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