They said the reason was a failure by their school principals to attend the event although they were invited.

They said the presence of their principals at the event would have encouraged them more in their endeavour to improve their education practices.

Nine high school educators from around Khayelitsha embarked on a master’s degree in education through St Mary’s University College based in London.

Nwabisa Gungqisa-Hanjana an educator from KwaMfundo High School said the programme was mainly focused on them as educators on how to deal with their schools.

She said most of the educators shared a common concern on what really bothers them at schools.

Gungqisa-Hanjana said there were concerns about many negative attitudes and behaviour which often makes teaching and learning ineffective in their schools.

She said one of them was self-discipline among learners.

Gungqisa-Hanjana said another concern was that teachers and learners were generally not well motivated and that learners were unwilling to learn.

“Learners do not demonstrate enthusiasm or love for learning, They perform poorly in their schoolwork and in particular mathematics and physical science subjects.

“There is also a high rate of absenteeism, late coming and class truancy. There is graffiti on the walls, learners wander around during school time. The level of noise was too high and learners do not take responsibility for their own learning, They do not value education and that they disrespect themselves, peers and teachers”.

Gungqisa-Hanjana said there were teachers at schools who still position themselves as possessors and transmitters of knowledge and position learners as recipients.

She said teachers do not include positive behaviour in their practices.

Many school leaders are struggling to translate policy into practice, said Gungqisa -Hanjana.

Zola Malgas, a Manyano High School educator said they have learnt to understand that a learner is someone who is still inexperienced, immature and therefore as educators they need to guide them.

“Teaching is not about money, its about contributing to the betterment of others doing what we know with what we have where we are”.

Malgas said learners need to take responsibility for their actions and do something for themselves and stop blaming others.

Alice Myendeki-Nongwane an educator from KwaMfundo High School said she worked in a disadvantaged community where many of his people are illiterate, unemployed and children of single parents.

She said many parents of these learners come to school with little understanding of what is taking place in the education of their children.

Myendeki-Nongwane said parents need to get involved in educational matters for the social wellbeing of their children.

She said schools in Khayelitsha have a responsibility to undertake some form of parent education as they do not know what takes place at schools.

Petros Njikelana, one of the educators at False Bay College, said the findings from their action inquiries come to an understanding that without engaging with such concerns they would be prevented from realising their educational values in their practices.

He said appreciating the seriousness of the issues identified was essential for quality teaching and learning to take place.

Njikelana said educators have learnt to deal with socio-economic problems such as broken families, starvation, lack of money for transport to school and walking long distances to get to schools.

He said socio-economic difficulties have become a prevalent excuse for absenteeism.

Njikelana said parents leave their girl children at home to take responsibility for mothering the young ones and ensure they get to creches.

He said in the long run young females found themselves becoming young mothers and failed to cope with their schoolwork.

Njikelana said in their finding they found that learners need some form of reinforcement such as advice and motivation through motivational speaking.

“This kind of intervention can constitute a positive influence in learners capacity to explore their individual self-actualisation”, said Njikelana.

Professor Jean McNiff of St Mary’s University College said the nine educators will graduate in January 2009.

She said the course started with 50 teachers in which some of them dropped out because of the hard work involved and the challenges they faced.

McNiff said the course needed a lot of hard work and determination.