4 Schools

QGAP

The longer I’m here the more I am able to understand the structure of the school where I am located and also how varied the educational opportunities are. I’m working in a school that is receiving help through the Stephen Leacock Foundation. Also, it is partnered with two schools in Toronto, thus making a Triangle of Hope. The Get Ahead Project (GAP) Schools in Africa are independent schools. That means that learners (as they are called in S.A.) must pay school fees, but the schools also receive a subsidy from the government. The GAP schools are partnered with Branksome Hall, a private school and Derrydown Public School, thus creating the triangle. There is support from the students in TO with fund raising and there have been trips to Africa to visit the schools by students and teachers.

During the first two weeks of my stay, the GAP schools were been flooded with Canadians. There was the Program Director, there to monitor transition into use of the new technology paid for by Leacock, and her associate, a teacher from the TDSB and an expert in such things. There were 4 teachers from one of the partner schools. There was a young man who had been there as a student and now was back to visit before beginning his first full time teaching job in Ontario. There were also 3 volunteers who were there because of their commitment to help educate kids in S.A. There were also a couple of former volunteers who having fallen in love with South African men were there for the long haul and teaching as paid staff . Also in the mix was a volunteer, a retired teacher who returned for another stint after completing her first 6 months because she fell in love with her students and just had to finish what she started. And there was me – part of the effort to get teachers using computer software to make their life easier.

A tour of several schools, a clinic, a hospital, finishing up with dinner at one of our hosts' home was arranged by the Program Director and S.A. counterpart because of all the Canadians on hand. My South African experience was in high gear.

The pictures I’m going to include in this section will show 4 schools. Two are funded by Leacock to help with infrastructure, but everything else is covered by school fees. Two are regular South African public schools and are free to attend. The reason people are willing to pay to go to school is that the public is aware that education is key to a better future and many will move heaven and earth to provide a good education for their kids. Some are part of a new middle class and are able to afford the fees. Many others struggle month to month. That is why there is a “top up” fund for those students whose parents or guardians cannot pay for a particular month. Instead of having their schooling stopped for that period of time, the top up fund covers their tuition. Donors contribute to that fund and other people simply subsidize a child who would not be able to go to a fee-paying school at all. Even the SA schools in the Triangle of Hope do fund raising to support their peers – but the financial resources are less abundant.

Why are parents willing to pay to have their children attend school? A lot of it is language. In this area of the Eastern Cape, many people speak Xhosa. However, just like in China where I have also spent time, people realize that English is a language used worldwide that opens doors of opportunity for school, business and access to a broad swath of humanity. Instruction is in English at the GAP schools. The kids who attend will speak the language more fluently. The concept is not unlike the French Immersion schools in Canada in terms of language training.

However, not only is instruction in English, but also, through the Canadian connection, the school is developing its educational infrastructure. Firstly in terms of bricks and mortar, then with teaching methods and next with the addition of computer technology. The school at Whittlesea is a brand new “designer” building constructed with function foremost in mind. The building we use in Queenstown is a refurbished factory, but 6 new classrooms will be finished by the end of the year, ready for learners. Parents feel that by attending a GAP school, their child will be able to go to one of the more prestigious schools which requires a high proficiency in English. It is usually the older, established, formerly all white schools from the apartheid era that have a 100% pass rate of grade 12 learners. The QGAP school made quite a splash in the community when it achieved a 100% pass rate of its second group of students to matriculate from grade 12. That was unheard of for a school of black kids, many from economically disadvantaged homes and communities.

WHITGAP

The GAP schools have two campuses. One is in the town of Whittlesea. It serves children from pre-kindergarten called grade 0 (naught) and kindergarten called grade R (reception) through to grade 9. The building was constructed with the help of Leacock funding and is a wonderful learning environment.

This is an aerial view of the GAP Whittlesea buildings. Whittlesea is a small town with a main street that you will miss if you blink because as you can see, it is a rural setting. It is very dry and dusty in the Eastern Cape right now. There has been next to no rain for over a year and you really notice it when the wind kicks up causing the dust to get in your mouth if you try to talk and in your eyes if you try to see.

The buildings are constructed SA style. Brick, no insulation, no heating. It’s not really required. In the winter temperatures may go down to 5-10C during the day, but summer can see the thermometer hit 40C. Everyone wears their coats and hats inside the buildings in the cold season and it will often be warmer outside toward the middle of the day.

One of the big things that has happened since I’ve been here, is the completion of a library. It was the effort of several Canadians. One person started the task of clearing out a space, organizing and arranging and utilizing limited resources available and another person added even more energy and resources to the project with money provided from her parents. The end result is a cheerful, comfortable, well-organized environment that serves the children well in their quest to gain knowledge.

On the tour of the schools that was arranged for the visiting Canadians, we left the familiar faces of GAP students and teachers and head off to a public school.

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NOZIPHO JP SCHOOL

I don’t know about anyone else, but I was surprised to find a group of young girls dancing as we arrived. Accompanied by a boom box, an obviously rehearsed, choreographed and costumed group of performers, handily went through their routine as we appreciatively watched, photographed and videoed. What I later learned is that this was the former school of a teacher now working at WhitGAP and we had been invited to see what the public school system had to offer. One major difference between the public school and GAP is that the instruction is in English. The public school teaches English, but it is one of several language offerings, I think, along with Africaans. The main ethnic group are the Xhosa so that is the language of instruction. It could be Zulu or another language in a school in a different community, from what I understand.

We saw two sets of dancers, the ones depicted in the photo and the one in the video.

Sometimes looking at these dancers I think – oh, that’s where MJ got someof his moves from! Anyway, we were all suitably impressed by the enthusiasm, joy and spirit of friendship that we were greeted with. We then meandered about the school, peeked inside of classrooms, wandered around the grounds and got a feel for the public school learning environment. The teachers had done a good job of making it a cheery place with posters, examples of student work, comfortable work areas and a place where they could be proud of their accomplishments.

The schools struggle for resources, as you can see by the picture showing the computer lab. Money does not always trickle down as it should to the classroom. Apparently, there is a certain amount of waste, mismanagement and downright abuse of public funds at the top levels. I don’t understand the full political picture, but I do know that

SA is a new democracy undergoing growing pangs. The wide economic gap of the populace is reflected in the schools that they attend. I have no idea how this will be dealt with. Many seem to know the problem, but no one seems to have the answer.

NEIGHBOURHOOD SCHOOL

We also visited a very small school right in the heart of a sprawling, seemingly makeshift black community. The buildings are typically brick with corrugated steel roofs maybe 4 x 6 metres or so. Previously, under the old regime, it was difficult for a black child to get educated, and what was offered was to maintain people in the role of servitude. Nowadays, education is a priority, but being able to provide enough fully qualified teachers and facilities adequate to the task, is no easy matter. Many children live in communities that are distant from services and reliable transportation is not available. One has to have a job with a certain level of income to be able to afford a car and the reality is that most black South Africans walk, hitchhike, take a bus (it’s really a large van) or hire a vehicle, the cost of which is shared. So, the last school we visited, was a very, very small school. It was right in the community. Some kids’ parents don’t have the funds to pay for transportation to get their kids to school, not to mention the school uniforms. We arrived at the school, but after visiting the other 3 schools, most of the kids were gone because it was the end of the school day. What we saw was rather shocking and I didn’t even take many pictures because I felt slightly embarrassed to be witnessing such poverty and desperation.

The little schoolrooms were little more than shacks. The supplies were probably cast offs from somewhere or perhaps were donated. The teachers had no teacher’s training. What they had was some knowledge and a deep desire to do something for the children in their community who would otherwise have no education whatsoever. They were even attempting to grow some vegetables to supplement the diet of the children who attended. The two women in the picture were two of the teachers. The playground equipment was where the kids played. The classrooms were tiny and dark. I just couldn’t bring myself to take many pictures. Our host/guide apologized for coming late and then we left. So all schools are not created equal, but an attempt is being made to level the playing field. One might say that at GAP the effort is being made to give a white education to black students. The vestiges of apartheid run deep and they have yet to be entirely cast off in relation to the quality of education available for every child.