SIFISO TEMBANI
My former boss, Dr Garth Shaw, has undertaken to cycle from Dale College in eQonce (King William’s Town, Eastern Cape) to Northwood School, eThekwini.
Dr Shaw, his father, Vincent, and Cayde Muldoon from Northwood School left Dale and are riding along the Wild Coast, slowly covering the scenic 800km distance.
The purpose of the journey is to raise seed capital for the newly established Andy Andrews Financial Assistance Fund, for the benefit of deserving learners from eQonce who cannot afford the school fees charged by Dale.
Dale College is a special place. I fondly remember attending primary school in the early noughties, and receiving a world-class foundation.
Aside from the quality of teaching and coaching, Dale instilled a certain mentality and self-esteem that is evident in every Dalian you meet.
Their planned route through the rugged and untouched Wild Coast is fitting, as it appreciates the latent beauty and potential of our country. I encourage the reader to view the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/DaleCollege/) for regular updates and videos of their progress.
There’s a certain charisma about the Dalian, and I have no doubt that it is this charisma and infectious positivity that inspires Garth to make this gruelling, nine-day journey.
Notwithstanding the above, I did not attend Dale College; I completed my matric at one of its peer schools in East London instead. I felt as though the school was in decline, with educational outcomes and learner discipline a particular point of concern.
Regrettably, this would continue until Garth arrived in 2018, when the NSC pass rate had stooped to a frankly unacceptable 75%, with only 33% of learners achieving a Bachelor pass that year. Since then, however, a remarkable turnaround has occurred: 99% of learners passed matric in 2022, 59% of them achieving Bachelor passes.
Dale is synonymous with unearthing rugby talent. As I write this piece, Aphelele Fassi (Class of 2017) has been called up to the Springboks. He joins other Old Dalians who have made it to the top of various sports. They include Makhaya Ntini, Monde Zondeki, Gcobani Bobo, Scarra Ntubeni and Tera Mtembu. Fassi is the Player of the Year at the Sharks, while another Old Dalian, Kwanda Dimaza (2018) holds that honour at the Pumas. Jayden Hendrickse, the Springbok scrumhalf, is a notable case, however.
Jayden attended Dale Junior before receiving a scholarship from a school in Durban. Dale did not have the resources to make him a counter-offer, and he therefore made the decision to leave his family and head to KZN.
The cycle Challenge is to support Dale College by sponsoring the headmaster’s journey at 50 cents a kilometre. All proceeds will act as seed capital for the Financial Assistance Fund.
Sifiso Tembani is an assistant to the Dale College principal.
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