Building Capacity for a Brighter Future

The New Guelderland Combined School situated on Blythedale Coastal Estate at Stanger has the potential to be a beacon of hope for children in the community. But, with stretched resources and limited income, the school is battling to deliver a ‘quality education’ experience.

“There are currently 234 pupils enrolled at the school which has its origins as a facility for farm workers’ children,” explains Principal, Mavis Mpanza.

The school faces a number of challenges. With eight teachers and classes ranging from Grade R up to Grade 9, the teaching staff is spread thin. “Each teacher needs to cover seven subjects which, as you can imagine, is an unrealistic workload.”

“Multigrading also becomes a big problem. When the range of pupils in each class is too broad, both classes lose out,” says Mpanza.

The school is in the process of becoming a fully fledged Department of Education institution but it a long journey and, over the past couple of years, conditions at the school have deteriorated. The buildings are in a state of disrepair, with barely functioning toilets, no hall, and small classrooms doubling up as a library and staff room.

Without electricity, teachers are forced to rely on very basic teaching aids and pupils are denied the opportunity work on computers. “Not having power is probably our biggest challenge,” says Mpanza. “Everything we do is on paper which means we’re always running short of consumables. Without access to technology, pupils are off to a disadvantaged start.”

Mpanza has a long history with the school, having taught there for over 27 years before moving on to a career in the insurance industry. She found her way back to teaching at a nearby school, before being appointed principal New Guelderland in October 2015.

Recognising a need at the school, Development Director at eLan Property Group, Andrew Thompson, secured sponsorship, and the go-ahead from eLan to enroll the school in the acclaimed Partners for Possibility (P4P) Programme.

Founded in 2010, the PfP Programme’s Director and Founder, Louise van Rhyn, became the first Business Leader to partner with a Principal in an effort to improve a school’s education outcomes.

The initiative speaks to the idea that enhancing the quality of education, improving the school environment and encouraging engagement between parents and teachers are meaningful and attainable goals that would provide an upward spiral of real change in society.

Thompson will dedicate 15 hours a month to work with the school. “It’s a two-way learning experience,” says Thompson. “I’ve heard from other business partners on the programme that it’s not a one-way street. Mavis is so committed and I am already learning so much from her,”

For Mpanza, the Programme is an opportunity to develop her and her colleagues’ skills and to broaden their network. “It is a useful capacity-building initiative. I understand that the objective is to empower us and give us the tools to help ourselves,” she says. “As an under-resourced rural school, we’re looking forward to finding our own ways to overcome the challenges we face.“

Thompson, who grew up with two teaching parents and attended a school steeped in tradition, says he would love to see the school grow to a quality government school, well attended and well supported.