Purple Tod Consulting

“WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE”

During any radical transformation the primary task of the State is to transform society by increasing ACCESS and that naturally means at the costs of QUALITY! This reality has been for the past 26 years...our society can no longer afford this state of affairs. I argure for more COMPETENT ACCESS & QUALITY...let's radically professionalise the State, it's Organs and it's Professionals. The realities of COVID 19 provides us with a golden opportunity to reimagine the new state, its economy and social structures.

THE STATE

• Abondon the notion of a developmental state - become a revolutionary state
• All transgressions/crimes against the state is considered treason and punishable as such
• Neo-liberal capitalism has failed us - no trickling down of wealth
• Let's try liberal socialism
• Maximize the mixed economy...SAA must remain in the hands of the state
• National banks and all land...for without land there can be no social justice and sharig of wealth
• The Constitution in its current form must be abolished or radically amended
• The SANDF must be unified under the leadership of its Commander-in-Chief
• Let's be proactive and not reactive
• Pursue a PanAfrican currency backed by our collective natural resources
• Pursue PanAfricanism...not Chinese and other foreign social systems
• PanAfricanism first...then Globalization

POLITICALLY

• Abandon provinces – keep the nine administrations
• One set of rules for the entire Public Service - employment/role/functions/service conditions
• Reduce funding for education...increase health funding & basic services
• Professionalize the entire Public Service
• All salaries to be revised in line with the value-added to society
• Parliamentary & Union leadership must be regulated – elected officials to lead no longer than 5-7 years (union leadership was never intended to be a career but rather an opportunity to serve)
• Unions are democratic institutions and should abide as such
• Review salaries and service conditions of all elected officials – see motivation above

EDUCATION RESEARCH

• Education District Offices are failing us
• Competent school management can make a difference
• School governance are failing us
• The more you test, the better the results
• The choice still is between access & quality
• More resources are necessary but not an imperative
• Stay the course – Vision-Mission
• Eat small pieces – “that is how you eat an elephant" - but be consistent
• SA two-tier education & social systems – one for the rich the other for the poor
• Teacher quality (values, knowledge, experience) can make the difference
• We are all different – embrace our differences
• Change by coercion...not cooperation
• The home is failing us...”so why bother?”
• Strengthen M&E – it heightens compliance in the absence of cooperation
• Consequence management of M&E
• Our teachers are not well prepared for the classroom

A. SYSTEMIC

• Free education
• National feeding scheme
• Poverty is still the greatest cause of failure and lack of success
• Follow the research – unpack the assumptions of its recommendations
• Theory of change “The New Reality” – test assumptions – recommendations – conclusions – outcomes – research design – social problem – “Current Reality”
• Create a direct link between HEI & Schooling – link CAPS/OBE
• School Development (contingent relationship) consists of school operational planning (SOP) & school improvement planning (SIP) – “make sure you have the fit right”
• Replacing existing infrastructure is more expensive than maintaining existing infrastructure

B. GOLDEN RATIOS

• 35:65% (Pastoral x Curriculum)
• 50:50% (urban) & 65:35 (rural) – [District Office Support)
• 15:85% (SOP x SIP)

C. MYTHS

• Formal schooling is your path to success & wealth
• We can all achieve the same
• We can all be “rich” and our sons & daughters “doctors”
• The individual can make a difference

D. SOCIAL ACTION – SPHERE OF CONCERN/CONTROL

• Maximise (most of your energy) sphere of control
• Keep an eye (the remainder of your energy) on the sphere of concern

GENERAL COMMENTS

• It is said that South Africans have scant appreciation for research and statistics...surely covid-19 has changed that?
• Partisan opportunism amongst politicians during covid 19 leaves a bad tast in the mouth
• Economic oppotunism and exploitation is just the nature of the beast
• Let us asked whether the current help and assistance offered to SMME's has been reimagined in the new ("a real opportunity") or coached in the old ("a myth")...