Thembisa primary schools join British Council
This is an exchange programme that will see the South African teachers boarding to UK in July
Inxiweni Primary School hosted members of the British Council at a welcome ceremony of the new partnership between the Department of Education and the British Council on March 7.
The guests were entertained by traditional dance music and Maskandi music from performances by local artists. The learners also rendered a performance of their own on stage. This partnership includes other schools from Thembisa, as well as Khulasizwe Primary, Tshepisa Primary, Moriting Primary and Mehlareng Combined Farm School in Kempton Park.
Ruth Tabu, principal of Inxiweni Primary School, said the British Council in South Africa has partnered with the South African Department of Basic Education to support their literacy and numeracy strategy.
“The British Council Programme, in collaboration with schools in Thembisa, means that sharing and transferring of skills can take place with a view of making our schools citadel excellence. This programme is an exchange programme,” said Tabu.
“This will help in developing and working with others by creating ethos within which staff are motivated and supported to develop their own skills and subject knowledge and to collaborate with each other.
“That is why Inxiweni Primary School is demonstrating a commitment to professional development and lifelong learning by providing appropriate and targeted opportunities to develop skills and abilities.
“Teachers are very committed, dedicated and always willing to do well, general workers and administrators are there also to support the needs of the school. They are always willing to help where necessary. After all, it is team work that counts,” said Tabu.
Wendy de Corke, British Council Schools ambassador, said this is an exchange programme that will see the South African teachers boarding to UK in July.
“We are sharing good practice, knowledge and ideas skills and strategies. The programme has been running for 15 years in South Africa, but it is the first time we have the Thembisa schools.
“We work towards sustainable development goals where pupils and teachers work on different projects like recycle, taking a stand against gender-based violence worldwide and other topics.
“So far we had a nice warm welcome, the dancers danced with passion and it was exciting to watch. The programme will continue to be running in Cape Town and Soweto and now in Thembisa,” said de Corke.
Veronica Naseti, School Governing Body chairperson, said it was a nice feeling to welcome and actually host the UK guests and the partners from the Department of Education.
“We welcome this programme because we saw that this will improve what we already have in term of learning and teaching. One, Inxiweni Primary is an excellent school in producing excellent students who go to represent us well in the secondary and high schools around the Thembisa area.”
Rabasotho SAPS station commander Brig Frank Mthombheni said when he heard of the British visitors coming to his area of operation he had to come on board to ensure their safety during their visit.
“We work hand in hand with schools on a daily basis. Anything that happens in these schools we are the first teams to respond. In addition to that we have the Principals Forum where we have a sit down with the schools’s principals and discuss issues of safety that are affecting our schools.
“On an occurring basis we have police officers who have adopted these schools and they visit and manage them.”
Sibusha Maponya, the Gauteng Department of Education circuit manager, said throughout the programme teachers and learners will be able to communicate with each other through Skype.
“Each school participating in the programme has their themes and chosen colours like yellow for recycling and blue for gender-based violence and so on.
“This exchange programme means we get to learn best practices from UK schools and vice versa. Our schools have many similarities and differences so they will get to the classes and see how we do things and see where they could coach us to improve.
“It improves our performance and how we run schools as well as the interaction between teachers and learners. It is a preparation platform preparing the learners to become the doctors and teachers of tomorrow.”
