Educationists are understandably cautious about an ambitious government plan to restructure the school system by splitting pupils into three streams - academic, ''technical occupational'' and ''technical vocational'' - according to their strengths. The new system, which would be piloted next year, is aimed at reducing the shockingly high dropout rate, easing pressure on universities and meeting the demands of an economy desperately short of skilled artisans.Arguing that it made no sense to force all pupils to study academic subjects, the director-general of the Department of Basic Education, Mathanzima Mweli, told City Press that the authorities had made a "scandalous mistake" in 1994 by closing technical high schools or limiting the subjects they could teach.Ultimately, said Mweli, about 60% of pupils would study subjects such as electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, or vocational courses such as spray-painting and hairdressing. The other 40% would be in the academic stream.The plan was fiercely criticised by University of the Free State rector Jonathan Jansen, who warned that it was likely to reproduce inequality by unfairly forcing pupils from poor backgrounds - who are often poorly taught and therefore lack opportunity to prove their ability - out of the academic stream.The last thing the country needs is a situation in which most white pupils, because of better opportunities, complete the academic programme, whereas the majority of black children are corralled into technical fields.Yet something needs to be done to ensure that school-leavers are equipped for the needs of a modern economy. The department's plan can work if it is implemented gradually, if pupils are thoroughly screened, and if the schools that teach technical subjects are properly equipped, staffed by excellent teachers and become pockets of excellence.We simply cannot afford more disastrous tinkering with education...