A rural school strives for excellence despite barriers
Groendraai Primary School, located on a farm 20 km southwest of Rehoboth, faces a multitude of challenges in providing quality education to its students. Led by principal Calvin Rickerts and dedicated teachers like Herald Swartbooi, the school community is working tirelessly to overcome the obstacles that hinder academic progress and engagement. Limited access to teaching materials and inadequate infrastructure are just a few of the challenges that demand innovative solutions for the school's success.
"One major obstacle we face is joint-graded teaching," explains principal Rickerts. "Teachers have to instruct learners on two different academic levels within a single classroom, doubling the workload and reducing personal engagement time with each student."
This practice, although necessitated by limited resources and classroom capacity, poses significant challenges to providing individualised attention and meeting the diverse learning needs of every student.
"We would just like for our children here on Groendraai to be presented with a proper quality education so that they will be able to excel academically," Rickerts said.
Cultivating education
The lack of access to quality teaching materials compounds the difficulties faced by Groendraai.
Rickerts explained that the school uses table tennis boards as chalkboards in some of the classrooms.
Swartbooi lamented the absence of libraries and computer labs.
"Reading is a challenge as our learners do not have direct access to reading materials," he said. "Some of our schools do not have libraries or computer labs, further limiting the resources available for academic growth."
Support appreciated
However, recent support from telecommunications giant MTC provided a significant boost through a generous donation of four classrooms and a storeroom to the tune of N$1.2 million.
Additionally, the absence of public transportation in rural areas poses logistical challenges for both educators and learners, hindering regular school attendance and extracurricular activities.
Despite the obstacles they face, the dedicated educators of Groendraai Primary School are resilient in their pursuit of quality education.
Principal Rickerts and teachers like Swartbooi continue to champion change and empower their students with the knowledge and skills needed for a brighter future. Through collaborative efforts, community and corporate support, and innovative initiatives, they are breaking down barriers and paving the way for a transformative rural education.
"One major obstacle we face is joint-graded teaching," explains principal Rickerts. "Teachers have to instruct learners on two different academic levels within a single classroom, doubling the workload and reducing personal engagement time with each student."
This practice, although necessitated by limited resources and classroom capacity, poses significant challenges to providing individualised attention and meeting the diverse learning needs of every student.
"We would just like for our children here on Groendraai to be presented with a proper quality education so that they will be able to excel academically," Rickerts said.
Cultivating education
The lack of access to quality teaching materials compounds the difficulties faced by Groendraai.
Rickerts explained that the school uses table tennis boards as chalkboards in some of the classrooms.
Swartbooi lamented the absence of libraries and computer labs.
"Reading is a challenge as our learners do not have direct access to reading materials," he said. "Some of our schools do not have libraries or computer labs, further limiting the resources available for academic growth."
Support appreciated
However, recent support from telecommunications giant MTC provided a significant boost through a generous donation of four classrooms and a storeroom to the tune of N$1.2 million.
Additionally, the absence of public transportation in rural areas poses logistical challenges for both educators and learners, hindering regular school attendance and extracurricular activities.
Despite the obstacles they face, the dedicated educators of Groendraai Primary School are resilient in their pursuit of quality education.
Principal Rickerts and teachers like Swartbooi continue to champion change and empower their students with the knowledge and skills needed for a brighter future. Through collaborative efforts, community and corporate support, and innovative initiatives, they are breaking down barriers and paving the way for a transformative rural education.
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