On the 18th May 2019 our delegate attended an RCL Pilot Training program called by the Gauteng Department Of Education at Irene, South of Pretoria. The training was a collaboration between UNISA & Mathews Goniwe School of Leadership. The initiative has seen 75 schools been selected for the program in the province.
The intention of the training was to equip learners with leadership skills that will help them understand ways in which to deal with issues affecting learning and teaching at their respective schools. Dr Naidoo is heard saying, ” The RCL has got a very significant role to play towards the curricullum development rather than disrupting learning and teaching”.
Learners were advised about how to analyse their schools in addition to coming up with the programs that will help create a positive learning and teaching environment. The RCL are instructed to initiate programs that will deal with issues such as substance abuse, bullying, bunking classes, absenteeism, vandalism, etc.
Even though the program seems to be a positive initiative and a relevant stop in the right direction, I think the project is too big for the learners following spites of violent, gansterism, killings and fightings at schools. One would believe that the activities happening at schools in the recent past is a call for all the stakeholders to be involved in trying to resolve the problems happening at schools.
The MEC for education, Mr Panyaza Lusufi, has called on and arranged a gathering of educational stakeholders under the theme, “MEC’s Consultative Meeting” which is scheduled to take place on June 14th, 2019 at Nasrec, Johannesburg. It remains unclear what is on the agenda, but crime and security at schools will obviously feature in the discussion.
