SOUTH Africa’s former president, the iconic late Nelson Mandela, described education as the most powerful weapon that can be used to change the world. The Learning Room, a local NPC, lives and breathes this statement by helping empower those in need.
The NPC was started in 2012 by Margaret Host, a Summerveld resident. She has a masters in business administration as well as a business management degree and chose to use her position to help others.
“We came from Zambia and, when I was 12, my mother said we drove her crazy as every time we saw someone walking we told her to stop the car to give them a lift. From then I’ve been so aware of the inequality in the country. I believe that each one of us can do something for someone else,” said Margaret.
She has an absolute passion for teaching and was lecturing at UKZN when a student threw her down the stairs. “As a result, I am actually physically disabled so I couldn’t go back and teach there. So I decided that I would start teaching those in need.”
The school started of as an informal group of four adults at her office in Kloof. It grew by two more when one of the beneficiaries brought along his children that were in Grade 5 and Grade 6.
“It was very basic. Each person had a black book and every word they didn’t understand they had to write it down and look it up,” she said.
The word spread like wildfire and the numbers continued to grow and last year there were 28 people visiting her for classes. Margaret then dug into her own pockets to hire another office space to teach the larger group.
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There can be up to 48 children at any given time in the classes. They start promptly at 8am and they run until 1pm. From Grade 5 to matric.
“At the beginning of this year, eight more people arrived and we just ran out of space,” she said. The group was offered a space at St Leo’s in Molweni. “I first asked for two classrooms, which was in April, and this has quickly grown again and we now use four classrooms.”
At the moment only mathematics, physics and English are covered in the classes. The average mathematics mark of all pupils was 22 per cent.
“Two of the children in my classes have ADD and need medication, but there is just no way that I can afford to cover the expense. The learners don’t have text books but I pay for printed versions of the ones I can get for free,” she said
During a Highway Mail site visit, the learners were so determined and desperate to learn that they walked the school in the downpour without umbrellas.
“While there are no barriers to joining. The group unfortunately cannot take in any more as there are simply no resources to expand,”said Margaret.
Learning Room’s wish list:
Stationery
· Pens, pencils, erasers, rulers
· Paper
· Exercise books
· Mathematics sets
· Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary
· New Oxford Thesaurus for English
· Cash donations for teachers remuneration.
· Food donations to feed children every Saturday. (There are no cooking facilities, so items like ready food are especially welcome)
· Track suits and trainers to form a school uniform (some children do not possess appropriate clothing.)
Contact Margaret on 031 764 3649 or 060 960 7543. Visit the school’s Facebook Page at The Learning Room NPC.
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