Date: 25/09/2003
Source: Deputy Ministry of Education
Title: Mangena: NMMM Masizakhe Education Project Awards Ceremony
ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MR MOSIBUDI MANGENA, AT THE NMMM MASIZAKHE EDUCATION PROJECT AWARDS CEREMONY, Vista University, Port Elizabeth, 25 September 2003
Programme Director
Your Excellency the Executive Mayor of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, Mr Faku
Members of the Council present
Members of the SGBs
Parents, Educators, Learners
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
We would be well-advised to heed the perennial wisdom embodied in the famous Chinese adage, that if you want to plan for a year, plant flowers, if you want to plan for ten years, plant trees, but if you want to plan for the future, invest in education.
Local Government is the tier of government that affects the lives of ordinary people in very direct and intimate ways. It delivers and maintains, among others, water, electricity, roads and waste removal within cities, towns and villages - in fact, any service that is vital to the life, social and economic activity of a community is the business of local governments. Yet in something as fundamental as education, which is essential to the development of the intelligence and thinking capacities of its citizens, the influence of our local governments has been minimal or absent in most cases. I sincerely congratulate and commend the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality for the bold and significant contribution you are making to the education of the children and communities within your metropolis.
History the world over attests to the crucial role played by education in the development of societies. Ancient Egypt is the cradle of world universities, ancient Mali revitalised its civilisation through the establishment of desert camp schools that migrated from camp to camp according to the nomadic lifestyles of its inhabitants, Japan owes its economic prosperity to the education reforms initiated in the 1870s, which replaced the disparate and independent fief controlled education system with the prefecture education system, that was placed directly under the control of local governments. Prefectures were granted the funding and authority to run their school education system. They were also tasked to promote and ensure that their citizens understood the role and importance of education in their individual lives. All concerned in the Department of Education supply chain were expected to cooperate in assuring the success of education. Parents were held responsible for their children's attendance at school and were urged to make every effort to promote the education of their children. Acquisition of good education was equated to personal success and a chance to climb up a social ladder. Those who received the education were expected to be diligent, and to plough back into the society that helped their personal development.
Since then Japan has never looked back from those groundbreaking educational reforms. Its economic development and prosperity is one of the marvels of the modern world.
The success of individual schools rests squarely on the shoulders of the School Governing Bodies (SGBs). The primary goal of every SGB is to make a difference in the lives of their children. They have to contribute to the learners' advancement by ensuring parental participation and community involvement in the schools. The success of every SGB is not a one-man show; it is the result of the team efforts of all its members. The effectiveness of the SGB depends on the information and support it receives from all the role players in its school. Effective school policies, codes of conduct, etc., are made by those that are in touch with the issues in their schools, and enjoy the support of all concerned.
Teachers are tasked not only to teach and to go through the syllabus with their learners, but also to inspire them by making the subjects they teach seem the most desirable and rewarding things in life. They are called upon to share their knowledge, ideals and attributes of living life to the full with the young people under their care. Good teachers are able to maximize the strengths of their learners. They are expected to have a solid foundation in certain areas of knowledge while keeping up-to-date with the current and future developments of knowledge. A teacher teaches only when a student learns. So she/he should take into account the physical, social and emotional aspects of the learners, in addition to their intellectual abilities. A good teacher should possess the characteristics of honesty, empathy, generosity, genuineness and integrity. He/she should also uphold his/her professional responsibilities, be a good listener, approachable and never stop learning.
By making teachers aware of the immense importance of the profession, we are trying to motivate them to excel in their teaching. We are looking to them to prepare our future workforce, and shape well-informed, committed, critical and socially responsible citizens who will determine the character of the South Africans of the future. Teachers have a serious impact on human lives. All students always remember their teachers for the rest of their lives. To all the teachers present here today, ask yourselves this question: "For what will my students always remember me for?"
We understand that the Metropolitan Council is planning to drive the Masizakhe Education for the next five years. We urge you to build this project into one of the major and permanent development programmes of your municipality. You need to do all it takes to encourage more sponsors in the private and public sectors to support and grow this initiative. The involvement of more higher education institutions will certainly bring a deeper and more meaningful dimension to the work you are doing. Apart from financial support, private companies have the added advantage of assisting in career guidance and directing our learners to more relevant career options of the future. We congratulate Vista University and VW for being the first partners of the Metropolitan Council in this noble venture.
The involvement of local governments in the running and maintenance of the school cultures and infrastructure is the surest way of highlighting the importance of education and promoting our people's interest in education. At the time of the reforms alluded to, education under the Japanese fiefs was fragmented and considered the exclusive preserve of the rich and powerful. Our education system was in the same state until 1994. Steely determination and commitment transformed Japan into the world player that she is today. It is within our capacity to achieve similar results in the end.
The awards being handed over this morning cover a wide spectrum of school activities. They cover important areas of school governance and management, teacher effectiveness, youth leadership development, and of course mathematics, science and technology education. Mathematics and science education is a ticket to the future. That you are awarding prizes in two categories for this area of study reveals the importance that you attach to the development of this discipline. The future will reward you handsomely for this generous investment you are making today.
To all the parents, educators, learners and schools that will be receiving the awards today, we say well done. It is only when individuals take it upon themselves to excel and succeed against the odds that successful societies are built. You are the positive role models and shining examples for others to emulate within the communities of this metropolis. Keep up the good work.
I thank you.
Issued by: Deputy Ministry of Education
25 September 2003
Source: Deputy Ministry of Education
Title: Mangena: NMMM Masizakhe Education Project Awards Ceremony
ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MR MOSIBUDI MANGENA, AT THE NMMM MASIZAKHE EDUCATION PROJECT AWARDS CEREMONY, Vista University, Port Elizabeth, 25 September 2003
Programme Director
Your Excellency the Executive Mayor of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, Mr Faku
Members of the Council present
Members of the SGBs
Parents, Educators, Learners
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
We would be well-advised to heed the perennial wisdom embodied in the famous Chinese adage, that if you want to plan for a year, plant flowers, if you want to plan for ten years, plant trees, but if you want to plan for the future, invest in education.
Local Government is the tier of government that affects the lives of ordinary people in very direct and intimate ways. It delivers and maintains, among others, water, electricity, roads and waste removal within cities, towns and villages - in fact, any service that is vital to the life, social and economic activity of a community is the business of local governments. Yet in something as fundamental as education, which is essential to the development of the intelligence and thinking capacities of its citizens, the influence of our local governments has been minimal or absent in most cases. I sincerely congratulate and commend the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality for the bold and significant contribution you are making to the education of the children and communities within your metropolis.
History the world over attests to the crucial role played by education in the development of societies. Ancient Egypt is the cradle of world universities, ancient Mali revitalised its civilisation through the establishment of desert camp schools that migrated from camp to camp according to the nomadic lifestyles of its inhabitants, Japan owes its economic prosperity to the education reforms initiated in the 1870s, which replaced the disparate and independent fief controlled education system with the prefecture education system, that was placed directly under the control of local governments. Prefectures were granted the funding and authority to run their school education system. They were also tasked to promote and ensure that their citizens understood the role and importance of education in their individual lives. All concerned in the Department of Education supply chain were expected to cooperate in assuring the success of education. Parents were held responsible for their children's attendance at school and were urged to make every effort to promote the education of their children. Acquisition of good education was equated to personal success and a chance to climb up a social ladder. Those who received the education were expected to be diligent, and to plough back into the society that helped their personal development.
Since then Japan has never looked back from those groundbreaking educational reforms. Its economic development and prosperity is one of the marvels of the modern world.
The success of individual schools rests squarely on the shoulders of the School Governing Bodies (SGBs). The primary goal of every SGB is to make a difference in the lives of their children. They have to contribute to the learners' advancement by ensuring parental participation and community involvement in the schools. The success of every SGB is not a one-man show; it is the result of the team efforts of all its members. The effectiveness of the SGB depends on the information and support it receives from all the role players in its school. Effective school policies, codes of conduct, etc., are made by those that are in touch with the issues in their schools, and enjoy the support of all concerned.
Teachers are tasked not only to teach and to go through the syllabus with their learners, but also to inspire them by making the subjects they teach seem the most desirable and rewarding things in life. They are called upon to share their knowledge, ideals and attributes of living life to the full with the young people under their care. Good teachers are able to maximize the strengths of their learners. They are expected to have a solid foundation in certain areas of knowledge while keeping up-to-date with the current and future developments of knowledge. A teacher teaches only when a student learns. So she/he should take into account the physical, social and emotional aspects of the learners, in addition to their intellectual abilities. A good teacher should possess the characteristics of honesty, empathy, generosity, genuineness and integrity. He/she should also uphold his/her professional responsibilities, be a good listener, approachable and never stop learning.
By making teachers aware of the immense importance of the profession, we are trying to motivate them to excel in their teaching. We are looking to them to prepare our future workforce, and shape well-informed, committed, critical and socially responsible citizens who will determine the character of the South Africans of the future. Teachers have a serious impact on human lives. All students always remember their teachers for the rest of their lives. To all the teachers present here today, ask yourselves this question: "For what will my students always remember me for?"
We understand that the Metropolitan Council is planning to drive the Masizakhe Education for the next five years. We urge you to build this project into one of the major and permanent development programmes of your municipality. You need to do all it takes to encourage more sponsors in the private and public sectors to support and grow this initiative. The involvement of more higher education institutions will certainly bring a deeper and more meaningful dimension to the work you are doing. Apart from financial support, private companies have the added advantage of assisting in career guidance and directing our learners to more relevant career options of the future. We congratulate Vista University and VW for being the first partners of the Metropolitan Council in this noble venture.
The involvement of local governments in the running and maintenance of the school cultures and infrastructure is the surest way of highlighting the importance of education and promoting our people's interest in education. At the time of the reforms alluded to, education under the Japanese fiefs was fragmented and considered the exclusive preserve of the rich and powerful. Our education system was in the same state until 1994. Steely determination and commitment transformed Japan into the world player that she is today. It is within our capacity to achieve similar results in the end.
The awards being handed over this morning cover a wide spectrum of school activities. They cover important areas of school governance and management, teacher effectiveness, youth leadership development, and of course mathematics, science and technology education. Mathematics and science education is a ticket to the future. That you are awarding prizes in two categories for this area of study reveals the importance that you attach to the development of this discipline. The future will reward you handsomely for this generous investment you are making today.
To all the parents, educators, learners and schools that will be receiving the awards today, we say well done. It is only when individuals take it upon themselves to excel and succeed against the odds that successful societies are built. You are the positive role models and shining examples for others to emulate within the communities of this metropolis. Keep up the good work.
I thank you.
Issued by: Deputy Ministry of Education
25 September 2003
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