The circuit is the most eastern circuit in Mpumalanga, just south of Malelane and Komatipoort, bordering Mozambique.  We thank the university for covering the cost of the rented car to Tonga and back, which is over 500km from Pretoria.  Without this support, the workshop would not have happened since the circuit is located in an area where the participants can’t afford to cover the transport cost of the facilitator.  The facilitator of the workshop, Dr Gallie, was hosted at the Far East Lodge, located within the community of Tonga.

Thirty-four (34) schools (both primary and secondary) attended the workshop, with between 2-5 SMT educators present.  Between 120 and 150 members attended the workshop on each of the mentioned days.  The circuit manager, Mr BR Ngcane, opened the workshop on the first day, and thereafter stayed for the duration of the two days. EP Mashele, also a member of the ACE School Leadership programme, who is the chairperson of the management committee, hosted the workshop.  Regional members also attended, namely one on the first day, and four on the second day.

The workshop was conducted in a way that facilitated a ‘self-discovery’ approach.  Schools were asked particular questions during the first half of day one, which ensured that they looked critically at what was going on in their specific school, and not an ‘imaginary’ school.  After this session, more than 90% of the schools identified themselves to be either low/under-performing or dysfunctional.  This self-identification of their current level of performance assisted the next three sessions that focused on the ‘eight school readiness components’, the human relations and the systems necessary to break out of the culture of dysfunctionality.

These two days were only useful as far as getting senior managers of schools, circuits and regions to buy into the turn-around strategy conceptualised and developed over a period of five years.  As indicated during the closing session of the workshop, what is necessary is a sustained support programme from 2-3 years in order to assist dysfunctional schools to realise that they can perform at a high level.  Leaving these schools to now facilitate their ‘own turn-around’ is similar to asking a person with a drug problem to ‘fix himself up’.  What lies deeper within the strategy is the understanding of the ‘psyche of dysfunctionality’, as well as getting rid of the ‘organised dysfunctionality’ in the system of education.

Thanking you

Dr Muavia Gallie
Department of Education Management and Policy Studies