POTENTIAL CAUSES OF ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES

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CHAPTER II: THE TYPE OF SOCIETY WE WANT TO BECOME

INTRODUCTION

This chapter will capture learnings from literature study of the kind of society we want to become as the African society. Our African history of slavery, colonisation and apartheid will be a great resource to examine the disempowering and empowering roles of the church in history. I am reminded of my history teacher who always told me: “History reminds us of the past, so that we can be wise stewards of our present life and smartly envision our future”. Lord Acton (quoted by Terreblanche 2003:3) stresses “that if the past has been an obstacle and a burden, knowledge of the past is the safest emancipation of” a better present and future. Colin Bundy (quoted by Terreblanche 2003:3) points out that a generation makes its own history shaped by a meaningful collective memory of the past. Therefore, in order to grasp the present conjecture and realities of Africa as a continent, recalling the collective memory of the church is key in our hope to build the kind of society we would like to become. As far as the missiological praxis is concerned, this is the ecclesial scrutiny in which the role of the church and education in undermining human dignity or in promoting an ideal society God would be proud of, is highlighted.

MY OWN STORY

I was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). I moved to South Africa in 2002 as a refugee. I joined a missional community in Pretoria two years later. Through this missional community, wen served different communities of poverty, including the township of Soshanguve. I met my wife in the latter. Together, we are raising our three children in that context and we lead a missional team that is involved in different community development projects. My parents grew up during the Belgian colonisation of the D.R. Congo (1908 – 1960). My parents came to Christ from going to missionary schools. I also was privileged to go to missionary schools up until I graduated from high school. The vast majority of these missionaries were from Belgium. As I became an adult, there was a growing awareness and understanding in me that the Belgian colonisation of the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi used Christian missionaries as front-line employees of its enterprise. Terreblanche (2014:353) stresses that “it would not have been possible for the European countries to exercise indirect rule in their colonies without the support of missionary organisations”. These organisations had the important task of pacifying indigenous Africans by proselytising them- either in protestant or catholic Christianity. In North Africa, in the Nile area and in Nigeria, in particular, the Christian missionaries’ task was complicated by the influence of Islam. Missionary schools in those areas played an indispensable role in ‘infusing the civilisation agenda and evangelism’. Generally, throughout Africa, although education was restricted to the elite – mainly the children of chiefs – missionary schools were important institutions in colonising Africa. Their task was not only to convert the children of the elite to Christianity, but also to inculcate loyalty towards their colonial masters. The mission schools were therefore among the clearest manifestations of European cultural imperialism in Africa. Steve Biko (2007:159) once stressed this:
“A long look should also be taken at the educational system for blacks. The same tense situation was found as long ago as the arrival of the missionaries. Children were taught, under the pretext of hygiene, good manners and other such vague concepts, to despise their mode of upbringing at home and to question the values and customs of their society. Thus we can immediately see the logic of placing the missionaries in the forefront of their colonisation process. A man who succeeds in making a group of people accept a foreign concept in which he is expert makes them perpetual students whose progress in the particular field can only be evaluated by him; the student must constantly turn to him for guidance and promotion. I now live and work in the township of Soshanguve where all our neighbours were on the receiving end of the system of apartheid (1948-1994), a structural system of injustice that was championed by some church leaders, which undermined the human dignity of many South Africans. The system of apartheid also infused its methods and philosophy into the Bantu education mentioned in the following chapter. Until today, many of my neighbours are still suffering from the ramifications of apartheid. While some part of the body of Christ supported apartheid, some other part played a pivotal role in exposing its evils and calling for a just society in South Africa. The latter role was prophetic, exemplary and inspirational to me as a servant of God. It challenges me to articulate an activist gospel that is good news to my community and society. This inspiration is needed because the church located in poor areas such as Soshanguve seems to expect the government alone to correct the mistakes and injustices of the past such as the current discrepancies in the educational outcomes between the poor and non-poor South African child and the high rate of school dropout. Let’s start with the disempowering role of the church in history.

THE DISEMPOWERING OF THE CHURCH IN HISTORY

The role of the church during slavery and colonisation

As a black African, the history of slavery, colonialism and apartheid shows how the church was complicit in being the devil’s ally. Van Niekerk (2015) stresses that “up to the 1980’s there was a close relation between the Dutch Reformed Church and National Party” that championed the system of apartheid when it governed South Africa. Schroeder (2008:67-68) states that one of the worst tragedies in human history was the creation of a massive trans-Atlantic slave trade. An estimated 24 million black Africans were taken from their homes into slavery over a 400-year period. Sadly, more than 12 millions of them may have died in the march and in the coastal holding cells/castles before being loaded on the ships for transportation overseas. Then came the colonial period which oppressed and dehumanised the indigenous people while dispossessing them of their land and wealth. The colonisers worked hand in hand with the church. Bosch (1991:232) remarks that on closer inspection one might say that colonisation was the modern continuation of the crusades.“Although crusades failed, the crusade mentality persisted”. In Europe, the colonisation of the nonChristian peoples by Christian nations predated the colonisation of Africa by many centuries. In those exploits, Christian nations conquered non-Christian societies. The latter embraced the Christian faith soon after and assimiled into the culture of the powerful. However, when “European Christians met
people of African origin, who were physically, culturally and linguistically very different from them, they regarded them as inferior and imposed oppression on them” (Bosch 1991:232). In 1537 the pope authorised the opening of a slave market in Lisbon, where up to 12000 Africans were sold annually for transportation to the West Indies. Through slavery and colonisation, the church was an active agent of injustice and oppression.

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DECLARATION
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
KEY WORDS
ABBREVIATIONS
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Motivation
1.1.1 Classroom interaction with learners
1.1.2 Personal experience of dropping out of school
1.2 Conceptual Framework
1.3 Problem statements
1.4 Research questions
1.5 Aim
1.6 Assumptions
1.7 Theoretical framework
1.7.1 Missiological or praxis cycle
1.8 Research design
1.9 Research methods
1.10 Literature review
1.11 Research delimitation
1.12 Content
CHAPTER II: THE TYPE OF SOCIETY WE WANT TO BECOME
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 MY OWN STORY
2.3 THE DISEMPOWERING OF THE CHURCH IN HISTORY
2.3.1 The role of the church during slavery and colonisation
2.3.2 Christianity as state religion
2.3.3 The role of the church in producing a parasite African elite
2.3.3 What is the church currently guilty of?
2.3.4 Conclusion
2.4 CHURCH AS AN INSPIRATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN HISTORY
2.4.1 Inspirational individuals in history
2.5.2 Inspirational acts by the institutional church
2.5.3 Conclusion
2.5 THE CHURCH AS CATALYST OF AN IDEAL SOCIETY
2.5.1. About a healthy environment
2.5.2 About a kingdom like community
2.5.3 The church as a reconciler
2.5.4 The church as a promoter of inclusive gospel movements
2.5.5 Lesson from the Bible and the early church
2.5.6 Lesson from the Civil Right Movement in the USA
2.5.7 Africans as the steward of a movement from within
2.5.8 The church as an encourager of the value of loyalty and commitment to a place
2.5.9 Conclusion
2.6 THE CHURCH AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY
2.6.1 Lessons from the Black Consciousness Movement
2.6.2 Task at hand
2.7 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER III: POTENTIAL CAUSES OF ACADEMIC DIFFICULTIES
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 THE REALITY OF SCHOOL DROPOUT IN SOUTH AFRICA
3.2.1 Systemic interventions
3.2.2 Programmatic interventions
3.3 EXTERNAL ISSUES THAT COULD LEAD TO SCHOOL DROPOUT
3.3.1 Family dynamic
3.3.2 Poverty
3.3.3 Neglect
3.3.4 War and a violent environment
3.3.5 Conclusion
3.4 INTERNAL ISSUES THAT COULD LEAD TO SCHOOL DROPOUT
3.4.1 Parental influence
3.4.2 Students living with disability
3.4.3 Autism
3.4.4 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
3.4.5 Dyslexia
3.4.6 Contextual observation
3.4.7 Conclusion
3.5 PUBLIC HEALTH
3.5.1 Conclusion
3.6 CHALLENGES PRESENTED BY THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
3.6.1 The quality of the system
3.6.2 Educators and school administrator role
3.6.3 Impact of politics
3.6.4 Conclusion
3.7 CONCLUSION
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 MISSIOLOGY
4.2.1 Institution centred approach vs God centred approach
4.2.3 The church as an accomplice
4.2.4 Conclusion
4.3 ECONOMICS
4.3.1 Government assistance
4.3.2 A burden on public healthcare system
4.3.4 Crime
4.3.5 The liability factor of school dropouts
4.3.6 Conclusion
4.4 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
4.4.1 Effect on a person
4.4.2 Impact on the community
4.4.3 Impact on the country
4.4.4 Conclusion
4.5 SOCIOLOGY
4.5.1 The lack of purpose
4.5.2 Conclusion
4.6 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER V: RESEARCH PARTNERS’ INTERPRETATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF CAUSES OF SCHOOL DROPOUT
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 AIM OF THE INTERVIEWEES
5.3 DATA PRESENTATION
5.4 INTERVIEW FINDINGS PER QUESTIONS ASKED
5.5 THE QUESTIONNAIRE
5.6 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AS RELATED TO THE THEME AND SUBTHEMES OF THIS STUDY
5.6.1 Interviewees contributions from the first question
5.7.2 Interviewees contributions from the second question
5.7.3. Interviewees contributions from the third question
5.7.4. Interviewees contributions from the fourth question
5.7.5. Interviewees contributions from the fifth question
5.8 GATHERING OF THOUGHTS
5.9 FRAMEWORK BUILT FORM THESE INSIGHTS FROM INTERVIEWEES
5.9.1 Implementation of the agreed upon framework
5.10 THE WAYPOINT OF OUR PARTNERSHIP
5.11 INSIGHTS FOR BETTER OUTCOMES
5.12 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER VI: ACTION – REFLECTION
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 PERTINENCE OF THE RESEARCH TEAM EFFORT
6.3 FRAMEWORK OF OUR PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT
6.3.1 Home visits
6.3.2 Focus group one
6.3.3. Implementation of focus group resolutions
6.3.4. Focus group two
6.3.5 Focus group three
6.3.6 Focus group four
6.4 END OF THE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT
6.5 ROLE OF THE CHURCH
6.6 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER VII: THE SPIRITUALITY OF THIS RESEARCH
7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.2 THE INCARNATIONAL STREAM
7.3 POST-FOUNDATIONAL PARADIGM
7.3.1 Model of Christ
7.3.2 The method
7.3.3 The message
7.3.4 Spiritual discipline
7.4 OTHER READING CLUBS
7.5 TUTORING CLUBS
7.6 DISCOVERING GIFTING/TALENTS IN SCHOOL DROPOUTS AND HELP THEM PURSUE THEM
7.7 HAPPINESS FOR ALL AS A GOAL
7.8 SPIRITUALITY OF THE MARGINALISED
7.9 SPIRITUALITY OF AGENCY
7.10 A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THE CHURCH’S INTERACTION WITH SOCIAL ISSUES
7.11 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER VIII: GENERAL CONCLUSIONS
8.1. INTRODUCTION
8.2 FINDINGS CAPTURED USING THE MISSIOLOGICAL CYCLE
8.2.1 Introduction of this study
8.2.2 Spirituality
8.2.3 Ecclesial scrutiny
8.2.4 Contextual understanding
8.2.5 Discernment for action
8.2.6 Agency
8.2.7 Theological interpretation
8.2.8 Conclusion
8.3 RECOMMENDATIONS
8.3.1 First recommendation
8.3.2 Second recommendation
8.3.3 Third recommendation
8.3.4 Fourth recommendation
8.4 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER IX: REFERENCES
APPENDIX 1
APPENDIX 2
APPENDIX 3
APPENDIX 4
APPENDIX 5
APPENDIX 6
APPENDIX 7