Junior School of Excellence in South Africa (Siyakhula)

The Junior School of Excellence Program, or Siyakhula (‘We are growing’) as it is known locally is the first stage of specific individual development for children within the United Through Sport program.

Summary

The Junior School of Excellence Program is based at a primary school located within the disadvantaged township communities of Nelson Mandela Bay. The program selects children from within the wider community and invites them to attend an after-school activity program.

Selection

The children are selected from within the established Mass Participation Program (MPP). This program currently reaches more than 18,000 previously disadvantaged primary school children per year across Nelson Mandela Bay and Cacadu districts.

Children for the Junior School of Excellence Program are initially identified for their sporting ability and dedication to the MPP. Their school reports, attendance and academic ability are reviewed to assess their work ethic and home visits are conducted to measure parental / guardian support for the program and to gauge an understanding of the financial situation of the family. However, the main criteria to determine participation is the child’s determination to succeed, commitment and desire to take part in such an opportunity.

From this process an initial 90 children are selected to partake in the program, all of whom are within their final year of primary school.

The Program

Once in the program the children are expected to attend daily after school activities which continue to nurture their sporting ability as well as develop them further by providing extra life skills sessions, personal mentoring and academic support.

The sports teams from the Junior School of Excellence compete at the highest level with many of the top well resourced schools in the area and the country. For many of our children this is their first taste of top level competition against children from various cultural backgrounds and for many marks the beginning for them broadening their horizons to the possibilities and opportunities for them in the new South Africa.

During their year at the Junior School of Excellence the children have the opportunity of being coached by top provincial sports coaches, compete against top opposition, be mentored and nurtured by high level academic support and interact with various role models from South Africa and internationally, which all contribute to an all-round personal development experience.

The Goal

Importantly, over the year that the children are within the program, they are developed holistically yet with a specific focus on their sporting ability. Once graduated from the program, as many children as possible are placed at former Model C schools for their high school education (from grade 8 to 12) as part of the Senior School of Excellence Program. The schools provide the scholarships based on their own social responsibility programs and their desire for talented sports players. The extra mentoring, life skills and academic support from the program allows the children to adapt smoothly and contentedly from township primary school to their new top level high school.

Once at high school, United Through Sport South Africa continues to support the children with individual needs such as food, transport and extra tuition as well as schooling fees and uniform.

These children are expected to ‘give back’ to the community by assisting in United Through Sport holiday programs.

Associated Projects: