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This resource comprises two companion components, the guide and the toolkit. The guide is intended to assist school leadership and management to understand why and how a particular strategy, method, or idea is useful. At the same time, this resource is intended to be relevant to the context and practice of the school, therefore, included in the toolkit component are realistic exemplars, check lists, and a set of information management tools that demonstrate approaches and methods for recording, planning, managing and monitoring implementation of a range of care and support interventions. Maryla Bialobrzeska reports.
“Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.”
“Education is the great engine of personal development.”
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.
The three quotes above, all from various speeches made by Nelson Mandela in recent years, address two of the key concerns that we, in South Africa, are grappling with. The first quote, acknowledges a fundamental truth - our children are the future. The second and third quotes speak to the central role of education in personal (national) and world development.
The importance of education is widely recognised and understood. It is the foundation for lifelong learning and human development and is also an essential ingredient in the fight against poverty, various forms of abuse, and HIV and AIDS. Children have the right to quality education that has relevance to their day-to-day lives and developmental needs. Yet, across South Africa, thousands of children do not realise this right as a result of the vulnerabilities that characterise their lives. For example, according to various reports, there are currently approximately 1.2 million AIDS orphans (mother, father or both parents dead), in South Africa (Avert website: www.avert.org with similar figures being quoted by UNICEF). While HIV and AIDS are a major cause of orphanhood and vulnerability amongst children, it is well documented (UNICEF, UNAIDS, MIET, SAIDE) that this is by no means the only cause. Poverty and a range of other socio-economic factors all contribute significantly to orphanhood and vulnerability and are major barriers to educational access and success.
Creating a Caring School: A Guide for School Management Teams with an accompanying Toolkit, is SAIDE’s most recent publication. It is intended to assist school leadership and management to better understand and address the socio-economic context of schooling and the barriers to education that many of South Africa’s vulnerable learners face daily. For more detail click here.
For further discussion on using the resource email Maryla Bialobrzeska and for a promotional copy of the resource contact Jenny Louw. |
