Elaine Browne.pdf - Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

preparation for further education and work” (ibid, 5) cannot be achieved either. They are also
not afforded the much‐needed avenue for physical and emotional expression, which only the
arts can provide. The learners are “left idle” as one of the interviewees explained. They are not
afforded valuable opportunities to develop certain practical and non‐academic skills that will
extend their future occupation possibilities. Learners’ potential talents are not explored and
cannot be nurtured. This gives rise to lethargy and disinterest. Many learners at these
previously disadvantaged schools, especially those located in lower socio‐economic areas resort
to unacceptable practices such as crime and drug abuse, due to lack of interest in ‘academic’
subjects such as mathematics and natural sciences. Involvement in arts activities could have
provided an additional avenue for such learners.
The research revealed that, according to the teachers’ experiences, the Department of
Education failed the previously disadvantaged schools and the teachers dismally. The schools
are not properly resourced and the teachers are not sufficiently empowered and capacitated to
teach the arts. These teachers are in dire need of ongoing mentoring and support. The
implication of the DoE’s inadequacy is that these schools need to carry an extra burden. The
legacy of apartheid is thus sustained, since previously advantaged schools continue to offer
education of better quality. Ex‐model C schools are generally well‐resourced and, due to access
to additional financial resources, can often afford to appoint specialised arts educators on a
contract basis. The extent and implications of transforming arts education in South African
schools have clearly been underestimated.
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