Search
Close this search box.
Search

Keeping Their Finger on The Pulse: Nokuphila Plans for The Future

The Love Trust

As we settle into 2025 and the talk of ‘back to school’ echoes, education remains the most important agent for transformation in South Africa. The Love Trust’s Nokuphila School, based in Thembisa, is at the forefront of providing high-quality education to underprivileged children, shaping lives, and changing futures.

At the precipice of an important year in education, with the landmark signing of the Bela Bill, the organisation’s leaders offer insight into key topics that shape the educational landscape. From policy changes to ambitious goals, it’s clear that Nokuphila plans to innovate, thrive and inspire.

Policy Shifts: Early Childhood Development

The transition of ECD (Early Childhood Development) programmes from the DSD (Department of Social Development) to the DBE (Department of Basic Education) marks a significant shift for the school and its pre-prep programmes. The change emphasises that curriculums align with national education goals including professionalising teacher qualifications and accessing new funding opportunities.

There is hope that while these shifts may enhance resource availability and help to maintain higher standards of quality, they require substantial adjustments including curriculum changes, teacher training, and compliance with stricter monitoring and evaluation systems.

For Nokuphila’s pre-prep programmes, the transition offers opportunities to align with DBE standards and gain better recognition as an integral part of the formal education system. However, it also challenges the school to balance academic readiness with its holistic developmental approach while navigating administrative and policy uncertainties during the transitional phase. Being proactive in their approach to the changes will be key to their successful adaptation to this reform.

Perspectives on the Bela Bill

The Love Trust acknowledges that the Bela Bill has been instituted to address the ever-present inequalities in the education system through legislative frameworks and regulatory policies. The Bela Bill was signed into effect by President Cyril Ramaphosa in September 2024 and has taken a bold stance to reinforce the importance of early childhood development. The bill stipulates that Grade R is the new compulsory school starting age, echoing Nokuphila’s vision and sentiments that building a solid educational foundation must be addressed through quality early childhood development.

The Love Trust cares about addressing social justice through the provision of quality basic education, with a particular focus on ECD practitioner training and accreditation.

Fostering growth on the field and stage

Nokuphila School is dedicated to expanding its extra-mural offerings through its sports facilities and partnerships with local organisations. While soccer and netball remain firm favourites, the school is breaking barriers by introducing sports like tennis and swimming—not commonly accessible in rural areas. Nokuphila’s affiliation with the Johannesburg East cluster also enables learners to participate in leagues and events, including the Segarona Indigenous Games, which celebrate South Africa’s rich cultural heritage.

With an increasing focus on tennis and swimming, Nokuphila is also exploring new sports, such as cricket and volleyball. The school is actively working to secure the necessary training and equipment to incorporate these activities, aiming to further enhance learners’ physical education experiences. Plans are also underway to expand the current athletic programme to include dynamic track and field events like hurdles, high jump, long jump, and sprint races.

Culturally, Nokuphila continues to nurture creativity and expression through choir and drum majorette activities, complemented by concerts celebrating Africa Day and Heritage Day. Academic pursuits like debate and public speaking provide additional avenues for learners to develop confidence and critical thinking skills.

This diverse array of extracurricular programmes ensures every learner can discover their passions, build new skills, and enjoy a sense of belonging in an engaging environment.

Overcoming challenges to build a brighter future in education

The Education Sector is currently facing several challenges, including the poor quality of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE). With too many unregistered ECD centres in low-income communities lacking trained practitioners, this has a negative knock-on effect that impacts foundational learning.

Additionally, the country’s performance in international literacy and numeracy benchmarks lags behind other countries that spend less on education, highlighting inefficiencies in foundational skills development. Another pressing concern is the ageing generation of teachers working in the country. With 50% of the current workforce anticipated to retire in the next decade, this threatens to exacerbate the already strained teacher supply.

Despite these hurdles, The Love Trust remains committed to aiding sustainable change through both its school and its upskilling initiatives by training and supporting ECD practitioners. Through these initiatives, it aims to successfully uplift the quality of education and address the visible gaps for quality and innovation in early childhood development.

At the heart of their vision is the Nokuphila School, which has grown from serving 45 learners in 2010 to 383 learners across Grades 000 to 9 in 2025. Whilst they have experienced remarkable success, there is still work to be done, and the next five years are pivotal in their plan to expand their high school to include Grades 10 through 12, ensuring a full educational journey from early childhood to matric.

The organisation hopes to strengthen its teacher internship programme by increasing intern numbers and establishing a department dedicated to sustaining this vital initiative.

Nokuphila’s continued growth and success are made possible through the unwavering support of its donors. Every contribution, whether through skills transfer or monetary donations, plays a vital role in sustaining its mission to provide a safe, nourishing, and holistic educational environment. By empowering learners to become well-rounded individuals, Nokuphila not only transforms lives but also contributes to building a better, more equitable society.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

OUR OTHER PUBLICATIONS:

Previous slide
Next slide

ABOUT US

Kids Connection was successfully launched in March 2006 by Wendy Beaufort for distribution to parents and teachers in the local Port Elizabeth market. The comprehensive directory for young families from newborn to 12 years, was born because, Wendy, a mom of three, understood the importance of having detailed information related to children that is aimed at assisting young families spend less time PLANNING and more time PLAYING….READ MORE

RECENT POSTS