Irish Global Teachers greeted by Nelson Mandela

This year's Irish Global Teachers were honoured to be greeted by Nelson Mandela in his family home in Qunu, Eastern Cape, this weekend.

The teachers  had been invited by Mandla Zwelivelile Mandela, Nelson Mandela's grandson, to the Mandela home for a special meal to mark the end of their five-week placements in South African schools. According to Global Teacher Lisa Barrins, "Meeting Nelson Mandela was like a dream. The Mandelas were unbelievably generous with their time. I'm so sad to be leaving Eastern Cape. I thoroughly enjoyed my time, the people were fantastic, especially the children."

The Global Teachers were very grateful to Nelson Mandela and his grandson for their warm words of support, encouragement and gratitude.

Find out more about the Global Teachers Programme.

Meeting Nelson Mandela's grandson for dinner!!

Week 5 on the Global Teachers Programme
8th - 14th August

We received very exciting news today that the Global Teachers have been invited to have dinner with Nelson Mandela's grandson tomorrow (Friday) afternoon! What a fantastic way to end their four weeks in the Dutywa District!

Mandla Zwelivelile Mandela, a politician and businessman, is the son of the late Makgatho, Nelson Mandela's son with his first wife, Evelyn. He is also the chief of the Traditional Council in Mvezo, the town in the Eastern Cape where Nelson Mandela was born. The Global Teachers first met Mandla Mandela a few weeks ago, and he subsequently invited them to have dinner with him to mark the end of their stay in the Eastern Cape.

Mandla Mandela, Nelson Mandela's grandson, with Global Teachers Arlene, Carmel, Loraine and Clare.

 The Global Teachers are completing the final week in their placement schools. It has been a short week, as schools were closed on Monday and Tuesday to celebrate National Women's Day (9th August). By all accounts, the Global Teacher placements have gone extremely well. No doubt the GTs will be sorry to say goodbye to the staff and students in their schools, and to their host families, but we're sure they will stay in contact for a long time to come.

As GT Clare remarked, "both my host family and my school have offered me exciting and memorable moments and memories that will stick with me long after I leave this area".

The GTs will complete a final evaluation this weekend. Some of them will return to Ireland then, while others will spend some time exploring other areas of South Africa.

Coffee Bay and Teacher Training

Week 4 on the Global Teachers Programme
1st - 7th August

Building on the success of the cluster training workshops they organised last week, the Global Teachers (GTs) got together last weekend to plan another teacher training day. The GTs met Steve and Gcina from LCD South Africa in Coffee Bay, a small town on the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape, to plan the training day, and to complete a mid-placement evaluation.

Helen and Gcina from LCD South Africa at the evaluation weekend in Coffee Bay with Global Teachers Máire, Loraine, Arlene, Vicky, Carmel and Clare.

The training day took place on Wednesday, and was attended by over 50 participants, including people involved in developing the South African school curriculum, staff from GT placement schools, and staff from other schools in the Dutywa District. The training was well received as demonstrated by the positive feedback from participants. The GTs identified teacher training sessions such as this as one of the most constructive and effective methods with which they could contribute to the school improvement programmes run by LCD South Africa.  

The GTs have been spending the rest of their weekdays working in their individual schools on a range of activities chosen to improve the quality of education in the schools, including a computer workshop run by GT Lisa this week.

This weekend is free for the GTs to spend as they wish, before they embark on their final week of placement.

Find out more about the Global Teachers Programme.