School Principals Conference: Building Momentum for 2026–2028

Principals from Mkhulise Secondary and Primary schools gathered on 3rd September for a one-day planning workshop to reflect on school improvement progress and set focus areas for 2026–2028.

The session was opened by Mr. Warren Sachs of the Beier Group, who reaffirmed the company’s and Mkhulise NPC’s commitment to strengthening education in the Pinetown district. He emphasized that preparing learners for the new world of work required a strong focus on literacy, mathematics, and technology. He also highlighted the importance of sharing learning between industry and schools in areas such as:

• Improved practices in appointments and promotions to ensure strong teams

• Embedding technology and lean principles to drive innovation.

• Managing costs and enhancing fundraising to support sustainability.

Schools reported a range of encouraging developments including as new libraries, donated laptops, learner coding initiatives, and the use of Educator Assistants to strengthen teaching and learning.

Looking ahead, principals expressed a desire to:

• Expand STEM opportunities, including laboratories, more exposure to pure Maths, and greater use of technology in teaching.

• Strengthen learner development through sport, life skills, and career-oriented experiences.

• Enhance staff development, with requests for training, diagnostic tools, and ongoing coaching support.

• Increase community and parental involvement in school life

  
  

Pressing needs which were still required by the schools included:

• Physical Infrastructure – reliable toilets, boreholes, fencing, security, and safe sports facilities.

• Teacher support – especially in Maths, English, and Science.

• Digital devices and infrastructure – more laptops, Wi-Fi, and support for coding and digital literacy.

• Parental engagement – stronger attendance at meetings and greater involvement in learner progress.

• Financial capacity – skills in fundraising, budgeting, and stronger School Governing Body (SGB) capacity.

  
  

At the close of the workshop, principals engaged in an online poll to rank and prioritise their key focus areas. The results identified top priorities for the next three years, including:

1. Infrastructure – toilets, fencing/vandalism, boreholes.

2. Teambuilding and organisational development – for SMT and staff.

3. Educator Development – curriculum management, Mathematics, English, and Science.

4. Digital – laptops, Wi-Fi, skills, coding and robotics.

5. Parental Involvement.

   
   

The conference ended on a high note, with principals aligned on the importance of collaboration, innovation, and accountability and a strong desire to take their schools forward in the next period.