For the past 10 years we have operated a bursary scheme for UK individuals and companies to pay the school fees for those parents, carers or child headed families who can not afford to pay. The impact of Covid has seen the local economy, and employment, collapse rendering the bursary scheme even more essential to keep the Kwasa children in school.
Kwasa is a ‘low fee’ independent school. Fees are 550 Rand per month, 6600 Rand annually. A monthly donation of £25, with Gift Aid, covers the fees for a student to attend Kwasa, and benefit from a quality education in a safe place.
Historically, Sharron has had to employ retired or part/under qualified teachers in order to minimise the salary bill. Average salaries to 2019 were £7,000 for a Primary grade teacher.
That is now changing. Kwasa is very keen to attract newly qualified teachers to bring in energy, new ideas and thinking, and is looking to fund a recruitment and retention (R&R) allowance to attract the best coming out of teacher training colleges, and to persuade them to start their careers in an area of huge deprivation. Average salaries in South Africa for a newly qualified teacher are £11,000.
In common with shortage subject teachers in the UK, Sharron is looking to pay a 10% R&R supplement - we are looking for donors willing to commit to £1,000 a year for 3 years to fund this for a teacher for 3 years.
Kwasa’s students deserve a quality environment. With funds donated by individuals and companies in the UK, USA and South Africa, the early converted shipping containers have been replaced by architect designed classrooms, a refurbished chapel and a state of the art hall complex. As Kwasa grows, and makes the huge step towards a two-form Primary entry, and over time then to High School, the need for funds to build new classrooms and facilities continues.