Citizen Leader Lab, a Non-Profit committed to leadership development in the public and private sectors, officially launched its Leaders for Education (previously Partners for Possibility) programme on 15 March in Johannesburg, bringing together public school principals and business leaders to collectively address the challenges schools in this region face.

Challenges in education require solutions from both the public and private sectors. The Leaders for Education programme aims to facilitate collaboration between these sectors as they develop long-term, sustainable solutions together.

Selected school principals from public schools, in partnership with business leaders from the private sector, have now begun a transformative 12-month leadership journey. Their mission to address the unique challenges faced by their respective schools is two-fold: To create a school environment that enables teaching and learning while strengthening the ties between schools and their communities. Beyond benefiting the participating school principals, the programme’s impact is expected to cascade down to over 300 teachers and 8000 learners.  For business leaders, this is an opportunity to refine their own leadership skills in the nuanced context of a South African public school.

Baldwin Malebana, Principal of Phumulani Secondary in Katlehong, shared what he is most looking forward to in the next 12-months: ‘’I am keen to understand how to integrate business skills and expertise into our school’s framework, with the goal of attracting investors and sponsors who align with my school’s vision. Through the collective life experiences of all my peers, I know that I now have access to a wealth of knowledge.’’

Explaining why she became involved in the Leaders for Education programme, Lerato Phelane, a Chartered Account and newly appointed Board Member of Citizen Leader Lab, said: ‘’I recognise firsthand the transformative power of education. Education is the great equaliser, and through partnerships with school principals, we’re shaping environments where excellence thrives. The focus on developing leaders directly impacts the critical mass needed to build the future we want for South Africa. When leaders improve, so does everything else.’’

The success of the programme rests on the expert guidance of accredited coach, Kay Moodley, who will play an integral part in nurturing the leadership skills of the participants.

In 2024, Citizen Leader Lab will continue to partner more public school principals and business leaders to tackle challenges in education. Support and participate in future launches of the transformative Leaders for Education programme by emailing Audrey@Citizenleaderlab.org