On International Day of the Girl the JumpStart team hopes to inspire little girls to fall in love with mathematics. Counting songs, finger games, one-on-one attention and our innovative NumberSense programme are all part of the solution. We aim to ensure that girls stay in school, complete their education and are empowered to go on to careers in STEM. The World Bank acknowledges the importance of ensuring that girls learn and feel safe while in school. They identify several barriers to girls’ access to and completion of education, notably poverty and limitations in teacher training. JumpStart is working to be part of the solution that ensures young girls are able to complete their education. We’re upskilling teachers and tutors with additional training. By placing unemployed youth as tutors in primary school classrooms we increase the quality of education learners receive. World bank research shows that countries are losing between $15 trillion and $30 trillion in […]
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World Teachers’ Day – the mother of all careers!
At the 21st National Teaching Awards in Ekurhuleni today, President Ramaphosa praised outstanding educators who have remained committed to their noble craft and produced extraordinary outcomes under challenging circumstances. At JumpStart, we are blessed with remarkable partners who support, encourage and facilitate progress for our youth tutors. Many fabulous teachers – like Barbara Bogogolela, Nondomisa Macala, Funeka Phakada and Adelina Msimango – go out of their way to advise, mentor and champion young people aiming to become qualified educators in their own right. These teachers are supported by a team of colleagues at the Department of Basic Education, Ekurhuleni South District, who lead and guide mathematics learning in the foundation phase on a daily basis. On World Teachers’ Day Maria Kgotlele Malaza, a committed partner of JumpStart, shared her thoughts on “the mother of all careers”. Ms Malaza is the SES for Mathematics in the Foundation Phase and her support has been integral to the […]
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JumpStart CEO is first runner-up Conscious Companies Award 2021!
People and planet before profits were celebrated on Thursday night, 9 September 2021, when ten CEOs were recognised for their efforts at the Conscious Companies Award 2021 ceremony. A range of small companies and NPOs up against the “Goliaths” giant brands like AECI, Standard Bank and the winner, Nestlé ESAR. Of necessity a small (but sparkling) COVID compliant ceremony was held at the Venue in Melrose Arch in Johannesburg. A real time live-streamed prize-giving meant that interns, staffers and friends could participate virtually. When JumpCO CEO, Steve Mahony, received the first runners up trophy from Brenda Kali (Conscious Companies CEO) and Hoosain Karjieker (Mail & Guardian CEO), whoops of joy sounded around the country. Deepening the conversation Brenda Kali, CEO of Conscious Companies, said the aim of the Awards was to recognise visionary leaders who create leadership capacity and steer their companies to prosper while placing a premium on people, community, culture and the environment. “The […]
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Mental health matters!
Mental health is a topic that many sweep under the mat, feeling ashamed of it. Not so the JumpStart tutors at Kumalo Primary! They may have had a rough year… just like everyone the world over, but they’re talking about mental health. Covid-19, family challenges, financial hardship and then the violent looting affected many of our team. Despite this, Maria Nomgenye, Thulisile Mtembu, Unahina Hlungwani and Pule Morobi found a way to keep hope alive, and to comfort each other on dark days. Most importantly, they choose to stay focused on the children in their care who are learning the basics of mathematics. These vibrant youngsters reflected on how they keep things balanced when everything turns upside down. We’re going through the most… Thulisile Mtembu has noticed fellow tutors in the district who are struggling with stress. “Most young people in this day and age – including tutors like me – are breadwinners. Society was […]
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Malefu Rampai – educator waiting in the wings
Little did Malefu Rampai know just six years ago that she would fall in love with mathematics when she started as a JumpStart tutor. Her experience teaching NumberSense to children in Sasolburg was instrumental in persuading her to major in mathematics. After a long slog and at the age of 30, Malefu Rampai recently completed her B Ed through UNISA. She can hardly wait to become a full-time fully qualified educator! Despite having completed all her coursework and having her fees are all paid up, thanks to a StudyAssist bursary from JumpStart and Sasol, she can’t get a job until she receives her graduation certificate. She is one of the many UNISA students justifiably “upset” as heard on Radio 702 recently. Malefu shared her JumpStart journey with us. When and how did you join JumpStart? I joined the JumpStart foundation in 2014 when the programme was first introduced in Sasolburg and it soon grew into […]
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