Foundation Walking Track

Foundation contact details:

Foundation Chairman
Peter Backwell pete@backwell.co.za

Foundation Trustee
Carel Nolte carel@hollard.co.za
082 41 232 41

The concept of a school Foundation was established around 1999 and the formal establishment of the Foundation (by way of an amendment to the St Stithians Trust Deed) occurred early in 2001 and there was a formal launch function held on 15 March 2001 involving several hundred members of the Saints community.
The main purpose of the Foundation was originally: the raising, investment and utilisation of funds for the general benefit of St Stithians College incorporating its five schools. The inaugural Trustees of the Foundation were Peter Backwell, Peter Hird, Clifford Jackson, Peter Laburn, Roy McAllister, Ian MacKenzie, Carel Nolte, Cyril Ramaphosa and Charles Rowlinson (Chairman).
The Foundation conducted some fund-raising activities and started engaging members of the alumni body through collaboration with the Old Stithian Association.
St Stithians Foundation Governors 2006/7:
Peter Backwell, Doug Hardie, Stephen Lowry, Carel Nolte, Colin Smith

In 2006 the St Stithians Foundation refocused its efforts to concentrate on two major projects:
The Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy has been established to operate a teacher training program and an intern program. The Thandulwazi Teacher Training Program has been established to provide training to teachers working in schools in disadvantaged areas. The Thandulwazi Teacher Intern Program involves the identification of aspirant maths and science teachers who would otherwise not be able to undertake the formal training required to achieve a suitable teaching qualification, and providing them with the opportunity to become teachers through a training and internship program at St Stithians. Thandulwazi has recently taken over responsibility for funding and managing the Saturday Morning School, which provides educational support for current grade 11 and 12 learners primarily from the group of “previously disadvantaged South Africans” who are faced with poor teaching resources in their own schools.
Thandulwazi has raised over R1m in donations and support during the past year, and now has a full time director: Mr Hemant Waghmarae. The 2007 Teacher Training Program and Saturday Morning School (Director: Mr Dave Gear) have both commenced and are being supported by many of the St Stithians teachers.
The Foundation has started building a walking / jogging track around the perimeter of the Saints property, for the use of members of the Saints community. The exercise track will be officially launched on 24 March 2007.

Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy

This project has grown out of the need for effective action in addressing the massive problem in South African education regarding the teaching of maths and science in our schools.
The four major initiatives being undertaken by Thandulwazi at present are the teacher training programme, the intern programme, the learner sponsorship programme and the learner support programme. These are described in detail in the attached annexures, and there is also a document setting out all the relevant details regarding the organisation, its legal status, registrations and income tax exemption.
We are fortunate to have the active support of St Stithians College, who will provide their facilities for use by Thandulwazi, as well as providing the bulk of the teachers who will facilitate the teacher training workshops and the learner support programme. In addition, St Stithians will provide infrastructure and support for the Thandulwazi Intern Program, as well as funding for a number of interns.
The Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy is focussed on improving the teaching of maths and science among the group described as previously disadvantaged South Africans. That means that the partner schools will be primarily focused on teaching learners from that group, the teachers involved in the teacher training program will be from that group and the interns (after they have qualified as teachers) will be obliged to teach for a minimum period in schools which predominantly cater for learners from that group.

For more information click here