E Cape creche’s racial divide

Two Eastern Cape government departments said yesterday they would probe claims from angry black parents of racial segregation at a creche.

The Wendy House creche in King William’s Town has come under fire for allegedly dividing classes according to race – for Xhosa-speaking children and for English speakers.
Early childhood development experts have described the method as outdated and called for an investigation by relevant government departments.

Yesterday, the provincial departments of education and social development promised they would investigate the claims of segregation.
The claims were brought to the fore by disgruntled parents, who asked why their kids had been put into a Xhosa class while the English class, consisting of mainly white children, received a different level of instruction.
They described the practice as racist and said it was hampering the development of their children.
Professor Eric Atmore of the Early Childhood Development Centre in Cape Town described the method as “insane”. “Educationally, socially and psychologically, this practice has no foundation. They would be using it at schools and universities if it did .”
Managing director of the Institute of Training and Education for Capacity Building (Itec) in East London, Michele Kay, said such a teaching method had no place in South Africa. “It’s shocking people still think that way. We wouldn’t encourage it because it doesn’t help the kids. Language might be an issue but separating the kids is out. Kids adapt quickly – I don’t see why they have to be put in a different class because they don’t understand English,” said Kay.
The Wendy House owner, Wendy Stone, said she had been running the private creche for 25 years and had 37 years of teaching experience.
She defended the method of dividing Xhosa-speaking children from English- speakers , saying learning was tailored specifically to each group.
But parent Vuyokazi Fekisi does not agree and removed her daughter from the creche on Wednesday – just days after the new school year began.
Fekisi said she became suspicious during orientation on January 10 when she noticed one list had only European names, while another had only isiXhosa names. “I couldn’t believe this was happening. Wendy’s explanation did not make sense. I had to remove my child from there,” said Fekisi.
Siphokazi Ncakani said she too became suspicious of the classroom setup at The Wendy House and also removed her child from the creche.
“Another parent came to warn me about this. Then I remembered I had not seen any white kids in my child’s class. Black kids played on their own playground at the back while white kids played in the front. That is not right,” said Ncakani.
Stone yesterday explained the creche, which caters to 88 children, had four classrooms – two for beginners and two for older children.
Once Xhosa-speaking children were better equipped with a better knowledge of English, they would then be advanced, Stone said.

“I would only do things for the child’s good. I won’t be dictated to by parents. I do everything that I believe is in the child’s interest. We have two classes of babies, one for mainly English-speaking children from two to three years and another for Xhosa-speaking kids,” Stone explained.

“They [black children] can’t even speak their own languages properly. The Xhosa-speaking class has a bilingual white teacher who trains them to speak English and when they leave that class, they go to the next [mixed] class.
“It just so happens that this year I have a big intake of Xhosa-speaking children. I don’t have to justify what I’m doing and parents are at liberty to take their kids out ,” said Stone.

Another black parent, who did not want to be identified as her child is still at the creche , said her son was placed in the “beginners” class with other black children last year. She said he is yet to move on and remains in the class for Xhosa speakers. “ Workers and other parents know about it, but we kept it among ourselves for fear of our kids being victimised.”
East London Pre-School Care Association chairwoman Lynne Hobbs said: “Separating children because of language is totally wrong as children learn very quickly and in order to successfully help towards their developmental skills, children need to mix more according to their age and definitely not according to their race or language.
“The first six years of any child’s life are the most important and they learn so much during this period.
“Separating the children simply due to language will only promote further language barriers.”
Parents complained that not only were the children segregated in the classroom , but there was no effort to ensure they were properly integrated on the playground either. They claimed the Xhosa-speaking group would automatically play at the back where their classroom was situated while the English class played in front.
When the Daily Dispatch visited the creche this week, mainly white children and a few black children were playing in the front, while only the Xhosa class played at back.

Provincial education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani said they would investigate to see if the situation compromised the children or the Constitution . “It would be interesting to understand this methodology because our understanding is that the learning process is enhanced by the grouping of peers. We will look into this school.”
Provincial social development spokesman Gcobani Maswana said the practice was discriminatory.
We will investigate this,” he said.

Click to expand...

I won’t be dictated to by parents.

I don’t have to justify what I’m doing and parents are at liberty to take their kids out.

Click to expand...

BBSA said:

Seems like East London is a breeding ground for racism. First a white only resorts an now this

Click to expand...

BBSA said:

Seems like East London is a breeding ground for racism. First a white only resorts an now this

Click to expand...

mass09 said:

Ah, such business sense.

Click to expand...

They [black children] can’t even speak their own languages properly. The Xhosa-speaking class has a bilingual white teacher who trains them to speak English and when they leave that class, they go to the next [mixed] class.
“It just so happens that this year I have a big intake of Xhosa-speaking children. I don’t have to justify what I’m doing and parents are at liberty to take their kids out ,” said Stone.

Click to expand...

supersunbird said:

Seperate classes on language I could understand maybe... but seperate playgrounds?

Click to expand...

supersunbird said:

Seperate classes on language I could understand maybe... but seperate playgrounds?

Click to expand...

Parents complained that not only were the children segregated in the classroom , but there was no effort to ensure they were properly integrated on the playground either. They claimed the Xhosa-speaking group would automatically play at the back where their classroom was situated while the English class played in front.

Click to expand...

JungleBoy said:

The face of Apartheid raising it's ugly head again...sigh!
Children all over the country are integrated from day 1 and by the end of the week 1 or 2 they already speak basic English.
Language learning in babies is a natural process and it cannot be taught like in adults.

Click to expand...

“They [black children] can’t even speak their own languages properly. The Xhosa-speaking class has a bilingual white teacher who trains them to speak English and when they leave that class, they go to the next [mixed] class.

Click to expand...

supersunbird said:

Seperate classes on language I could understand maybe... but seperate playgrounds?

Click to expand...

JungleBoy said:

The face of Apartheid raising it's ugly head again...sigh!
Children all over the country are integrated from day 1 and by the end of the week 1 or 2 they already speak basic English.
Language learning in babies is a natural process and it cannot be taught like in adults.

Click to expand...

“Another parent came to warn me about this. Then I remembered I had not seen any white kids in my child’s class. Black kids played on their own playground at the back while white kids played in the front. That is not right,” said Ncakani.

Click to expand...

Mila said:

That is also strange. If it is so then it is wrong. Maybe the mom came there during an activity class when the classes were not mixed yet? One person saying so does not make it so.



Even when you go to a school that is English and Afrikaans in first grade the English children are in the same class and the Afrikaans in a other. And it is kept like that for most of the time in school then you start integrating children when they start with elective classes. They are split up according to first and second languages.

Of course you can teach a different language to a baby. If it was natural I had to speak at least 5 languages fluently. They put them in a class that is set out to stimulate one language, where the teacher can give attention to that.

I thought you were all for English being the primary language? That is what she is doing. Those children go home and hear Xhosa. So she focuses on English during the 8 hours they are with her.

Click to expand...

JungleBoy said:

Rubbish. Why separate the kids if the aim is to focus on their English learning? That's like teaching someone how to swim but they are not allowed in the pool.

Click to expand...