BLOGGING THE VIEW: Challenges and opportunities to consider this Youth Day

This year’s Youth Day celebrations come at a pivotal time in our country’s history, where we can’t simply acknowledge the struggles of the past and rejoice in the progress being made.

Instead, we need to acknowledge the fact that South Africa’s youth are among some of the most disadvantaged in the world, and the bright future they deserve cannot become a reality without some serious intervention by all of us.

Challenges facing South Africa’s youth

Our country’s youth are facing a particular set of challenges that aren’t necessarily unique to South Africa but, when combined, make achieving a future of success that much more difficult.

1. Poor educational outcomes

Teacher shortages, insufficient or crumbling infrastructure, and a lack of progress have resulted in incredibly poor educational outcomes for our South African students.

According to the FW de Klerk Foundation’s Annual Human Rights Report Card 2022, 1 423 public schools have pit latrines, around 80% have no access to laboratories, nearly 70% had no libraries, and 35% had no sport facilities. Unbelievably, there are still 436 mud schools in the Eastern Cape.

While the government might celebrate the 80.1% matric pass rate in 2022, this comes with some significant caveats.

The increasingly low standard of a South African matric pass is making it difficult to pursue higher educational opportunities. And this isn’t even including the missing children – around 36% started Grade 1 but never made it through to matric.

2. Vast inequalities

South Africa is the most unequal country in the world. We scored a 0.63 on the GINI co-efficient scale, with race still playing a massive role in widening this gap. As it stands, 10% of the population owns more than 80% of the wealth.

According to a World Bank report: “South Africa… is the most unequal country in the world, ranking first among 164 countries.”

In 1999, just over 2.5 million people were receiving social grants – the number today is 18 million people. This vast inequality is contributing directly to our poor educational outcomes, and the high unemployment rate we’ll touch on next.

3. Unemployment

South Africa’s youth unemployment rate is more than 50% – a devastating number that perpetuates the cycle of poverty, resulting in poor educational outcomes.

This has been exacerbated by the economic downturn as a result of the pandemic, with Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey indicating that around 250 000 young people lost their jobs in the first quarter of 2023 – 4.9 million youth.

Our youth are now entering a strained job market with limited employment opportunities, armed with a diminished matric – if at all – and insufficient skills for the current labour market, let alone the much talked about 4th industrial revolution.

4. GBV and abuse

One of our greatest tragedies is the epidemic of GBV, and ongoing abuse and neglect of the country’s most vulnerable citizens – its children.

The latest crime statistics released by the SAPS reveal that 245 children died violently in a three-month period, with the physical and emotional impact of violence on a further 2 291.

In our country, 28 children are violently attacked every day – three of them don’t survive.

This is not to mention struggles associated with poverty such as hunger.

The massive school feeding scheme debacle in KZN whereby 2.4 million of the province’s poorest pupils were suddenly without school meals – often the only meal they have all day – is yet another example of child neglect.

What can you do?

Don’t pay lip service this Youth Day, because there is always something you can do to improve the situation for at least one South African this year.

You’ve already made a great step in acknowledging the struggles they are facing, and if you’re able to read this on a computer with access to the internet, you’re already more privileged than the majority of the country.

Some ways you can make a difference are to:

· Share your skills or time with local youth by volunteering at a school
· Get in touch with local NPOs to find out if you can read to youngsters or coach sport to local youth
· Take a look through your home to see what you could donate to a local creche or school – books, puzzles, clothing
· Volunteer to assist in starting a vegetable garden at a local school or community to encourage sustainable food production
· Buy some data for disadvantaged youth who need internet access for schoolwork
· Donate any old bicycles to schoolchildren who have to walk far to school. There are NPOs that co-ordinate such ventures
· Donate to local NPOs that sponsor school fees, uniforms, sanitary products, and more to children in need
· Take the time to listen to younger generations without thinking you know best – they have the same rights and freedom afforded you, but too often they aren’t acknowledged.

Consider your unique skill set and find a way you can make a difference. The ZO’s charity arm Dice (Do I Care Enough?) or Walk in Faith are just two local NPOs that can assist in connecting you with those most in need.

SOURCES:
https://www.dbsa.org/article/3-economic-challenges-unique-south-african-youth
https://mg.co.za/thoughtleader/opinion/2023-04-20-south-african-childrens-grim-prospects-in-a-failing-education-system/
https://www.cde.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/The-Silent-Crisis-South-Africas-failing-education-system.pdf
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/10/south-africa-most-unequal-country-in-the-world-report
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-03-27-beyond-grants-sa-is-tackling-inequality-and-stimulating-growth/
https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/press-releases/stop-horrific-tide-violence-against-children-and-women
https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/press-releases/crime-statistics-devastating-violence-against-children-and-women-continues#:~:text=31%20May%202023%20%E2%80%93%20The%20latest,three%2Dmonth%20period%20last%20year.

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