Principal performs miracles

Fourteen years ago, Khensani Primary School in Soshanguve, northern Tshwane, was dilapidated and on the verge of closing down.

Today it is the top-performing school in the district and one of the best government schools in the country.

The man behind its remarkable transformation is its principal, Fannie Sebolela.

Sebolela has won several awards for his work in education , including the National Teachers' Award (2007) and the Premier's Award for Teaching Excellence (2008).

"I have always had a passion for education," said Sebolela.

One of the first changes he made at the school was improving the learning environment.

"Nothing yields better results than learning in a clean and safe environment," he said.

Over the years, Sebolela has managed to forge a number of partnerships, including with two schools in the UK with which exchange programmes - - have been established.

He secured a sponsorship from BMW, which donated the tyres used in the school's food gardens

"Most pupils at the school come from very poor family backgrounds.

"It's no use giving them food at school when they are hungry at home so we teach them to grow their own gardens so they have something to eat," he said.

And with sponsorship from fruit exporter Dole SA and the shipping line Safmarine, the school has opened a computer lab to serve as an "information hub" for the use of pupils and for the community.

"This lab will be used to inspire our youth and encourage them to achieve more.

''It will equip then for the future and give them opportunities that the parents of many of them could only dream of," he said.

Peter Shitiba, chairman of the school governing body, said: "[Sebolela's] leadership is outstanding.

"We are inspired to see so many parents sending their kids from afar to come to our school."

Sebolela said that the secret of the school's success was "hard work".

"Motivating teachers and pupils is important. People are self-driven. Everybody likes to be appreciated," he said.

Sebolela hopes that in the near future he will be able to offer his pupils extracurricular activities such as swimming.

"Over the holidays you hear about children drowning - even I cannot swim."

Sebolela said that the biggest problem with most schools is that they are over-reliant on the education department.

"You mustn't just sit in your office as a principal, waiting for things to happen.

"You have to get in touch with companies and create partnerships. Don't wait for the education department," he said.