Date: 18/09/2004
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: N Pandor: Re-launch of Refalletse Primary School
ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, NALEDI PANDOR, MP, AT THE RELAUNCH OF THE REFALLETSE PRIMARY SCHOOL, Orange Farm, 18 September 2004
MEC Motshekga,
Programme Director, Mr Chomane Chomane,
Principal Mrs Makhobotloane,
Deputy Principal Mr. Matla,
SGB members,
Pupils
Mrs Makhobotloane, I want to note with gratitude the leadership you have shown in bringing about the formation of Refalletse Primary School.
You have shown courage and fortitude in building this school, in giving it a permanent home after piggy backing on other schools for nearly ten years. So you will now have to confront a new set of challenges and I hope that you will rise to them and that you will inspire your staff to go forward together.
Principals
I firmly believe that school principals are critical to our success.
The department is working towards completing a number of important and related initiatives in the field of education management. These include a policy framework for education management, something that is long over due in our system, a set of standards for qualifications in education management, and perhaps even an advanced certificate in education that could be used as an entry level measure of qualification for principals.
Our aim is to define education management and to professionalise the practice of education management - to recognise that school leadership is not teaching by another method, but is a fundamentally different role and job.
Teachers
To the 22 teachers, I say that I take particular interest in your commitment to this school.
There is no substitute in education for inspired professional teachers. No matter how sophisticated the teaching aids and the computers, the teacher remains the most important element in the learning equation.
Excellent results do not come by accident. They have to be worked for. There are no instant solutions.
It is worth our while pausing for a moment to consider some of the features of successful teaching. Teaching is first and foremost a vocation. It is a calling. Teaching is the most demanding of all the professions. It demands high levels of technical skill and the management of people. You must know your subject.
But more than that, teachers must be able to motivate and keep interested energetic and challenging human beings whose spiritual, emotional, intellectual and creative development is in their trust. Teachers are people who delight in seeing children discover their talents and grow into their potential.
But let us not minimize the difficulties. Teaching requires above all enormous reserves of energy and patience. It is physically, intellectually and emotionally demanding. The maintenance of order and classroom discipline, while fostering a culture of cooperation and learning, especially in this day and age, is not easy. It requires dedication and integrity.
Teachers are, next to parents, the most important adult role models in children's lives. Education is fundamentally a character forming and developmental process. The values expressed and the values promoted are central to and underlie outcomes, teaching methods and assessment. They also reflect the authority relationships in the classroom.
SGB and parents
To the parents who are here today, let me take this opportunity to encourage you to keep up your spirit and commitment to building this school.
I understand that Refalletse already has a democratically elected SGB. Well done.
It is important that school governing bodies keep parents and prospective parents informed of their rights particularly with regard to the registration of their children at school and the payment of school fees.
I am afraid there are still too many parents who do not take the timely registration of their children at school seriously, leaving it to the very last minute. This puts an unfair additional strain on the organisation of the school budget, timetable, the allocation of teachers and logistics generally. Proper planning cannot be done unless the school management has a fairly accurate idea of how many children it can expect at the beginning of the year.
And this brings me to something about which I have become increasingly concerned: school fees. Once registered, the school may ask parents to pay school fees. If parents cannot afford to pay the fees they may apply for partial or full exemption.
And we are doing our best at the moment to come up with a formula to exempt whole schools from paying fees.
Furthermore, this year the Department of Education took over responsibility for school nutrition, not feeding as I hear so often. School governing bodies will, of course, play an important role in the implementation of this vital service. Have you been making a difference?
The relationship between school governing bodies and teachers is of utmost importance in determining the ethos and efficient running of schools. If school governing bodies are to be effective they must work harmoniously with the professional staff. They must share a common vision and commitment to education. They must be clear about what their responsibilities are. They must work as a team.
Among the many responsibilities school governing bodies have are developing a mission statement for the school, adopting a code of conduct for learners, and supporting the principal, teachers and other staff in the performance of their professional functions.
In other words, school governing bodies have responsibilities that cut across all aspects of school life from developing policy and budgeting, to ensuring that the ethos of the school reflects the values of teaching and learning reflected in our Constitution, to maintaining school property, the purchase of textbooks and the choice of subject options in terms of provincial curriculum policy.
All of these functions are aimed at promoting the best interests of the school. And those best interests cannot be separated from the best interests of the communities they serve. Schools will only function efficiently when parents and community leaders become actively involved in the daily running of their schools. This is what our democracy is about. People being empowered and taking charge of their lives.
When this happens, the results are there for everyone to see. The school functions efficiently, vandalism ceases to be a problem, exam results are good, staff and pupils identify with the school and are proud of it. The school, in fact, becomes a model for and centre of community life, giving expression to its values and aspirations.
Community
I am told that this school came about as the result of a community-driven initiative. Feeling the need for a brighter future for your children, you stood up and led the way. I want to commend you for that.
The fact that a poor community in an informal settlement started to think about the establishment of a school is enough proof that we are taking responsibility for our own advancement as a nation. The fact that you then did something about it, besides petitioning the government, is even more remarkable.
The school represents the vision of the community of Orange Farm Extension and its strong desire to enhance the promotion of the values of the community. So today we are not just celebrating the day on which this school was built, but we are also rejoicing in the success of this community in sending an educational and a cultural message to the future leaders of our country - a message that encourages collective action among our people.
In the early to the mid-1990s, we witnessed the departure of many students from historically disadvantaged communities, from township schools to the former Model C schools in the city, leaving some of our schools in the townships half empty. I am pleased to say that we have not only stemmed the tide, but we have begun to reverse the trend. Many township schools are becoming centres of excellence, providing quality education to our children.
Close
I would like to conclude by wishing the community, the parents, students and teachers of this school even greater success in their partnership for transformation through education. I hope that everyone involved in activities of the school will work very hard.
Issued by: Ministry of Education
18 September 2004
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: N Pandor: Re-launch of Refalletse Primary School
ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, NALEDI PANDOR, MP, AT THE RELAUNCH OF THE REFALLETSE PRIMARY SCHOOL, Orange Farm, 18 September 2004
MEC Motshekga,
Programme Director, Mr Chomane Chomane,
Principal Mrs Makhobotloane,
Deputy Principal Mr. Matla,
SGB members,
Pupils
Mrs Makhobotloane, I want to note with gratitude the leadership you have shown in bringing about the formation of Refalletse Primary School.
You have shown courage and fortitude in building this school, in giving it a permanent home after piggy backing on other schools for nearly ten years. So you will now have to confront a new set of challenges and I hope that you will rise to them and that you will inspire your staff to go forward together.
Principals
I firmly believe that school principals are critical to our success.
The department is working towards completing a number of important and related initiatives in the field of education management. These include a policy framework for education management, something that is long over due in our system, a set of standards for qualifications in education management, and perhaps even an advanced certificate in education that could be used as an entry level measure of qualification for principals.
Our aim is to define education management and to professionalise the practice of education management - to recognise that school leadership is not teaching by another method, but is a fundamentally different role and job.
Teachers
To the 22 teachers, I say that I take particular interest in your commitment to this school.
There is no substitute in education for inspired professional teachers. No matter how sophisticated the teaching aids and the computers, the teacher remains the most important element in the learning equation.
Excellent results do not come by accident. They have to be worked for. There are no instant solutions.
It is worth our while pausing for a moment to consider some of the features of successful teaching. Teaching is first and foremost a vocation. It is a calling. Teaching is the most demanding of all the professions. It demands high levels of technical skill and the management of people. You must know your subject.
But more than that, teachers must be able to motivate and keep interested energetic and challenging human beings whose spiritual, emotional, intellectual and creative development is in their trust. Teachers are people who delight in seeing children discover their talents and grow into their potential.
But let us not minimize the difficulties. Teaching requires above all enormous reserves of energy and patience. It is physically, intellectually and emotionally demanding. The maintenance of order and classroom discipline, while fostering a culture of cooperation and learning, especially in this day and age, is not easy. It requires dedication and integrity.
Teachers are, next to parents, the most important adult role models in children's lives. Education is fundamentally a character forming and developmental process. The values expressed and the values promoted are central to and underlie outcomes, teaching methods and assessment. They also reflect the authority relationships in the classroom.
SGB and parents
To the parents who are here today, let me take this opportunity to encourage you to keep up your spirit and commitment to building this school.
I understand that Refalletse already has a democratically elected SGB. Well done.
It is important that school governing bodies keep parents and prospective parents informed of their rights particularly with regard to the registration of their children at school and the payment of school fees.
I am afraid there are still too many parents who do not take the timely registration of their children at school seriously, leaving it to the very last minute. This puts an unfair additional strain on the organisation of the school budget, timetable, the allocation of teachers and logistics generally. Proper planning cannot be done unless the school management has a fairly accurate idea of how many children it can expect at the beginning of the year.
And this brings me to something about which I have become increasingly concerned: school fees. Once registered, the school may ask parents to pay school fees. If parents cannot afford to pay the fees they may apply for partial or full exemption.
And we are doing our best at the moment to come up with a formula to exempt whole schools from paying fees.
Furthermore, this year the Department of Education took over responsibility for school nutrition, not feeding as I hear so often. School governing bodies will, of course, play an important role in the implementation of this vital service. Have you been making a difference?
The relationship between school governing bodies and teachers is of utmost importance in determining the ethos and efficient running of schools. If school governing bodies are to be effective they must work harmoniously with the professional staff. They must share a common vision and commitment to education. They must be clear about what their responsibilities are. They must work as a team.
Among the many responsibilities school governing bodies have are developing a mission statement for the school, adopting a code of conduct for learners, and supporting the principal, teachers and other staff in the performance of their professional functions.
In other words, school governing bodies have responsibilities that cut across all aspects of school life from developing policy and budgeting, to ensuring that the ethos of the school reflects the values of teaching and learning reflected in our Constitution, to maintaining school property, the purchase of textbooks and the choice of subject options in terms of provincial curriculum policy.
All of these functions are aimed at promoting the best interests of the school. And those best interests cannot be separated from the best interests of the communities they serve. Schools will only function efficiently when parents and community leaders become actively involved in the daily running of their schools. This is what our democracy is about. People being empowered and taking charge of their lives.
When this happens, the results are there for everyone to see. The school functions efficiently, vandalism ceases to be a problem, exam results are good, staff and pupils identify with the school and are proud of it. The school, in fact, becomes a model for and centre of community life, giving expression to its values and aspirations.
Community
I am told that this school came about as the result of a community-driven initiative. Feeling the need for a brighter future for your children, you stood up and led the way. I want to commend you for that.
The fact that a poor community in an informal settlement started to think about the establishment of a school is enough proof that we are taking responsibility for our own advancement as a nation. The fact that you then did something about it, besides petitioning the government, is even more remarkable.
The school represents the vision of the community of Orange Farm Extension and its strong desire to enhance the promotion of the values of the community. So today we are not just celebrating the day on which this school was built, but we are also rejoicing in the success of this community in sending an educational and a cultural message to the future leaders of our country - a message that encourages collective action among our people.
In the early to the mid-1990s, we witnessed the departure of many students from historically disadvantaged communities, from township schools to the former Model C schools in the city, leaving some of our schools in the townships half empty. I am pleased to say that we have not only stemmed the tide, but we have begun to reverse the trend. Many township schools are becoming centres of excellence, providing quality education to our children.
Close
I would like to conclude by wishing the community, the parents, students and teachers of this school even greater success in their partnership for transformation through education. I hope that everyone involved in activities of the school will work very hard.
Issued by: Ministry of Education
18 September 2004
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