The Beauty Of The Xhosa Language - A Poem And A Song

This short movie has a group of children performing a kindergarten poem and a song in the beautiful amaxhosa language.

School Education Going Industrial In South Africa?

Today's article was written by a 2^nd year journalism student of the Walter Sisulu University. Nobesuthu Beya investigates a new clocking system for teachers which has been proposed by the Department of Education. 

Despite government’s good intention, there has been mixed emotions when it comes to the proposed finger clocking system for teachers.
R480 million is to be invested in a proposed biometric clocking system for schools, aimed at curbing teacher absenteeism and bettering the education system in our country. This was announced earlier this year by Education Minister Angie Motshekga at a media briefing.
A recent survey showed that South Africa has the highest teacher absenteeism rate in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), according to the South African Government News Agency.  

       
SADTU Deputy General Secretary Nkosana Dolophi said he did not reject the proposed system
but questioned whether it is a priority given the current state of the education system.

Nozihle Mbokomba, a teacher at Dumisa LP School in Mdanstane, said: “My only wish is that if this system comes to pass it will be implemented at both provincial and national level and that senior officials will also clock in using the same method.”

Learners are often found outside their classrooms during school hours. The proposed new clocking system for teachers might result in less teachers being absent and more learners attending classes.  

According to the World Economic Forum South Africa is among the lowest ranked countries when it comes to the standard of education, due to staff shortages, poor teacher training, lack of educational resources and lack of support for pupils both at home and at school.

Sinovuyo Makhenkane, a former pupil at Msobomvu High School in Chalumna, said: “Surely an investment of R480 million towards skills development would benefit the country better. In grade 11 we did not have an accounting teacher for three months and when he finally arrived most of us failed the subject.”
“The money could be channelled towards scholar transport too, as it is a major problem,” said Nozihle Mbokomba.

Currently teachers clock in by signing a book to record their attendance. But the system has proved to be a failure as it can easily be bypassed, as teachers simply ask their colleagues to sign in for them when they are absent. The biometric clocking system will enable the Department of

Education to collect real-time data.Nkosazana Jamelani (72), a grandmother of six said: “I send my children to school so they can be educated and become leaders one day but if there’s no one teaching them at schools, they won’t get anywhere in life. This system might help in assuring that my kids are guaranteed to get education when they go to school.”Even though this system is still in the pipeline it has been under a lot of scrutiny in the media as many people feel it is a waste of money and it would be attempting to treat only the symptoms and not the core issues that face the education system in our country.
Article and Image by Nobesuthu Beya/Walter Sisulu Univesity

The Inkwenkwezi High School Environmental Youth Club - Turning Waste Into Art

A Movie by Theresa Ekpa And Jonas Krombach

The Value Of Education For Young South Africans by Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti

Today's article was written by our new volunteer Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti. It is her first article for the magazine. Vuyo does not have permanent access to the Internet. Every time she wants to contact us she has to go to an internet cafe. She tried three times to send this article through to us! We value her effort to write for us under "not so easy conditions". 

She has started he article with a sentence once spoken by Kofi Annan.

“Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rests the corner stone of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development”. 
Kofi Annan

One Of Campuses Of The University of South Africa in Southernwood East London

Gone are the days of being labeled as Black, White and Coloured, we are no longer separated by the color of our skin, we are all disadvantaged and most of all we have the same dreams and goals to improve our lives. We are no longer alone, foreigners also want the same opportunities and we are aiming for the same goals. We cannot hide behind excuses anymore and its time we put an emphasis on the value of education.

We live in a society where there is a high level of unemployment, inequality and we are faced with poverty. Not only are we faced with the challenge of uneducated youth but we are faced with increasing number of unemployed graduates. Can we confidently say education is still a solution to a better life?

Are We All Having The Same Dreams?  And Is Education Still Perceived As A Means To Improve Our Lifes By Young South Africans? 

According to Jay Naidoo “education is most powerful tool against poverty and injustice. Through education dreams become reality, the gap between the rich and the poor can be closed and most importantly education certainly improves the living standard of people. Education gives us opportunities to unlock our greatest potential, choose the career path that suits our personalities and helps us become who we want to be. With education we are able to empower and develop ourselves and we are able to provide for our families."

Education Helping Us To Develop Ourselves And Providing For Families? Street Scene in Southernwood

Street Scene in Southernwood East London

Education guarantees us a better tomorrow.

Education A Tool For A Better Tomorrow? Street Children begging at a traffic light in Berea in East London

It is a tool to fight against poverty and injustice, a solution for sustainable human development and most importantly a better foundation for freedom. Education is a tool to encourage and empower young people to do things for themselves and make a difference in the world. However the youth in our communities seem to care less about education. For example very often we come across young people who lack a sense of direction and vision of who they want to be. Education seems to be the least of their worries or should I say the last thing on their minds, even those who are already in Universities seem to enjoy the life of being in the university than what they came for that is education.

100% Pain Free And The Same Day

Pain Sometimes Is Not Immediate, But Comes Later. Abortion is a service in great demand with the high number of teen pregnancies in South Africa

We have many opportunities at our disposal and it is important that we make the most of what we have. The government is doing so much to improve our education, for example we have youth advisory centers across the province that provides necessary skills, career advice for young people and unlimited access to the Internet free. These youth centers provide necessary information and knowledge to lead young people to the right direction.

What Is The Right Direction? And How Will You Get There As A Young South African

We don’t have any excuse not to use these services to develop and empower ourselves. To those who believe in the value of the education like myself should continue to do so and our success stories can encourage and empower others to do things for themselves.

Success StoriesCan Empower Others To Do Things For Themselves

Article written by Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti, Images by The Mdantsane Way Magazine

Introducing Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti - Volunteering For The Mdantsane Way Magazine

Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti

During the last two months we have received more than 20 applications from young South Africans for an internship with the Mdantsane Way Magazine. We do not have a budget for this at the moment - not yet - but we are working on it and we are sure, that we will have one in the future. One of our objectives is to serve as an incubator in the field of journalism, photography and public relations for young graduates, that come from Mdantsane. We are positive that other companies and organizations will support us in the future with funding.

Remarkable is, that more than 90% of the applicants are willing to work with us and to contribute to the Magazine without getting paid. We are delighted about the fact, that people want to work with us for free to get working experience. But this is not the entire motivation behind the applications we have received. The driving force is, that the people who have applied with us are passionate about Mdantsane and there is the desire to give back to their community. And there are more stories to tell.

Chocolat, the editor started meeting with the applicants during the month of November and the first volunteer we would like to introduce is Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti. 

Meet Vuyo, a great deal of passion

Vuyo wrote to us:

"My name is Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti and am currently doing my Honours in Social Science and I have a degree in Applied Commnication Management from the University of Fort Hare and I am INTERESTED (please note interested written in capital letters) in your magazine and would like to contribute towards its development, not only for the magazine but for the community of Mdantsane at  large. What can I do to be part of your magazine?"

We asked her in turn how she thought she could contribute? She wrote us a a well elaborated one and a half page letter with ideas and suggestions. Perseverance does it. After a three hour conversation ( the intention was 30 min) over one Cafe Latte it became clear that her great passion is the value of education in South Africa.  

Vuyo is 21 years of age, ambitious. and hardworking. She lives in NU 3 in Mdantsane and has a twin sister as well as a younger sister.  It has not been easy for her and sometimes things were really tight in the family. What pulled her through was the love she experienced in the family.

"But look at me now, she says, today the lack of means is no excuse to not study and get an education in South Africa. There is NSFAS and there are other student loans. I studied on NSFAS. The government is doing so much for us as students."

Look At me Now!

  

She is however concerned about the high drop out rate at schools and universities at present in South Africa.

"Our parents have fought, so that we can have education and now the youth is not really interested anymore. It's all about clubbing, spending money and having fun, she says."

I know, that what I am today I will not be tomorrow. I will be better

"I know, that what I am today I will not be tomorrow. I will be better and I will find a job, earn a decent salary and be a role model for others".

The interesting thing about Vuyo is, that she has ideas of her own and tries to find ways to turn them into something

She is unique, but at the same time she is also representative of a large segment of the South African society. The graduates, that leave the universities by thousands facing now the harsh reality of finding employment. Her life and her experiences will tell us more about what it means to be a young South African in an ever changing and challenging social and economic environment.

Vuyo will write about education and we are looking forward to her stories.

So Vuyo, after having introduced you thoroughly today to our readers, we hope that you feel the pressure now (yes that was our intention) so that you can perform at your best and give us your best stories!

What It Takes To Develop A Child - In Africa, In South Africa, In A Township In South Africa

One Of South Africa's Beautiful Children

Most educational systems all over the world have come to agree over the years, that to develop a child physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually, the child has to be stimulated, educated and guided constantly and patiently in all the four areas. The guidance has to start as early as possible and no means have to be spared. 

The first five years of a child are the years that leave the strongest impact on the child's development. That is the ideal. And this ideal supposes, that to do this the necessary means are available in each school, preschool and in each creche. Parents and teachers work together for this ideal (in the ideal case). Both parties have at least agreed on the way forward.

In Europe parents will tell you it costs approximately 180.000 Euro counted from the birth of a child until the day the young adult leaves university and is ready to enter the working world and to stand on his own two feet. Given the fact that everything goes well! Sometimes you have to support your kid a little longer.

Europe has its statistics and many people do nowadays base important life decisions on these statistics. Meaning, there is planning and budgeting involved at what point to have children and how many. Most parents want to give the best to their children right from the start. It is a fact that to raise the necessary money for education of your child can be a challenge.

This again accounts for the fact that many women become mothers for the first time after 30 years of age in Europe, at a point when money is available. And then there are mother and child care programs, children's grants etc, etc. So we know it takes a lot to develop a child into a responsible adult in Europe.  

What does it take to develop a child in Africa? In a Township or in a remote rural region? The same?

Job Description Of A Teacher In  Mdantsane: We must know that we are here to develop a child physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually!

Body, mind, spirit and soul make a human being. To help someone develop spiritually and emotionally is probably the most challenging part of the educational process because here values are formed.

We are sharing with you today a look inside a preschool in Mdantsane in NU 1. Like many educational institutions in South Africa this creche has to make do with very little educational material.

If there is less material available to work with the children, teachers have to be more inventive, more creative and they have to improvise a lot more. There are voices in South Africa saying that the South African government is failing the people by not providing the support to the communities in terms of educational material and teachers, that was promised.

School Children in Mdantsane

Is enough invested into the future of South Africa - the youth?

We are asking this question, because although denied by many politicians South Africa is experiencing what is called by the media an educational crisis. 

If school books have not been delivered six months after the school year started and the curriculum could not be followed due to this negligence can it then not be called a crisis? At what level responsibility has to be taken for failure to deliver.

The Music Area

Asking the question again: what is needed in South Africa to develop a child? Is not more effort needed and a more serious attitude from the stakeholders involved in the process?

The most important thing at this point in time is to develop, to invest the maximum into the youth to allow this country to become what it deserves to be. An aggravating factor that we are experiencing is the fact that many young people have lost interest in education and drop out of school.

Handmade drums, material used old tins covered with animal skins!

It is a good thing to recycle!

And still you find so many positive teachers who do an excellent job and come to work every day with passion thinking of ways to teach children if there are no books, no tables, no chairs and no pens.

Future leaders

Some interesting delicious food items!

The classroom

Exams In Progress At Inkwenkwezi High School In Mdantsane

The Mdantsane Way Magazine is like a story teller from the old Orient. Our stories go on and on. The stories we tell, continue over time. And when we have really finished telling a story, and if we have told it well, the reader has the feeling that he or she somehow knows the person or institution. But we always leave the door a little open, to be able to continue with a person's story at a later stage, due to the fact that a persons life does continue as well and interesting and surprising things might happen.

We are not publishing what is called breaking news - disastrous news to use another word. 

The Mdantsane Way is a new kind of online magazine: authentic, personal and interactive, with engaging long-form storytelling. To us storytelling means we have to be narrative with a strong sense of place, character or time. We have to leave some beautiful images behind of the things we have seen. 
Our words have to be carefully selected when repeating what we have heard to respect every body's life and to be not superficial. Our stories have to convey a message as well. The message is that the example of somebody else can trigger your own success simply because you see it is possible, somebody else has done it. Everybody can become the master of his own mind and live his own life. 
Sometimes help from the outside is needed to realize your dreams, but the help is always there. The important thing is to realize in your mind, that what you want can be done. Once this has been achieved helps comes because people start taking you serious! 

Empty halls and silence before

We have a considerable number of new readers from Russia. And we have new readers from Lebanon and Singapore.Thank you to our Russian Readers. Thank you to our readers from Lebanon and Singapore. To us this is amazing!

The Mdantsane Way is published digitally, so we can distribute globally across borders and cultures, instantaneously. This has always been our objective. But we are still amazed how well it works. We are in a relatively unknown place compared to the rest of the world and still people from other countries find us on the net.

Our mission is to leave something behind, that readers can come back to. Our images will not die. They will keep their beauty. Our words have been chosen in a way that they will not loose their meaning in a couple of years.

We can see from our statistics that our new and old readers go back now to the stories we have told a year of two ago.

So may be if we continue our work, we will become something like a point of reference that is like a cut through the South African society, that readers can come back to even in ten years.

We are also getting a lot of feedback from South African readers. 

Vuyolwethu Mbatyoti has an applied degree in communication management, is doing an Honors in Social Science (we have not yet met but we will next week) and has send us a letter commenting on the topic of education.

"Mdantsane is a big township and it is full of uneducated and unemployed people especially the youth, an emphasis on the value of education is not a bad idea. Sharing success stories on education can encourage young people to value education and improve their lives for the better. In this way the magazine is contributing toward the development of the community."

That is exactly our opinion and the reason why we are running several stories on the Inkwenkwezi High School in NU 6.

The teachers were not the ones to be concerned about the exams

When we visited the Inkwenwkezi High School the other day exams were in progress. We have in South Africa what has been labelled an education crisis by the South African government and the Eastern Cape is the poorest performing province. Very low matric pass rates and a high percentage of learners that drop out of school, non interested teachers are characteristics of this situation.

The Inkwenkwezi High School is an example of a school making a difference.

Intense discussions after the exams

While the halls were empty and there was a deadly silence when we arrived, a couple of minutes later the school premises were humming with voices and sounds.

Concerned faces, worries....

and ways to de-stress had to be found!

The girls of South Africa are of a striking beauty but most of the real supermodels of this world are not discovered, no matter how great their beauty. But education can and will take a young person to where he or she wants to be.

Some had the feeling they had done very well

while others were just happy everything was over!

One Moment's Sweetness

Bhele's Little Angels in Mdantsane

The Mdantsane Way Online Magazine can also be seen as a small scale development project with a very personal touch. One of our objectives is to introduce our readers to the life and environment of this large township, that is not covered by main stream media. 

Many of the people who contribute voluntarily to the magazine have been involved in some sort of humanitarian work before in their life. And some of us have come to the conclusion, that large development organization and bilateral collaborations between countries and continents are not the best instrument to drive development on the grass root level.

In Mdantsane live thousands and thousands of little angels. Children who will have it harder in life to advance, simply because of the fact that they have been born into living conditions much less favorable than those of other children in more a developed and affluent environment.

This fact makes parents even work harder to earn money to send their kids into a school or give them the necessary pre-school education. Most South Africans experience what we call the battle for education. In fact most Africans all over the continent experience this.

Bhele's Little Angels is a creche and kindergarten situated in an informal settlement of Mdantsane offering educare, and after-school care in a Christian environment. Pre-school education is so important because the child's mind is trained and formed at a very early age, preparing him for school and making it easier for the child to learn. The entire socialisation process of a child depends on what type information he or she had been exposed to in his first five years.

We are publishing detailed stories about projects and institutions on this site, not only to allow for a personal view on a reality, that is for many people strange and unknown, but also to introduce people to personal development opportunities as well. 

Our message is if you want to help, or let us rather say get involved, there will be a way. Everybody who wants to help can help. There are so many ways to get involved.

This is a message to our readers that if you see a project you want to get involved with, we can facilitate the contact, but we will not get involved as a development agent.  It is up to you to develop a personal realtionship with the organization or the person.

If you want to sponsor books, money, toys - you can. If you want to help develop the career of a future musician, artist or poet you can.  It does not matter if you are in the Philippines, in Russia or in Brazil.

If you do have an idea let us know!