The School Corridor Tatler

Today I visited two of my high schools: Crestway and Ocean View High Schools. Crestway High School Vernon Safers with his deputy principals, Cheryl Jacobs (left) and Janet Daniels(centre). Crestway High School is one of our Robin Hood schools. Everybody is welcome here. The school has improved their Grade 12 results in 2014, surfacing from an implosion they suffered the previous year. The school principal, Vernon Safers, and his two deputy principals, Janet Daniels and Cheryl Jacobs are happy with their performance, but they are still guarded. "This pleasing performance of our Grade 12s is the result of very hard work," said Vernon. We are learning from our mistakes. We started early with our support programmes. The tutors from the district helped. We extended the day for our Matrics and we made the telematics programme available for the students throughout. We are still drilling into weaknesses in our system here. We want to expand the model to our grade elevens. ...

  Despite all the talk about breaking down those social,cultural and economic barriers that prevent women from top management and leadership positions, the reality is we are not making real inroads. Women are invisible -.this is a fact! At schools where we are engaging a curriculum that embodies the principles of inclusivity, the drivers are often the victims of marginalization in their own workplace.   Female teachers are invisible as key leaders at their own schools At schools where women are often the largest sector of the workforce, it is even more disturbing that the macho culture is deeply entrenched. Most female educators are not given the opportunity to develop their strategic leadership skills and many are not given the space to participate in strategic decision-making processes.   I was confronted with this reality while facilitating at a 'Women in and into leadership positions' training course.. The women in my group were mainly post level one educators. Many of th...