At the heart of every community are school governing bodies, which are supposed to promote the education and well-being of our children.
But what happens when these bodies are just a name?
This is a question that not only the residents of Hopefield, but also many other communities are concerned about.
A good example is the five teachers, who all come from the Hopefield community, but who had to accept that they could not get a job in their own town. The Truth heard this shocking story for the first time on Friday. All the teachers had to go to work in other towns, while teachers from other towns were employed in Hopefield.
They wanted to serve their community
These women studied for education with the dream of not only teaching children, but acting as role models for the younger generation. They know the children and their parents; they understand the challenges and the dreams of the community. Yet they find themselves without job opportunities in the place where they can mean the most.
This is not only a loss for the teacher, but also for the children who have to go to school every day. The high number of learners who leave school and hang out on the streets is an undeniable sign that something is not going right in the education system. Children who are suspended for small things realize that the suspensions have no real consequences, so it becomes a normal part of their life. The concern of parents is a reality. Their children wander around during school hours, and many do not even know that their children have been suspended. In many cases, working parents are not informed by their children that they have been suspended.
The question is:- where is the school governing body during all this chaos?
The schools in our communities should not only be places where academic knowledge is transferred, but also spaces where sport, culture and social development are promoted. In Hopefield, however, sport is a luxury, rather than a necessity.
Even sport officials don’t care
The West Coast Sports Solutions recently wrote to the Sports office in Vredenburg about it, but there was no response. This lack of communication and engagement is worrying.
What does the school governing body do to encourage sports and other activities?
The truth is that the school governing body must play a key role in the development of a healthy learning environment. It is not enough to just exist, they must be actively involved and make a difference.
This includes creating learning opportunities, supporting sport and promoting a culture of responsibility and opportunities. How can they expect to serve the community if they are not themselves present and involved?
It is time for the residents of Hopefield community to start asking questions about the effectiveness of their school governing body. The children of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and it is the duty of communities to ensure that they receive the support and guidance they need to thrive. We must make the voice of the community heard and demand that the school governing body fulfil their role as leaders and supporters of the children.
The shocking facts.
A 9-year-old boy fell over in the road last week, and people were under the impression he was sick. Until people noticed the child was completely messed up from drugs. Calls for help fall on deaf ears, so little are parents interested in their own children. Children do not go to school, but still receive government social payments.
For many parents, it’s about the money, not the child.
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