It's that time of the year again. Universities, colleges and schools are releasing the report cards reflecting the academic performance of their students and learners for this year. I have no idea what the statistics are for universities and colleges, but if history repeats itself, the matric results will be pathetic yet again.
There will definitely be a number of academic superstars that will achieve 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 distinctions (do those kids have a life?), but overall there will be a decline in the standard of results. Naturally, the officials-in-charge will blame everything from the legacy of Apartheid (still? after all this time?) to the legacy of the Mbeki Regime to Global Warming for the failure of the education system, without doing an introspective analysis of their performance and motivation to achieve which would probably score an "F".
Since it is "that time of the year", I thought I'd publish the report card for the performance of SA Beauties at international pageants. It still amazes me that, with all our world-beating models and other gorgeous people, we have still been unable to score an A+ in any leading pageant. Admittedly, South Africa did win at Mrs United Nation and Miss Teen World, but those are both "standard grade" pageants and only score an A for a win.
With our multicultural society and the subsequent emergence of a non-ethnic "super race" (I don't just mean black and white, but also the mix of European ethnicity's), we should be achieving similar results to the supreme beauty pageant country, Venezuela. But we aren't like Venezuela and that is cause for concern.
In any event, the report card for 2009 is as follows:
HIGHER GRADE
Miss World: A
Miss Universe: B
Miss Earth: C
Miss International: D
Miss Tourism Queen: F
STANDARD GRADE
Mrs United Nation: A
Miss Teen World: A
Princess of the World: B
Mrs World: C
Miss Model of the World: E
Miss Friendship: E
Miss Intercontinental: F
Miss Italia nel Mondo: F
World Bikini Model: F
There were some highlights, but overall the report card is disappointing. From my perspective, the best results can only be ascribed to hard work rather than natural ability. South Africa has the potential to achieve A+ (win), A (Top 3) or B (Top 5) in every pageant, be it as a result of natural ability or hard work.
If natural ability is absent, then hard work is the only way to achieve. Hard work is only possible with the assistance of willing and able pageant directors (educators), and just as in the case of the education system, if the pageant directors fail to create an environment conducive to top results, they should be fired and replaced.
Hopefully there will be an improvement in 2010.