Bogosi Angoma: There has been so much hysteria about the poor matric results.

As black parents, it is incumbent on us to carry out frank introspection about what largely contributed to this fiasco.

My own observations are as follows: our children are not putting their shoulders to the wheel. They loiter in shopping malls and streets in full school uniform during school hours and after school.

White school children go straight home, concentrate on their homework, go to extra classes or indulge in extramural activities.

One reason for poor performance is said to be the language barrier. The truth is, our children don't read. On numerous occasions I have interviewed second-year tertiary students; often I get a reply in a vernacular language. Expressing themselves in English becomes drudgery. The tenses are often wrong and they stammer for words due to a poor vocabulary.

Finally, unless and until parents take a serious step and address these issues with the government and teachers and, most importantly, instil self worth and a desire to excel in our children, white children will continue to make our children look ordinary.