Isikole Sasekhaya—Ingabe Sikufanele?
“UMKHUBA owake wabhekwa njengokunhlanhlatha usuwukuthambekela kwaso sonke isizwe.” Yileyondlela umagazini i-Time muva nje owachaza ngayo isikole sasekhaya e-United States—ukuthambekela okukhulayo okusekelwa abazali abakholelwa ukuthi imfundo engcono kakhulu ingane engayithola itholakala ekamelweni lakubo lokuphumula, hhayi ekilasini elivamile.
Nokho nakuba abanye besasibheka njengokunhlanhlatha noma ngisho njengesihluke kakhulu, isikole sasekhaya, sithola abasekeli abengeziwe minyaka yonke. Abacwaningi bathi izinhlu zabasekela isikole sasekhaya ziye zanda kusukela kwabangaba ngu-15 000 ngo-1970 kuya kwabangu-500 000 ngo-1990. Abanye abasekeli besikole sasekhaya bathi imikhaya engaphezu kwesigidi eUnited States manje ifundisa izingane zayo ekhaya.
Amaqembu asekela isikole sasekhaya aye futhi anda ngokusheshayo e-Australia, eCanada, eJalimane, eJapane, eNew Zealand, naseNgilandi, okubonisa ukuthi isithakazelo ezikoleni zasekhaya sisakazekela kuwo wonke umhlaba.
Kungani abazali abaningi kangaka benza isinqumo sokufundisa izingane zabo ekhaya? Siphumelela kangakanani isikole sasekhaya? Ingabe siwukukhetha okufanele ukucabangele ngomkhaya wakho?
Emqondweni waso oyisisekelo, isikole sasekhaya asisisha njengoba singase sibonakale sinjalo. “Ikhaya, hhayi isikole, laliyisimiso sokuqala sokufundisa,” kusho uRaymond noDorothy Moore encwadini yabo ethi Home-Spun Schools. “Kwaze kwaba yikhulu leminyaka elidlule, izingane eziningi zaziqala esikoleni zineminyaka eyishumi nambili noma ngaphezulu.”
Abantu abadumile, abanjengoGeorge Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Edison, no-Albert Einstein, bafundiswa ekhaya. Eqinisweni, imithetho ephoqelela ukuya esikoleni yayingakasungulwa e-United States kwaze kwaba ngasekupheleni kwekhulu le-19. Ngakho, ngokombhali nomzali osekela isikole sasekhaya uKerri Bennett Williamson, isikole sasekhaya asiwona nje umkhuba wamuva, kodwa “siyindinganiso endala yokufundisa.” Ngempela, isikole sasekhaya sasiyindinganiso yabantu abaningi ezikhathini zeBhayibheli.
Isizathu Sokuba Basivule
Ngokuthakazelisayo, i-National Catholic Reporter ilinganisela ukuthi amaphesenti asukela ku-50 kuya ku-90 abazali base-U.S. abavula isikole sasekhaya benza kanjalo ngezizathu ezingokwenkolo. Labazali ngokuvamile bakhathalela ukuvikela izingane zabo kulokho abakubheka njengamathonya okungakholelwa ebukhoneni bukaNkulunkulu ezikoleni. “Umgogodla wokuthambela esikoleni sasekhaya umphakathi ogxile eziNkolelweni ZobuKristu, okholelwa ukuthi inkolo isetshenziswa kabi noma ayinakwa ekilasini,” kwasho umagazini i-Time.
Abanye abazali baye bakhipha izingane zabo ezikoleni zomphakathi ukuze bazivikele ekuvulekeleni amathonya onakalisayo okuziphatha okubi zisencane. “Ngenxa yokuziphatha okubi ezikoleni izinto zazonakala,” kwasho enye indoda engumKristu eyanquma eminyakeni eminingi edlule ukuthi yona nomkayo bayozifundisela izingane zabo ekhaya. “Sasikhathazekile ngezingane zethu nangezimo ezidabukisayo esikoleni.”
Ngezinye izikhathi abazali bakhetha isikole sasekhaya ngenxa yezizathu zemfundo kunezezinkolelo. Banengwa amakilasi aminyene, izinga eliphansi lemfundo, nezinkinga zokulondeka ezidlangile ezikoleni zomphakathi eziningi. Bedunyazwe imiphumela ngokuvamile engathakazelisi yemfundo yezikole zomphakathi, bakholelwa ukuthi bangazisiza ngokwengeziwe izingane zabo ngokuzifundisa zibhekene nabo ngeziqu zamehlo okuyinto isikole sasekhaya esiyenza ibe nokwenzeka.
Ichaza isizathu sokuba abanye bakhethe isikole sasekhaya, incwadi ethi Home Schools: An Alternative ithi: “Abazali [abafundisa izingane zabo ekhaya] bahileleka ngokuphelele ezintweni izingane zabo ezizenzayo . . . Banganikela ukunakekela kwabo emfundweni yengane yabo.”
Ingabe Siyaphumelela?
Labo abasekela isikole sasekhaya bathi izingane zifunda ngokuphumelela ngokwengeziwe ekhaya ngoba izifundo zixhunywa kuzo zonke izici zomsebenzi womkhaya wansuku zonke. “Imikhaya eminingi iqala ngencwadi yesayensi yezibalo, kodwa kamuva ithole ukuthi izifundo zingafundwa ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwansuku zonke,” kubhala uJane A. Avner kwethi School Library Journal. “Ngokwesibonelo, ukuthenga nokuqhathanisa amanani emali, kungasiza abafundi babo ukuba baqonde ukuphathwa kwemali, kuyilapho ukulungisa ikhaya kungaba isiqalo esihle ekufundeni isayensi yezibalo.”
Isikole sasekhaya siye sabonakala siphumelela kangakanani? Okunye ukuhlola kuye kwabonisa ukuthi izingane ezifunda ekhaya zithola amamaki alingana nesilinganiso samamaki esizwe noma ngaphezulu ekuhlolweni okuvamile. Kodwa imiphumela enjalo ayisho ngempela ukuthi izingane ezifunda ekhaya zingcono kunezingane ezifunda ezikoleni ezivamile.
“Ubufakazi esinabo abuphelele,” kusho incwadi ethi Home School Manual. “Inkinga eyinhloko kukho konke lokhu kuhlola ukuthi abacwaningi abanawo amamaki okuhlolwa avela esilinganisweni esikhulu sezingane ezifundela ekhaya.”
“Abukho nhlobo ubufakazi obuphathekayo” bokufakazela ngokuphelele ukuthi isikole sasekhaya siyindlela yokufundisa ephakeme ngokwemfundo, kuchaza i-Home School Manual. “Nakuba izingane ezifundela ekhaya ngokuvamile ziphumelela, uhlelo olufanelekile lokucwaninga kuyomelwe lubonise ukuthi noma yimuphi umehluko okhona awubangelwa ezinye izici.”
Abaningi Basasingabaza
Abanye bayasigxeka isikole sasekhaya. Abaphathi bezikole abaningi baye bazwakalisa ukukhathazeka ngezinga eliguquguqukayo lemfundo elinikezwa ngemizamo yesikole sasekhaya. Umagazini i-Time ukubeka ngalendlela: “Izisusa ezinhle aziphumeli ngaso sonke isikhathi emfundweni eqinile.”
Ngenxa yalesisizathu imikhandlu yezikole ngezinye izikhathi ayibambisani nabazali, noma iphikisana nabo, lapho beyazisa ngezinhloso zabo zokuzifundisela izingane zabo. Nakuba eminyakeni yamuva eminye imikhandlu yezikole iye yenza umzamo wokusebenzelana eduze kakhulu nalabo abaqhuba isikole sasekhaya, abanye babaphathi bezemfundo basangabaza. Kokubili i-National Association of Elementary School Principals ne-National Education Association (NEA) ziye zamelana nesikole sasekhaya, zesaba ukuthi abazali bangase bangakwazi ukunikeza imfundo yasekhaya eyanele. Ngokwesitatimende esingokomthetho sombono we-NEA, “izinhlelo zesikole sasekhaya azikwazi ukunikeza abafundi okuhlangenwe nakho kwemfundo okubanzi.”
Abasekeli besikole sasekhaya bathi abazali abazidingi izitifiketi zasekholishi ukuze babe abafundisi abahle. “Abazali abadingi ukwazi zonke izimpendulo ukuze bakhuthaze izingane zabo ukuba zizifunele ngokwazo izimpendulo zemibuzo yazo,” kusho incwadi ethi Home Schooling—Answering Questions. Izingane zingaqondiswa emithonjeni yokwaziswa efanelekile. Abazali nezingane bangafunda ndawonye. Futhi lapho kudingeka ukuqeqesha okuthuthukile noma ubuchwepheshe, kungaqashwa umfundisi wangasese ukuba afundise ngezikhathi ezithile.
Abagxeki bathi futhi izingane ezifundiswa ekhaya ziyahlukaniswa futhi ziphucwa ukuxhumana okuvamile nezinye izingane ezingontanga yazo. Nalesi futhi, isiphetho abasekeli balesikole abasenqaba ngokuqinile. “Lezingane azihlukaniswa nomphakathi,” kwasho uBrian Ray, umqondisi we-National Home Education Research Institute. “Izingane ezifunda ekhaya ngokuvamile zivakashela endaweni yezilwane noma emnyuziyamu yezobuciko. Zidlala komakhelwane njengezinye nje izingane. Umqondo wokuthi zivalelwa ekamelweni kusukela ngehora lesishiyagalombili ekuseni kuze kube yihora leshumi ebusuku awulona iqiniso.”
Ingabe Sikufanele?
Isikole sasekhaya, “asidingi nje kuphela isibindi, kodwa sidinga nokukhuthazela, ikhono lokusungula, nemizwa egxilile,” kusho i-Christianity Today. Ngakho uma ucabangela ukuvula isikole sasekhaya, cabanga ngesibopho esihilelekile ngendlela engokoqobo. Kuyodinga umzamo wenkuthalo nokuhleleka okuhle ukuze uqhubeke wenza imisebenzi yasekhaya neminye imithwalo yemfanelo yomkhaya naphezu kokulungiselela izingane zakho isimiso semfundo sansuku zonke. “Ungase usebenze kanzima futhi ufise ukuyeka,” kwasho uRay. “Kubizela kakhulu.”
Ngemva kwalokho, thola imithetho yesikole sasekhaya yasendaweni yakini. Ngokwesibonelo, e-United States, isikole sasekhaya singokomthetho kuwo wonke amazwe angu-50, kodwa amazinga omthetho ahluke kakhulu. Kwezinye izindawo, ukufundisa ingane yakho ekhaya kumane nje kusho ukwazisa umphathi wesikole sendawo nokugcwalisa ifomu eliyikhasi elilodwa. Kwamanye amazwe, umzali kufanele abe umfundisi onesitifiketi ukuze afanelekele ukuvula isikole sasekhaya. Thola ukuthi siyini isimiso sendawo ukuze ukwazi ukwenza ngokuvumelana nazo zonke izimfuneko zomthetho.
Khona-ke, cabangela izindleko. Ukuthenga izinto zokufundisa kuletha enye inselele enkulu kakhulu esikoleni sasekhaya—ikakhulukazi uma izimali zilinganiselwe. “Kalula uba isisulu sabathengisi bezinto zemfundo,” kuxwayisa i-Survivor’s Guide to Home Schooling.
Nakuba abanye abathengisi bebiza imali elingene yezinsiza-kufundisa, ezinye izinhlelo zemfundo yasekhaya zibiza amakhulu amaRandi. Ukuhlolwa okuvamile, izingane ezifunda ekhaya okudingeka zikubhale minyaka yonke, kwamanye amazwe kungabiza amaRandi angu-150 ngakunye. Unyaka ngamunye, kuyodingeka izincwadi zokufunda ezintsha, izincwadi zokubhalela, nezinye izinto, ngakho imali yesikole sasekhaya kumelwe ihlelwe ngokucophelela.
Yiqiniso, akubona bonke abazali abazimisele noma abangakwazi ukusebenzisa isikhathi, umzamo, nemali ochwepheshe abathi kudingekile ukuze isikole sasekhaya sibe impumelelo. “Isikole sasekhaya akusona esanoma ubani,” kwasho enye intombazane eneminyaka engu-14 eyaqalisa esikoleni sasekhaya lapho ineminyaka engu-7. “Sidinga izimo ezinhle, isimo sengqondo esihle, nabazali abahle.” Ukuziphatha ngengalo eqinile—komzali nomntwana—nakho kunganezelwa kuloluhlu. Indoda ecashunwe ekuqaleni yathi ukuze isikole sasekhaya sibe impumelelo, “kudingeka ukuzibopha okuqinile.” Yaqhubeka: “Inselele yangempela iwukukwazi ukunikela ngesikhathi sokusiqhuba nokusilandelela.”
Ngisho nabasekeli abashisekayo bemfundo yasekhaya bayavuma ukuthi isikole sasekhaya ngezinye izikhathi senziwa ngendlela engaphumeleli noma ngisho neyokungabi nandaba. Ngempela, minyaka yonke kuneminye imizamo yesikole sasekhaya ehlulekayo, eshiya izingane zingakulungele ukubhekana nezinselele zemfundo zesikhathi esizayo.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, abazali akumelwe bazikhohlise ngokucabanga ukuthi isikole sasekhaya sisodwa siyovikela izingane zabo emathonyeni okuziphatha okubi atholakala ezikoleni zomphakathi. Ayikho indlela yokuthi noma ubani avikeleke ngokuphelele ekuthintaneni nalelizwe. Izici eziningi ngaphandle kwesikole esivamile zilolonga ukucabanga komntwana, kuhlanganise nesibonelo somzali, abangane, ukuzilibazisa, nakho kokubili isifundo seBhayibheli somuntu siqu nesomkhaya. Ngaphandle kokuqeqeshwa kwenkuthalo kuzo zonke lezici, asikho isimiso semfundo esiyophumelela ekukhuliseni izingane zomKristu.
Yiqiniso, abanye abazali baye baba nomuzwa wokuthi isikole sasekhaya siye saba nengxenye entuthukweni engokomoya yezingane zabo. Kodwa kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi intsha eningi engamaKristu efunda ezikoleni zomphakathi nayo yenza intuthuko enhle engokomoya. Ezimweni eziningi, abazali baye baba nemiphumela emihle ngokusebenzelana ngokuseduze nomkhandlu wesikole wasendaweni yakubo ukuze baqiniseke ukuthi izingane zabo zithola imfundo esezingeni eliphezulu.
Abazali, ekugcineni abayolandisa ngemfundo nokuqeqeshwa okufanelekile kwezingane zabo, kudingeka bazinqumele bona ngokwabo uhlobo lwemfundo abanomuzwa wokuthi liyowuzuzisa kakhulu umkhaya wabo. Ngakho cabangela zonke izici ngokucophelela ngaphambi kokuba unqume ukuthi ukulungele yini ukwamukela inselele yokufundisa izingane zakho ekhaya.
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 12]
“Izingane kufanele zibe nesimiso sesikhathi sokufunda njengokungathi zisesikoleni.”—C. F. L., umzali owafundisa indodakazi ekhaya
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
Uwena kuphela onganquma ukuthi yini engcono kakhulu ngengane yakho—isikole somphakathi noma isikole sasekhaya