Supporting Rhodes Staff to Support their Children
Rhodes University is an institution of Higher Learning and should take a particular interest in the education development and advancement of the children of its employees.
Few children of the support staff at Rhodes University gain access to and graduate from Rhodes University. This relates to the contextual problem that their children attend dysfunctional schools. Because Rhodes University is committed to revitalising public education in Makhanda, it is appropriate for it to place a particular emphasis on the children of its employees.
The way in which parents manage their homes has a significant impact on the educational development of their children. Other things being equal, a home that is managed appropriately delivers good educational outcomes, whereas a home that is mismanaged produces poor educational outcomes.
Through the Vice-Chancellor's initiative, the Community Engagement Division established the Vulindlela Program. The objective of the program is to work with Rhodes University staff (Grades 1-5) in order to improve their children's access to higher education. Through literacy support in the early childhood space and tutoring and mentoring at the top end of schooling (Grade 10 to 12), the children of Rhodes University staff are assisted in improving their literacy levels and their school performance to a level where they can achieve a bachelors pass in their matric exams thereby allowing them the opportunity to study at Rhodes University. In doing so, otherwise inaccessible and prohibitively expensive tertiary education may be opened for them.
Parent Support
The parental support revolved around a series of workshops during the course of the year. In term one we organise strategic meetings with the parents involved in this program so that we can discuss program goals. From past experiences, the parents have requested support in the form of computer literacy classes, understanding the importance of literacy, career guidance information, communications and conflict resolution training, accessing information to support pupils etc. A minimum of four workshops a year are held for each group.
Learner Support
With this in mind, RUCE offers Saturday classes for the Grade 11 and 12 learners as part of learner support, where the learners are tutored by Rhodes volunteers. Parents involve themselves in various ways eg preparing the lunch for the pupils.
For more information contact Thandiswa Nqowana, t.nqowana@ru.ac.za
Last Modified: Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:59:55 SAST