adminjump around much faster than others and a few are clingier than others — at the end of the day they are all children, surely? Do children already possess traits and personalities that make us adults choose between them? Shouldn’t a birth certificate be enough and proof of residence where zoning is the deciding factor?
It is that time when parents have to stress over places for Grade Zero and Grade One. I had not really thought much of this issue until a colleague who is a firebrand activist commented after someone indicated they had been to an interview with their child for a prospective Grade One place at one of these private schools and they were praying hard for their child to get a place.
The activist, being a champion for the rights of others, asked who had come up with the idea of punishing little children by having them go through interviews in a free Zimbabwe. Her subsequent words were quite strong and she said; “whoever puts little children through such torture should be shot.” When she said this I explained that this is how things happen here and if one wants their child in a good school, especially private schools, you have to subject them to it. We all know how everyone wants the best for their children.
But I am beginning to understand her anger.
After dragging my precious five-year-old through several interviews and receiving quite a number of regrets and watching my child go through the disappointments of knowing that these big people who met her for a few minutes did not think her good enough for their schools, I began to wonder whether she was not right after all.
My daughter asked me very candidly after she failed to make it to one of her favourite schools why they keep saying she failed when she did well (that’s the term for doing her best) and I had to sit her down and tell her that she did well and I am proud of her and that it was the school’s loss not to see her for the great little girl she was. But I was fuming inside.
While I do think schools are justified to want to know a bit about the children they are taking in, I think this can be done by having a brief chat with the parents.
I also think some of the questions asked during these interviews are a bit intrusive. Goodness, what will they not ask? From where you live, whether you own the property, to whether you are married legally, to the number of occupants in your home, including the cat and dogs, they want to know. They ask what language is spoken at home, whether the child eats with a fork or their hands and many other things.
Some even want bank statements and payslips from both parents to ascertain whether the parents are financially stable, which is fair.
A divorcee friend of mine was telling me that there are certain schools that her child would never have a chance in just because her parents are divorced. Is that fair? Another friend who is self-employed was telling me that he would not bother with some schools because he does not keep his money in the bank and as such, they would think him a loser.
And that is when he is so loaded.
For others, what works against them is the fact that their children do not speak perfect English that they cannot colour inside the box, that their parents do not earn enough or that they just do not fit in with the style and look of the school.
I have not yet substantiated this but I have heard of schools where one has to be able to pay a certain sum which can range between US$1000 and US$10 000 before any talking about a place begins.
While there is nothing wrong with this culture of donating to your child’s school (we are all for it) and schools (private) have the prerogative to do what they want with their schools, I begin to draw the line when my child begins to think she is not good enough.
There are many little boys and girls who have probably felt this way after being dragged to yet another school, where they get excited and then have their bubble burst. I also have issues with the way schools will invite hundreds of children for readiness tests and yet take a handful. All these people just come in to make the numbers or is it about the application fees?
Why not just state your requirements as is the case with job vacancies. I can see it in my mind already: “Wanted are children for Grade One whose parents earn more than US$3 000 a month, who live in the northern suburbs, preferably play golf, and it would be an advantage if they have a sibling or family friends here or have learnt here themselves.”
That would disqualify quite a large chunk and save children from heartache, surely?
Let us have the interviews, especially at Form 1, A-Level and in the work place. We need them.
But for Grade One and Grade Zero? Just what are we looking for? This is the beginning, so we can mould the children we take into the schools, surely?
Do we want ready-made little misses and sirs that early on? Maybe I am just angry today.
But one thing I know, my child is an asset and so am I as a parent in any school. It is a loss for those who could not see that. I am just glad that we have found a school that sees the value of having us on board and my little girl is smiling again. She just cannot wait for the uniform that big school comes with.
And that’s the workings of a five-year-old’s mind.
Why then interview her or him?
Online Reporter