27 Feb 2017

Perhaps St Joseph’s college should thank the birds that sit atop trees in the school for tirelessly singing therapeutic melodies that ushers in a rare learning atmosphere for students. Those birds have every right to demand recognition for contributing to the school success over the years.

Take a moment and think of any school in the middle of any city, the roaring sounds of traffic, the sirens of ambulance and drug dealers and hawkers lurking on the school fence preying on students should be too much for young minds to blossom.

But here at St Joseph’s, the green bush that cushions the students from the business of the city, the serene environment punctuated with the lullabies of birds brings about a fertile environment for learning to take place.

On this day, unannounced, we are greeted by healthy looking and neatly dressed teachers pacing up and down the school passages in a rush hour of their own.

Having defended the school position at the top of the academic ladder for the past five years, is a badge that “St Joe,” as it is commonly called, teachers wear with pride.

Constance Male, whose voice would be the envy of football coaches, is the captain of this smooth sailing ship that has for a half a decade eluded academic ice-bergs that sunk many schools to the floor of the academic ladder.

At a time when education is on its deathbed, Ms Male laughs heartily and sinks comfortably in her chair, a sign that she has no worry in this world. After coming tops with a 60 per cent pass, a nine point improvement from her previous results, she has every reason to be happy.

Parents and students fleeing from bad performing schools crowd outside her office seeking to transfer their children here, unfortunately the school is already over- crowded.

For the past years Ms Male has been in the business of producing roses, first in the classroom where her academic roses are the nations pride and secondly as a farmer whose backyard roses decorate houses of many people.

To attest to this her cabinet is littered with a plethora of silverware in recognition of the school outstanding achievements while roses that blossom brightly in her backyard reveals the beauty of her work.

Although she talks of herself as self- inspired, she mentions basic education permanent secretary, Ms Grace Muzila, as having ushered her to the world of possibilities after sending her for a bench-marking exercise in Mauritius. “That trip ushered me to a world of champions,” she said.

Besides, it is evident that good leadership, discipline, proper planning and engagements of stake holders are the cornerstone of her leadership.

While students elsewhere wear skirts that falls several inches shy of their knees, at St Joe, students could trip on uniform that fall just a few inches short of the floor. Students are also expected to keep a certain distance with arms folded at the back when talking to their teachers.

While social media is destructive force for learners, here there is no need to worry about that.

Talk about surprise stop and search at the school gate that she organises with Naledi police.

“We have a strong prefect system and house disciplinary committee that ensures that discipline reigns in the school. We don’t allow cellphones or laptops unless that is for a project,” she said adding that, “This is the most disciplined school I can talk of.”

Just like students, teachers also do not get away with crime. “How do you explain a situation where a student excels in one subjects and fails in another.

That shows that the student has potential and maybe the teacher is a barrier to learning.

In that situation we call the students to diagnose the problem then we engage the teacher and the parent,” she said.

A geography teacher before she took the helm of the school, she says nothing can be achieved without a strong team.

“A disintegrated team does not bring results. You have to lead by example and by instructions, students and teachers must know that you love them, that way you will win their hearts but at the same time you must be able to discipline them,” she said.

This year, her outstanding performance, caught the attention of basic education minister Dr Unity Dow who gave the school a certificate of top achievers and also pledged P30 000 for the school prize giving day.

“Our prize-giving is not only for students, we also extend that to teachers,” she said.

Not only that, but she also sends top achieving teachers to dine and wine in foreign exotic places.

This year she says, the school has set a 70 per cent pass rate something which she believes is achievable. ENDS