The Rutgers team and I travelled to schools within Pretoria today. I attended Stanza Bopape Secondary School and had the opportunity to interact with learners and teachers. I had the opportunity to talk extensively with Mr. Simon (seen on the left) a Physics teacher. Mr. Simon has been teaching for about 10 years in South Africa and today was only his second day at Stanza Bopape. Mr. Simon was a great guy and answered many questions about education and politics in South Africa. As Maudivi (a Rutgers student) and I talked to Mr. Simon, I found our discussions about education and corruption within the ANC most informative.
After returning to the hotel, after school was over, all the participants debriefed concerning our days at school. I mentioned how I felt unwelcomed by some who may have viewed me as an outsider.
We ended the night, upstairs in our hotel’s conference room, where we joined students from NYU and participated in a discussion by Dr. Joseph Diescho from the University of South Africa (UNISA) concerning the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). I posed the question to Dr. Diescho, “In your opinion, do you believe the TRC demonstrated a perverted sense of justice by failing to imprison or execute those who committed great injustices under Apartheid (e.g. like murdering Stephen Biko)?” He responded by saying something to the affect of, Mandela (who initiated the TRC) tends to see deep in to the future. His impacts have shown that he is a very extraordinary human being! Many stories from Dr. Diescho left me with a deeper respect for Mandella!
After returning to the hotel, after school was over, all the participants debriefed concerning our days at school. I mentioned how I felt unwelcomed by some who may have viewed me as an outsider.
We ended the night, upstairs in our hotel’s conference room, where we joined students from NYU and participated in a discussion by Dr. Joseph Diescho from the University of South Africa (UNISA) concerning the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). I posed the question to Dr. Diescho, “In your opinion, do you believe the TRC demonstrated a perverted sense of justice by failing to imprison or execute those who committed great injustices under Apartheid (e.g. like murdering Stephen Biko)?” He responded by saying something to the affect of, Mandela (who initiated the TRC) tends to see deep in to the future. His impacts have shown that he is a very extraordinary human being! Many stories from Dr. Diescho left me with a deeper respect for Mandella!
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