EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
From the very beginning of the Historic Schools project, we have stated that our approach to the restoration of
the schools involves two parts: physical restoration of the historic buildings and the addition of new ones, and the
restoration of educational and cultural excellence. Education remains a priority if we are to see national issues such
as job creation, enhanced economic growth and some in-roads into the eradication of poverty achieved.
During the course of the year under review the HSRP contracted with Dr Tim Nuttall to look critically at the education
component of the pilot schools and provide a strategic focus for the HSRP. This resulted in an Educational Officer’s
Roadmap being designed for implementation over the five years beginning in the 2011 financial year.
Education Officer’s Roadmap 2011–2015
The education roadmap has a systemic framework, organised around key operational areas. It concentrates on
human and organisational aspects of the schools, as well as on improving key aspects of the spatial environment in
which teaching and learning occurs.
The rich historical legacy of the schools provides a resource and a framework for developing and embedding a
proud school culture, ethos and value system. Furthermore, the ‘burden of history’ provides an imperative for the
schools to be sites of community development, re-connecting with the rationale for the mission schools during
the earlier eras. It is hoped that the practice and proven success of the historic schools will help shape government
thinking on how to create and sustain educational success in these and similar schools.
The Education Roadmap addresses the following themes and aspects:
- Outline of the Historic Schools and the Restoration Project
- Rationale for what is chosen and emphasised in this Education Roadmap
- Appointment of an HSRP Education Officer
- Annual Principals’ Conference for Historic Schools
- Historic Schools as places of welcome: teachers’ staff rooms and working areas in classrooms
- Historic Schools as places of welcome: classrooms as learning spaces
- Historic Schools as places of welcome: grounds and toilets
- Promoting improved literacy in English and African ‘home languages’ and developing better numeracy at the
Historic Schools
- Teacher incentive and development fund
- Extra-Mural Director
- ICT Support Resources and School Websites
Principals’ Workshop
In July 2010, a two-day workshop for principals, deputy principals and other stakeholders of the nine pilot schools
was held at Inanda Seminary in KwaZulu-Natal. The workshop was facilitated by Dr Nuttall and was designed to
address the challenges facing the historic schools.
The central idea, as proposed by Tim Nuttall in his consultancy brief with the HSRP, is to promote a sense of community
among the principals and deputy-principals of the pilot schools. As this professional community grows through
the school leaders’ developing bonds of interaction, the collective vision of the HSRP will be expressed. Each of the
historic schools does not exist in isolation, but is linked in a significant national endeavour.
In organising the workshop, the decision was made to host it at one of the pilot schools. Inanda Seminary was
chosen because of its relatively close proximity to a major airport (many of the other schools are in outlying rural
areas), but also because this school represents a remarkable turnaround, from facing closure 13 years ago to being
a thriving institution today.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr Cassius Lubisi, Superintendent General of the KwaZulu-Natal Department
of Education. Dr Lubisi spoke about challenges facing the historic schools under the following themes:
- Burden of history
- Funding
- Infrastructure
- Curriculum constraints
This address laid the foundation for much of the content of the workshop and was instrumental in the participants
being able to articulate the role their schools played as historic schools. Some of these roles are as follows:
- Promoting a rich historical legacy as distinctive, autonomous and Christian South African schools during the
eras of colonialism, segregation and apartheid, attended by black South Africans, many of whom have become
prominent in national life;
- Sustaining organisational cultures and traditions which connect with and celebrate this historical legacy,
drawing inspiration from practices of educational excellence before the imposition of the apartheid policy of
Bantu Education;
- Contributing to the present and to the future as beacons of educational excellence, providing high-quality
academic and extra-mural teaching and learning among South Africans in our post-1994 democratic society;
- Providing access to excellent education for rural families, particularly those from poor socio-economic
backgrounds, given the rural location of most of the historic schools;
- Instilling values of citizenship, leadership and service, lived out in action, and reflecting a Christian ethos and a
commitment to social development and justice.
This is the second year that the Principals workshop has been held and the positive feedback received from those
attending the meeting will see this continuing as an annual event.
Teacher enhancement
We continue to work closely with TEACH SA who has, for the majority of the period under review, provided four
TEACH SA Ambassadors, two located at Healdtown Comprehensive High School in the Eastern Cape and two at
Lemana High School in the Limpopo Province. These Ambassadors have made a significant impact in the time
that they have been based at these two schools.
We are happy to report that we have witnessed an impressive increase in the number of learners passing matric
at Healdtown in particular. This was brought about in part through the former Principal, Mr Thomas Thomas
Hagspihl, and the TEACHSA Ambassadors who provided vital educator support. We believe that our association
with TEACH SA is a good one and will, funding permitting, be rolled out to more schools in the next financial year.
The ZK Matthews Educational Trust
As part of our commitment to quality education for all South African children, particularly the poorest, the HSRP has
created the ZK Matthews Educational Trust. The Trust will help ensure the sustainability of the restored schools and
will award necessary bursaries and subsidies.
The Fund is managed pro bono by Investec and administered by Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs. The Board is chaired
by Archbishop Njongo Ndungane with Mr Sello Moloko, Justice Ian Farlam, Dr Sindiwe Magona, Prof Wiseman
Nkuhlu, Prof Geoff Everingham, Justice Thembile Skweyiya and Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela as members.
The first student bursary awards were made in December 2010. Applications were received from six HSRP pilot
schools; however, the Trustees are committed to ensuring that applications are received from all nine schools
for the 2011 allocations. The initial sum available for disbursement was R50,000, but was enhanced by further
donations from Trust Board members to bring the total amount available to R109,146.
A breakdown of the allocations
per school is tabled here.
As part of the Trust’s strategy
for 2011, there will be a
fundraising drive to boost the
R1 million capital received from
the HSRP through a donation
from the SA Reserve Bank and
the subsequent donation of
R200,000 from Transnet.
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2010/11
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