HASANI Chauke is the new headmaster of Norkem Park High School.
Chauke joined the school on September 1, leaving Tembisa High School as its deputy principal.
He was the deputy principal for only four months but was an educator and head of department at the school for about 14 years.
After completing his grade 10, Chauke did not have enough funds to further his studies. He said it was destiny that led him to studying as an educator as his first choice was becoming a lawyer.
“I was offered financial assistance by a lecturer and mentor in my life if I enrolled at a technical college in the education field,” he explained.
Although he is new to being a headmaster, Chauke is not new to initiating and implementing successful educational programmes in institutions, and has worked as a coordinator with Peermont Global on a R5-million programme among others.
These same programmes and others, he says, he hopes to put into effect at Norkem Park High.
“The programmes look into assisting pupils and teachers with new strategies. We introduced iPads into the curriculum as a new learning method,” he adds.
“Our generation didn’t have these technological advances. The younger generation loves technology and they learn better if you provide what is relevant to them.”
Mac books were also used at Tembisa High School and text books were used as reference.
The township school environment, he points out, is not that much different from the suburbs.
“These same programmes were implemented at Sunward Park High, Benoni High and Germiston High. They brought change, a new dimension and a new way of thinking.”
While most educators encourage students to go to university, Chauke believes it is advisable to also teach students that university is not the only way out, especially for those who, for some reason or other, are unable to enrol at an institution of higher learning.
“Not everyone will go to university. Through entrepreneurship programmes we will help learners to refine the business ideas they have. We need to prepare our learners so that even if they don’t go to university, they still make an impact in the community.”
According to Chauke, Norkem Park High School ranks first place in sports.
“No school can in Kempton Park compete with us. Academically, however, we would like to beat everyone and anyone. We need to have a healthy body and mind to be the best.”
Asked who he thought the school’s competition in Kempton Park was academically, Chauke reserved his comment and said the challenges the school was facing were not insurmountable and just required the school to work as a unit.
He says the school currently has a 90 per cent matric pass rate, which he really wants to push to 100 per cent with a good average of over 50 per cent.
To the matrics of 2014 he says: “I want them to shine, not only for the school but for themselves and their families. Doing well is the best Christmas gift they can give their parents.”
His message to parents is that all he wants going forward is their support.
“This institution is nursing our children and all we need is for parents to come on board and to share our vision and to support whatever initiatives we want to implement in the school.”
As the new headmaster, he wants to be remembered as one who brought change.
