Holtekilen Folk High School in Norway has for the third straight year send students to spend two months as teacher’s assistants in two Mamelodi primary schools.
06/03/2008 :: When arriving at Tshiwollo Primary School in Mamelodi West what seems like hundreds of young learners rush to the gate to great us. “Its like this every morning, the children wait for us at the gate to welcome us even if we have been here for nearly two months already,” Norwegian student Hanne tells us. She is one of twelve students in Holtekilen Folk High School in Oslo studying South African History and Society, a course which includes a two- months practice as a teacher’s assistant in the major Pretoria township of Mamelodi. The programme was initiated three years back by the leader of the South Africa course in Holtekilen, Karin Suizu and contacts she had made in South Africa through earlier visits.
Valuable impact
Showing us around his school the principal at Tshiwollo, Johnny Leshika, cherishes the cooperation between with Holtekilen and highlights the importance of cultural learning the program provides, especially in terms of teaching methods. The Norwegian students has introduced new teaching methods, such as learning mathematics through various games and valuable computer skills. They have also functioned as officials at the sports day for schools in the area.
As many township schools Tshiwollo struggles with lack of funds, old buildings and are chronically short- staffed as most classes are overcrowded. Under such circumstances the Norwegian students are able to offer teachers some relief and assist with anything from teaching to oversee tests and smaller sessions with slow learners. Altogether they have a serious impact in the lives of many of the little ones says principal Leshika.
Sharing central
Peter Moabelo, the principal of Bajabulile Primary School in Mamelodi East, stresses as his colleague the aspect of cultural, educational and scholastic sharing the Norwegian visitors provide. Moabelo adds that the visiting students also help to build the confidence of the mainly underprivileged children in the schools and contribute to the development of the country’s human resources, on which the future of South Africa will rest. In this view adequate funds are by no means the only critical resource of a good school.
Tearful goodbyes
The Norwegian students, of which all were girls this year, are going back to Norway next week and try to prepare for tearful goodbyes. They recall the first days when the energy and intensity of the South African children came as quite a shock to many. When about to leave, this may be one of the things they will miss the most about Mamelodi and South Africa. They will return to share their experiences with Norwegian high school students and hopefully future teacher’s assistants in Mamelodi, still dearly welcomed by staff and subjects at Tshiwollo and Bajabulile.