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Khanya School. Herne Hill School’s sister school & FHHS charity since Autumn 2005. Khanya Primary School is a public state school in Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town. It started in 2004 as a split-off from an overcrowded school in Samora Machel, Philippi.
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Khanya School Herne Hill School’s sister school & FHHS charity since Autumn 2005
Khanya Primary School is a public state school in Cape Town, South Africa Cape Town
It started in 2004 as a split-off from an overcrowded school in Samora Machel, Philippi Xhosa is the native language in the area
Richard, the Principal, and his Deputy Linda, have been leading it from the outset
The nearest available facility was in a remote and isolated youth reformatory
As a result, all children had to come to school by school bus (about 30 min. ride)
Grades Age Children Adults Class sizes Khanya in Nov. 2005 1 - 7 6 - 13+ 983 learners 24 educators 0 assistants 5 support staff 40 - 90 Since Khanya quickly grew to nearly 1’000 “learners”…
… the facilities became vastly overcrowded, with frequently 60+ children per classroom
In Jan. 2006, Khanya was moved to the better facilities of a school in the coloured and much wealthier area of Mitchell’s Plain Buckingham Primary School was relocated because it had only about 350 learners and was using only one of the school’s two wings
… the facilities are more accessible and much more spacious However, this is not yet Khanya’s long-term home, which remains an unresolved issue
… as about two-thirds of their parents are unemployed and therefore very poor
An entire family lives in such a dwelling, usually without heating
Only a small fraction of children live in solid brick houses such as these
By contrast, the school is a safe haven where the children proudly wear their uniforms…
The children work hard and take school seriously Typical day for this 7-grader • Get up at 5:30 a.m. • Eat breakfast, wash, brush teeth, put on school uniform • Walk to bus stop at 6:40 a.m. • Bus leaves at 7:10 a.m. and gets to school at 7:40 a.m. • School from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. • Take bus back home, change, eat, wash dishes • Homework • Watch TV and play with friends
From Reception through Grade 3, teaching is essentially in Xhosa with form teachers
From Grade 4, teaching is essentially in English and by subject
Grades Age Children Adults Class sizes Khanya Reception - 7 5 - 13+ 1’200 learners 29 educators 5 assistants 5 support staff 40 - 55 Herne Hill Nursery – Year 2 3 – 7 250 pupils 20+ teachers 20+ assistants 5 support staff 14 - 24 Today, Khanya has about 1’200 learners for 30 educators – about five times more than Herne Hill for similar staff numbers
A major recent improvement is the Dept. of Health’s provision of a hot rice and beans lunch for 680 learners The less needy children eat the packed lunch they bring
After lunch, they wash their plate and spoon and keep them in the classroom
Herne Hill School’s link with Khanya started in fall 2005 with the help of School-Aid • Origin of our relationship with Khanya Primary School • Regular requests from parent • association FHHS to make school • in 3rd world charity of the year • Definition of criteria (age range, • size, ethos, location, etc.) and • briefing thereof to School-Aid • School-Aid visit in Africa identifies • Khanya as ideal candidate in June 2005 • FHHS adopt Khanya as charity of the year and launch of • relationship through visit by Herne Hill School Director • in Nov. 2005 www.school-aid.org Supporting schools in emerging countries
From the outset, we felt the Herne Hill children would also greatly benefit from this link • Awareness of their own relative material wealth and thankfulness for what they have • Realisation that material wealth is not all that matters • The Khanya children can be just as talented and happy in spite of their poverty • Friendships and human bonds are also very important • An additional way to experience our “loving, caring” ethos and the satisfaction that comes from helping and giving • Important element of becoming “responsible citizens of our world community”, together with ecological awareness, appreciating nature, etc. • Learning about Africa and the wider world • Appreciation of the importance of education and how seriously the Khanya children take it
Our collective efforts are already making a difference at Khanya Support and achievements to date • Collection and shipment of used books and stationary via School-Aid on containers kindly provided by Capespan • Supporting the Reception class when it was formed • Providing curriculum books for the educators • Purchasing a science kit • Providing emotional support We will briefly look at each of these areas
Our children’s collections of used books and stationary, which are shipped via School-Aid, …
We have also sent them curriculum books, which the educators appreciate greatly We intend to soon send them the Maths, Literacy and Science books for Years 2 – 6
In 2006, the Friends equipped the newly founded Reception class, for which there were no resources whatsoever, with furniture…
The Friends also contributed to the Reception teacher’s salary until it could be included in Khanya’s budget from April 2007
As a result, the dedicated science teacher now has resources other than blackboard and chalk
Beyond material support, our emotional support appears to be just as important • “We thank the learners, parents and educators of Herne Hill School from the bottom of our heart – not just for your donations and financial help but also for your emotional support” Richard Nogqala, Principal • “You have brought us hope!” Linda Mahote, Deputy Principal • “It is reassuring to know that we have friends in the UK who care. We’re so lucky to have you!” Sean, Head of Department
We are currently evaluating various opportunities to further help Khanya – hopefully, we’ll be able to do them all! • Co-funding salaries of 2 unpaid teachers for the 2 new Reception classes • Establishing broadband connection • Co-funding 4 computers and network for management/educators • “Sponsoring” the Khanya choir (60 children from Grades 4-6, selected for their voices) at next spring’s competition • Fostering music through purchase of mobile keyboard and funding of periodic lessons by keyboard player • Helping establish a majorettes/”drummies” club through purchase of 2nd hand uniform and boots • Supporting eyeglasses scheme for needy children • Establishing bursary scheme for small number of Grade 7 leavers who would be supported and followed through secondary school
We are also working on increasing the feedback flow to our children • Visits by Dominik to all Pre-Prep classes to talk about Khanya School • Broadband should greatly improve e-mail communication and exchange of digital pictures • Class twinning between our three Year 2 and their three Grade 4 classes • Agreed schedule of correspondence exchange at least once per half-term for next year • Our Year 1 classes (this autumn’s Year 2s) plan to start already in June
To conclude, we are proud to be associated with these friendly, …
