The launch of Citizen Leader Lab’s dynamic school leadership programme holds the promise of a brighter future for the Nelson Mandela Bay community
The much-anticipated launch of the dynamic school leadership programme, Partners for Possibility, is set to reimagine education in Nelson Mandela Bay.
This innovative programme, spearheaded by Citizen Leader Lab, a Non-Profit organisation committed to leadership development in the public and private sectors, officially kicked off on 17 October, bringing together public school principals and business leaders in Nelson Mandela Bay to tackle the complex challenges facing the South African education system.
These complex education challenges demand collaborative solutions from both the public and private sectors. Citizen Leader Lab’s school leadership programme is designed to bridge this gap, facilitating collaboration between these sectors as they develop sustainable solutions.
Selected school principals from 10 public schools in Nelson Mandela Bay, together with 10 business leaders from the private sector, have now begun a transformative 12-month leadership journey under the guidance of an accredited coach. Their mission is to address the unique challenges faced by their respective schools with a dual aim: to create an educational environment conducive to teaching and learning while strengthening the bonds between schools and their communities. For business leaders, this journey is an opportunity to refine their own leadership skills in the complex context of a South African public school.
This launch is made possible by the enthusiastic participation of the following school principal- business leader partnerships:
- Jerome May of Bertram Secondary and Sean Eaton
- Keith Buck of Sanctor Secondary and John Donley
- Vuyani Ngcelwane of KwaMagxaki Secondary and Khuthala Nyokana
- Thabo Mapena of Lungisa High and Nomvuzo Silinga
- Naziema Reid of Westville High and Gisela Budler
- Jacqueline Cloete of Arcadia High and Thuleka Timba
- Leon Fuma of Tyhilulwazi Secondary and Steven Lancaster
- Ian Balie of Strelitzia High and Chris Louw
- Ivan Martins of Booysens Park Secondary and Bonile Ntantiso
- Banele Zondani of EZ Kabane High and Natalie Lombard
Selwyn Page, Citizen Leader Lab’s Regional Manager for Nelson Mandela Bay, expressed his gratitude to the funders: ‘’We would like to acknowledge the generous support of our funders, the Capitec Bank Foundation and the FEM Education Foundation, who continue to fund our programme, making a real and significant impact in improving education in schools across South Africa.”
Gisela Budler, a business leader participant who is a Risk Management, Compliance and Governance Specialist, shared her thoughts and aspirations for the journey ahead.
Budler said: “On the launch day, I was able to interact with the school principals around me. I was genuinely inspired by the passion and enthusiasm in the room. While I recognise the administrative challenges school principals face, I’m eager to collaborate with them, understand these challenges, and work together to overcome them.”
“This journey will also undoubtedly provide an opportunity for self-introspection and self-discovery,” she added.
The success of the programme hinges on the expert guidance of accredited coach, Gillian Logiotis, who will play a pivotal role in nurturing the leadership skills of all participants.
Join us in shaping the future of Nelson Mandela Bay! In 2024, Citizen Leader Lab’s dynamic school leadership programme will continue to unite more public school principals and business leaders to tackle complex challenges in education.
Support and participate in future launches of this transformative programme by emailing Selwyn@Citizenleaderlab.org
