Dear Country men and women
[1] The Chair is of the opinion that the SG is out of Jozi for a while and down at Uthaka working hard to consolidate our existence on the roads and minds of our people. His absence however, can never be a reason for administrative duties to cease to continue here at UBPA. At is upon the realization of that situation that the Chair now finds it fitting to communicate with the membership of UBPA.
[2] UBPA will remember that we have not yet had an AGM and thus have failed to elect new leadership that will compile and develop their new plan of action. An AGM is a constitutional requirement at UBPA and it is up to the executive at the time to call it. The Chair will then reintroduce this matter on the minds of UBPA.
[3] Wits University and Mariston concluded and accepted the new logo of UBPA. That logo must be unveiled to the membership of UBPA, and we hope that the DC has kept to the time line she was given to conclude that logo. If that is the case, and we hope it is the case, the DC will be reminded that the time is ripe to unveil this logo and accordingly kick start the second phase, that of T-shirts just before the Winter classes begin.
[4] The Chair does not know if the TG/O was informed as to the resolution that the associates were going to donate a specific amount of money that was going to be used for the production of T-shirts. If not, then here you have it TG/O. The DC was mandated to get a quotation so to work out exactly how much money must each associate contribute, and we shall hope she has done so.
[5] UBPA was blessed to have secured the services of new associates which is good for the long run and the continued existence of UBPA. It should be customary that such associates must meet all our associates and be welcomed by all associates at UBPA, something the Mariston meeting failed to achieve.
[6] It is trite associates, particular amongst those who attend meetings that and those at the very least who read the SG's Agenda and notes after every meeting, that some of us we given specific tasks to perform at a meeting held at Wits University at the beginning of this year; with regards to what the Chair had termed "dead wood" in UJ Buntington Road Campus. It follows from this premise that when we are given tasks we then should report back to UBPA on how we have handled and executed those tasks.
[7] It had appeared to the Chair that our TG/O was struggling to swim and perhaps that is the reason her continued dedication to UBPA has been dwindling.
Associates the above must serve as a synopsis for this Chair to call a meeting of all UBPA associates wherever they may be to sit just after Easter. That meeting will also serve as a general prayer for success in all our endeavors given the fact that moments after it some of us will have to sit for mid year exams. After those exams all roads will head to Wakkerstromm where we must arrive prepared and fully organised.
The Chair then proposes as follows, after Easter a meeting that will address the above problems and/or issues he has outlined. And that meeting, if agreed to by the associates, must take place at Medunsa so to try to rekindle the dedication and determination that was once showed by the TG/O.
The Chair will then hope that you all find this proposal in good faith and that you shall as soon as possible get back to the Chair on whether or not you agree with such a proposal. Should you do that with elaborated and controlled speed, the Chair and his executive will then fine tune the details.
Thulani Nkosi
Chairperson and Co-head Education Cluster, at UBPA, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
From the Education Cluster
Dear UBPA
From the Education Desk of UBPA
[1] UBPA, we at the education desk are concerned about a few issues that require the attention, guidance and intervention of UBPA. We are concerned about the Open day trips that continue to fail. The reason for such failure may be that we have not correctly and sufficiently applied ourselves to the situation as prevailing at Wakkerstroom currently. We simply refuse to think and even accept that the learners of UThaka Secondary School may not be forthcoming because they do not want to experience what will become a life time opportunity for many of them. We also refuse to accept that they may not be cooperating simply because they are ignorant.
[2] What we are proposing is that perhaps we need a new strategy and plan of action all together to get this vision working. It is clear that the donation issue is failing on two accounts. One, there is no one in the school driving it from the top, and two, there is a possibility that the learners just do not know how to conduct this thing and therefore we cannot expect them to pull it off on their own. Both scenarios seem to suggest to us that there is a lack of guidance and proper leadership.
[3] There was an issue, which we think can be a possible solution here that was raised by Mr Mngomezulu at Wits. Mngomezulu suggested that the time has come for UBPA to speak to the source as it were. He suggested that instead of pussy footing and tip toeing around Mr Tsotetsi we should present our vision directly to the SGB of the school. The meeting at Wits held that as a matter of principle we should first work through Tsotetsie, but that was before we got information from the SG to the effect that despite numerous calls to Tsotetsi's office there is no movement for the good.
[4] The education desk will accordingly plead with Mtshali and Ms Nkwanyana in their capacities as associates in charge of marketing UBPA to set up a meeting with the SGB of UThaka Sec. in terms of which we are afforded an opportunity present our vision as UBPA directly to the management of the school. We expect that meeting to sit any time during our Winter classes program. We sincerely hope that the associates concerned will pull their weight and make this happen.
[5] This takes us to the second issue: that of the Winter Classes. The Chair had pleaded with his associates to confirm their availability for the program, as usual until this point none has been forthcoming. But the plan from the education desk is that we should not change too much from the way we have been working as demonstrated by the past two years, unless of course something tragic and beyond our imagination compels us to change.
[6] We are mindful of the fact that we have received and welcomed new associates. We are further mindful of the fact that Mr Ngwenya has asked for work at UBPA. Now, what we are going to do is two fold. One, we ask Ms Nkwanyana again to ensure that we have access to the classrooms and other resources for the purposes of teaching, like chalks dusters and so on. Two, we are looking to stream line our operations in a better organised way. By this we mean, amongst ourselves we shall divide our associates according to the the subjects they undertake to assist in. In what follows is a break down and grouping of subjects under which we hope associates will avail themselves.
[7.a] Maths and Science
Here we require associates who will take Mathematics, Physical Science and Biological Sciences.
[7.b] Social Sciences and Tourism
Here we require associates who will take Geography, History, Life Orintation and Tourism.
[7.c] Commercial Sciences
Here we require associates who will take Accounting, Business Studies and Economics.
- Thulani Nkosi avails himself for Business Studies and Economics
[8] Note that we say nothing about languages. This is so because experience from previous years have been that our pupils do not have issues pertaining to IsiZulu. As for English and Afrikaans, if Mr Xulu is around he uses the Winter break to focus on literature and poems anyway. Mr Nyembe has generally availed himself for Afrikaans. But, associates if the need arises to tackle the languages then we should do so without any delay.
We at the education desk will hope that associates will cooperate and that they find this correspondence in good faith.
From the Education Desk at UBPA, 2009
From the Education Desk of UBPA
[1] UBPA, we at the education desk are concerned about a few issues that require the attention, guidance and intervention of UBPA. We are concerned about the Open day trips that continue to fail. The reason for such failure may be that we have not correctly and sufficiently applied ourselves to the situation as prevailing at Wakkerstroom currently. We simply refuse to think and even accept that the learners of UThaka Secondary School may not be forthcoming because they do not want to experience what will become a life time opportunity for many of them. We also refuse to accept that they may not be cooperating simply because they are ignorant.
[2] What we are proposing is that perhaps we need a new strategy and plan of action all together to get this vision working. It is clear that the donation issue is failing on two accounts. One, there is no one in the school driving it from the top, and two, there is a possibility that the learners just do not know how to conduct this thing and therefore we cannot expect them to pull it off on their own. Both scenarios seem to suggest to us that there is a lack of guidance and proper leadership.
[3] There was an issue, which we think can be a possible solution here that was raised by Mr Mngomezulu at Wits. Mngomezulu suggested that the time has come for UBPA to speak to the source as it were. He suggested that instead of pussy footing and tip toeing around Mr Tsotetsi we should present our vision directly to the SGB of the school. The meeting at Wits held that as a matter of principle we should first work through Tsotetsie, but that was before we got information from the SG to the effect that despite numerous calls to Tsotetsi's office there is no movement for the good.
[4] The education desk will accordingly plead with Mtshali and Ms Nkwanyana in their capacities as associates in charge of marketing UBPA to set up a meeting with the SGB of UThaka Sec. in terms of which we are afforded an opportunity present our vision as UBPA directly to the management of the school. We expect that meeting to sit any time during our Winter classes program. We sincerely hope that the associates concerned will pull their weight and make this happen.
[5] This takes us to the second issue: that of the Winter Classes. The Chair had pleaded with his associates to confirm their availability for the program, as usual until this point none has been forthcoming. But the plan from the education desk is that we should not change too much from the way we have been working as demonstrated by the past two years, unless of course something tragic and beyond our imagination compels us to change.
[6] We are mindful of the fact that we have received and welcomed new associates. We are further mindful of the fact that Mr Ngwenya has asked for work at UBPA. Now, what we are going to do is two fold. One, we ask Ms Nkwanyana again to ensure that we have access to the classrooms and other resources for the purposes of teaching, like chalks dusters and so on. Two, we are looking to stream line our operations in a better organised way. By this we mean, amongst ourselves we shall divide our associates according to the the subjects they undertake to assist in. In what follows is a break down and grouping of subjects under which we hope associates will avail themselves.
[7.a] Maths and Science
Here we require associates who will take Mathematics, Physical Science and Biological Sciences.
[7.b] Social Sciences and Tourism
Here we require associates who will take Geography, History, Life Orintation and Tourism.
[7.c] Commercial Sciences
Here we require associates who will take Accounting, Business Studies and Economics.
- Thulani Nkosi avails himself for Business Studies and Economics
[8] Note that we say nothing about languages. This is so because experience from previous years have been that our pupils do not have issues pertaining to IsiZulu. As for English and Afrikaans, if Mr Xulu is around he uses the Winter break to focus on literature and poems anyway. Mr Nyembe has generally availed himself for Afrikaans. But, associates if the need arises to tackle the languages then we should do so without any delay.
We at the education desk will hope that associates will cooperate and that they find this correspondence in good faith.
From the Education Desk at UBPA, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
