Projects
Our 13 Projects
With a dedicated team of four full time staff supported by a committee of six Trustees and committed volunteers, we oversee 13 core projects which, in a sustainable manner, we hope will deliver significant improvements.
Our projects are initiated in partnership with our ‘footprint’ schools, based on a deep sense of commitment towards placing the school at ‘the centre of the community’.
Our projects fall into 5 pillars of support:
- Leadership and Governance
- Quality Education
- Skills Development
- Holistic Care
- Sustainability
Leadership Development
We conduct annual workshops with FEDSAS to improve SGB/Principal governance capacity. Twice per annum we meet with all Principals through CitizenLeaderLab to improve leadership skills and school functionality
Reach Stats:
32 Schools, 32 Principals
Project Champion:
Karen McKenzie
Teachers & Instructional Functionality
On an ongoing basis we offer teachers training workshops to improve both subject knowledge and teaching skill
Reach Stats:
16 schools, 203 teachers, 6284 Learners
Project Champion:
Akhona Sikhakhane
Infrastructural Maintenance & Dignity
Annually we evaluate infrastructure in all our schools to develop a maintenance and care programme on the basis of a ‘fair exchange’ model
Reach Impact:
16 schools, 16 principals, 203 teachers, 6284 learners
Project Champion:
Steuart Pennington
Educational Technology
We wish to equip our schools with improved technology in the form of ‘smart’ classrooms and IT teaching expertise
Reach Stats:
26 Teachers, 1378 learners from grades 10, 11 & 12
Project Champion:
Andrew Schaefer and Gavin Erasmus
Learning Outcomes
We hope to improve our pass rates at every level, increase the number of bachelor passes in Grade 12 and moving towards a more holistic education experience involving extracurricular activity
Reach Stats:
16 Principals, 203 Teachers, 6284 learners
Project Champion:
MCPT Office
Career choices through Eduvelopment
We have adopted a career development app which assists learners with subject choices in Grade 9, and tertiary education options in Grade 12
Reach Stats:
In 2024 we have hosted 175 matrics from our Senior schools. By the end of the year we will have hosted an additional 360 grade 11s as well as 290 grade 9s totalling to 825 learners.
Project Champion:
MCPT Office
Internships
We employ young graduate teachers, ‘Eduhelpers’ and deploy them into our schools to assist with teaching and administration, currently 25 are sponsored.
Reach Stats:
Number of learners benefiting directly from having Internship candidates in their schools is 4828
Project Champion:
Akhona Sikhakhane
Transport Subsidies
We provide subsidised transport to learners in the junior grades from Mooi River to Shea O’Connor and Hlanganani in Nottingham Road.
Reach Stats:
96 children, 6 taxis
Project Champion:
Jon Bates
Literacy
We facilitate Literacy programmes in our 10 Primary Partner Schools to enhance reading for meaning in English.
Reach Stats:
437 learners and 15 Eduhelpers benefit. Reading for meaning functionality at Grade 4 as well as reading competitions, have been identified as key objectives of the project.
Project Champion:
MCPT Office
Primary Healthcare - St Raphael's
A primary healthcare team focusing on nutrition and eye testing across Partner schools together with ancillary community focused healthcare services.
Reach Stats:
4 community clinics per year, 200 community members screened and referred to Balgowan clinic
Project Champion:
Dr Sam Lindsay
Early Childhood Development
Reach Stats:
8 ECD Centres, 451 Children, 22 teachers. Two of our rural villages, Zenzane and Lions River do not have ECD centres
Project Champion:
Akhona Sikhakhane and Steuart Pennington
Core Maths – SIMI
Paul de Wet, a maths teacher at Michaelhouse runs workshops for Grades 8,9,10,11 an 12 to improve Core Maths competence, the programme has been adopted by the DoE and is provincial in its reach
Reach Stats:
3417 learners benefit from printouts and revision sessions.
Project Champion:
Paul de Wet
Arts, Choir, Theatre & Sport Competitions
Annually we conduct inter-school events at Michaelhouse often engaging with the Midlands Community
Reach Impact:
500 learners / 16 schools
Project Champion:
MCPT Office
Our Impact
The past 6 years have been a remarkable journey, expanding our reach to a growing number of schools with an increased number of focussed, holistic projects, consistent with our Theory of Change.
2016
In 2016, MCPT was essentially a Michaelhouse Boy’s community project conducting annual sports, choir and art competitions and involved with Asithuthuke School (the Michaelhouse Farm School). The long-standing St Raphaels team conducting home based medical care for the Zenzani community. There was a library bus that made school visits where books were read to by the boys for service. Matric results poor. Donor contribution R1m
2018
The concept of Eduhelpers was introduced based in 2 schools providing educational support in the classrooms. The MHS Boys occasionally visited these schools for service and the St Raphael team continued providing primary medical care to the community. Inter-school Sports, Choir and Arts tournaments continued. Donor contribution at R1m
2019
Eduhelpers were placed in 5 schools and a significant infrastructure improvement programme was initiated at Asithuthuke. Boys service continued with reading, homework and sports. St Raphael’s team broadened their reach to Lidgetton and Nottingham Road,. Interschools Sports tournament as well as the Arts & Choir festival continued. Donor contribution at R2.5m
2020/21
Eduhelpers placed in 9 schools, providing educational support and mentoring to students. Leadership workshops for Principals initiated. Infrastructural evaluations introduced, General maintenance programmes commenced. Donor contribution at R3.5m
2022
MCPT expanded its reach, working with 11 schools and increasing its number of Eduhelpers to 21. School evaluations expanded to include core components of leadership, teaching skills, infrastructural dignity and learning outcomes. Workshops were facilitated for Principals and teachers. An MCPT strategic workshop was conducted. School results across the board started improving noticeably. Donor contribution improved to R4.5m
2023
MCPT continued to expand its impact, working with 16 outreach schools and increasing its number of Eduhelpers to 25. Our strategic document resulted in 13 projects being launched embracing ECD, Edtech, Literacy and FEDSAS training for the first time. St.Raphael’s work continued, as did sports tournaments and an arts and culture festival. Matric pass rates were the best on record (see graph below). Donor contribution increased to R5m