EDUCATOR SUPPORT

As a result of the previously poor system of education for those in rural areas, many educators lack the necessary training and skills to meet the requirements of the South African school curriculum.  Schools are largely under-resourced, and large numbers of learners in classes are common. 

iThemba Projects uses the expertise of their education staff, as well as that of volunteers from local schools, in order to assist and up-skill educators in schools in the Sweetwaters' community. 

Quarterly materials development workshops are run in conjunction with Grace College’s (a local high school) Masihambisane programme, and educators from Cowan House School (a local primary school).  These workshops are aimed at developing resources with the educators, which they can take and use in the classrooms.  The basis for the resources that are developed is the South African government’s “Foundations for Learning” campaign.  This document clearly describes the resources that should be present in all classrooms in South Africa. 
A further aim of the educator support programme is to visit educators in schools, to encourage and motivate them, and to assess and hear from educators as to their needs. 

There are currently in excess of 50 educators from over 15 schools attending the workshops on a regular basis.