• A total of 510 teachers attended the various Vula interventions throughout the year. Assuming that each of these teachers is in daily educational contact with approximately 150 pupils, then some 76 500 pupils indirectly benefited from Vula Programme inputs during the year
• A total of 770 pupils in Grades 10, 11, and 12 from local schools attended interventions during the year
• The teachers and pupils mentioned above came from approximately 220 schools in KwaZulu Natal and beyond
• The geometry teaching method developed by Mrs Sue Southwood, head of the Maths Department, during 2003 continued to be effectively used throughout 2004
• Previously unemployed young men from the Valley community have become creatively involved, two of them teaching computer literacy at a school in Howick, and another being appointed as the supervisor of the ABET programme in the Valley
• A young German volunteer, Max Ebert, spent four months working for the Vula Programme putting his knowledge of networking and Linux-based operating systems to good use
• Assistance was given to Nomafu High School (sixty kilometres beyond Greytown) and Injoloba High School in Howick with the networking of their computer rooms
• New partnerships have been established with a number of organisations and projects – these include TRAC, Sunstep, Digital Hope, Afritwin, the KZN Institute of Education Service Providers, Pholela Institute Development Committee, and the annual Technology Olympiad.

Vacation Schools

April 2004

Entrepreneurship: Ninety Grade 10 pupils from Shayabantu High and PROTEC attended classes for four days on developing small business opportunities.

Led by Mrs Ann Kriel from Hilton College , the pupils learned how to create and package items of clothing, and how to market these items.

Assistance was given by five post-graduate students from Goodenough College , London , who between them had served in outreach programmes in 37 countries.

Computer Literacy: 40 Maths teachers from six provinces attended a three-day workshop, where they were exposed to computer techniques and skills for teaching – including the geometry teaching application mentioned earlier.

July 2004
During July the Vula Programme played host to the CASME Jula Conference for Maths and Science teachers. This was a massive undertaking with 255 delegates being accommodated for six days. More than fifteen Hilton College teachers were involved, as well as an entire support team of club staff, caterers, cleaners, house managers, and nursing sisters.

A separate SA Association of Science and Technology Educators Conference was also presented as part of the programme, bringing the total number of teachers reached by the week to well over 300.

Very positive comments were received from the delegates, and it is evident that their scientific and mathematical skills were greatly enhanced. We look forward to welcoming CASME back in July 2005.

September 2004
A number of interventions took place during the September holidays.

Mrs Sue Southwood provided six days of geometry lessons for a total of 75 Grade 11 pupils from Haythorne, Nsikayethu and Fundokuhle schools; three days of Maths and Science lessons were provided by Messrs Bennett, Pillay, and Maritz for 40 Grade 12 pupils from PROTEC; a one-day Maths workshop was attended by 20 teachers; and a small group of Grade 8 and 9 teachers of Technology attended a pilot workshop run by Mr Ken Beveridge.

Careers Day - 21 May 2004
Held on the half-term Friday in May, our Careers Day attracted 450 Grade 12 pupils and 50 teachers from a number of schools in the area. A motivating speech from Ms Tobi Hlongwane of Mondi Forests, was followed by various presentations and exhibits from a number of local businesses and educational institutions. Also included was career counselling and hands-on experience with computers.

The choice of presenters and exhibitors was a joint effort by the Vula Programme and PROTEC Pietermaritzburg.

Computer Literacy Courses for Teachers
These were held regularly on Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings, with about 60 teachers attending each week - the majority of the teachers coming from Shayabantu, Nomafu, Nogida, Phayaphini, and KwaMakhutha high schools.

Computer training for teachers operates at two levels: a basic computer skills course for beginners, who then later move on to the Intel “Teach to the Future” course. Science and Mathematics teachers who attend these courses are given the opportunity to explore different areas of their subject matter, using the laboratories and facilities of the College.

ABET (Adult Basic Education and Training) for Valley residents
A group of adults from the Hilton Valley community attended courses in literacy and numeracy throughout the year on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. This training now falls under the control of the Adult Education Division of the KZN Education Department. Training materials and examinations are thus provided by the province.

Two men from the estate have been formally trained as ABET facilitators, one of whom, Tau Lenkena, has now been appointed the ABET co-ordinator for the centre. These two men are rapidly becoming leaders in their community, being involved in a number of committees such as health, security, and sports.

The success of each group of learners has resulted in more and more enrolments each year, and four additional facilitators from the community were trained during 2004 to handle the additional classes.

This clearly demonstrates that the community has undergone a major shift in attitude, and is now taking ownership of the developmental process. In addition to literacy skills, they are now looking for skills training as artisans, etc. in order to become self-supporting.

Two other Valley residents, John Ngobese and Bheki Kunene, who have assisted the Vula Programme over the past two years, also saw an opportunity at Injoloba High School in Howick. The school has a computer room, but no staff member to run it. These two gentlemen undertook to first train the staff, and then 350 pupils, and they have been well accepted into the school community.

Children from the Valley primary school also attend computer classes twice a week at the Centre for Innovation, being taught by intern teachers and some Hilton boys.

Satellite Centres
The Vula Programme and Hilton College have sought to work in conjunction with community centres and schools, to develop them into satellite centres of excellence which can serve the communities surrounding them.

The first of these was the Zenzeleni Community Centre in Mpophomeni, an impoverished township near Howick. The centre was initially established some years ago as part of a joint initiative by SchoolNet, Telkom, the World Bank and Internet Solutions, but the original donated computers were very old and not really suited to the environment.

Since then the Vula Programme has worked with them in an advisory capacity, and supplied technical support when required. When the Hilton College computers were upgraded in 2003, thirty of the old computers were donated to Zenzeleni, which has given their centre a new lease of life.

During 2004 assistance has been given to both Nomafu High and Injoloba High with the networking of their computer rooms. This was done on the understanding that the rooms would be available for the use of the surrounding communities.

Towards the end of the year advice was given to the Digital Hope project on the siting of a Digitainer in the Sweetwaters area. It is hoped that this facility will also develop into another of the Vula satellite centres.

Lastly, a new resources centre will come on line at the historic Pholela School in Bulwer in early 2005, and the Vula Programme has also been asked to provide advice and assistance.

This approach epitomises the role of the Vula Programme, which is to work alongside existing organizations where possible, to assist them to attain their potential. When teachers apply to attend our computer classes, we stress the need for commitment from their schools, so that they too may eventually develop into centres for excellence.

Supplementary Classes for Pupils
PROTEC Grade 12 pupils and the Grade 11 class from Shayabantu have continued to come to Saturday classes, to study Mathematics and Science. These classes have once again been of enormous benefit to the pupils.

Staffing
Hilton College teachers have continued to have a most valuable input into the programme, and those who managed to fit Vula into their already busy schedules are thanked most sincerely. To single one person out might be unfair, but I need to mention the untiring and enthusiastic input of Peter de Lisle , the Head of IT, who has continued to be a tower of strength and inspiration for everyone involved with the programme.

Contract teachers have also continued to be used for some of the computer literacy classes, and this has worked successfully.

During late 2003 the Vula Manager, Robin Townshend, decided to take his retirement at the end of June 2004. The new director commenced employment at the beginning of June, and he was assisted by Robin Townshend who remained with the programme in a part-time advisory capacity until the end of the year.

Three Year Review
On 18 March 2004 a presentation was given to board members and other visitors, covering the progress of the Vula Programme over the past three years. This was received with great enthusiasm, as the results have been exceptional. A repeat of the presentation was accordingly arranged in the Nedcor Auditorium in Sandton on 4 May 2004 for current and potential sponsors in Gauteng.

Finances
Sponsorship has again met all of the running expenses of the programme during 2004, and we are thus extremely grateful to our loyal donors who have faith in the work that we do, and who support us is so many ways.

Finally, a sincere word of appreciation to the Chairman and Board of the Hiltonian Society, the chairperson and members of the Community Services Sub-Committee, the Headmaster and staff of Hilton College and all our friends and supporters for their continuing interest and encouragement.

L Smuts
Director, Vula Programme at Hilton College
Private Bag 6001, Hilton, 3245, South Africa
Phone: 033 383 0100 Fax: 033 383 0163
Cell: 072 435 2451
Email: ls@hiltoncollege.com