Carrying the torch for excellence — meet 3 Joburg principals who make a real difference

24 Feb 2025

Three admirable principals of schools in Johannesburg are shining examples of leaders who do a lot with very little, navigating difficult external and internal circumstances wisely – and with love.

The qualities of a successful principal are arguably similar to those of a country’s president, but the role of a school principal is often more demanding.

Unlike a president, who has access to hundreds of staff, principals must navigate their responsibilities with limited resources and support. They are expected to lead instruction, manage staff, oversee budgets and ensure policy compliance, all while grappling with socioeconomic challenges like poverty, crime and lack of parental involvement.

Inequality exacerbates these issues in South Africa. Some schools are well funded and others struggle with overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure and staff shortages.

Every day, principals navigate complex relationships with teachers, unions, school governing bodies and the Basic Education Department. In many places, their lives are made difficult by bureaucratic red tape and resistance to change. In most schools, financial constraints limit their ability to improve conditions, and external crises like load shedding and community unrest don’t do much to support learning.

Despite their dedication, principals can’t fix the many systemic problems that are beyond their control. Yet, many continue to lead with resilience and find ways to support their schools despite the difficulties.

Here are three Johannesburg principals who make a real difference in their schools.

Sister Connie Khuele

Sister Connie Khuele heads up one of Soweto’s most sought-after schools: St Matthews Primary School. Located across the road from the famous Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Moroka, the school is modest with basic facilities.

Khuele tells you about individual children as she takes you from one class to another. Each child counts and teachers get on the phone to call parents if a child isn’t at school. Communication is one of the strong points of the school, and parents know what is happening and what is expected of them.

Children wear their uniforms with pride and there is a quiet rhythm at the school.

“The children are loved and they know it. We go out of our way to help them when they are in trouble,” says Khuele.

Don’t be misled – Khuele is a strong, independent woman and isn’t fooled easily. She lives by Jesus’s teaching of being as “wise as serpents and as gentle as doves”. She demands the best from her teachers, and says seeing the impact of their work is what motivates them.

“Our children are well prepared for the world outside and they do well in matric. But what’s more important for me is that they feel loved and they know that they are valued. Our children love coming to school, and the parents always ask when is school opening when you meet them in the school holidays,” Khuele says.

She has to be mindful of the transport demands in Soweto. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, school finishes later to accommodate sports activities and a study period.

Marc Loon

Located close to Zoo Lake in Johannesburg is the Kairos School of Inquiry, where “the art of seeing and listening to each child, deeply and sincerely” is celebrated.

Marc Loon leads a group of teachers who, as he puts it, “are capable of thinking for themselves, and have some degree of personal clarity about the kind of education and pedagogy they believe in”.

“The Kairos model is a synthesis of cutting-edge educational innovations from around the world, and teachers who hold a personal educational philosophy dear tend to manage our school best, specifically because we seek to incorporate new educational ideas.”

Loon says sensible new ideas are embraced in the school and “we are invariably able to incorporate them into our existing model”.

He argues that there are many conventional practices in schools around the world that are followed uncritically, such as competitive sports in the foundation phase, or arbitrarily imposed rules that are accompanied by the threat of punishment. Children’s voices are not taken seriously even though they spend a lot of their young lives at school.

Over the past 15 years, Loon and his team have created a model that fosters a human-centred, empathetic educational approach respecting the deep human needs of the child. This includes a flexible timetable that is responsive to the needs of the individual or a class.

Another characteristic are activities or tasks that inspire beauty and artwork in the workbooks. The open-ended tasks allow for much more individual expression and personal interpretation.

Many of the innovations are enhanced by the practice of a daily check-in, during which everyone is invited to share what’s alive in them in the moment and in general at school. Loon points out that “the school is careful to align content with the educational objectives of conventional schools”.

Just like in Rudolf Steiner schools, storytelling is a cornerstone of the educational experience, beginning with simple tales in early childhood and evolving over the years to include fairy tales, folktales, fables, myths, legends and historical stories. Stories shared aloud by teachers and students are transmitted from the heart, forming a deep connection between the child and the spoken word.

Listening and understanding spoken language precede reading and writing, and by immersing children in rich language early on, the school lays a solid foundation for future literacy.

Loon acknowledges that as an individual he is flawed, and he doesn’t presume inspiring teachers personally. “Rather, I hope the environment that is Kairos is inspiring and can spur them on to show up, aspire to be their best self and grow as educators and role models of the next generation, seeking personal and professional mastery.”

Raylene Nadasen

In the shadow of Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital is St Theresa’s Convent School. Raylene Nadasen has been principal for more than 15 years.

During this time she has learnt to navigate the rumbling unrest in the area around Coronationville. Safety questions have been a concern for both parents and teachers, but fortunately, they haven’t directly affected the school. “The threat is real, but a lot of issues have been magnified in social media,” Nadasen says.

The area is hard hit by service delivery issues and it has been a struggle for the school to keep functioning without water. The reduction in subsidy from the province has added additional financial pressure, but the school has navigated this too.

Despite these challenges, Nadasen achieves a lot with very little. She attributes her success to working with “an amazing management team and a fantastic group of teachers, who believe in creating an environment that creates a well-rounded child”.

The focus at the school is always on the children and giving them the best possible experience. A lot of effort is put into the academic programme, and many pupils move on to high schools on scholarships. Sport, culture and spirituality are also major focuses at the school.

Read more: Daily Maverick’s education and youth archives

“The drive for excellence pushes us to find creative ideas and opportunities to ensure we are always current in the academic sphere. We are flexible and adaptable and adjust our plans when we need to.”

Nadasen loves what she does and even though things are stressful at times, her passion for the children and the school drives her to be the best she can: “Every day is a new learning experience and a new challenge, but I am driven to give the best for the children. At the end of the day, we want a successful child who contributes to society.”

Connie Khuele, Marc Loon and Raylene Nadasen show extraordinary dedication and resilience in leading their schools. Despite systemic challenges, they have created environments where children feel valued, inspired and prepared for the future. DM

Dr Mark Potterton is the principal of Sacred Heart Primary School and served on the Schools that Work ministerial committee with Professor Pam Christie and Dr Dawn Butler.

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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South Africa

Sister Connie Khuele

Marc Loon

Raylene Nadasen