I only started studying at a later age and was fortunate as my employer paid for most of my studies (while I was working full time). I realised the value of ongoing studies and was awarded a masters degree at age 50.

What I have learnt is that Opportunity is what you create for yourself. Do not wait on others to give you an opportunity, create your own. Too many of our people are waiting on others; they wait for the bus, they wait for the taxi, they wait for the manager to tell them what to do, they wait for a job to fall into their lap... You can see them at the station, at the shops, on the streets and everywhere you go. People waiting for tomorrow. Manjana.

Stop waiting for something to happen and go and grab the day. Carpe Diem!

no ignorance here sir... just that a lot has changed. I have spoken to people age 90, I have spoken to people age 60 and I have my own experiences. Tell you what there are some opportunities that existed back then that doesn't exist today. I am not saying you had a walk in the park. You didn't... But I am saying you had options.

[HR Solutions]

Lol tec I would seriously stop the ignorant comments ...

[adrianh]

Ah @HR, I figured it out.

It is very difficult today because there is no sheltered employment for lazy whites any longer. A young lazybutt in our days could go work at the post office and sleep all day. Yes I agree, it is hard today because of BEE others get to sleep at the post office all day. Although, I must admit, I have seen non-BEE members of our society working as trench diggers. There are now 7 big burly BEE supervisors standing around and 3 non-BEE outjies sleeping on their shovels.

[desA]

Right, everyone has had their rant - let's get back to focusing on the new the SA education system. A brief summary of the idea flow, follows:

1. A large computer monitor/screen in every classroom.
2. Centralised education centre (CEC), where best teachers possible present each subject.
3. Servers at each school (SS).
4. Lessons moved from CEC to SS continuously - in compressed format.
5. Servers de-compress overnight, for next day's lessons.
6. Each classroom has lesson on monitor in classroom.
7. Teachers become 'tutors'/'coaches'.
8. Learners have subject textbooks & work-books. Self education. All in pdf format. Print on site.

Add with that local on site storage so that a lesson can be reviewed at any time by students.

Also it is not necessary to even compress, or even have a local on site server, and IMHO a better solution, simply talk to MNET, and they could add these teaching channels to the satellite dish, and with a decoder, they would have the lessons at real time speed.

The advantages here are that you do not even need ESKOM or electricity, but install a solar system to charge batteries up to power the decoder and TV and you can have a classroom anywhere in the southern tip of Africa. MNET is making so much money from it's subscribers and the addition of annoying adverts during prime time viewing, even though we pay to watch the contents via monthly subscription, that they could earn brownie points for allowing free education content to be transmitted on their spare channels.

My thought here was to have a separate feed/channel for each subject/class. This will mean quite a few simultaneous feeds to classroom. This could be served by a complete education satellite services, with multiple subject channels. Remember this is multiplied across classes/levels/standards.

A lot happening all at once, & a fair signal logistic load. The pre-feed into a server would allow 24h feed, with 6h call-off - allowing a slimming-down of instantaneous traffic from CEC to SS.

We are at a point where a tablet computer cost less R2000 and if the state subsidise it and allow perhaps allow a cool down on import tax these devices can be cheaper. On this device you can have a dedicated 3G network designed to only serve students.

This service can cost you about R60 a month based existing data models. All you need now is downloadable lessons in the form of videos and e-books. Thus the student have access to lessons 24/7 and there handbooks.

The device can be limited and even locked to the point where it can only be used as an educational device so there will be no fooling around on it. The second step is to scrap schools and introduce examination facilities where they will go to write examinations.

They can register when they want to write what subject and can pay a small amount when the go to the physical establishment. Thus allowing them to get there marks immediately thus allowing them to see where they make mistakes and work on it.

This system will give the student freedom to study from home “safely” to write examinations on their own speeds and get educated.

Now I know people will say this is a stupid idea. But I am studying right now and our study group is worth more than the classroom but sadly we don’t have recorded lessons to watch. The above system will work and will be cheaper then maintaining thousands of schools.

Given that there is a great idea based upon inherent problems and given that, correctly so, a massive stumbling block has been raised, perhaps one should look at the solutions to the new problem, which is valid and on point.
A modification
A concept of centralised classrooms using able teachers using a technological medium.
Still, a form of bricks and mortar schools, perhaps using existing facilities, church halls, municipal sports halls etc. Students still need to report to this structure. ( rural areas maybe the employment of a 'principle' who has the facilities and the children report to).
And the children still have old school books, alternatively an ebook reader (supplied or bought, situation dependant) with text books on them.

The original scenario presented was actually sorting out the errant teachers and poor teachers, .... Perhaps consideration within the above terms of reference may 're channel this discussion.

On a related note, a proposal such as this could be tabled in front of government, and there is a strong basis, in law, which would almost force there hand to accede to it, provided a plausible plan is presented. It may even border along a concept of privatisation.

Let's work on building these idea flows into a cohesive plan.

[tec0]

Lol tec I would seriously stop the ignorant comments ...

Yea I am ignorant... wow See the older folks must all be liars then. They claim they could get a job with a st6 or there about. They also claim that they could send their kids "give or take you and Adrian" generation to the military for a trade. Liars the lot of them... Yea this didn’t happen at all...

The reality is this... We have a lot more technology today this is true. That doesn't mean we have it easier. Secondly your studies back then was a lot harder. "see I am man enough to admit it" But you got the chance to train for free. You got free food, free bed and all you had to do was follow orders and study hard. But the one thing you got was practical training. Today I need about R20k to R40k + just to get that training. Companies don't pay for it anymore as they say it is a dead loss. They say this because as soon as the person get qualified they find themselves a better job. "for the most part that is also true"

[tec0]

Right, everyone has had their rant - let's get back to focusing on the new the SA education system. A brief summary of the idea flow, follows:
Let's work on building these idea flows into a cohesive plan.

Right now the technology exists to shape and control data pipelines so that you can use a small bandwidth but would still be able to stream video smoothly. But making the video downloadable I think is the better option this will decrease data demands dramatically.

By allocating protocols to speed restrictions means you can prioritise the data pipe thus allowing for smooth browsing downloading and uploading experiences. Also you can add encryption for safety again without any real difficulty. Also a lot of ISP use these devices so i know they can handle large networks without a problem.

So you will have a secure network and active controls on the data pipelines with speed allocations. The networking side is an easy setup as these devices are available of the self. So no third party development needed.

The website however will need some number crunching so the servers will need to be fast but if you use modern codec’s and PDF compression technology storage and file size will not be a big deal. Today we can put 1 hour worth of audio video into about 60mb or smaller depending on quality. Good quality will go for about 80 to 100mb for 1 hour lesions. I would go for 30minute lesions as the downloads will be smaller quality can be higher thus you get better results.

Sadly from here will need to think about web design I don't have enough experience.

[adrianh]

tec0 - free - you're on the weed again. My brother took loans to pay for each of his degrees. He worked at the drive-in on weekends. My parent paid for his one room flat in JHB. I paid myself to get my NTC4, 5 & 6. My sister worked as a nurse for a couple of years to make some money before she took a loan to get her degrees.

My dad studied for many many years to be a surgeon. He only paid his loans when he turned 40.

tec0 - you seriously need to get in touch with reality. Get off you butt and do something for yourself. Just think you could have already taught yourself calculus from the internet if you spent as much time going through tutorials as you spend whinging and talking trash here.