The internationally acclaimed programme Partners for Possibility (PfP), will partner eight school principals with a business leader in their community. Together they will complete a 150 hour programme over the course of a year to the benefit all of the stakeholders.
Brenda Scrooby, a seasoned businesswoman who has retired to Kokanje Retirement Village outside Modimolle, has tried for months to get sponsorships to bring the PfP-programme to the Waterberg. The Development Bank of Southern Africa has come to her assistance to launch the programme and bring about change to struggling schools.
Scrooby, who has won several business awards, will be the learning process facilitator and guide the principals and business leaders through the programme. She has been selected as a finalist in Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government and was named leading transport visionary of the Year 2011 at the Transport Africa Awards. In 2010 she was a finalist in the Shoprite Checkers Woman of the Year awards.
“The programme was launched in 2010 by Symphonia for South Africa, a non-profit organisation, as a leadership development initiative. The founder, Louise van Rhyn, ascertained that out of the 25 000 schools in our country, only 5 000 were flourishing while the other 20 000 were struggling. The successful schools had several common factors — their communities were involved with the school, the principal had organisational skills and the school governing body, which often consisted of lawyers, accountants, etc. could offer support to the principal. Van Rhyn turned to corporate business to find a remedy and a permanent solution for this problem,” said Scrooby.
At the end of April, PfP facilitated its 1000th partnership between the principal of a struggling school and a business leader.
Companies such as Engen, Exxaro, Lewis, Sanlam, Nedbank and Consol supportd the project.
Inspiring leaders such as Desmond Tutu, advocate Thuli Madonsela, Pravin Gordhan, Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Dr. Mamphela Ramphele and Kgalema Motlante have endorsed Partners for Possibility. According to Scrooby the programme was moderated as a NQF level 6 leadership development programme with the University of the Western Cape. The principals who complete the programme will be awarded 40 continuing professional development (CPD) points through the program-me’s accreditation with the South African Council for Educators (SACE).
The current beneficiaries of the programme are Busisiwe Mashupya from Mokolo Primary School in Vaalwater who will partner with Marlene van Staden, mayor of the Modimolle-Mookgophong Municipality, Sarah Seloana from Lotamang Combined School in Mookgophong will partner with Arna Grötsch, an attorney and debt counsellor, and Joseph Mashishi from Realeng Secondary School in Bela-Bela will partner with Don Cook, Executive Director of Life Design Ministries.
Sydney Mothemela from Makhutjisha High School in Mookgophong will partner with Donald Matsetela, Chief Audit Executive at the Modimolle-Mookgophong-municipality, Magdaline Laka from the Maope Secondary School in Bela-Bela will partner with Janine Botha, Director of non-governmental organisation Hands of Hope and Rebecca Mahapa from the Hector Peterson Primary School in Modimolle will partner with Louise Buys, the Bible School principal of the Koinonia Community Church. Steven Mahapholo from the Solomon Mahhlangu High School in Modimolle will partner with pastor Felix Fambi from the Grace International Ministries and Andrew Makgoba of Lekkerbreek Primary School in Modimolle will partner with Mariaan Buys, a pastor at the Koinonia Community Church.
The project was launched on Wednesday 5 June at Lekkerbreek Primary School in Modimolle.
