parents and principals as partners in creating a culture of learning

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checking of homework;
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motivating individual pupils; and
helping individual pupils with their school work.
Laxed discipline in many schools. Pupils can do as they please.
Many pupils are not examined properly before standard 10. Some are
promoted on the basis of age, others through intimidation, and still others
on the basis of 'pass one, pass all".
Political factor: The influence of politics as a factor in the culture of
teaching and learning has shifted from a physical, violent and radical to a
more subtle force. The main focus of influential unions such as the South
African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) and the Congress of South
African Students (COSAS) is to empower teachers and pupils respectively
to get things done their way. In the process:
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The authority and influence of principals are marginalised. Militant
teachers and unions prevent principals access to the classrooms for
supervision and assessment so as to ensure that certain standards are
maintained. Principals have lost accountability and dare not
confront teachers anymore. No teacher can be brought to book if
he arrives late or leaves early as unions which have site committees
at schools would defend undisciplined teachers to the hilt;
A professional approach to teaching is replaced by a unionist
approach. Teaching is no longer viewed as a calling and a
profession in which teachers commit themselves to the education of
pupils. In a unionist approach teaching is regarded as a job In
which the worker's rights receive first priority; and