‡Khomani San School Programme
To provide an accessible, culturally sensitive primary school education to the ‡Khomani San children.
Introduction
When the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park was proclaimed during the 1930’s, the livelihoods and freedom of movement of some of South Africa’s last remaining first peoples, the ‡Khomani San - Bushmen as they call themselves, were curtailed. A number of people were settled at the Park Headquarters at Twee Rivieren, and some gained employment, including the herding of the livestock of the Park Warden. However, many members of the clan so dispossessed of their land dispersed, some to Namibia, others onto nearby farms, others further afield.
In 1995 the ‡Khomani San lodged a claim for the restitution of 400,000 ha of land in the Kalahari Gemsbok Park. After years of negotiation and verification, the claim was finally settled on 21st March 1999.
At a moving ceremony attended by hundreds of San people as well as the world's media, then President Thabo Mbeki signed a Land Claim settlement agreement transferring the title deeds of six Kalahari farms (approximately 36,000 ha) to the ‡Khomani San Communal Property Association. In addition, some 25,000 ha within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park to be managed as a Contractual National Park was committed to the ownership of the community.
The project to date
2016
Eland Foundation Phase School opened in January. This year we have a Grade R class, next year we will add Grade 1 and continue to add a Grade per year until the Foundation Phase is complete. Establishing this school has taken years, miracles do happen and eventually there may be a full Junior school.
Introduction
When the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park was proclaimed during the 1930’s, the livelihoods and freedom of movement of some of South Africa’s last remaining first peoples, the ‡Khomani San - Bushmen as they call themselves, were curtailed. A number of people were settled at the Park Headquarters at Twee Rivieren, and some gained employment, including the herding of the livestock of the Park Warden. However, many members of the clan so dispossessed of their land dispersed, some to Namibia, others onto nearby farms, others further afield.
In 1995 the ‡Khomani San lodged a claim for the restitution of 400,000 ha of land in the Kalahari Gemsbok Park. After years of negotiation and verification, the claim was finally settled on 21st March 1999.
At a moving ceremony attended by hundreds of San people as well as the world's media, then President Thabo Mbeki signed a Land Claim settlement agreement transferring the title deeds of six Kalahari farms (approximately 36,000 ha) to the ‡Khomani San Communal Property Association. In addition, some 25,000 ha within the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park to be managed as a Contractual National Park was committed to the ownership of the community.
The project to date
2016
Eland Foundation Phase School opened in January. This year we have a Grade R class, next year we will add Grade 1 and continue to add a Grade per year until the Foundation Phase is complete. Establishing this school has taken years, miracles do happen and eventually there may be a full Junior school.
Background to the Programme
The provision of services to this relatively remote area is slow and the community has been severely neglected by all arms of government. There is extremely limited access to education, health care, the justice system, to shops and a food supply, no water on the farms, housing remains inadequate, a lack of income generating opportunities, and a lack of infrastructure including that for communication results in the physical and virtual isolation of this community with little access to information and the outside world.
Racial discrimination remains rife in this area and this perpetuates the status quo and the sense of disempowerment that the San community, both adults and children, experience.
Education
Although progress has been made in the last two years in addressing some of the social issues and there is a renewed commitment from the various role-players to do so, establishing a junior school immediately is imperative.
Establishing a Junior School where children can receive culturally sensitive good education would enable them to enter senior school well equipped to succeed. Young people would have a chance to engage with tertiary education which would uplift the community on all levels.
An integrated approach
The San developed a unique knowledge of nature, the land, the plants and their healing properties. If this knowledge is not nurtured it will be lost to present and future generations. Much traditional knowledge has already been lost and as the elders fail to pass this knowledge on to the youth and are themselves approaching death, there is a very real chance that what is now left of this knowledge may be lost forever.
This unique, holistic, ‡Khomani San school programme aims to integrate an up to date curriculum with traditional knowledge to give these children the very best of both.
The provision of services to this relatively remote area is slow and the community has been severely neglected by all arms of government. There is extremely limited access to education, health care, the justice system, to shops and a food supply, no water on the farms, housing remains inadequate, a lack of income generating opportunities, and a lack of infrastructure including that for communication results in the physical and virtual isolation of this community with little access to information and the outside world.
Racial discrimination remains rife in this area and this perpetuates the status quo and the sense of disempowerment that the San community, both adults and children, experience.
Education
- At least 200 ‡Khomani San children are disadvantaged by poor or no schooling.
- A lack of education and life skills means that the people are poorly equipped to cope with the situation that they find themselves in.
- The nearest junior school is 25k’s away and the nearest senior school over 100 ks.
- These schools are not sensitive to San culture, or special needs children. The junior school leaves children very ill equipped to enter into the better senior schools in Upington (220 k’s) or else where.
- Many of the San children from more traditional families do not attend school at all as the culture in the closest school does not cater to their unique needs.
- The senior school which the few San children who do attend high school, go to, has a Matric aggregate of 30%. Most of the San youngsters drop out well before grade 12.
Although progress has been made in the last two years in addressing some of the social issues and there is a renewed commitment from the various role-players to do so, establishing a junior school immediately is imperative.
Establishing a Junior School where children can receive culturally sensitive good education would enable them to enter senior school well equipped to succeed. Young people would have a chance to engage with tertiary education which would uplift the community on all levels.
An integrated approach
The San developed a unique knowledge of nature, the land, the plants and their healing properties. If this knowledge is not nurtured it will be lost to present and future generations. Much traditional knowledge has already been lost and as the elders fail to pass this knowledge on to the youth and are themselves approaching death, there is a very real chance that what is now left of this knowledge may be lost forever.
This unique, holistic, ‡Khomani San school programme aims to integrate an up to date curriculum with traditional knowledge to give these children the very best of both.