A new school inspector is assigned to the
grade 4 class in one of
Thelocal schools. He is introduced to the
class by the teacher.
She says to the class: “Let’s show the
inspector just how clever youAreby allowing
him to ask you a question.”
The inspector decides to ask a biblical
question.He asks: “Class, who broke down
the walls of Jericho?”
For a full minute there is absolute silence.
The children all just stareat him blankly.
Eventually little Khuzwayo raises his hand.
The Inspectorpointsexcitedly to him.
Khuzwayo stands up and says: “Sir, I do not
know who broke down thewalls
of Jericho, but I am innocent.”
The inspector looks at the teacher for an
explanation. She says: “Well,
I’ve known Khuzwayo since the beginning
of the year and I believe that ifhe says that
he didn’t do it, then he didn’t do it.”
The inspector is shocked at the level of
ignorance and storms downtothe principal’s
office and tells him what happened. The
principalreplies: “Look I don’t know the boy,
but I socialise every now andthen
with his teacher and I believe her. If she
feels that the boy was notinvolved, then he
must be innocent.”
The inspector can’t believe what he is
hearing. He grabs the phoneon
the principal’s desk and dials the Minister of
Education. He relatesthe
entire episode and asks her what she thinks
of the educationstandard in
the school.
The Minister sighs heavily and replies:
“Eishwena. You know I amvery
busy. I don’t know the boy, the teacher or
the principal. Just getthree
quotes or put it out to tender and have the
wall fixed.”