because potential lies in all children.

“…because potential lies in all children.”
The Khulula Foundation
wmbatha@khululafoundation.org
www.khululafoundation.org
Twitter: @khululafund
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thekhululafoundation
1
The Khulula Foundation
At the Innovative Teacher’s Project we believe that
The Khulula
Foundation
public charity
founded in
teaching,
at its core, isis a a
revolutionary
act
Washington,
DC of
and
operating
the United States
capable
bringing
about in
transformation
in the and South
Africa. The
Khulula
Foundation
seeks our
to students.
develop the next
lives of
our most
valuable resource,
Educators
are tasked with from
what we
believe to be
generation
of change-agents
low-income
communities
of society’s
most significant
roles:
ensuring
that
in Southone
Africa
by providing
them
with
a transformative
students
are equipped
with within
both the
academic
university
preparatory
education
their
community.
and non-academic skills that are critical to
cultivating and achieving their hopes and dreams.
The Innovative Teacher’s Project was created with
the belief that teachers possess the power to
create meaningful change in their classrooms and
in their schools and that in spite of external factors;
teachers can make an impactful difference in the
lives of their students.
Acknowledgements
On behalf of the Khulula Foundation and Kgololo Academy
we are incredibly thankful to the E.M. Gitt Foundation for
providing us with funding support to conduct the Feasibility
Study for the Proposed New Grade R-12 Independent School
in the Alexandra Township.
We are also incredibly thankful to the following for making this
feasibility study possible: the residents of the Alexandra
Township, the Alexandra Library, Ikage, Inkanyezi Waldorf,
Ithute, Bovet, Zenzeleni, Ekukhanyisweni, Emfundisweni, D.R.
Knak, Carter, and Iphutheng Primary Schools for contributing
to the study, the feasibility studyinterns, the Khulula
Foundation and Kgololo Academy Board of Directors, Eliza
Kennedy, J. Daniel Hollinger and M. Thulani Mbatha.
Core Elements of Kgololo Academy’s
Education Plan
1. Social Justice
Foundation
2. Innovative
Teacher
Development
• Culturally
relevant
curriculum
• Classroom
culture that
encourages
inquiry
• History a required
elective for all
secondary
students
• Intensive
teacher’s
institute before
the start of the
school year
• Weekly
professional
development for
teachers
• Mentor/Coach
assigned to all
teachers
3. Extended
Learning Time
• 25% more
instructional time
• Holiday school
sessions
• Extended
Language and
Math Blocks
4. Family, School,
Community
Connection
• Monthly
workshops and
activities for
parents
• Participatory
culture that
encourages and
requires parent
involvement
• Partner with
neighbouring
schools and
agencies on
programming
5. Teaching with
Technology
• iPad tablets
/Notebook
computers to
enhance
instruction
• Teacher training
on technology
integration
• Personal
computer for all
teachers and
multimedia
equipment
Feasibility Study Overview
Aim: To assess parent receptiveness to the proposed new
independent school and to assess the current offerings of primary
schools in the Alexandra Township.
Data Collection Tools
New Independent School Feasibility Study-School Survey: used to
gather general information about the primary schools’ current
enrollment data, class size, staff size, extramural offerings, special
facilities, mother tongue subjects offered, and whether or not the
school had a counselor or social worker on staff.
Parent/Caregiver Survey: used to assess demand for a university
preparatory school in the Alexandra Township, if parents would be
willing and able to pay school fees, the factors that parents
consider the most important when choosing a school, and whether
the proposed beliefs, values, and ethos of Kgololo Academy are
in-line with the community’s beliefs and values.
South African Education System Overview
•
The South African population is
51million
•
33% of the population are under
the age of 35
•
10% of the population is
completely illiterate
•
30% of the population has
completed secondary school
(high school)
•
12% of the population has
completed tertiary school
•
12 million students attend public
and private primary secondary
schools
•
476:1 national Learner to School
Ratio(LSR)
•
31:1 national Learner to Educator
Ratio (LER)
Annual National Assessments (ANA)
•
ANA’s were implemented in 2011 and designed to benchmark
learning performance and track student achievement
•
As learners move from grade to grade performance shows a sharp
decline (See yellow highlighted items for Grade 1 and Grade 9 Math
comparison).
Grade/Subject
2011
2012
Grade/Subject
2011
2012
1/ Math
63%
68%
5/Math
28%
30%
1/Literacy
59%
58%
5/Home Language
28%
40%
2/Math
55%
57%
5/First Additional Language
N/A
30%
2/Literacy
52%
55%
6/Math
27%
30%
3/Math
28%
41%
6/Home Language
28%
34%
3/Literacy
35%
52%
6/First Additional Language
N/A
36%
4/Math
28%
37%
9/Math
N/A
13%
4/Home Language
34%
43%
9/Home Language
N/A
43%
4/First Additional Language
N/A
34%
9/First Additional Language
N/A
35%
("2012 ANA results show learners making progress")
Information on the performance of individual schools was not available at the time that this
document was published, however; the Khulula Foundation is actively seeking this information.
National Senior Certificate Exam (NSC)
• To mark successful completion of secondary school, all public
school students must take the NSC exam
• In grade 9 learners choose a course of study to pursue for
grades 10-12 and there are corresponding courses that they
must take
• To matriculate a learner must earn 40% in 3 subjects one of
which must be home language and 30% in 3 remaining subjects
• In 2012 the average for national achievement on the National
Senior Certificate exam was 73.9%
• Of the 73.9% of learners who successfully passed the NSC exam,
26.6% qualified to pursue a Bachelor degree as compared to
24% in 2011, 23.5% in 2010, and 19.9% in 2009
Alexandra Township Community
Demographic Information
•
Located in Johannesburg, in the
Gauteng Province
•
Located near economic hub
Sandton and industrial hub
Wynberg
•
Approximately 7 square kilometers
in size
•
Built to accommodate 70,000
residents
•
Population estimates: 350,000750,000
•
70% of the population is under 35
•
Divided into 3 sections: Old
Alexandra (most densely
populated), East Bank (middle class
section), and Far East Bank
(subsidized houses)
•
Culturally and linguistically diverse
Alexandra Township Education Landscape
•
13 primary schools, 1 private primary school,
5 high schools, 1 technical college, 1 public
library (10 primary schools participated in the
study)
•
8:00-14:00/14:30 average school day
•
1200:1 Alexandra Primary Schools’ Learner to
School Ratio (LSR)compared to the 476:1
national average LSR
•
Alexandra Primary Schools’ average class
size is 43 students compared to the national
Learner to Educator Ratio (LER) of 31:1
•
All primary schools surveyed in Alexandra are
no-fee paying schools except for two
•
Gauteng Province matriculation rate: 83.9%
•
Alexandra Township matriculation rate: 65%
•
21% of Alexandra matriculants qualify to
pursue a Bachelors degree
Alexandra Primary School Profiles
School Name
Grades
Student
Average
Population
Class Size
Teachers
Teaching
School
Mother Tongue
Assistants
Counselor or
Subjects Offered
Social Worker
on Staff
Bovet
R-7
1514
45
34
0
No
Tsonga and Venda
Carter
R-7
1168
45
29
0
No
Setswana and Zulu
DR Knak
R-7
1228
55
30
0
No
Sepedi and Sesotho
Emfundisweni
R-6
1142
45
29
0
No
Zulu and Southern
Sotho
Ikage
R-7
1212
38
32
0
No
Zulu and Sepedi
Ekukhanyisweni
R-7
1283
39
35
5 (HW Assistance)
No
Zulu
Inkanyezi Waldorf R-7
1135
36
28
1
No
English and
Afrikaans
Iphutheng
R-7
1387
37
33
4
No
Sepedi
Ithute
R-7
1200
45
34
10
No
Zulu, Xhosa, and
Venda
Zenzeleni
R-7
1296
50
37
7 (HW Assistance)
Yes
Zulu and Xhosa
Extra-Murals and Special Facilities
Extra-Murals
•
Based on the information collected from
primary schools, all have an active extramural program composed primarily of
sporting activities
•
No school participating in the study stated
any offerings of academic oriented extramural activities
Special Facilities
•
All schools surveyed have a computer lab
•
No school survey stated having an outdoor
play area with playground equipment such
as slides, swings, etc.
•
Only one school surveyed stated having a
science lab
Parent/Caregiver Survey Overview
•
The purpose of the survey was to gauge interest in the
proposed new schools model and to gather
information on the factors that parents consider
important when selecting a school
•
The survey tool was developed with the assistance of
international education consultant J. Daniel Hollinger
•
Six interns were hired to administer the survey to
Alexandra Township Residents with children between
the ages of 0-4
•
The survey was written in English and responses were
recorded in English, however, our multi-lingual interns
administered the survey in the mother tongue of the
respondent
•
Respondents were surveyed throughout Alexandra,
however, most were administered in Old Alexandra
•
180 surveys were administered, however only 171 were
analyzed due to errors in administering the survey
•
The survey was analyzed by a Bain Consultant as an inkind donation
Information about Survey Respondents
•
195 children ages 0-4 are represented in the survey results, with 78
children in grade R-12 which adds up to a total of 273 children in all
•
71% of the respondents surveyed reside in Old Alexandra
•
50% of the respondents are employed, however, most did not specify
where
•
Of the respondents who did specify their type of employment,
domestic worker was the most popular
•
36% of respondents achieved a matric qualification, with almost
none of the respondents graduating from university
•
Most of the respondents who participated in the survey have a
monthly household income of <R5000 per month
•
Over 60% of respondents currently pay for child care for their children
between the ages of 0-4 and of the respondents who pay school
fees or childcare, most pay within the range of R250-R500 per month
Employment and Educational Attainment of
Respondents
Enrollment Analysis
•
44% of respondents send their children
to primary schools outside of the
Alexandra Township
•
School location, academic reputation,
and the language of instruction in
respondents mother tongue were
listed as the top three factors that
parents consider when selecting
schools
•
84% of parents want their child to
matriculate from high school prepared
for university as opposed to being
prepared for a trade
•
51% of respondents were willing to pay
at least R300 (~$40)for tuition per
month
•
Free schooling was the least important
factor for respondents who would be
willing to enroll their child in the
proposed new independent school
Kgololo Academy Model of Education
The final section of the Parent/Caregiver Survey sought to assess
respondents’ interest in the core components of Kgololo Academy’s
model. Below are a few of the components that were addressed:
•
An extended school day from 7:30-16:30 would be convenient for my
family.
•
Mandatory school during winter and spring holidays/breaks would be
convenient for my family.
•
It is important for my child to focus in depth on South African/African
history and their contributions to society.
•
A school that promotes tolerance of others races, religions, sexual
orientations, cultures, nationalities, etc., appeals to me.
•
I would support a school in Alexandra that uses English as the medium of
instruction from Grade R.
•
I would support less formal school uniforms that include, black bottoms
(skirt/pants/shorts), polo collared shirts, and All Star sneakers (no blazers or
formal uniform dresses).
Respondent Responses to Overall School
Model
Respondent Responses to Overall School
Model Continued
• Overall, respondents were generally aligned with Kgololo
Academy’s school model except that respondents would prefer
more formal uniforms
• Our initial hypothesis was that parents would prefer less formal
uniforms, which would come at less of an expense for parents,
however, parents were adamant that school uniforms should be
formal and that this formality adds value to the perception of
the school as a respectable educational institution
S.W.O.T. Analysis
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
Extensive knowledge of the South African education Start-up venture
sector and education trends
Current lack of infrastructure
Support of United States individual donor base
Partial
Personal
connection
to
the
Alexandra
dependence
on
philanthropy
for
initial
Township sustainability
community
Parental support for our proposed model of education
Established support from local non-profit organizations
and community leaders in the Alexandra Township
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
Interest in “Impact School” model in South Africa is on the Competing with no-fee paying schools
rise (low-fee, university preparatory schools serving low- Competition with existing “Impact Schools” outside of
income areas)
Closing
the
the Alexandra Township
achievement
gap
in
low-income Competing
communities is a current government priority
with
the
concept
that
schools
in
“privileged” areas are the only options for a university
Interest in tailored education for students from low- preparatory education
income communities is a consistent topic of discourse
Social-Emotional and physical health of learners and
Have established relationships with foundations interested their caregivers
in investing in similar school models
Have established relationships with local, national, and
international education focused non-profits and schools
Conclusions, Updates, and
Recommendations
• Based on the analysis of the data, it is clear that parents and
caregivers have interest and would support our school model
• In January 2013, Kgololo Academy became a legal entity in
South Africa and is registered as a non-profit company
• The next important step in our development is the acquisition
of land to construct a facility or to purchase an existing facility
• Upon securing a facility, we will then be able to lodge an
application with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) in
order to be granted permission to formally establish Kgololo
Academy as a recognized academic institution in South
Africa