One of the many great things about the Rhodes University School of Journalism and Media studies is that not only do they make a point of employing lecturers of such a high calibre, such as Professor Harry Dugmore (Google him) and others, it trains some of the best and sends them into the real world heavily equipped like soldiers in Iraq. Harry Dugmore's second year lectures deal with the history of South African media, particularly electronic.For aeons we've been sitting in lecture venues and glaring at the overhead projector in all its archaic glory so when Prof Dugmore brought us his iPad and Amazon Kindle to 'play around with for a bit', I was ready to jump out the window and thank God's trees and leaves. At that same moment, it got me thinking: How many other tertiary institutions have lecturers or departmental resources to allow its students to indulge in technologies so new they're almost foetal?The Rhodes JMS School happens to be one of those departments that have multiple resources at its students' disposal (at least I can see where my truckload of money's going towards).
As it is, the 2010 Matrics have to endure studying in 'study camps' which is seriously unacceptable and absolutely ridiculous.A 'camp'? Even if you dd the word 'concentration', it'll be the last state the students are currently.
The answer is simple: the haves and the have-nots. If you can afford to go to a teritary institution, chances are you're part of the 'haves', excluding scholarships and bursaries. It's the haves who can afford to not only be told about the iPad but also actually have in in front of them.The have-nots, on the other hand, can continue hearing about it but have the possibility of never getting to play with its touch screen. Despite the fact that government has indeed budgeted a lot for education, disparities still crop up like weeds. Before, one's hair would turn white at the sight of a weed but today, we ignore it. This disparity is like today's weed: We see it, we are aware that there are thousands of herbicides that can kill it but we leave it, because if it isn't in your part of the garden we all share, it's not your problem.
The same attitude can be said for education and those who are *privileged* to have it: if the other boy my age who should be in my year of schooling isn't really giving me death stares, i'll turn away and continue with my 'bougie bougie' lifestyle. This apathy doesn't only exist in elections alone. I am apathetic, too. I know I am so much more privileged than so many others who have the same potetial and maybe more, but i can argue that it's not my duty to lend a helping hand. I can argue that it's bad enough I'm confronted with misogynistic attitides of men from the moment my feet hit the road to lectures so concern for my well-being is a priority, others come second,Even that argument doesn't justify my apathy.
Privileged journalism schools like Rhodes University teach us about ethics and empathy but don't mind the majority that should also be in school like you.don't mind that they didn't go to primary school and learnt to write so by the time they reached university, they could aticlulate themselves far better than the average non-university goer. Mind them, just like you would mind a step.
Education is no longer a right.If it were, the state would level the playing field from the beginning: Give everybody the same number of resources and opportunities, push them by their backs and into the world and say, "Do with it what you will,children of a democratic and sovereign state". When you quickly glance outside your window on the way to work, school or lectures, methinks something went a stray right from the beginning.We cannot be encouraging self-determination and self-sustainance but give less than 40% of the population the righful resources they deserve as a result of living under a state. The state is to blame and we are to blame. We've become lazy with weeding the gardens we share and are more apathetic than a couch potato. Ubuntu is one of those words we tell tourists, not something we practice. In fact, it has become as cliche as Thabo Mbeki's 'I Am An African' speech (sorry, Thabo,but you should have stopped after the first 15 seconds).
In all my youth, vigour and overload of academic,Youtube and facebook information, I am an apathetic that is quite comfortable.I, like you reading this, had priviledges that got me to where I am today, in a warm room, sitting with a cup of tea and a bone to pick with everyting that moves. There are weeds in my garden but seeing as my internet connection is still going strong (thank you, Broadband) and I haven't lost my DP certificate yet, reaching out to somebody that was cut off by the educational,digital and financial divide is like asking to turn my Samsung into an iPhone with a toothpick. As long as there will be households that will be able to pay for their children to further their education,arms deal scandals that serve as an effective distraction from Matics studying without teachers, the haves will have their cake and eat it and send down crumbs to the have-nots.Marie Antoinette will be proud. Karl Marx will wake up from the dead and repeat his theory of societal hierachy with joy.I will continue with my eduation because so far,I can afford it.You will continue to work in your sad little cubicle or wide glass office.We'll continue to say, "Don't touch me on my studio!", poke fun at journalists' dismal dress sense and surf the net for blue movies when the boss isn't looking.The weeds will continue to multiply but as long as they don't touch us on our studio, we shall continue living and anticipating while others become ostracised. Because,you see,it's a dog-eat-dog world and best believe each one of us have swallowed a couple.
