Help to transform needy schools

International ambassadors brought hope to the launch of the transformation of rural and township schools programme on Friday.

The event, hosted by The African Show Coalition Institute (Tasci), was held at Hlokoma High School in NU4 Mdantsane. It was attended by school principals, education officials, and delegates from the European Union led by EU diplomacy ambassador Marcus Cornaro, his wife, Dr Astrid Cornaro, Poland’s ambassador Andrzej Kanthak and Switzerland consul-general Andreas Maager.

They pledged to support the programme after viewing township schools and assessing their needs.

Cornaro said while they were not investing any money, they had a variety of programmes in place that would benefit some of the 108 Mdantsane schools.

“Ours is to guide and facilitate how the schools make the most of the resources available to them. We have programmes that we plan to roll out at some of the schools and we have opened up our network of resources to Tasci, where they can get support from a variety of embassies.

“It was shocking to learn the township has more than 100 schools and only two libraries, while most schools don’t even have extra-mural activities.”

Tasci was developed by Ngcelwane High School alumni Bathandwa Kwababa and Fundiswa Roji-Maplanka who work with retired teachers from the township schools and volunteer their services to uplift the standard of township schools.

“The programme was piloted two years ago, and that changed our whole organisational approach. We have since completely profiled 46 schools.

“The common problem among the schools is ageing infrastructure, lack of security, declining morale among educators and pupils, as well as a lack of parental involvement.

“These are just a few of the many underlying problems which need to be dealt with before we can further develop our schools and a variety of workshops are on the cards to bring back professionalism, beauty and quality education into the township schools,” she said.

Kwababa said several schools were closing down in Mdantsane because children were migrating to urban schools seeking better opportunities – which were supposed to be made available in township schools.

Hlokoma School principal Nomawethu Mdingi said it was an honour for her school to host the momentous event which she hoped would be the game-changer for township schools.