Bear with me while I have a quick rant!
I overheard a restaurant manager (white female) use the words "you people..." while addressing a group of staff (coloured and black men and women). I cringed involuntarily. It has to be the most innocuously demeaning phrase around & those who use it seem not to realise!
But, my rant is about another aspect of 'you people' ... the tendency we have to see issues as someone else's problem, outside of ourselves, having no accountability or inclination to "get my A into G and DO SOMETHING!".
We are beefing up Storm's CSI programme. The budget is not huge, but hey, we're offering to link a school to the Net, and work out how else we can add value to Educating PDI kids. We shortlisted 3 schools near our Cape Town office and called. Not one principal would take our call - we were asked to send the a fax. We faxed. No reply. A month later, we called again. One phone remains engaged, another the principal is not available, the 3rd he was heading out for the weekend (it is not even 3pm yet!) and fobbed us off by saying he could not comment and would need to refer to the Governing Body.
These are not wealthy schools. You'd think they'd gag at being offered resources?
How do we expect to improve the standard of education if the management seem more interested in their weekend away than in empowering their staff and kids!
I think an email to the local MEC for education is needed - anyone have the address?
You can find the MEC for education here http://www.capegateway.gov.za/eng/gov_employees/66447.
Posted by: Alan Levin | 10 October 2006 at 08:03 AM
Having worked with many schools across the country, I’m sad to say this is very common. Well over 50% of our schools are dysfunctional.
I would strongly advise that you do not engage these schools any further. In my experience, if you don’t get an initial response of enthusiasm, you will battle with commitment for eternity. It is really important to find a school that shows ownership and commitment, and a real drive to improve their situation. I would argue this is more important than anything else.
Sarah Cairns (CSI Africa Consulting)
Posted by: Sarah Cairns | 09 October 2006 at 03:11 PM