Back to School

The good news from SA is that the national strike has now been suspended for three weeks. Indications are that the strike is over but that the unions did not wanted to face the wrath of their members by declaring so outright.

And so yesterday I visited three schools – Ingwavuma High (secondary school), Mpontshini Primary School and Ntabayengwe Primary. My plan is to spend two days with the A-level students at IHS before they have their mock exams. Their exams will then last two weeks and students will only come into school to sit papers. During the two weeks when they are away, I will visit the two primary schools. I am then likely to settle at IHS.

My introductory meetings with the headmasters of each of the schools were entertaining.

1) Mr Njoko (HIS). He was very welcoming and introduced me to some of his staff. Each time he wanted a colleague, he would get out his mobile phone and have a long conversation. Then the person would emerge from the Deputy Principal’s room next door.
2) Mrs Mngomezulu (Principal of Mpontshimi). She was equally affable but slightly distracted. She could not get phone reception from her office. Instead her mobile was placed on a wall ten metres from her office. Each time it rang, she excused herself.
3) Mr Mkhumbuzi (Principal of Ntabayengwe). A very kindly man. On my arrival he halted classes by summoning all the staff. In trooped a group of formidably built ladies. They took chairs to form a semi-circle. Immediately they each struck upon their best ‘bored’ facial expressions. Mr Mkhumbuzi took me through each of their names. He prefixed each introduction by saying – ‘this one is very difficult to pronounce – but you will learn it quickly’. Then it was time for words from the Deputy Principal. First she was handed a piece of paper with my name written on it. She immediately fell about laughing. Hysterics ensued. The spelling of the name was passed round the semi-circle for each to laugh.

I spent today at IHS. I am likely to be helping with year 12 English classes and life orientation (things like sex ed; so plenty of scope for future blog entries). I looked over the text books for most the morning. The one English class I attended had about 70 pupils. The classroom was no bigger than many at Ashlawn School. Facilities were very ‘Victorian’. Despite the challenges, the teacher was excellent and clearly well liked. The bird on top of the blackboard particularly enjoyed the lesson. It chirped throughout.

This weekend we are likely to go diving. Watch this space.