Year after year, far too many of the grade 12s failed.

They were upset that their school had betrayed their right to quality education and so dashed their dreams of further study or decent work. It was no consolation that other schools in their poor, rural district were also struggling.

Then came an unexpected opportunity. Segogo received an invitation for his school to join a development program, initiated by the Kagiso Trust and the Free State Department of Education. The program began with a two-day retreat.

Segogo, the teachers, support staff, and members of the School Governing Board convened at a nearby country resort, away from the travails of school and daily life. This wasn’t at all like other training sessions they’d attended. Everyone spoke their hearts out about the school and about each other. Segogo learnt what people really thought of him: “The good, the bad, and the ugly.”

Sitting in a circle in the opening session, Segogo and his colleagues were called to respond to a facilitator’s prompt: “Tell us one thing that most people do not know about you, what you are grateful for, and what is your most unfulfilled wish.” The next two prompts took them for a ‘deep dive’ into owning the problems of their school. “Tell us all, what are two things that you personally do that hamper the performance of your team.”

Hesitantly, people owned up to their actions and shortcomings. Then came a more taxing prompt: “Tell us two things that any of your colleagues do, that hamper the performance of the school.” This required honesty, courage, and sensitive facilitation. After a break for recovery and quiet reflection, the facilitator asked them to write down, and then read out loud, two things they would do to enhance the school’s performance.

Years after the retreat, “We remember not to forget,” says Segogo.

“We agreed amongst ourselves that when people regressed, we would meet and remind ourselves of new commitments to continue building the family that is this school.” A co-created plan for school improvement emerged from the retreat process. A mentoring program and an incentive scheme helped keep the school team focused on its goals. Segogo now serves as a mentor to others and the school has developed its own incentives.

Using their own funds, staff and community members go on quarterly “re-retreats” to affirm their purpose.

Segogo walks with pride in the community.

Since 2013, the school has achieved a 100% matric pass rate. The school’s alumni are proud, too – of their own achievements and of the school that encouraged them to pursue audacious goals. Other schools in the district have similar stories. The retreats kindled hope and collective responsibility across the school eco-system, and so created enabling conditions for quality education.

This story is drawn from the Inner Work for Social Change case study: Remember Not to Forget: Reigniting Ubuntu for School Change in South Africa.

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