Keynote Address
Partnering in Education – (A Gathering of School Principals and Business Leaders)
Civic Centre – Vereenging, South Africa – June 2004
Yunus Peer – Director, Teachers Without Borders – South Africa

Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen,

I had a long list of names I was supposed to read in my opening, but I lost it – so may I say “all protocols observed.” My, my, how things have changed! Twenty eight years ago when I left South Africa, little did I imagine that one day, I would be speaking in the Vereeniging Town Hall. At that time, I would sooner have burned this building to the ground than made a speech in it.

I would like to share a humourous story about the relativity of time and money: And the man said to his Lord: “tell me Lord, what does a million years feel like to you” The Lord replied: ” why, like a mere few seconds” “And what does ten millions dollars feel like to you?” “like a mere few pennies” , the Lord replied. “Lord, may I have have a few pennies?” asked the man. And the Lord said: “why, certainly, just wait a few seconds!”

Ladies and Gentlemen, our life here on earth is brief. How we choose to live our lives is the mark that we leave behind – perhaps a name on a gravestone and nothing more? – or instead a name that lives on in the hearts and minds of those that we touch during our lifetime. In short, what will be our LEGACY?

When I received my post-graduate degree in public administration, I expected my father to shower me with praise and congratulations. Instead, in his true fashion, he said, “Son, you can earn all the degrees and wealth you want in this world, but at the end of the day, you will be judged NOT by what you have achieved for yourself, but by what you have done for OTHERS. Your personal achievements of education and wealth is NOT your legacy. Your legacy is the part of your life that continues to inspire others.”

Live your life with meaning, with honour, with principle, and purpose. Without it, life is a merely a state of existence. And so we “non-white” South Africans have waited decades for the opportunity to pursue life, liberty and happiness without the mental and physical shackles of Apartheid. Our time has come – and how are we doing? To make excuses and cast blame on others for our shortcomings is to bring dishonour to those who fought for our liberation. As the Dai-La-Lama points out: We may not be able to change the world overnight, but working a step at a time in our own neighbourhoods, in our own communities, will collectively bring change that can transform the entire world. What can we do as individuals, to change the world we live in everyday? What can we do to positively influence the life of another? That personal initiative will be our legacy.

I am the beneficiary of visionary parents who sacrificed their own pleasure to provide an education to their own children and thousands of others. I attended Waterford Kamhlaba School in Swaziland with the children of Walter Sisulu, Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu. Indeed, my experience was a privilege, until the South African authorities revoked my passport in 1973. Three years later my passport was returned with numerous restrictions, in effect, a one-way ticket out of the country. In my travels across Asia, across Europe and across the U.S, I realized I was running as far away as I could from Apartheid and South Africa. When I reached Hawaii, it dawned on me that if I went any further, I would be closer – since Hawaii is on the exact opposite of the world from South Africa.

I have the good fortune of teaching at Punahou School in Hawaii, one of the premier schools in the world. We graduate students who go on to become leaders in society. If I can in some small way influence the hearts and minds of future leaders, then perhaps we will all benefit from the decisions these leaders make in their careers. If you have the opportunity, look at the Punahou web page, it may spur an idea or two for you.

My current journey began with my father’s death in 1997. I was then teaching at Proctor Academy in Andover, New Hampshire. Together with Mr. Yunus Chamda’s help, and the availability of scholarships for African children, four young South African women were selected to finish their schooling in New Hampshire. Pumla Pamla from Ixopo (Little Flower Mission School – the same school Cardinal Napier attended) and Freda Radebe, from Smuts High School here in Gauteng, were the first two South African graduates from Proctor Academy. Freda is currently completing her B.Com degree at RAU and Pumla, who wants to be cardiac surgeon, is completing her B.Sc in Indiana, USA. Pumla Pamla, the little girl from Ixopo who had barely touched a computer in 1998, graduated as a National Merit Scholar from Proctor Academy in 2001. A national merit scholar represents the top few percent of students in the country. What a statement of the potential of our children! Given the opportunity, they will surpass expectations. Pumlas’ and Fredas’ exist in all your schools. Will you nuture them so that they may one day realize their potential?

Three years ago Mr. Chamda, Mrs Duncan and I began Teachers Without Borders-South Africa ; essentially a grass-roots effort, a partnership between communities in Hawaii and South Africa that brought experienced maths and science teachers from Hawaii to share skills, technique and knowledge with their colleagues especially from the rural schools in South Africa. Forgive me, I don’t particularly like maths and science, but since they are the national priorities, our task was to bring together teachers, who by their cooperation and collaboration would all become better teachers – and thereby improve the chances of success for our learners. We are now in the fourth year of our project and on Monday, we open at the Vista campus of VUT to 600 learners from schools surrounding Sabokeng. On Tuesday morning, June 29th, our team of 6 Hawaii teachers begin workshops for local teachers in maths – grades 7 -12 and physical science, grades 11 & 12. I trust that teachers in these subjects from your schools will be attending. In four years, the teachers from Hawaii will have worked with more than 500 South African teachers and more than 2000 senior learners preparing to take their matric exams. If a small group of teachers from the opposite side of the world can contribute to the African Renaissance, then it gives me much hope for us all. Let us see what we can do to spur learning and growth in our schools. As administrators and teachers, will we leave a worthy legacy?

Cassim Peer died in 1997, one year short of the 2nd time in his life that he was allowed to vote as a free man in his 72 years. He was a devoted father, a community leader and a champion of black empowerment. He suffered much harassment at the hands of the security police because of his work in black education initiatives. In the early 1980’s he built and opened the Inkonka Elementary School in Murchison, Kwa-Zulu. In a microcosm, his struggle was the empowerment of the black child – a child whose life formerly began and ended in bondage. Today, our task is to convince that child that her life is limited only by her desire and NOT the colour of her skin. We have a ways to go Ladies and Gentlemen, and our journey has only just begun and we have no time to waste.

For our children to succeed, we need to support our teachers. How can we expect our children to succeed if we do not provide them with competent teachers. Everyone, regardless of their status in life, owes their success to a teacher, or many teachers. We must support the professional development of our teachers if we are to graduate successful learners. As school administrators and teachers, we have to do more than our responsibility to keep order and discipline. The obstacles are great, but now is NOT the time for excuses. We must have a vision for our schools. What is that vision for tomorrow, for next year and ten years from now? We are in the business of producing minds that will eventually lead our world in the 21st century.

South Africa is a shining beacon to the world that democracy can happen without bloodshed, revenge and bombs. Now what are going to do with our democracy? Will we empower the black child – will we make sure their lives do not begin and end in bondage? Will we create the opportunities for that child to succeed? Ladies and Gentlemen, that child’s success is YOUR success and YOUR LEGACY.

LET US BE WORTHY OF THAT PRAISE!!!

Thank you for inviting me,
and God bless us all.