Originally when Worley RSA, who are developing the biggest diamond mine in Africa for De Beers in Limpopo Province of South Africa, discussed launching a legacy programme to benefit the community around the mine they envisaged funding the Billion Child Foundation to turn 72 schools into centres of excellence.
Subsequently they increased their commitment which enabled BCF to turn 220 schools into centres of excellence.
So successful was the programme that principals of an additional 800 schools have paid to join the programme which brings the total to 1,020 schools.
Principals of the Malamulele East Circuit near Mititi right on the Kruger National Park fence after completing the first round of the SA Schools Centre of Excellence Programme which will empower them to turn their schools into centres of excellence. While training was taking place elephants were demolishing trees on the opposite side of the fence. It is difficult to imagine a place more rural than that.
Approximately 97% of the nearly 2,000 schools which have participated in the SA Schools Centre of Excellence Programme are situated in deep rural areas or urban townships. Despite being situated in areas where poverty, unemployment, substance abuse. family and gender based violence, the breakdown of family relationships and high levels of teenage pregnancy are endemic, over 80% of teenagers who wrote their matriculation examinations at these schools gained a university or technical university entrance pass in 2019.
We expect the 1.020 schools to achieve similar results by 2022.