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══════════════════【立報】═══════════════════ |
| 教 育 專 題 深 入 報 導《2007-07-13》 |
| 本期內容 | |
| ◎國際專題：貧窮國家的教育困境 | |
| ◎南非的超「自然」讀書環境SA's schools of shame | |
| ◎巴勒斯坦教師轉行當藍領工人Palestinian teachers find work as builders, cabbies | |
| 國際專題：貧窮國家的教育困境 | |
| 策劃、編譯■陳銳嬪、陳玫伶 | |
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每個國家都需要教育，也會遇到不同程度的教育問題。本期國際專題要探討的是貧窮國家的教育困境。在此次專題中，找到來自南非和巴勒斯坦的兩個案例。這些例子，不只讓我們看到學生的困境，也看到教師的困境；不只看到實體設備不足的南非學校，也看到因種種政策問題而導致教師紛紛轉行的巴勒斯坦。 看了南非的個案，活在所謂文明社會的我們，是否能對我們所能享有的教育資源多一份感恩？而看了巴勒斯坦的個案，我們是否應該對教育政策多一份監督與批判精神，以保障教師的權利與福利？ |
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| （回目錄） | |
| 南非的超「自然」讀書環境SA's schools of shame | |
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學生每天上學途中都會經過小河，為了上學，他們游泳過河，順便健身。 來到學校，泥巴與木片搭建起的小房子裡，已經擠著滿滿的學生，一牆之隔的豬隻也津津有味地在聽課。學生有時候得站著寫功課考試，有時侯更要躲避身旁移動的豬隻。 學生要在簡陋的教室裡上課，也許很心酸；但令人更心灰的是──政府承諾改建校園環境的支票沒有兌現。 南非的東開普（Eastern Cape）地區，超過8百所學校的上課情況就是如此；位於利博德（Libode）的一間小學，一到四年級一共251名學童分坐在3間教室上課，共用15張書桌。 校長表示，學校椅子不夠時候得去撿大樹殘幹讓學生坐；遇到考試，樹幹就當作間隔，避免學生互相參考答案；放假時候，教材和書本由老師帶回家保管，以免被家畜亂咬損毀。「學校跟豬圈沒有兩樣，學生去上廁所時，我們得護著學生，免得豬隻因為肚子餓攻擊孩子。」校長說道。 學校在1972年成立，提供膳宿，號稱為「最完善的學校」，但因為地點為在河的另一岸，幾個學童因為上學要渡河而溺斃了。「我們試著作一些舉動引起教育部門的關注，但是沒有人來關心、視察我們的環境。」校長補充。 東開普教育局4月時候指示，將要撥出6億2,570萬南非幣（約新台幣30億）修整學校硬體，但實際估計要完全改善8百所學校破舊教室、危樓和廁所需要花35億南非幣，政府出的6億大概僅能補幾扇窗罷了。 另外一間國小有3間泥巴地教室，但得容納318位學生，建校至今13年未完工，學生從1年級到3年級。學校沒有電力和水源，校園內的動物怡然自得地吃草，沒有受到約束。8年前，一陣龍捲風把教室的茅草屋頂吹走，屋牆早已頹圮，幸好沒有學生在場。 該校三年級學生馬友（Afikile Moyo）說她只有在一年級時候坐在真正的教室上過課，「學期還沒結束，我們只好被迫回家，或是使用破爛不堪的教室，而且上課品質老是受天候影響」。 校長表示，一間教室晚上變成學生宿舍，容納75名三年級學生和58名二年級學生。「你可以想像那種混亂嘛！」「學生的輟學率很高，因為天氣太冷，我們也無法讓孩子在這麼糟的環境下學習，要是遇到下大雨，學生沒辦法渡河來上學。」 利博德一名教育官員表示，上面那兩間學校的狀況算是不錯的，「在我們這區，大約有50間這樣的學校，有的還更糟，學習環境惡劣的問題我無法承諾什麼，無法幫孩子什麼」。 6月時候，公共建設工程部門的官員和教育局局長和東開普地方官員曾到學校訪視，表明將計畫撥款540萬南非幣修整學校，然而，該計畫的執行時程沒有下文，更沒見到工程人員來動過一磚一瓦。 若是問到，為何一間「最完善學校」需要耗時13年建造，地方官員的答案是：「我們知道工程進度落後，但我保證2008年年底，所有泥土地教室都會改善，主要的困難是籌措經費。」 2004年的時候，總統塔博‧姆貝基（Thabo Mbeki）聲明，所有泥巴地教室和樹幹椅子的學校在2006年底都將成為歷史，並承諾給予學生良好的學習環境。教育部長2005年到2006年的報告中，表示她有達到總統的施政要求。 然而老師們仍表示，學生們還是得在露天上課，因為教室實在是太小了，而教室外的空間沒有樹木遮蔭，可想而知學習效果和天候息息相關。 總統的發言人說：「我們都很希望明天早醒來，這些破舊硬體煥然一新，但實際狀況是需要花一些時間達成的，眼前有一部分已經慢慢改善中，我們很滿意。」 所謂實際狀況就是，學童因為校舍倒塌而傷重致死；利波波（Lipopo）地區2百所以上的學校被吹倒，2／3的學校需要整修，預估未來2、3年內一定會倒塌；教師們因為擔心教室倒塌、學生受傷，拒絕在原來教室繼續授課；新蓋的校舍尚未完工，工程公司拿到款項不是提早收工，或者是毀約，工程於是延宕，懸在空氣中。 除了傳道授業，東開普地區的教師另外要培養一項專長，那就是跟豬隻搏鬥，以免牠們攻擊學生和教學課本。普遍來說，東北省份的學校資源亦是極匱乏狀態，圖書和實驗設備不足，即使有也沒有維護動作，更別提到校園圍籬了，家畜於是自由進入學校。該省份一位官員說，教育部停滯不前，可是問題並沒有解決。 （南非週日時報） Pupils are learning in overcrowded mud huts, outside and even among the pigs SOUTH African children dodge pigs, stand while writing exams and swim across rivers to get to school every day. These are just some of the dismal conditions facing children - despite repeated promises by the government to improve conditions. Things are especially desperate in the Eastern Cape, where more than 800 schools are in a state of disrepair. At Ndlovayiphathwa Primary School in Libode, 251 pupils cram into three crumbling mud huts, with only 15 desks. The school accommodates pupils from Grade 1 to 4. Principal Alice Craig says the young pupils have to collect tree stumps from a neighbouring plantation to sit on and when exam time comes, they are made to stand to prevent them copying each other's answers. Teachers store government material, including books and stationery, at their homes to avoid it being damaged by livestock at night and weekends. “The school is like a pig sty. We even escort children when they want to relieve themselves in the nearby bushes, as these pigs are all over the place and can be dangerous when very hungry," says Craig. The community built the school in 1972 to accommodate young children as the nearest "proper school" was across a river and several children had nearly drowned. “We've tried several times to get the attention of the education department, but no one has bothered to come and see what we have to deal with," says Craig. The Eastern Cape Department of Education announced in April that R625.7-million had been set aside for infrastructure this financial year, but estimated that R3.5-billion is needed to eradicate mud structures and replace more than 800 unsafe schools, classrooms and toilets. It indicated that it had not spent more than R139-million budgeted for infrastructure in the 2006/ 7 financial year. Dalisoka Junior Primary School in Ngqueleni consists of three single-roomed mud structures built 13 years ago. There are 318 pupils from Grade 1 to 3. In 1999, a tornado struck the area and the school's thatched roof was ripped off and a wall crumbled - luckily none of the pupils was present. There is no water or electricity at the school and animals graze in the schoolyard. A Grade 3 pupil, Afikile Moyo, says she has been taught in a real classroom only in Grade 1. “Thereafter we've all been forced to either go home right in the middle of the year, or use houses in the village as school as our school building is always affected by the bad weather," she says. School principal Vuyiswa Landule says one classroom is used to accommodate 75 Grade 3s and 58 Grade 2 learners - "you can imagine the confusion it creates". “There is a very high failure rate at this school because when it's very cold, we can't send children to a school in such a bad state, and also when it rains heavily, some cannot cross rivers," she says. More shocking, Ndlovayiphathwa and Dalisoka are two of the better-off schools. Soyisile Nuku, an Education District Manger in the Libode area, says: "Dalisoka is one of many schools with unsafe mud structures. There are more than 50 schools in this district in a similar state. Some are even worse than Dalisoka. Indlovu Ayiphathwa JSS is in a similar state, Mfundweni SPS, Mdawuze JSS, they are all here in this district. It's a problem I have to be realistic about and not make promises I cannot keep." On Friday, Public Works Minister Thoko Didiza, Education Director-General Duncan Hindle and Eastern Cape MEC Johnny Makgato visited Dalisoka to reveal a plan to build a R5.4-million school. However, they did not say when construction would begin or be completed. When asked why it took the government 13 years to build a "proper school", Makgato said: "We acknowledge that we have been lagging behind. But I promise, by the end of 2008, we will eradicate all mud structures. Funding has always been the major challenge,” he said. In 2004 President Thabo Mbeki said that schooling under trees and in mud huts would be a thing of the past by 2006, and promised a better environment for pupils. In her 2005/2006 annual report Education Minister Naledi Pandor announced she had met his request. However teachers at Ndlovayiphathwa and Dalisoka say children are often taught outside because the classrooms are too small. There are not even trees to provide shade. The President's spokesman Mukoni Rashitanga said: " All of us would like to have these structures gotten rid of tomorrow morning, but the reality is that it is going to take a bit of time. There is concrete evidence that we are making progress. and we are satisfied ... " Inadequate school facilities elsewhere have led to: ‧ The death of a primary school pupil in the Eastern Cape when a school building collapsed on her last year; ‧ More than 200 schools being blown away during a storm last year in Limpopo - more than half of its school buildings are in disrepair; and ‧ Teachers in former homelands refusing to teach in buildings for fear that pupils could be injured or even killed. Teachers in the Eastern Cape having had to fight off hungry pigs who attack children and eat school books. Ndo Mangala spokesperson for Limpopo department of education said 2900 of the province's 4 200 schools are dilapidated. He said in the next two to three years the buildings will "definitely collapse". Last year 239 schools had already been blown away during severe storms. The province has started rebuilding only 19 schools and has had to provide mobile schools for learners. ‧ Teachers from the Venda region said they were too scared to teach inside their schools due to large cracks in the walls and ceiling. One teacher near Thohoyandou said corrupt building contractors left new schools incomplete, and abandoned their project as soon as they received payment from government. Sadtu provincial secretary in the North West province, Maropeng Seshibe, said many schools lacked resources such as library books and laboratory equipment. Even schools that looked good from the outside were often dilapidated inside due to poor maintenance, Seshibe said. Poor perimeter fencing was another common problem he said. “The Education Department has tried to move (forward), but they have not completely eradicated the problems," Seshibe said. Western Cape Gert Witbooi said the only problem in the WC was had vandalism and theft. He said that the schools that faced the worst lack of resources were the quintiles one and two schools where there are no proper labs and libraries http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/PrintEdition/Article.aspx?id=500330 |
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| （回目錄） | |
| 巴勒斯坦教師轉行當藍領工人Palestinian teachers find work as builders, cabbies | |
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查卡立亞‧佳瑪在巴勒斯坦的政府學校教導阿拉伯語不到2年，就決定放棄教職，轉到建築工地工作。 自從哈瑪斯於2006年3月奪權後，西方國家開始對巴勒斯坦實施禁運，這大大影響了政府僱員的生活，佳瑪只是千萬人的其中一個而已。 政府僱員的薪資來自阿拉伯和歐洲國家的捐助者，但是佳瑪和其他教師卻認為，這些錢並不足以糊口。越來越多的教師開始轉行當計程車司機或者到咖啡廳打工，以賺取生活所需。 不少外國觀察家擔心，禁運已經對這個國家帶來長遠的影響，它可能造成燃料供應不穩定，讓這個國家整體情況更形惡化。 在希伯崙西岸城市的新辦公大樓，28歲的佳瑪一邊搬動堆積在地上的瓷磚，一邊說：「政府應該為受過高等教育的工人尋找替代的工作。」他這份新工作為他帶來每天1百謝克爾（約25美金）的收入。 巴勒斯坦人希望在3月由巴勒斯坦伊斯蘭抵抗運動（即哈馬斯）與巴勒斯坦解放運動（即法塔）組成的聯合政府可以解決這個國家的經濟危機。 自從布希的行政部門點頭後，捐款已經開始湧進巴勒斯坦財政部長法雅德的戶口，但是這些捐款只足夠支付工人的半份薪資。 伯茲大學教授阿塔什表示：「受過高等教育的年輕教授已經對這樣的情況感到非常疲倦。」他認為，巴勒斯坦聯合政府現在不成功，以後也不會成功，這其中以色列的壓力一直都存在。 巴勒斯坦資訊部長巴侯帝指出，見到年輕的教學人才離開校園轉當出賣勞力的工人，是令人感到傷心與羞愧的。在巴勒斯坦，教師備受人們尊敬，在這兒，國民識字率高達90％。他認為，以色列該為這個情況負責。 以色列利用預扣巴勒斯坦的稅對哈瑪斯施壓，要求他們承認猶太人國土、放棄武力以及忍受過渡期間的和平談判。 歐洲議會主席波特林在以色列國會致詞時表示，他對這裡的經濟、社會以及人道環境感到震驚。他呼籲以色列釋出為數7千億美元的巴勒斯坦基金予總統阿巴斯，讓他用該筆金額支付教師和警察的薪資。 巴勒斯坦教育部官員表示，在迦薩走廊和被佔領的西岸每年接受3千名新教師。但是該官員說，「因為政府沒有辦法支付薪水給他們，很多教師被逼尋找其他工作。」 莫哈默邵法從Al-Quds大學畢業后，曾經在靠近希伯崙地區的學校當科學教師。4個月後，他駕駛計程車維生。他說，他寧願選擇當一個計程車司機，也不想當一個沒有薪水的學校教師。「這兒沒有工作機會，就算有工作，也沒有錢。」 和佳瑪一樣，29歲的巴什帝也從教職轉到建築工地。「我不想替政府工作，他們不會支付我薪水。我們沒有其他選擇。」（路透社） After not even two years on the job, Zakariya al-Jamal gave up teaching Arabic at a Palestinian public school to work in construction. Government workers like Jamal have been hard-hit by the aid embargo that Western powers imposed on the Palestinian Authority after Hamas came to power in March 2006. Public employees receive some payments from Arab and European donors, but Jamal and other teachers say it is not enough to live on, and a growing number have turned to driving taxis and working at cafes to make ends meet. Many foreign observers fear the embargo is starting to have long-term effects, which could further fuel instability and exacerbate the already grim situation in the territories. "They should find alternative work for all educated workers," said Jamal, 28, as he put the finishing touches on tile flooring in a new office building in the West Bank city of Hebron. His job brings in 100 shekels ($25) a day. Palestinians hoped a unity government formed in March by ruling Hamas Islamists and Abbas's secular Fatah faction would ease the financial crunch. With a nod from the Bush administration, donor funds have begun to flow into an account controlled by Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad, but only enough to pay about half of workers' wages. Birzeit University lecturer Nashat al-Aktash said well-educated young professionals were increasingly "tired of the situation". "The Palestinian unity government didn't succeed and it will never succeed" because of Israeli pressure, he said. WITHOLDING REVENUES Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa al-Barghouthi said it was "sad and shameful" to see young teaching professionals leaving the schools to work as manual labourers. Teachers are revered in Palestinian society, where the literacy rate tops 90 percent. "The one who is to blame is the Israelis," Barghouthi said. Israel has been withholding Palestinian tax revenues to pressure Hamas to recognize the Jewish state, renounce violence and abide by interim peace deals. In a speech to the Israeli parliament on Wednesday, the president of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pottering, said he was "deeply shocked by the economic, social and humanitarian conditions" there. He appealed to Israel to "please release the Palestinian funds," which total about $700 million, to President Mahmoud Abbas "so that he can use them to pay the teachers and police". A Palestinian Ministry of Education official said public schools in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank accept some 3,000 new teachers each year. But the official said many of them are forced to find other jobs because the government cannot afford to pay them. After graduating from al-Quds University, Mohammad Sauifa went to work as a science teacher at a school near Hebron. Four months later, he was driving a taxi for a living. "I prefer to be a taxi driver than teaching in schools without getting paid," he said. "There are no job opportunities here and even if there is work, there is no money." Like Jamal, Ra'ed Bashiti, 29, made the leap from teaching to construction. "I don't want to work for the government since they will not pay me my salary," Bashiti said. "We have no other choice." http://www.reuters.com/article/basicindustries-SP-A/idUSL2929915220070601 |
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