Discovering the Nelson Mandela Institute

When I have thought about the education crisis in rural South Africa – shoddy classrooms, uncommitted teachers, and an ineffective system – I struggled to imagine a workable solution. Everybody seems to have their own opinions about what should be changed but what alternatives do we really know about as average citizens? Being the methodical, systematic person I am, I tend to reserve comment, or share my opinions modestly, while others blurt out theirs as if they were truth. But, last week, after journeying with two Nelson Mandela Institute staff members through the dusty villages of Mqanduli and Bizana in the Eastern Cape, I am ready to speak with some authority and oodles of excitement about the possibilities of world class rural education in South Africa.

I joined the staff of the Institute on 1 May and was sent on a field trip through the schools of Mqanduli and Bizana in order to familiarise myself with the work of the organisation. What I saw and heard first-hand inspired me because it truly brought home the message of ubuntu. On one level there were achievements in physical infrastructure improvements, and on another, there were changes in the mindsets and hearts of those involved in and on the receiving end of education.

It is evident that people value education or else parents, teachers, learners and anyone else with two hands to spare would not collaborate with the Institute to refurbish school buildings voluntarily. This involves tiling floors that were once gravel, painting walls, replacing roofs, hammering nails and whatever else may be required to make these schools more homely and inviting. I did not realise just how far-reaching the benefits of something like infrastructure could be. For example, teachers noted that learner absenteeism dropped after the refurbishment, and that fewer children were sickly. Can one really expect children to go to school religiously each day when the drafty rooms and icy floors make them sick and dampen their spirit? Well, many have.

The motivation to participate in the teaching and learning process reflected in the sparkling eyes of the teachers and the smiles on the learners’ faces. To finally understand what it is that you’re supposed to do every day in your job after struggling alone for a year… To be introduced to tools and methods that make your learners want to engage with you in a way they never did before. Wow, what inspiration and fulfillment! For learners to shift from being afraid of and antagonistic towards their teachers, to sharing their personal problems and initiating constructive debate with them … this is what the work of the Nelson Mandela Institute is achieving.