HIGH SCHOOLS

Yesterday we went to three schools in Soweto to deliver certificates to students who had completed the BOOF (Banking on our Future) financial education program.  Soweto is a very large township next to Joburg, and has various areas within Soweto.  We did see some shack areas, but also middle class areas, such as where Mandela grew up in.

This is the soccer stadium across from the school that hosted the World Cup in 2008, I think it was.  Linda and I went past here during our tour three years ago. Who would have thought at that time I'd be visiting the school as part of my work?!

One of the groups of 12th graders who took the class and received certificates

One of the students receiving his cert. Science class info on blackboard.

A beautiful high school teacher in another school

Yet another school.area of Soweto.  Note the vision/mission, the barred door to admin (bars on all doors/windows everywhere, as is crime) the national flags, and the poster (ZERO HIV) on the right.  HIV is prevalent but not openly discussed or dealt with.  Some provincial cultures, particularly in the KwaZuluNatal province, believe that the sperm is not to be impeded, so condoms are not used and so there not only are too many children, but the highest HIV rates in the world.  Most of the PCVs here work with HIV related projects in some way, except for a few of the education volunteers.

Another note about academic achievement.  Usually the "pass" rate is 50%, but in some provinces, it is 40% for home language and English and 30% for all other subjects.  So much work to be done in this country...