outstanding achievement was the winning of almost all the trophies at the 2009 interschool
drama competition in Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Albert Street won the prize for the best overall
drama, best audience and several of the actor/actress awards [see photo].
It was interesting to note that the dominant reason give by unaccompanied minors for coming
to South Africa was their desire to continue with their schooling – and in several instances,
children came all the way from remote parts of Zimbabwe, specifically to attend the Albert
Street School, which they had heard of, by name. (See Case Study Two, following).
The future of the high school sadly hangs in the balance at the moment, as there is a need to
find a suitable building in order for the high school to be registered. It is likely that the
primary school will shortly be registered, as the Albert Street buildings have been upgraded
to meet requirements. But the high school is currently being taught out of the CMM itself, and
new facilities are urgently needed if the school is going to continue.
The government contributes no money whatsoever towards the education of foreign
nationals, which means that the school is almost entirely reliant on donations. Token fees of
R100 per month are being charged, but only to those children whose parents can afford to
pay. If this school is closed, it is very unlikely that the children currently attending the school
will have any hope of being absorbed into a city school with anything approaching the
standard of teaching currently taking place at Albert Street School. Chances are, they will
cease to access schooling altogether, as do so many thousands of other migrant children in
South Africa.
Photo 13: Children at risk get free lunch daily at Albert St school:
March 2010
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