HISTORY AND OBJECTIVES
OF ZENZELENI CAMPUS

  IMPACT OF EDUCATION OFFERED

  OTHER BENEFITS OFFERED

  STAFF

Centre For Creative Education Zenzeleni Campus in Cape Town’s Khayelitsha township was founded in 1999 by local teachers, with the guidance and support of teacher trainers from the Centre for Creative Education (CCE), the accredited teacher-training college based in Plumstead, Cape Town.

The Zenzeleni campus was started in response to a request from parents who wanted their children to continue receiving the kind of care and rich, creative play and learning opportunities they themselves had experienced at a pre-primary school led by a principal who had trained at the CCE. From inception, Zenzeleni grew by one class each year and is now a fully-fledged primary school with classes from Grade R (Kindergarten) to Grade 7.

The method followed focuses on the child, meeting each in an age-appropriate way – using innovative ways to facilitate an enjoyable and inspiring learning experience. Movement, music, verses, storytelling, art, and craft are some of the methods and skills used to enliven and educate the children. The pedagogy, the caring nature of the teachers, the individual attention for each child, even when the classes are large, is what makes Zenzeleni special.

The school aims to develop responsible citizens by awakening a sense of creative responsibility in the children. The intention is to develop the children’s capacity to such an extent that they become confident, well-balanced, caring individuals; conscious of what each has to offer and of the value of positive social interaction through consideration of others. The hope is that they will be empowered to work creatively with the challenges faced in an ever-changing society. This is done in various ways, working with social, cultural, and environmental projects as part of their educational curriculum.

To ensure their social skills are developed and engaged we provide the following:

• A “buddy” reading programme where older children assist younger children.
• The creation and performance of theatre plays.
• Weekend camps with other schools from various areas in the greater Cape Town area, where working together with difference and co-operation is encouraged.

Cultural development is done through:

• An annual language-sharing event, along with other schools from various areas in the greater Cape Town area, where children share something of their second language and experience heritage differences through verses, stories, and songs.

Environmental responsibility is taught through:

• Care of their school through sweeping the classrooms and keeping the school tidy.
• Gardening tasks.
• A recycling programme in conjunction with Ukubona, an art project based at the school.

Through these experiences and interactions children develop a respect for other human beings and the natural world around them. This is essential given the lack of respect many South African children experience daily, in varying degrees, for reasons including extreme poverty, alcoholism, increased gang activity and violence.

The Zenzeleni College of Teachers strives to work in a co-operative manner, ensuring a delegation of duties amongst teachers, support staff and volunteers. This assists the children in their experience of the values of equity, democracy and social justice.

IMPACT OF EDUCATION OFFERED

COMMUNITY VALUE, VIEWPOINT OF VISITORS

Some reasons the school is highly regarded by many in the community:

• Teachers from other schools in the area choose to send their children to Zenzeleni.
• Parents in the community see the school very positively and there is a long waiting list to enroll.
• Visitors to the school say the school has a harmonious feeling, a sense of joy, that the children seem very happy and that the older children have a “sureness of self”.

PAST PUPIL FEEDBACK AND SUPPORT

Lucky Mpu, a past pupil who completed his maritime and navigation studies the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), feels that the education offered at Zenzeleni “encourages children to become confident to speak – to be open-minded and to think independently.”

He says he returns regularly to visit the school, to see past teachers and talk to some of the older students, in order to motivate them, to strive for the opportunities they dream of, to stay focussed on those dreams and to work hard. He recalls of one class teacher: “She saw a leader in me before I did!” Lucky believes it was through this kind of encouragement at Zenzeleni that he was able to achieve all he has.

NEED FOR FUNDRAISING SUPPORT

Fees are set at an amount far lower than the actual cost of educating a child at Zenzeleni, yet many parents battle to pay even the required fees. The shortfall is met through various fundraising initiatives. AbantwanaCare, supported by Freunde der Erziehungskunst in Germany, is an educational sponsorship programme started by volunteers who had worked at Zenzeleni for a year.

Volunteers who have been hosted by Zenzeleni as part of a year long socio-cultural exchange programme continue to support the Zenzeleni children after they have returned to their homes overseas. Other fundraising is done through donor organizations overseas and applications to local businesses with a CSI (social responsibility) policy directed at education. Another means is through smaller-scale funding drives by parents and teachers at the Zenzeleni campus.

BENEFICIARIES OF THE WORK AT ZENZELENI

Currently the number of people who benefit directly from donor funding is 843. This total comprises the following: 282 schoolchildren (Kindergarten to Grade 7); 550 parents or grandparents; four volunteers; four subject teachers; two finance staff: two fundraisers; two housekeepers; and an administrative assistant, art facilitator and general co-ordinator.

Although the main beneficiaries are the children and their teachers, the benefits of this funding – and the work it facilitates – reach far into the community.

OTHER BENEFITS OFFERED

EXTRA LESSON SUPPORT AND TUTORING IN LITERACY AND NUMERACY

Those children at Zenzeleni who need extra help can receive it in two ways: first through Extra Lesson Support where they are led through a series of exercises to become integrated in their bodies (needed to concentrate and learn); and secondly through tutoring for Literacy and/or Numeracy challenges.

REMEDIAL CARE AND THERAPY

It is believed that around 30% of children in South Africa require emotional or remedial physical support, as a result of varying home and school challenges. The remedial care we hope to offer more regularly will assist with the causes of the learning challenges – the basic plan being to break the cycle of struggle.

A Curative Eurythmy therapist is available to work at the school. Our plan is to further grow this remedial aspect of the school experience, given that it is vital to the development of those children in most need.

Nobuhle Mbatani

Before joining the Waldorf school in Khayelitsha, Nobuhle taught in the public school system. She has now been teaching at the Zenzeleni campus since 2004. During this time she has trained in the art process work called Bridging Polarities Through Art. She has also completed the Hero Book training and is completing upgrading her BEd Degree. In the classroom she shares her love of clay modelling, painting, crafts, drawing and music. The ongoing Teacher Development in the annual Sharing Conferences, along with other teacher gatherings, has helped her to upskill and increase her knowledge and abilities as a Waldorf Teacher. “The Waldorf Curriculum is therapeutic in that it enriches both teacher and children,” she says. “Our teaching method enables learning to be exciting and always keeps the students engaged in all that they do.”

Lulama Cynthia Mtuzula

Lulama was born and raised in Butterworth, Eastern Cape. Holding a Teacher’s Diploma, she has worked at Zenzeleni for more than two decades and has played a pivotal role in the development of the school, as well as, helping to forge strong ties with the community. Before she joined the Zenzeleni campus, Lulama was a Grade 1 teaching assistant at Constantia Waldorf School. She says the Waldorf education system has given her deep understanding of child development. “Our school is a small one which has meant that my colleagues are like family. We share almost everything with one another, including our personal lives.” Still, she adds, the school is greatly in need of a remedial teacher to help those with learning difficulties. Lulama counts herself as being fortunate enough to have taught all her own children, starting from Grade 1 and now (in 2021) seeing her eldest through Grade 5.

Tamara Zumana

Before joining Zenzeleni (where she has worked since 2000), Tamara worked as a Handcraft assistant at Micheal Oak Waldorf School, assisting with crafts from Grade 1 to high school level. Since starting at the Zenzeleni campus, she has gained a Diploma in Waldorf Teaching and is currently doing her BEd Degree in Foundation Teaching at the Centre for Creative Education. Teaching is now her calling, she says. Not for the money, but for the sakes of the young souls who sit in front of her every day. “They need love, care and education from you,” she says. “I love working at Zenzeleni because it is not about you alone. It is about you, the children, the parents and your colleagues.” Her wish now is that the school has grown is that one day soon they will have their own hall and a proper staffroom.

Busi Vimbi

After completing her schooling Busi decided to pursue her dream and passion for teaching by studying Foundation Phase Teaching at the Centre for Creative Education starting in 1995. Her first job was as the isiXhosa teacher at Micheal Oak Waldorf School. Five years later she moved to Zenzeleni and has since taught from Grades 1 – 7. Busi has now completed two full cycles and says she has sent her students on “to fly as the future generation”. One of her highlights since teaching at the Zenzeleni campus was the 2020 end-of-year performance of The Shepherd Play. “The children sang the Christmas carols so beautifully for their parents,” she recalls. “It was heart-warming.”

Aminta Mangcola-Dakada

Aminta has a BEd Degree and has been teaching at Zenzeleni since 2016. She began her teaching career at the Waldorf School in McGregor and had moved to Zenzeleni campus to take the Grade 4 class. Aminta loves reading novels and listening to music. “I start my day with singing since I find that whatever song I sing first sets the tone for the rest of my day.” She really enjoys singing with her class and playing the drums. Aminta says she chose to become a teacher because she loved the idea of working with children and rediscovering the world through their imaginations.

Yoliswa Mashiyi Nyambali

Yoliswa started her journey as a teacher in 1995 by studying for her Teaching Diploma at the Centre for Creative Education. She has been a class teacher at Zenzeleni School since 2007. Having attended only state schools herself, she says she found the Waldorf environment to be an eye-opening experience. “I saw and discovered a good educational system which I believe could help the South African children who lived in rural and township areas,” she says. Before joining Zenzeleni, Yoliswa worked as a handwork teacher in Constantia Waldorf School, going on to teach isiXhosa there for nine years and then being the Grade 1 teaching assistant. There is great pride in her voice when she reflects on the fact that her first class of Grade 1 students would now have completed their schooling. She really enjoys herself while teaching, particularly handcraft. “It is a therapeutic subject where children work with their open hearts and share a lot about what is happening in their lives and in their surroundings.”

Nosicelo Ntshewula Mpame

In 1990 Nosicelo moved from the Eastern Cape (Tsomo District) to Cape Town in order to complete her matric. Before joining Zenzeleni she worked for at Sisiphiwo Pre-Primary for five years, then studied Early Childhood Development at the Centre for Creative Education and has been in her current position since 2009. She says she is inspired by teaching at the kindergarten level because she partakes in the earliest phase of schooling development, with lots of laughing, telling stories, and hearing stories each day. “You become a mother, nurse, social worker and doctor to the children,” she says. Her own child is also a student at Zenzeleni and loves his schooling.

Zukisani Festile

Zukisani has been teaching at Zenzeleni since 2001, holding a Diploma in Education and proceeding on to upgrading to his BEd degree. He says he enjoys not only formal classes, but also the close bonds that he has with his class and the opportunities to the work through various challenges with them and, on occasion, their parents. Since childhood, it was his dream to be a teacher. “My class and I understand one other well and we enjoy each other’s company,” Zukisani beams. He particularly likes teaching Maths, English and History. Zukisani says he enjoys working at the Zenzeleni campus because the staff support one other professionally, personally and emotionally, and that they work together as a family. That kind of working environment makes him feel at ease, he declares. Besides his love of teaching, Zukisani says he loves listening to music, radio – news sometimes, debates or anything inspirational whether it’s poetry, talk shows, documentaries or …music.

Nomvuselelo Mqamelo

Nomvuselelo has been a Waldorf teacher for more than 20 years, starting as a Kindergarten teaching assistant at the Michael Oak Waldorf School for three years. After qualifying with a Teaching Diploma she joined Gaia Waldorf School for around a decade. During this time she became aware of an inherent love of her home language, isiXhosa and so moved to Imhoff Waldorf School as the isiXhosa teacher for three years. In 2013 she joined Zenzeleni, originally teaching from kindergarten to Grade 3, before taking over as the school’s dedicated Home Language teacher for Grades 4 – 7. “I find it very exciting,” she says. “My aim now is to bring back the joy and love for the language especially one’s mother tongue, which is the language of the heart.”

Zukiswa Mani

Zukiswa hails from the Eastern Cape, having matriculated at the St Teresa in the high country around Sterkspruit. Since then she has worked at the Zenzeleni campus, initially as a cleaner, but now as a kindergarten teacher after completing her Level 4 and Level 5 Early Childhood Development Certificate training at the Centre for Creative Education. She works alongside Nosicelo with the kindergarten children. 

Emma Stotko

Emma is a Eurythmy teacher at Zenzeleni. After graduating with a BA Dance in Eurythmy at the Centre for Creative Education, she was offered a position at the school where she has worked since 2015. Her aim is to bring moments of calm and meditation to the children there, giving them an opportunity to express themselves through music and poetry, to connect with each other and to learn the value of teamwork. She has been fortunate to also have worked at Stellenbosch Waldorf, Vera and Hermanus Waldorf schools.

Khanya Fusa 

Khanya has been an art facilitator at the school since 2017, working with Grades 3 – 7. In these classes the children are free to express themselves, using a wide variety of mediums (with clay, painting, drawings, craft, even recycling), in an open-minded environment, without fear of either judgment or self-judgment. Whatever challenges arise from the process, are worked through in cooperation with the child’s class teacher. Khanya is a product of the Steiner schooling system, having attended Zenzeleni, followed by Michael Oak for upper primary and then completing high school at Stellenbosch Waldorf School. “Coming from Khayalitsha, and having attended this school, I feel that I have a good understanding of the children here,” he contends. Khanya has his certificate in Bridging Polarities through Art, has completed the Hero Book training and holds a Diploma in Tourism. He says teaching is close to his heart, and that he expresses his passion through his motivation, inspiration, encouragement, development and determination towards everything he does.

Zethu Xapa

Zethu grew up and was schooled in the Eastern Cape. After settling in Cape Town she worked first in the fast-food industry, before joining the Zenzeleni staff in 2016 as the school secretary. “I enjoy working here and look forward to learning new things”, she says. She loves being part of this community where people care about one another.

Nokuzola Magdaline Manqindi

Nokuzola has worked as a cleaner at Zenzeleni since 2014, starting in a part-time capacity. She has since taken up a full-time position. Both of her children attended Zenzeleni. “I enjoy working here and the staff members are very accommodating,” she says.

Mahlubandile Kaba

Hlubi, as he is known to everyone at Zenzeleni, was born in the highlands of Matatiele, in the Eastern Cape. Since 2003 he has lived in Khayelitsha and worked at Zenzeleni. Being a father, he says he likes to work around the children – and the teachers too. “We are all working together,” he says.