Hi All

In June 2010 my husband and I decided to open a small primary school on our smallholding in Benoni. We completed all the required registrations by December, including with the Gauteng Education Department, NPO and SACE.

12 January we opened with 8 students, and starting the new term on 11 April, we will be 23 enrolled students. Our desire is to reach out to our community and introduce children to excellence in education, on an academic level as well as influeincing their lives positively. We want to teach life skills and change the lives of these children. Most of them have absent fathers, so how can one expect them to learn the values which a father is expected teach his children? Mothers play a vital role, but a father figure is critical for children, and especially teenagers.

We are in our fourth month and amongst the many lessons we learnt to date, we have t contend with parents who cannot pay their school fees, minimal as it is. How does one deal with such parents?

Hi
Education is something that is close to my heart as well and would love to share a few models that work well in SA and I highly recommend that you connect with them - they are always willing to share from their learnings. I believe it is essential that you maintain a level of fair exchange from the start - so even if parents can not afford to pay, then they should contribute in other ways to the school.
CIDA and Tsiba - these are tertiary level education insitutions that allow students to study their degree qualification for FREE
LEAP Schools (http://www.leapschool.org.za) - this is a high school with a great model, which allow people from previously disadvataged communities to have a great high school education
Shiloh Synergy (http://www.shiloh.org.za) - a terrific pre-school that serves one of the poorest communities in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town.
There are great models/examples to learn from and again I highly recommend that you connect with the principals/founders of the schools above - you'll be inspired!
Keep well!
Lluwellyn

Here is a great Youtube clip that sums up the challenges and opportunities with current education http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U - Enjoy Lluwellyn

Have a look at my blogspot: http://centuriongrowthacademy.blogspot.com. Alternative to working with the Dept of education. We are working through EXAMINATION BOARD FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATION that bypass the DET.