WEBVTT - On the couch: Claremont High school on budget cuts 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.160 We're going to be turning our attention to a pressing 0:00:02.200 --> 0:00:05.480 issue affecting one of Cape Town's most respected public schools. 0:00:05.519 --> 0:00:08.920 Claire Won High, known for its really strong academic focus 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:12.879 and commitment to excellence in maths and physical sciences, facing 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:16.520 a major challenge due to budget cuts by the Department 0:00:16.560 --> 0:00:19.240 of Education, and the cuts could see the school lose 0:00:19.640 --> 0:00:22.919 four out of its twenty teaching posts twenty percent of 0:00:22.960 --> 0:00:26.720 its academic staff, essentially threatening the exceptionally high quality of 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:29.840 education that it's works so hard to provide, particularly to 0:00:29.920 --> 0:00:34.240 disadvantage students. In response, the school's governing body has stepped 0:00:34.280 --> 0:00:40.040 in determined to protect teaching quality by raising trying to 0:00:40.120 --> 0:00:43.920 raise one point eight million rand to cover teacher salaries, 0:00:44.159 --> 0:00:46.320 but they can't do it alone. To find out more, 0:00:46.320 --> 0:00:49.800 I'm delighted to welcome into studio this afternoon, Deputy Principal 0:00:49.840 --> 0:00:53.760 Alex Wilson and Acting Principle Natalie Nickerrritt. It's good to 0:00:53.800 --> 0:00:55.400 have you both with us. Thank you so much for 0:00:55.480 --> 0:00:58.560 joining us this morning. When I heard that this was 0:00:58.600 --> 0:01:01.280 the school that was you guys be coming in. I mean, 0:01:01.320 --> 0:01:04.039 you're renowned. The success of the school is renowned. In fact, 0:01:04.400 --> 0:01:07.000 somebody was mentioning to me at Christmas, did you see 0:01:07.319 --> 0:01:10.160 Clement Hi doing so well? Talk to us a little 0:01:10.160 --> 0:01:11.800 bit about the school, Alex. Maybe I can start with 0:01:11.840 --> 0:01:14.040 and start with you, tell us a little bit of 0:01:14.120 --> 0:01:16.839 the pedigree of the school, if. 0:01:16.760 --> 0:01:20.039 You will, well. We do our very best to offer 0:01:20.080 --> 0:01:26.080 opportunities to students who otherwise wouldn't have them, and we 0:01:26.120 --> 0:01:29.520 have in our school an amazing array of talent from 0:01:29.600 --> 0:01:32.000 all across Cape down. We have no catchment area, and 0:01:32.040 --> 0:01:34.839 we are aim as to target certain communities, not target 0:01:34.840 --> 0:01:37.240 certain communities, but to bring students in from communities that 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:41.560 otherwise wouldn't have access to such quality education. We have 0:01:41.720 --> 0:01:45.600 produced over the last fifteen years fourteen years, some amazing results, 0:01:45.640 --> 0:01:49.600 consistently with pass rates ninety five percent and above, and 0:01:49.640 --> 0:01:52.920 most recently, as you alluded to, our results last year 0:01:52.960 --> 0:01:55.280 we came third in the province overall, and we came 0:01:55.360 --> 0:01:59.840 first in mathematics and physical sciences. It's also with an 0:01:59.880 --> 0:02:03.080 all female physical science department, which I think is quite 0:02:03.080 --> 0:02:07.600 significant in the context of our country. And we want 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:10.840 to continue producing these results giving opportunities to young people 0:02:11.040 --> 0:02:13.760 who wouldn't have them to go to university to become 0:02:13.840 --> 0:02:17.440 doctors and engineers and lawyers and to give back to 0:02:17.480 --> 0:02:18.040 South Africa. 0:02:18.600 --> 0:02:21.600 Natalie, what do you put the success of the school 0:02:21.760 --> 0:02:25.880 down to those incredible results that Alex gave us just said. 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:29.200 A variety of things. The first thing is that our 0:02:29.240 --> 0:02:34.239 school is small, five hundred and forty kids, so that' oups. 0:02:35.240 --> 0:02:38.720 So we have a very close knit sort of family environment. 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:42.280 We have a very good pastoral care system where we 0:02:42.480 --> 0:02:48.560 hold our kids quite closely. We try that nobody falls 0:02:48.560 --> 0:02:51.840 through the cracks type of thing. We have a counseling 0:02:52.560 --> 0:02:56.200 facility at our school, so we have a school counselor 0:02:56.320 --> 0:02:59.640 on our staff as well, so that our kids who come, 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:04.120 you know, they come from very challenging backgrounds and they're 0:03:04.160 --> 0:03:06.919 able to get the counseling that they need. We also 0:03:06.919 --> 0:03:12.680 have a very dynamic young staff as staff is actually 0:03:12.680 --> 0:03:15.440 the average ages around about thirty six years. 0:03:15.560 --> 0:03:16.320 Wow, that is young. 0:03:16.440 --> 0:03:19.760 Yeah, so astaff is quite young and that helps. And 0:03:19.800 --> 0:03:22.720 then also the quality of the learners that we get. 0:03:23.280 --> 0:03:26.080 You know, in order to do physical sciences and pure 0:03:26.080 --> 0:03:29.360 maths up to metric they have to be academically strong 0:03:29.720 --> 0:03:32.400 and our kids really work very hard, you know, they 0:03:32.440 --> 0:03:36.640 want to succeed and so those are the yes, those 0:03:36.640 --> 0:03:41.000 are the all marks of cremonie. And then of course 0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:44.600 our parents, you know, very involved, also want to watch 0:03:44.640 --> 0:03:47.640 best for their children. There was. 0:03:49.120 --> 0:03:52.920 An outcry, i suppose when we learned about these these 0:03:52.960 --> 0:03:57.360 counts that were coming, and more so for certain schools 0:03:57.680 --> 0:04:01.720 because we know, you know the nature of of education 0:04:01.840 --> 0:04:04.480 in South Africa being what it is, and the fear 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:06.440 was that it was going to be schools like yours 0:04:06.480 --> 0:04:10.000 that were the hardest and that has obviously come to bear. 0:04:10.480 --> 0:04:13.600 Just talk to us exactly what is the position. It's 0:04:14.640 --> 0:04:18.039 four out of your twenty teaching posts. That's an awful lot. 0:04:18.320 --> 0:04:19.560 That's a big hit to have to do. 0:04:19.680 --> 0:04:24.159 It is it is. It was quite a surprise also 0:04:24.200 --> 0:04:28.920 in the light of the fact that they the Department 0:04:28.960 --> 0:04:31.760 of Education has always wanted to grow the school, so 0:04:31.839 --> 0:04:34.960 they want us to take in more learners, and we 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:39.240 were quite surprised when we got the notification to say 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:42.000 that for of our teachers would be losing their posts 0:04:42.800 --> 0:04:47.320 and it meant that the governing body of the school, 0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:50.640 the school governing body obviously then had to step in. 0:04:51.279 --> 0:04:54.600 But as you mentioned, you're now in order to keep 0:04:55.560 --> 0:05:01.360 the successes that the school as over the many years 0:05:02.040 --> 0:05:05.679 we've fat to we can't if we lose our teachers, 0:05:05.680 --> 0:05:08.400 it means our classes get bigger, and you know with 0:05:08.720 --> 0:05:12.880 with maths and physics, you need smaller classes. And so 0:05:13.400 --> 0:05:16.520 it meant that the governing body is at to, you know, 0:05:16.640 --> 0:05:20.000 come up with innovative ideas, and of course we've fair 0:05:20.120 --> 0:05:23.560 to go and try and source sponsorship. And that's why 0:05:23.680 --> 0:05:25.040 we here this morning. 0:05:25.200 --> 0:05:30.120 Yeah, you know you're saying this morning as well, I'm 0:05:30.160 --> 0:05:32.159 so glad it's not just me, and you've got a 0:05:32.160 --> 0:05:34.120 lot more children to deal with it than I have. 0:05:34.400 --> 0:05:36.320 If you're just joining us this afternoon. We're talking to 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:40.440 the deputy principal, sorry, acting principle at Claremont High, Natalie 0:05:40.520 --> 0:05:44.320 Nikkerkan also deputy Principal Alex Wilson in studio with us. 0:05:45.520 --> 0:05:47.680 They're facing a challenge and it's a challenge that other 0:05:47.720 --> 0:05:50.800 schools in Cape Telling the country are also facing. But 0:05:50.839 --> 0:05:53.200 it's as a result of these budget cuts by the 0:05:53.360 --> 0:05:57.080 Education Department. The impact on Claremont High will be that 0:05:57.160 --> 0:05:59.159 it needs it's going to have to lose twenty percent 0:05:59.160 --> 0:06:01.840 of its academics. Of this is a school that has 0:06:01.839 --> 0:06:06.120 done remarkably well consistently remarkably well. And the impact, as 0:06:06.160 --> 0:06:08.280 you say atale is that essentially class sizes are going 0:06:08.279 --> 0:06:10.880 to get bigger, which is exactly what the fear was. 0:06:11.360 --> 0:06:13.520 Can you just talk about that. I was listening to 0:06:13.560 --> 0:06:15.760 a fascinating conversation I think it was with John Maatham 0:06:16.160 --> 0:06:18.960 a few weeks ago about the impact of larger class 0:06:18.960 --> 0:06:22.279 sizes and while there are mechanisms that can be brought 0:06:22.279 --> 0:06:25.360 in to teach larger class sizes, why isn't it ideal, 0:06:25.440 --> 0:06:27.880 particularly when you are maybe alex you can also take 0:06:27.880 --> 0:06:29.440 this and particularly when you were dealing with the level 0:06:29.480 --> 0:06:32.159 of excellence that you were dealing with that At Claimont High, well, we. 0:06:32.240 --> 0:06:35.880 Have consistently tried to have class sizes of around twenty 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:38.440 five students for in the f et phase grade ten, 0:06:38.480 --> 0:06:42.560 eleven and twelve, particularly that because that's where the subjects 0:06:42.640 --> 0:06:46.640 get a little bit more challenging. Where students choose their subjects. 0:06:47.200 --> 0:06:50.080 They only have limited choice at Claimont Geography, accounting, in 0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:51.920 life science they get to choose two of those and 0:06:51.960 --> 0:06:53.479 they have to do pure mats and they have to 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:57.480 do physical science and English Home Language. Twenty five is 0:06:57.520 --> 0:07:02.280 a great number we have classrooms can have thirty five students. 0:07:03.120 --> 0:07:05.880 And this year we've had to go up in our 0:07:05.960 --> 0:07:08.679 grade ten classes in math, Science and English two thirty 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:12.080 five students, and as a teacher of English, I found 0:07:12.200 --> 0:07:15.920 that challenge quite significant. Suddenly the marking load increases, so 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:18.960 my time like I can give to my students is 0:07:19.000 --> 0:07:21.480 suddenly less. I'm a little bit more tired. And then 0:07:21.560 --> 0:07:24.239 when you're teaching literature, and the same goes for maths 0:07:24.280 --> 0:07:27.440 and science as well, that personal connection is so valuable 0:07:27.800 --> 0:07:29.880 and you lose it with an extra ten students in 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:33.400 your class, there's no question. So with those cuts, that's 0:07:33.720 --> 0:07:37.080 the most significant thing. So we're hoping that in the 0:07:37.120 --> 0:07:39.800 next year and the following years we'll be able to 0:07:39.800 --> 0:07:42.120 gain the funding so we can reduce those class sizes 0:07:42.160 --> 0:07:45.640 and fut phase and then we can continue to have 0:07:45.720 --> 0:07:46.800 our amazing results. 0:07:46.880 --> 0:07:49.760 And looking at capping the classes, is it twenty five, Well. 0:07:49.600 --> 0:07:53.320 That's what we aim for, and it varies depending on 0:07:53.400 --> 0:07:56.240 subject choices and things, but that's generally what we aim for, 0:07:56.360 --> 0:07:59.640 particularly in those three core subjects, that core subjects at Claremont, 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:00.960 Science and English. 0:08:01.280 --> 0:08:04.800 To I wonder to what extent are the learners aware 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:07.680 of the current challenge, to what extent are they brought 0:08:07.720 --> 0:08:12.640 into the confidence I guess of the school in dealing 0:08:12.640 --> 0:08:15.480 with these things and the parents also, is this you 0:08:15.560 --> 0:08:18.560 spoke about that really sort of community element of the school. 0:08:18.720 --> 0:08:21.480 Does that extend on quite serious topics like this? 0:08:22.240 --> 0:08:27.280 Absolutely, So we always try and involve our learners so 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:30.520 they are kept abreast of what's happening at the school. 0:08:31.040 --> 0:08:35.400 So when we got a notification to say, you know 0:08:35.520 --> 0:08:39.600 that the department is cutting forth our posts, the learners 0:08:39.720 --> 0:08:43.319 were informed about it as well as the parents. So 0:08:43.360 --> 0:08:47.280 they're always aware of what's happening because it's important for 0:08:47.400 --> 0:08:50.080 them also to know. You know, it is their school 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:52.880 as well, so it's important for them to know. And 0:08:52.920 --> 0:08:55.520 so yes, we do definitely involve them in that. 0:08:56.000 --> 0:08:59.480 So what's the next step. You essentially want to raise 0:08:59.720 --> 0:09:03.679 one point eight million round to cover those salaries? How 0:09:03.720 --> 0:09:04.439 are you going to do it? 0:09:05.200 --> 0:09:09.080 So, and that's why we here today. So we really 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:14.079 want businesses and companies out there to come to the party, 0:09:14.600 --> 0:09:18.280 you know, and we know that the businesses there are 0:09:18.360 --> 0:09:21.800 businesses out there and cleve Oni is a good investment. 0:09:22.440 --> 0:09:25.000 So the idea is for them to come on board 0:09:25.040 --> 0:09:28.520 and partner with the school. And you know, so that 0:09:28.640 --> 0:09:32.680 we are able to hold onto our teachers and to 0:09:32.800 --> 0:09:35.400 maintain the standards that we do have at Clymont. 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:38.600 It's an investment in the students as much as anything else, 0:09:38.880 --> 0:09:42.680 and in the future, and we want to uplift lots 0:09:42.720 --> 0:09:45.439 of people, and particularly in our city that's so divided 0:09:45.679 --> 0:09:50.120 geographically and specially with our history. We want to give 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:54.520 opportunities and it's an investment in the future young engineers, 0:09:54.640 --> 0:09:59.560 young doctors from families that otherwise wouldn't have graduates who 0:09:59.559 --> 0:10:01.720 are going to u c T and Stellenbosch and bits 0:10:01.800 --> 0:10:02.920 to go and study these things. 0:10:03.120 --> 0:10:06.320 Yeah. Yeah, if people would like to partner with the school, 0:10:06.360 --> 0:10:08.560 what what steps do they do they need to take? 0:10:09.080 --> 0:10:10.520 How do they how do they do it? How do 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:11.680 they give you their money? 0:10:11.920 --> 0:10:15.840 So the we have a marketing person, the person who 0:10:15.880 --> 0:10:19.880 works in up here and her name is Zara do Mingo, 0:10:20.480 --> 0:10:23.280 So she would be the person that you would contact, 0:10:23.840 --> 0:10:27.080 so z do Mingo at clemant Ie dot co dot ceda, 0:10:27.440 --> 0:10:31.319 or you would contact as secretary Edmund at clemant I 0:10:31.720 --> 0:10:35.080 dot co dot seday, or you could found the school. 0:10:36.000 --> 0:10:38.920 We are on social media as well, so those sites 0:10:38.960 --> 0:10:42.040 are available. The school's numbers are two one, six seven 0:10:42.120 --> 0:10:45.920 one or six four five, but emails would probably work better. 0:10:46.080 --> 0:10:48.840 And have you managed to secure any partners yet, any 0:10:48.880 --> 0:10:49.760 funders yet? 0:10:50.240 --> 0:10:54.720 We have? We have, we have funders in the that 0:10:55.040 --> 0:10:59.720 we do have some long term funders because the school 0:10:59.720 --> 0:11:03.880 fee of the school is much lower for the area 0:11:03.920 --> 0:11:06.640 that it's in. So we in the Leafys hours were 0:11:06.640 --> 0:11:10.160 the more affluent schools, and our school fees is a 0:11:10.160 --> 0:11:15.000 lot less. And we do that so because we targets 0:11:15.000 --> 0:11:18.600 from the koflets and the townships, and so we want 0:11:18.679 --> 0:11:20.920 to make sure that the school feez is affordable. 0:11:21.000 --> 0:11:23.000 So the answer isn't for you. And again I'm going 0:11:23.040 --> 0:11:26.840 back to conversations that I heard when the budget cuts 0:11:26.840 --> 0:11:30.319 were first announced from people like Jonathan Jansen and talking 0:11:30.320 --> 0:11:32.920 about the impact is going to be that schools like 0:11:33.000 --> 0:11:37.160 yours face having to raise the fees and which isn't 0:11:37.200 --> 0:11:38.560 Which isn't possible exactly. 0:11:38.640 --> 0:11:40.320 We already we had to raise up. We had to 0:11:40.360 --> 0:11:43.200 raise our fees this year right from twelve thousand to 0:11:43.280 --> 0:11:47.040 fifteen that are just under sixteen thousand a year, which, 0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:49.640 as you know, is a lot less than schools that 0:11:49.679 --> 0:11:51.920 we are competing toe to toe with in the southern. 0:11:51.640 --> 0:11:54.880 Seven sure, sure, but then the direct impact on the 0:11:54.880 --> 0:11:56.120 pockets of the families that. 0:11:56.080 --> 0:11:58.480 You are of support, and the fear is that if 0:11:58.520 --> 0:12:01.360 we don't get the funding every year, that our fees 0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:03.760 are going to increase by more than inflation, and that's 0:12:03.800 --> 0:12:06.200 a big problem for our community, folks. 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:10.280 We're joined in studio by Acting Principal Natalie Nickavi Kennels 0:12:10.600 --> 0:12:14.520 Deputy Principal Alex Wilson of Clermont High School. They are 0:12:14.880 --> 0:12:19.480 facing a it's a challenge, and it's a challenge that 0:12:20.720 --> 0:12:22.959 you may be able to help with and if you're 0:12:22.960 --> 0:12:24.680 in a position to do so, please do so. We 0:12:24.720 --> 0:12:27.480 started off the conversation really just hearing about the p 0:12:27.960 --> 0:12:31.720 pedigree of the school and the excellence. It seems so 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:35.240 deeply unfair that this is a position. It seems remarkable, 0:12:35.800 --> 0:12:37.520 not to get too political about it, but that in 0:12:37.600 --> 0:12:41.440 twenty twenty five head teachers principals are having to come 0:12:41.480 --> 0:12:44.000 and sort of sing for their supper, as it were. 0:12:44.040 --> 0:12:46.679 But here we find ourselves and this is about the 0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:51.320 future of brilliant young people with brilliant brains who run 0:12:51.400 --> 0:12:56.200 da will run a brilliant country and help and be 0:12:56.280 --> 0:13:01.200 really productive members and beneficial member of Society. If you 0:13:01.240 --> 0:13:03.040 are able to help, please do get in contact with 0:13:03.080 --> 0:13:06.040 Claim on High and let's see if we can't turn 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:07.720 this story to the good.