Citizen Leader Lab is calling on experienced business leaders in Parys, whether still active or recently retired, to step into a bold new role

Through the launch of its Leaders for Education programme in Parys this May, Citizen Leader Lab is inviting business leaders to partner with local school principals in a high-impact leadership development programme designed to strengthen public education and revitalise communities.

Citizen Leader Lab has already launched two cohorts in Parys, with one currently underway. These partnerships are already making an impact — and there is room for more business leaders to get involved.

Backed by more than a decade of measurable success across South Africa, Leaders for Education equips school principals with leadership and management skills, while offering business leaders an opportunity to develop their own leadership through collaboration, reflection and real-world problem-solving.

Parys, like many towns in South Africa, faces ongoing socio-economic challenges. By connecting school principals with business leaders, the programme aims to not only uplift schools but also inspire community-wide resilience and progress.

“This programme is about more than skills development. It’s about active citizenship. It’s about South Africans showing up for each other, using their leadership experience to strengthen our education system and contribute to society,’’ says Selwyn Page, Citizen Leader Lab’s Regional Manager for the Free State.

Through this innovative programme, business leaders and school principals are paired in partnerships that span a full year. Participants engage in world-class leadership workshops and professional coaching and peer learning.