stampeding to get to college

The annual stampede to try to get into the University of Johannesburg resulted in one mother being trampled on as students and parents fought each other to get into the building to get registered for college.

Despite the ridiculous and lazy argument that Black and Brown children do not want an education, the lack of access to university education is increasingly obvious (as well as ridiculously offensive) in a so-called post-Apartheid South Africa, where the vast majority of Black youth are encouraged to go into FET colleges. These under resourced colleges train students for employment, not for university, and courses and certifications do not transfer (so that someone who spends 3 years at an FET college would have to apply to a university as a first year student). Any decent paying job requires, like in the States, a university degree.

The real issue is the lack of access brought on by woefully inadequate K-12 schools and just as inaccessible universities that rely upon White-normed academic standards, but even somewhat critical articles fail to admit or address racism, poverty, or White supremacy as relevant. Until people recognize that their K-12 schools are not preparing them to think critically NOR participate in the job market, South African schools will continue to set poor and Black students up to fail.

And the 50% unemployment rate for Black youth will only expand if the only way to get into college is to trample on other poor and Black people.