Opportunities

During my school days you joined a typing or Home Economics class at the risk of

being called a sissy. So, although I knew I wanted to write, I did woodwork

instead. We call those the good old days.

Fortunately for me, during those extended school boycotts some friends of

mine and I took part in classes of an NGO called GPP (Grahamstown People's

Programme). My three friends took up karate, I took a piano class. Because I

wanted to be closer to a certain girl, I joined the typing class just for the

hell of it.

I remember Elvis teasing me saying he'd need a secretary in future. I did not

know then that I'd need to use a computer most of my working life. In fact he

(Elvis) became a policeman; and I suppose his karate comes in handy there.

I'm reminded of this as I currently work with schools. I motivate learners by

saying their true potential is sometimes not discovered in the curricula

classes but in the extra-mural activities they join. I tell them the story of

Mcebisi Ntleki who is now a professor at Oxford University.

He comes from Grahamstown, from the same disadvantaged schoos as the rest of

us. But because he cherished the challenges that came his way, some unselfish

white teachers pushed him to pastures that eventually cultivated his mind.

Opportunities come and go. But the youth don't always want to lose their

spare time, do they? We have to prod them along nevertheless. That is the

task that the VSA and awareNet have.
[permalink]
Posted: April 21st 2011 01:07