Nelson Mandela University must be named in full. Nobody refers to Harvard University as HU
When former Healdtown Comprehensive School learner Orie Pule visited her alma mater in 1998, she was hit by a sense of bitter-sweet nostalgia upon witnessing the dilapidated state of some of the buildings.
Some of the school’s buildings that were destroyed in the 1976 uprising still lay in ruins so it had no boarding facilities. Pule galvanised Healdtown’s alumni to get involved in restoring the school, which she said had a sterling historical legacy of producing leaders from all over Southern Africa.
Some of the most notable alumni who attended the school near Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape include former president Nelson Mandela, founder of the Pan-Africanist Congress Robert Sobukwe, first black Wits University vice chancellor and mathematician Professor Loyiso Nongxa, businesswoman Wendy Luhabe, former Botswana president Seretse Khama, former vice president of Zimbabwe Joshua Nkomo, and ANC leader Govan Mbeki all walked the halls of the school.
“After my visit I was shocked by the state the hostels were in. The buildings were burned down in 1976 during the uprising. I spoke to the late Phila Sigila and said the alumni cannot just let the school lie in ruins. Let us initiate a restoration. Vuyo Mdledle also joined us. We called alumni in 2001 and invited Mandela; Bishop Mvume Dandala represented him,” Pule said.
From 2001 to 2006, Pule and other alumni knocked on doors in a bid to get support from government for the school’s restoration. A reunion was organised and Pule alumni roped in more alumni in their areas for the restoration project.
“In 2007, former (arts and culture) minister Pallo Jordan tasked Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane to head the Historical Schools Restoration Project,” said Pule, who now is a board member of the HSRP and chairwoman of Healdtown Alumni Association.
“We have received a lot of support from the Eastern Cape department of education and private companies such as (mining company) Gold Fields, which donated R3.5-million. We even got a donation from the Methodist Church Women’s Manyano (Union) and phase one of the restoration is almost complete. We should be able to start with phase two early this year,” said Pule.
The project will benefit nine schools in total, including Inanda Seminary near Durban, Adams College in Amanzimtoti, St Matthew’s High School in Eastern Cape and Ohlange High School in KwaZulu-Natal.
Sadly, Healdtown academic standards have also dropped over the years, with the school attaining less than a 30% matric pass rate last year. However, there is hope for not only restoration of the infrastructure, but to ensure the school attracts talent and produces excellence once more, according to Healdtown Methodist superintendent Reverend Selby Madwe.
“It is going to be a school of excellence and focus on maths and science for the Southern African Development Community countries. It will offer vocational studies as well,” said Madwe.
“We are excited about the project and look forward to a time when the school will be restored to its former glory. The Eastern Cape education department under MEC Mandla Makupula assisted in injecting funds to get the process underway. The Healdtown community is excited to see the school’s former glory restored. Healdtown produced leaders. Nelson Mandela left some money towards Healdtown and we call on alumni to come out and help with the restoration.”