MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

Women Need To Be Empowered To Lead Our Schools

MyPR: Women Need To Be Empowered To Lead Our Schools:

Ms Thabisa Vili KST Motheo District Manager, Ms M. E. Nkhi, Principal at Tsimatsima Primary School, Educator from Tsimatsima Primary School, Grade 1 Learners from Tsimatsima Primary School.

As South Africa commemorates Women’s Month it provides communities an opportunity to reflect on the inequality of women in society. There are areas of progress that have been made and other areas where the gender inequality gap remains unbridged. The role of women in today’s society is critical; they lend a perspective to government, business and the social fabric of our culture.

International research has demonstrated that the role of women in top executive positions has a profoundly positive effect on profit, people and planet – the three prized outcomes of good organisations.
The ILO Global Wage report of 2018/19, published in May 2019, has some depressing figures about the gender pay gap in South Africa. Covering 70 countries and 80% of wage employees worldwide, the report shows that on average, women continue to be paid 28% less than men are. In South Africa, South African women who are permanently employed earn 22.7% less than men do and those who work part-time earn 39% less than men do.

When coming to basic education the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) coordinated by Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conducted an international education survey to access the state of education amongst countries of which South Africa was the only participant on the African continent. The findings on gender distribution of teacher and principals workforce showed a degree of gender imbalance and disparities in the scope of promotion to leadership positions. In South Africa, only 22% of principals are women, compared to 60% of teachers.

This can be benchmarked against the OECD averages of 47% of women among school leaders and 68% among teachers.

The acceleration of school districts supporting instructional leadership is one of the interventions that can empower more female teachers and principals to be well equipped to take-up leadership positions.

Ms M. E. Nkhi, Principal at a KST school Tsimatsima Primary in the Motheo district in the Free State Province is one of very few female principals. “Women should be given the opportunity to stand up and showcase their strength, female educators need to start embracing technology and apply critical thinking and decision making”, said Nkhi. Tsimatsima Primary is part of KST District Whole School Development programme and has received curriculum educator support in Mathematics and English for foundation and intermediate phase. This intervention will benefit four educators of which three are women and the 31 learners in school. At a handover ceremony the learners received school uniform donated and collected from KST’s partner entities as part of the school uniform collection drive.

“Key to gender equality later in life is the provision of schooling for girls that encourages them to begin and pursue science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects from an early age. There is no basis to the idea that girls cannot do technical subjects, indeed the opposite is true; they often excel against boys until their mid-teens. The drop could be attributed to a societal pressure to be more ‘womanly’”, concludes Nkhi.

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Have you tried: Whale and Dolphin Watching in Algoa Bay?

Did you know this about Johannesburg? At the northern extremity of Johannesburg was Parktown, already known for its exclusivity and extreme wealth. Sir Lionel Phillips was the first Randlord to build a mansion in Parktown. “Hohenheim” was built in 1894 and demolished in 1972 to make way for the Johannesburg Academic Hospital. Sunny Side Park was designed by Frank Emley for Hennen Jennings and completed in 1896. Today it is part of the Sunny Side Park Hotel. “The View” was completed in 1897. It was built by Charles Aburrow as the residence of Sir Thomas Cullinan.

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The Maboneng Precinct: Architecture

Maboneng is architecturally distinct because it rejects the “demolish and rebuild” philosophy. Instead, it embraces adaptive reuse. The Bioscope, South Africa’s only independent cinema, operates out of an old industrial space; The Living Room is a lush rooftop oasis that offers panoramic views of the skyline from atop a concrete shell; and the Museum of African Design (MOAD) was housed in a massive 1970s warehouse. This aesthetic—exposed brick, industrial steel, and vibrant street art—has become the visual shorthand for “cool” Johannesburg. The murals here are particularly significant; they aren’t just decoration but are often massive social commentaries by local and international street artists like Faith47 and ROA, turning the very walls of the city into a public gallery.

However, Maboneng is also at the center of a complex debate regarding gentrification and social integration. Critics argue that while the precinct is a “bubble” of safety and creativity, it often stands in stark contrast to the surrounding poverty of the inner city. The challenge for Maboneng has always been how to be an engine for economic growth without alienating the residents who lived there during the “dark” years. In response, many initiatives within the precinct focus on local entrepreneurship, such as the Market on Main, which provides a platform for local food vendors and designers every Sunday.