"Schooling is compulsory between the ages of seven and 15. All learners are guaranteed access to quality learning. There are two types of schools: independent (private) and public. At public schools, parents vote on the level of school fees. Poor parents are given exemption or reductions."
Here in South Africa the children start their formal education in grade 1. The year that they turn 7. Grade R (equivalent to our Senior Kindergarten) is offered at many schools but is not compulsory. Primary school is grades 1 - 7 and is divided into 2 1/3 phases. Foundation phase is grade 1 (or R in some schools) to grade 3. Intermediate phase is grade 4 - 6. Senior phase is grades 7 - 9, though grade 7 is in a primary school setting and grades 8 & 9 in a high school setting. High school is grades 8 - 12. The final year of high school (grade 12) is called the matriculation year, often shortened to matric. Grades 10, 11, and matric are not compulsory in the South African education system. Those who continue on to grade 10-12 are in the FET (further education and training) phase.
The visible difference in the South African system is that almost all school students, private or government (public) wear uniforms to school. In fact the government has a uniform policy that provides rationale and guidelines for uniforms. The uniforms vary in colour and style depending on the schools colours. Primary uniforms are often more relaxed versions of the high school uniforms. Boys in high school seem to wear dress shirts and ties, girls skirts and dress shirts and often ties as well. They all wear a blazer. The pre-primary that dd attends does not have a uniform, but some pre-primaries do. Ds #2 has a white golf shirt with the collar and sleeves trimmed in the schools navy blue. The pants for winter are navy blue polyester track type pants with a cotton lining. In the summer they wear navy shorts. The jacket is the same cotton lined polyester as the pants. Ds #1 has ended up at the plan B school and his uniform is a white short sleeved dress shirt, grey sweater vest and either grey dress shorts or pants, depending on the season. His phys ed. uniform is the same as ds#2 regular uniform except in his school colour of green.
When we first visited the schools in February we were shocked to see the children stand at their desks and in chorus say "good day Mrs. (or Mr.) principal and visitors (us)" when we entered the classrooms. It happened at all of the schools that we visited. Our kids were going to have a pretty serious learning curve when it came to behavioural expectations in school.
All of the schools that we have been to use a merit system of some kind. If ds#2 gets enough merit stickers in one week he can wear "civvies" (street clothes). Civvies cannot be worn on Monday as it is assembly (and inspection) day. If a child earns their final merit stickers on Friday, they must wait until Tuesday to wear their civvies. Stickers are given for "being good" according to ds#2. Being good is like helping the teacher, not tattle taling, getting perfect on your tests. Red stickers are for "doing bad things" like hurting someone, being silly in class or not doing your work on time. Red stickers mean a 5 min. detention at the beginning of break time. Some children never get to wear civvies, and some get them every week. Ds#2 is about in the middle of the pack.
When it comes to Monday inspection here's what they are looking for. This is straight from the parent/student handbook for the school ds#1 attends. Bolds, underlines and all.
4.7 Uniform and dress code
All parents have received a uniform list indicating exactly what the learner needs to wear. The uniform is to be respected and worn with pride at all times. It is essential that all items of clothing are clearly marked with the current owner's name. Spot inspection will take place from time to time and those not wearing the correct uniform will be reprimanded accordingly.
Uniforms must be ordered through our designated supplier. While we are happy to pass items onto the children, the school is not responsible for collecting money or accepting deliveries.
All students are expected to:
- maintain a high level of personal cleanliness - clean hair, body, nails.
- keep all uniform items clean and in good condition. Only black school shoes may be worn. Only a black belt may be worn with long grey trousers.
- Ensure that all uniform items are embroidered with the school badge as per the uniform lists. All embroidery done by our uniform supplier.
- Correct uniform to be worn at all times. This also applies when off the school property. Shirts to be tucked in and long socks pulled up. Shoes to be kept neat and polished.
- Full Physical Education uniform to be worn to and from school on PE days. Predominantly white takkies only.
- No make up, coloured nail polish or jewellery may be worn except for wrist watches. Only simple gold/silver studs or sleepers may be worn in pierced ear lobes (1 in each ear - matching). No other visible body piercings or tattoos will be tolerated - this includes tongue studs.
- Hair to be kept neat and off the face at all times. Hair touching the collar must be tied up. Only black or white hair accessories may be worn. No dyed hair is acceptable. No hair gel.
- Skirt length to be just above the knee ie. no more than 4 horizontal fingers from the floor when kneeling.
- Finger nails must be kept short. False/gel nails are unacceptable.
- Hair must be kept short ie. off the collar and ears
- No visible body piercings or tattoos will be tolerated - this included tongue studs
- No jewellery may be worn except for wrist watches
- No hair gel.
- No highlights or dyed hair is acceptable
- No bald hairstyles/cleanly shaven heads
- No shaving of eyebrows.
The uniforms haven't been a big adjustment for the kids, actually it is much easier for the boys in the mornings as they don't have to fuss about what they feel like wearing. Dd still gets to choose her own clothes in the morning and I can't wait until she is in a uniform. She has a very unique sense of style and mornings will be much more efficient when she doesn't choose her clothes based on her mood :) For me though, uniforms mean twice the laundry. They wear the uniforms to school and then come home and change into regular clothes. Add Cubbing uniforms to that and the fact that the washing machine is 1/2 the size and it feels like I spend my life doing laundry. Also, I'm sure that the people who decided that white shirts would make the children be more careful about getting dirty, never met any children I know. Dirt is one thing, but paint and marker on a white shirt is horrible.
When you factor in that all of the laundry products here are different than in Canada, I am having the time of my life, NOT, experimenting with the best combinations of stain removers, pre-treatments, and washing powders. I have yet to come up with the perfect combination, but I am determined to find it before dd gets into her white uniform in January.
This post has scratched the surface of the difference between school in PE and school in Ontario. I'll delve into some more of the differences in daily structure, educational practices, curriculum and expectations in a later posts.
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