ALI MPHAKI
IT MARKED the end of an era for Letsibogo Girls High School in Meadowlands at the weekend as they bid farewell to Ellen Kondowe, their principal for more than 20 years.
Tears flowed freely on Saturday as pupils, teachers and parents listened to speaker after speaker extol Kondowe, who was described as a giant in education.
Kondowe, 63, is the founding principal of the girls-only school, which was established in 1988. Over the years, she navigated the school through turbulent times, succeeding in making it an oasis of education for girls in Soweto. Under her leadership it became one of the top schools in Gauteng.
Though sad to leave, Kondowe said she was leaving with a sense of pride, knowing that during her tenure at Letsibogo she was able to secure overseas scholarships for more than 30 girls.
“It was with passion for the education of the girl learner that I decided to join the school. I felt honoured to have been given the opportunity of heading the school and I knew it would require a great amount of responsibility, leadership and time. I wanted to make the school different and a comfort for the girls. Overall I am happy with my performance, and I think it is time someone who is younger than me took the ropes,” said Kondowe.
The first-born daughter of late educationist Dr SK Matseke, Kondowe said that despite the school being in a disadvantaged area and lacking in terms of sponsorship and facilities, the hard-working teachers, with the support of the school governing body, had been able to develop social and moral responsibility, and a sense of political awareness in the girls.
Asked about the exodus of township pupils to suburban schools and the thorny issue of corporal punishment, Kondowe said pupils at her school can hold their own against those from Model C schools in whatever subject, and do not suffer inferiority complexes.
“We even receive girls who have dropped out from these so-called prestigious schools, and they find little difference in our school,” she said.
While acknowledging the virtues of corporal punishment, Kondowe said it was an archaic method of instilling discipline that had reached its sell-by date.
“Corporal punishment served its purpose during our days. But things have changed and we cannot go on holding views of yesteryear. We need new methods of reaching out to the pupils, identify their problems and come out with solutions,” she said.
Letsibogo has more than 900 pupils from grades 8 to 12.
Incoming principal Ellen Mothopo said though she would find it hard to fill Kondowe’s shoes, her job had been made easier by the solid foundation left by her predecessor.
“Our job is to continue her legacy of hard work and dedication towards giving our girl learners’ quality education so that they can be able to contribute positively to the economy of the country and take their rightful positions in the global economy,” Mothopo said.
The general performance of the school has been satisfactory, with the highest matric pass recorded in 2005, at 91 percent, and 92 percent the following year.
Kondowe will not be completely lost to education as she will be helping out at the Oprah Winfrey girls-only school in Henley-on-Klip.