Danville Park Girls' High School

It's been 21 years since I matriculated and a recent engagement with a school classmate has taken me back 22 years ago to my grade 11 year at Danville Park Girls High School.

The very high school which I chose myself and my parents obliged by having me enrolled and worked hard to see me through the years financially. I thoroughly enjoyed my years at Danville, proud to be a student of the school. Until I experienced what was the most demotivating episode of my schooling career....

An incorrectly marked maths test paper in grade 11 resulted in me achieving a poor mark and the maths teacher called me in to recommend that I move to standard grade mathematics as I " stood no chance" of passing maths on the higher grade.

Not knowing what was happening, I was confused and distraught as this recommendation could potentially put me at risk of not being admitted to study a degree at tertiary level.

When talking to my parents about this as it was my responsibility to tell them about the recommendation, an idea of a remark sprung to light as it was the very first time I received a poor result in my maths test.

Long story short, upon remarking it turned out my result was incorrect and I did actually receive a pass on higher grade. My mum requested an apology from the teacher given how this whole episode had affected me as a student and low and behold the teacher blatantly refused to apologize with the head of department calling me in to apologize on her behalf.

I was totally shattered by this, more so shocked at the poor behavior of this teacher who could not offer an apology for her own wrong doing. I can't explain how I felt to have been treated that way. At the end of my grade 11 year after having passed all my subjects on higher grade, I made a decision to leave the school that had no faith and belief in me and never to turn back.

It's years and years later, I had achieved a merit exemption in my matric year, went on to study a degree, and started my first job at the age of 20. I remain in the employ of the company I started working at aged 20 and I am still climbing the corporate ladder successfully.

I completed my Honours degree in 2016 and an MBA with distinction in leadership, financial management and in my research project in 2018 from Nelson Mandela Business School. During 2018, i was also identified as one of the top 40 employees under the age of 40 to be taken through an accelerated development programme.

This year 2023, in the month of August I was recognized as a strong woman in leadership and volunteered to motivate teams of small owned businesses.

So my message to Danville Park High School is, you won't know the full potential of a student if you can't have faith, time and dedication for students. Also be aware of how your actions affect students. You are not above anyone and should be able to offer an apology for shortcomings regardless of a title, colour or creed.

As I said, I have never looked back. But today I decided it's time I shared my story.

Excellent standard of education. However there is a huge issue surrounding bullying at Danville.

When I arrived at Danville, it was at its peak. Slowly but surely the quality of its management has fallen drastically and it shows. How situations are handled and addressed is shocking and it deals with the students in a hands off manner. The education is great but that’s not the only thing that makes a school worth going to.

Aesthetically wise, a good school with a good education but. Teachers can be unreasonable when it comes to test dates. When protests and important movements to help make society better, Danville does not participate and especially does not allow students to have their freedom of speech and expression. A child ask in an Instagram comment how Danville was going to show support to the BLM movement, they responded by deleting the comment and blocking the child. When there was a rape crisis and all the other schools were wearing black to show solidarity, the teachers were allowed to do so but the students were not allowed to participate. During pride month there was a very small display in the library which was taken down.

Danville Park Girls' High School will continue to instill morals within me well past my schooling years. The education I recieved not only helps me career wise but has emotionally equipped me for what I face on a daily basis.

The school prides itself on its ability to identify struggling students and is persistent in giving those students the best opportunity to excel such as with their Mathematics programme where they will offer and encourage students who are struggling the options for smaller more personal extra lessons that help improve their marks.

Danville thrives on their community involvement and encourages their students to involve themselves in multiple extracurricular activities that include volunteer work and a wide range of sports and cultural facets for their young ladies to choose from.

The teachers at Danville Park Girls High School are incredibly supportive of their students and work tirelessly every day to deliver the best education they can to their pupils. They never shy away from a student in need of help and work incredibly hard to put in the effort to challenge those who are finding the lessons too easy. They are always available for questions and offered myself and my classmates endless pockets of wisdom that I have carried with me to this day. They take the time to get to know each and every one of their students and are ecstatic to see the progress of their students in school and post-school.

The school itself offers a beautiful grounds and recreational area for students during their breaks, which includes a library filled to the brim with fiction and non-fiction readings that help academically as well as with leisure reading.

Additionally comes the school's leadership programmes with every student encouraged to reach for a leadership role in their final two years either as a mentor or a prefect. Teachers monitor their pupils and put forward the names of girls they believe are most inclined to work well in a leadership position and these girls can get offered the opportunity to go to exclusive courses that help them learn the fundamentals of excellent Leadership. This happens several times over the course of both years and each time the pupils are a new selection so that they can spread the opportunity as broadly as they can for all students.

Danville was an absolute pleasure of an institute to attend and as I have said I have learned so much in my time there that I have carried into the working world. It thrives academically but will also set up your children with life lessons that will carry them through their adult life.

Not only that but they will meet people there that will stay with them well past school.