A movement is gaining momentum. The Overvaal conflict is just a sensitive corn distracting us from the real opportunity: A growing number of parents desire better education for their children.

Proof? Children migrate from dysfunctional to top performing provinces. Parents stubbornly demand the school of their choice. And isn’t this what #Feesmustfall is about?

Imagine we spent our time brainstorming, designing and implementing solutions that create more high-quality schools. I want to be part of such a project. And I believe, most of the silent majority would.

Alas, certain politicians and the radical fringes hijack the moment and use race (and Afrikaans) to deflect from their own failures and/or to whip up support. That is the story of the last decade – some shamelessly sacrifice the advancement of the masses for the sake of personal power and opulence.

What if…

…media houses publish two articles on raising the quality of schools for every one they peddle as clickbait on racism and Afrikaans,

…Afrikaners are drawn out of the shelter of their laager and willingly contribute to the greater good,

…we foster “liberation through education”,

…local communities mobilise to further quality education in their neighbourhood,

…retired excellent teachers share their stories of quality education with current teachers,

…successful professionals visit their alma mater and share their stories with children,

…the stranglehold of unions over schools are broken,

…the education department focus 10% more on stimulation and 10% less on administrative control; and they build new schools,

…school governing bodies approach NGOs to train them in aspects of school governance,

…schools ask private sector trusts to assist in stetting goals for quality education, provide advice and training, and if goals are achieved, reward the schools through maintenance and development of the infrastructure,

…the bottom 2% performing teachers and headmasters are retrained and those not achieving improvement goals are retrenched, every year for 10 years,

…we recruit and reward top scholars to become teachers.

Just imagine.