Stats

Often, it takes some stark statistics in order for me to put things into perspective.  I have been here five weeks now, sorting life in South Africa out in my brain.  I have spent time in the Yuppie side of town (the beaches), and spent considerable time in the black townships (Kalkfontein.)  I have seen the wealth and the poverty.

Yesterday, the Fellows and I met with John Gilmour, Executive Director and Founder of the LEAP Science and Maths Schools.  We didn't meet for long, John is a busy man, but he wanted to put a focus around our stay here, and in doing so, listed out a number of statistics.  I was writing fast and furious, I hope I got them all correct.

2/3 of all South African children drop out of school before they graduate from Grade 12
5% of South African babies die before their first birthday
1 in 4 men here is a rapist.
75% of South African households have Domestic Violence as a "regular feature" of daily life

In 2004, there were 80,000 total students in the greater Cape Town area.  Of those graduating Grade 12 (which I would estimate to be 20,000), 242 blacks passed the exit exam in science and maths.

Of those 242 blacks, 19 of those came from the LEAP Schools.  This was the first year that LEAP students took the test.

In the last five years since then, 188 LEAP students have sat for the math and sciences exams, of which 172 passed (91%), and of these, 84 passed with a University exemption (which means you enter at the University level, no remedial classes needed.)

It isn't much, John would be the first to tell you that, but it is progress.