Edufundi releases 2022 Annual Report
June 20, 2023Addressing discipline through improved leadership
July 25, 2023Sustainability. It’s a word that is used in many different contexts these days - from the environment to development work. But what does it mean in the context of Edufundi?
The Edufundi Support Programme - which runs for three years in schools across South Africa, providing bespoke support to teachers and School Management Teams - is centred around “sustainability.” This means that, once Edufundi leaves a school, their teachings and influence remain embedded in the culture and everyday practices. It means that teachers and school leaders are given the tools to improve their professions and their workplaces. It means that teachers and school leaders are encouraged to show other staff members the techniques and approaches that have made the biggest difference.
KK Ncwane Primary School, which sits in the Kwazakhele township in the north of Gqeberha. After receiving intensive mentoring and leadership support, the school graduated from the Edufundi Programme at the end of 2021.
“Edufundi did not die,” says Mrs. Madubedube, the Departmental Head at KK Ncwane Primary School. “It is still vibrant and living!”
Mrs. Madubedube explains that, because of the impact Edufundi had on the school, teachers who had been mentored were asked to do a workshop with their colleagues at the beginning of 2023, in order to share the techniques they had learned.
“We planned that all teachers that were in Edufundi … do a workshop for the other teachers in the school,” she says. Even today, as you walk through the corridors of the school, you will see learners lining up for the Threshold technique.
The entire school culture has been influenced by Edufundi, says Mrs. Madubedube. “The learners know how to behave well, even outside the classroom … even the discipline with the learners playing outside at school … they behave well,” she says.
Edufundi weaves sustainability into its programmes by ensuring that learnings are generated through self-reflective processes. Typically, School Management Teams who have participated in Lead Like a Champion programme go on to mentor teachers within their own school - thus creating a sustainable ecosystem of mentorship.