Please feel free to forward this important call to action to your colleagues and business associates. We are talking about our future employees and consumers in the Southern Cape! We can all be part of the solution!!

Opportunity for George Business Leaders concerned about Education Quality

Local business leaders and senior managers who sense the need and urgency to help strengthen our basic education system, and that wish to also invest in their own personal development, are invited to attend a facilitated discussion on 27 March 2013 focused on the theme "Quality Education for George"(QE4George).

Last year a number of school principals signed up to take part in this unique leadership development initiative that partners public school Principals with experienced business leaders in a year-long co-learning partnership, and there are still a number of places available for local business owners and managers.

Education in SA will once more be receiving the biggest slice - R232.5-billion - of the country's R1.06-trillion 2013 National Budget, however, the World Economic Forum still ranks the quality of SA’s state education 140th out of 144 countries in its 2012/2013 World Competitive Report. Well-known academic and education expert Professor Jonathan Jansen recently remarked that we certainly do not need more money towards education but rather school leaders who could turn those resources into results.

Ironically our school principals, who are being asked to lead the most critical turnaround project of our time, ‘education’, are generally not equipped with the skills and experience required to lead change within their schools.

The unique “Partnerships for Possibility” programme (PfP in short) have already signed up 115 business leaders working and learning in partnerships with 115 school principals across South Africa. A business leader can provide a principal with fresh leadership insights to transform a school and hence an entire community. In return, the leader gets to hone his or her skills by getting hands-on leadership experience in a different environment from their normal day-to-day environment.

In partnership with senior representatives from the WCED (Western Cape Education Department) QE4George will host a conversation at Protea Hotel King George on 27 March (Register 16:00) where participants will share their perspectives on the local challenges and jointly identify opportunities where private and public collaboration can help improve education quality.

Business leaders are also reminded of the potential to earn necessary BBBEE SED points and S18A tax deduction through participation in PfP.

To register for this event please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and feel free to get in contact with Julia Joubert via This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or on 084 951 1826 for further details.

 If you are interested to know more about this initiative and how you can get involved, please visit our website: www.QE4SA.org.

 Please forward this information on to other business leaders who may be interested to get involved in this initiative.

 We look forward to seeing you there.

 Warm regards,

On behalf of the QE4 George team, Guy Harris, John North and Julia Joubert