Making secondary school connections with South Africa

On Thursday 21st October four teachers from Greendown Community School, West Swindon, joined three colleagues ­ Terri Peacock, head teacher of Peatmoor Community Primary School, West Swindon; volunteer Allan Barrow from Bristol; and Bristol computer expert, Chris Tuttiett ­ on a ten day trip to Free State, South Africa, to continue making plans and develop existing school partnership projects, at two schools in the rural mountain town of Clarens, writes Cristina Bennett


They're singing; the unmistakable, lyrical sounds of acappella voices drift from the assembly yard. It's 7.35 in the morning; we're outside under a cloudless blue sky, in warm sunshine ­ this is no ordinary Monday morning assembly, except if you happen to be an educator or a learner at Moriting Wa Thuto Senior Secondary School, Clarens, Free State, South Africa.

We're a long way from our usual Monday morning arrival at school ­ Greendown Community School, West Swindon. This is no dream from which someone is about to wake us either, instead it is the reality of several months' planning, communicating and waiting.


Global partners

Eight months ago those very same sounds and sun-filled skies were my first taste of Moriting Wa Thuto School. The sounds ­ the passionate voices of South Africa's future ­ are the reasons why I am here again, and why this time I have brought with me, three colleagues (including Greendown School's head teacher, Steve O'Sullivan) and a set of plans and ideas for us to build a future in partnership.

As the singing softens, the introductions begin. I am welcomed ­ greeted back into the school like a long-awaited relative. My three colleagues too, feel the warmth and appreciation of 287 young people ­ learners ­ and their 12 educators. Curious faces ­ several holding familiar smiles of recognition ­ watch us as we stand in front of them. Each of us reflecting on what this moment means: Angela Proctor, Primary Liaison Co-ordinator, "Before we leave this school, they will be on the internet ­ there has to be a tangible link between us."

Anna Carriero, Head of Year 7 and PE teacher, "What a stunning way to welcome us ­ we must somehow return this experience."



Steve O'Sullivan, Headteacher, Greendown School, "These young people must surely have the chance to meet with our pupils one day ­ we could all learn so much from each other."

Myself, an English teacher, "Somehow, these teachers and young people must have a chance to share their past and their future with all of us."

I know this is the right place for us to be. I know the partnership we are coming to confirm ­ the working together, the sharing of resources and teaching experiences, the understandings of each other's personal and curricula environments, the exchange of worlds and cultures ­ is a positive future development for Greendown Community School. If 'think of the other person' (Greendown School's motto) is to take on a 21st century significance, it's starting right now; the people in this school and community are about to become our global partners, these are the other people we will be thinking about.


The twenty-first century?

We are in class now, is this really the twenty-first century? A large chalk-board on one wall, desks and chairs in rows facing the chalk-board; one pin-board with a few notices, and a poster about HIV/AIDS.

That poster tells me exactly that we are in the 21st century. It announces the harsh reality of a disease that claims people in their thousands from communities just like this one.

South Africa has one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in the world.1 "AIDS is set to claim the lives of around half of all 15-year-olds" in hard hit countries like South Africa.2 (sources: 1 Dept of Health, Republic of South Africa; 2 UN)

The freshly covered graves we passed on our long journey here the previous day were a stark reminder of the perils of this new century. There's no time for sentimentality.


"Excellence through diligence"

Our arrival has coincided with a drama presentation about AIDS awareness. On this Monday afternoon, the school timetable has been suspended; we are outside again in the assembly yard; again we listen to the acappella sounds of South Africa; this time it's the school choir practising whilst we wait for visitors and other school groups to arrive, to share this important afternoon.

The 60 plus voices sing with the ease of birds ­ as if born to it, and with the passion of those that believe in every word they sing (about the struggle for freedom, so recently found yet with still more to come; about the power of their spiritual fervour). Their leader, science teacher Mr. Motaung L. S. says, "They have not yet quite reached the standard I would like them to be!" This puts clearly into perspective, Moriting Wa Thuto's school motto, 'excellence through diligence'. Every Wednesday afternoon this choir meets for one hour to rehearse a repertoire of traditional and spiritual songs and to learn new ones. At the same time as this, learners in the rest of the school take part in debates to develop their spoken language skills in English.


Moriting Wa Thuto Senior Secondary School

Moriting Wa Thuto Senior Secondary School is the only secondary school in Clarens. It is an English medium school in the Sosotho speaking community of Basotho people, who live in the township of Kgubetswana, on the edge of tourist town, Clarens. In the township, the minimum wage for a day's work is just £3.70; a year's fees for school are approximately £13.00 ­ it's difficult to prioritise when there's so little to juggle with.



Most lessons are taught in English at this Grade 10 to Grade 12 school. With the support of Greendown Community School's partnership, educators and learners alike are hoping to make their already virtually faultless grammatically correct written English, become as teacher Ms. Miriam Mbambo says, "an international standard of English when spoken," to allow everyone to become a part of the world that is waiting for them. Ms. Mbambo continues, "Some of our learners are not used to paying visits even to the nearest towns because of poverty, but finding themselves with visitors from England will show them that everything is possible. This will help them to dream about the future."


Connecting together with Greendown Communtiy School

A week has passed. We have worked together planning lessons; we have written poetry; understood contour lines using our hands; we have made a video with eloquent and ambitious young members of the school council; we have lunched together, attended some curriculum development in-service teacher training together; we have sung together; we have wept together; we have waited together; we have laughed together. We have grown together.

Science teacher Mr. Motaung L. S. insisted it was no disruption to his Friday afternoon when he remained at the school long after everyone else had gone home, whilst four of us struggled with the idiosyncrasies of a broken down van and a computer hard-drive from hell, which kept rejecting its connection to the internet like a suspicious teenager rejects a healthy portion of green vegetables. His life's ambition, which sounded so straightforward to us, was really a dream for him, "I would like to make contact with the USA."

This made Angela Proctor's resolve even stronger, "I am determined that before we leave, Moriting School will be on the internet." That's why, when we hadn't managed to get the modem to connect on Friday afternoon, when Mr. Motaung L. S.'s dream to contact America seemed as distant as it ever had been, Angela insisted, "I'm not going home til that modem's connected! We made a commitment to connect ­ it is a vital communication link between our two schools."



And that is why, on the Saturday morning Angela and Steve (in the breaking down van) whizzed 60 kms without electrics (infront of myself and Anna in a borrowed car, providing back-up support of jump-leads and working indicators!) for a third visit to the computer shop in Bethlehem for a third modem ­ this time an external one. And that is why Angela and Anna returned to Clarens in the borrowed car, whilst Steve and I remained stranded, awaiting technical support (which arrived in the form of a garage mechanic, with a bumper set of jump-leads and massive battery). And that is why Angela and computer 'wizard' Chris Tuttiett remained until well into the afternoon at Moritng Wa Thuto School to make the connection ­ and it worked!


Forward in partnership

It is this difference in access to things that we so easily take for granted at the flick of a switch or the press of a button, that made us all realise what a tremendous value our schools' partnership could be. As teachers in the UK we often hear the whines of our pupils bleating, "It's not fair...; why can't I have...; we never get the chance to...; why don't we ever...; " It would be good to hear from these same British pupils, the words, "It's amazing that we can...; because we have this we can...; we could use this to...; why not...." How enriching this would be for British pupils to extend their citizenship beyond the familiar confines of their own neighbourhoods and national boundaries.

Through the strength of our schools' partnership I know that with time, energy, enthusiasm, innovation, and commitment and belief in the partnership, this will be possible. I can't wait for the next stage of this global project!