A Grahamstown school teacher has given up a plum job at a top school in the city to try and help poor township pupils realise their academic dreams instead.
After 20 happy years at Victoria Girls High School (VGHS) teaching English, drama and maths, Nicci Hayes is counting the days to when she takes up her post as Nombulelo High School principal next year.
“Although I was very content at Victoria Girls, I started realising that after being there so long I needed and wanted new challenges in my life.”
While most people would question her sanity applying for the principal’s post at Nombulelo High when she seemingly had it all at VGHS, Hayes said hers was an easy decision to make.
“When I first started out teaching, it was the dawn of the ‘new’ South Africa and we all believed we were going to change the world through education.”
Years later, however Hayes started questioning whether she was doing enough on a spiritual – and political – level to bring about meaningful change.
“I started realising that although individual lives had been changed, the whole scale of transformation we had dreamed about was still only a dream,” she said.
Inspired by Madeleine Schoeman, who was the VGHS principal before leaving to head nearby Ntsika High School several years ago, Hayes said she was lucky to have good friends she could call on whenever she needed.
“I am fortunate to have a network of friends here who are principals of state schools, and who are inspired by the same vision to make Grahamstown a centre of education excellence.”
Although Nombulelo regularly achieves a 60% matric pass rate, very few get to study at nearby Rhodes University or Midlands College. “I spent two weeks at Nombulelo after final exams and met all the teachers, some students and a few parents and was overwhelmed by their welcome,” Hayes said.
“I was really inspired by the passion and dedication of staff and the management team who worked late into the night to meet mark schedule deadlines.”
Once a top Grahamstown school, standards dropped at Nombulelo in recent years.
“Nombulelo has a rich tradition academically and sport wise, and has produced many successful alumni who are keen to get involved,” Hayes said.
“It is not about a new broom sweeping clean – it is rather about reconnecting the dots.”
According to Hayes, immediate challenges include improving rundown school buildings and the grounds.
“My hope is if we can improve school security to prevent vandalism and get parents and the community involved to work together then we can create pride and ownership again,” she added.
School governing body chair Likhaya Ngandi yesterday said in less than two weeks Hayes had already made a huge difference.
“We said things needed to be fixed and surprise surprise – she was on it straight away.
“She got a new ladder and cleaned the gutters, and she found out that some money from the department was not used and has prioritised how to use it.
“She is doing what we employed her to do. It was a very bold step to leave her comfort zone to make a difference,” Ngandi said.
From ‘plum job’ to township school
After 20 happy years at Victoria Girls High School (VGHS) teaching English, drama and maths, Nicci Hayes is counting the days to when she takes up her post as Nombulelo High School principal next year.
“Although I was very content at Victoria Girls, I started realising that after being there so long I needed and wanted new challenges in my life.”
While most people would question her sanity applying for the principal’s post at Nombulelo High when she seemingly had it all at VGHS, Hayes said hers was an easy decision to make.
“When I first started out teaching, it was the dawn of the ‘new’ South Africa and we all believed we were going to change the world through education.”
Years later, however Hayes started questioning whether she was doing enough on a spiritual – and political – level to bring about meaningful change.
“I started realising that although individual lives had been changed, the whole scale of transformation we had dreamed about was still only a dream,” she said.
Inspired by Madeleine Schoeman, who was the VGHS principal before leaving to head nearby Ntsika High School several years ago, Hayes said she was lucky to have good friends she could call on whenever she needed.
“I am fortunate to have a network of friends here who are principals of state schools, and who are inspired by the same vision to make Grahamstown a centre of education excellence.”
Although Nombulelo regularly achieves a 60% matric pass rate, very few get to study at nearby Rhodes University or Midlands College. “I spent two weeks at Nombulelo after final exams and met all the teachers, some students and a few parents and was overwhelmed by their welcome,” Hayes said.
“I was really inspired by the passion and dedication of staff and the management team who worked late into the night to meet mark schedule deadlines.”
Once a top Grahamstown school, standards dropped at Nombulelo in recent years.
“Nombulelo has a rich tradition academically and sport wise, and has produced many successful alumni who are keen to get involved,” Hayes said.
“It is not about a new broom sweeping clean – it is rather about reconnecting the dots.”
According to Hayes, immediate challenges include improving rundown school buildings and the grounds.
“My hope is if we can improve school security to prevent vandalism and get parents and the community involved to work together then we can create pride and ownership again,” she added.
School governing body chair Likhaya Ngandi yesterday said in less than two weeks Hayes had already made a huge difference.
“We said things needed to be fixed and surprise surprise – she was on it straight away.
“She got a new ladder and cleaned the gutters, and she found out that some money from the department was not used and has prioritised how to use it.
“She is doing what we employed her to do. It was a very bold step to leave her comfort zone to make a difference,” Ngandi said.
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