The Grades 9 and 10 at Amaoti 3 Secondary School were suddenly without a Maths teacher. When no replacement was forthcoming from the Department of Basic Education, Cox Yeats Attorneys stepped forward and have sponsored a Maths Champion until the end of October. Awonke Nondabula, a graduate teacher, has 243 learners under his tutelage and his impact has been significant. One of the Grade 10s described Awonke as dynamic and dedicated: “He has opened our minds when it comes to mathematics.”
Nicky Walton, Domino’s Education Co-ordinator, commented that the children had been abandoned by the official school system when the previous teacher had left and not been replaced. “Section 29 of our constitution states that everyone has the right to a basic education, but since A3 lost their Maths teacher, months have gone by without the department having provided a Maths teacher placement. It’s just such an injustice for the children.” She added that Cox Yeats is already sponsoring the school’s Literacy Champion who is making a significant impact on students’ ability to read for understanding and to write English. “We are so grateful to them for their support of both champions which took us to the end of term 3. We would love to sustain these Maths and Literacy Champion positions and are appealing to other business concerns, who would like to play a meaningful role in the education space, to contact us. “
Awonke had the final say: “I have loved my time at A3 and have really bonded with my students in this critical journey towards their Matric Maths exams in a few years’ time”.
Nicky can be contacted at education @ domino.org.za or on 031 110 0730.
