!Khwa ttu Education Support Programme

In order to provide a combination of traditional and formal education for the San children, youth and adults living and working at !Khwa ttu the Education Support Programme has recently been established. The programme consists of a crèche and kindergarten for the children aged one to three years, after-school care for primary school learners and the Adult-based Education and Training [ABET] course for adolescents and interested adult employees.
Currently 13 San children are attending the Darling Primary School, who meet each afternoon with the !Khwa ttu Education Co-ordinator at the kindergarten facilities, where they enjoy intensive after-school care. Once a month parents have an opportunity to discuss the academic and social performance of their children with the Education Co-ordinator. It is also planned to assist the parents in preparing for parents-teacher meetings at the Darling Primary School in order to encourage them to represent their children’s interest.

Sessions for children, who are at kindergarten age continue to be held at !Khwa ttu from 8h30 to 13h00. On a regular basis parents are invited to meetings, where early childhood as the critical time for intellectual and social development is discussed.

Adolescents have entered the ABET programme, which is taught three times a week at the loft of the Centre’s administration building. During the afternoons the youth are involved in practical training in vegetable gardening and craft production. The ABET programme has been extended to interested non-literate !Khwa ttu employees and by the end of January 2007, 11 adults had registered for level one of the four-level curriculum. Two of the formally educated adults joined the classes in order to improve both their communication in the English language and their computer skills.

Characteristics of San culture are an essential part of the !Khwa ttu Education Support Programme. The crèche and kindergarten curriculum, as well as the after-school care for the primary school children include story telling, tracking demonstrations, hunting and other games and traditional dances. As a practical way of regaining pride in their heritage the ABET youth have begun both producing ostrich eggshell jewellery and rehearsing traditional dances. They plan to sell jewellery to and perform dances for tourists visiting !Khwa ttu. As custodians of the ancient San culture the elderly !Khwa ttu employees are keen to teach the children and youth the above-mentioned traditions.

The !Khwa ttu Education Support Programme currently operates under a minimal budget and donations are needed to improve the facilities and pay salaries for the San kindergarten teacher and ABET instructor. If you are able to support the San’s education programme please contact us. Thank you in advance for assisting us in improving our educational qualifications.