MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON

We cannot deny that an efficient education system is crucial for South Africa at this time. One can hardly open a newspaper these days without finding at least one article underlining the fact that good schools are the first step in equipping this country with a competent workforce for the future. We are all, parents or not, concerned with the state of our schools – and we should be, because too many of them are currently unable to produce properly educated school leavers.

The reasons for this are rooted in our apartheid history and our ongoing inability, post-apartheid, to right past inequalities. However, I believe that blame is retrogressive and pointless and that we must now focus our energies and resources on solving the problem. Government undoubtedly plays a central role in this but, in fact, responsibility devolves to the poorest and most marginalised citizen, with the whole spectrum of South Africans in between. The question to ask ourselves is: “What can I, personally, do to solve this problem?”

At the historic schools our mandate is: Excellence in Education. To me, it should be the mandate of all of us. Even if you, as a parent (or guardian), are under-educated or unemployed, you can still create an atmosphere supportive of study in your home or meet with and work with your child’s teachers to promote good results; you can hold the school principal accountable for poor teacher attendance or end-of-year results; you can become knowledgeable about the life of your child’s school or sit on the school’s governing body to ensure sound administration. As a teacher you can make sure that you are in the classroom, on time, teaching, as your contract requires; that you continually improve your skills and knowledge by studying further; and that you recognise that you are the ‘critical mass’ and in your hands lies the future of many. As a principal you can ensure sound school administration and governance and take the lead in entrenching self-respect and core values in your school. Learners can take more responsibility for their own performance, the community can ensure security at the local schools, alumni can get involved in fundraising … The list is endless.

And what of the Historic Schools Restoration Project? My fellow Board members will tell you that I am very fond of asking: “What kind of an animal are we?” Since our creation we have continued to evolve, and our purpose is becoming clearer. I am not sure that it will ever be unalterably defined, but the role in which we find ourselves at present is largely one of facilitation. We are not here to tell schools what to do or to raise funds and simply hand them out. Our responsibilities are more complex and are encapsulated in our mandate: We are here to encourage, enable and ensure ‘Excellence in Education’.That will mean liaising with government on policy and practical issues; it will mean raising funds and disbursing them appropriately; it will mean acting as an advisory body for schools or placing representatives on school governing bodies, perhaps even helping find staff to supplement those already there, or introducing staff enrichment programmes or a whole number of other functions. We are, in effect, a multi-faceted tool to be used in the pursuit of cultural and educational excellence, in the restoration of our heritage and to benefit all South Africans.

Justice Thembile Skweyiya
Chair: HSRP Board