PHOENIX COLLEGE JOHANNESBURG
PASSION, QUALITY, COMMITMENT, SUCCESS
In 1994 Fred Boltman, a retired engineer with a passion for education and life, used his savings, insurance and pension payout to found Phoenix College. His dream was to empower the community by providing quality education at an affordable cost to historically disadvantaged learners.
The phoenix, in Greek mythology, rose from the ashes – symbolic of the new democratic dispensation in South Africa that was arising out of the ashes of apartheid. A more suitable name could not be found and so Phoenix College was born.
The services the college provides include:
• A full-time school that offers classes from Grade R to matric and caters mainly for learners that live in the inner city. However, many also come from areas such as Katlehong, Thokoza, Soweto and Alexandra.
• The Saturday School provides extra lessons to uplift learners from poorly performing public schools in outlying districts.
• Matric rewrites.
• A computer college.
In 2006 Phoenix College took in 16 refugees from Rwanda whose parents had been massacred in the genocide. They were fed, provided with uniforms and after they passed matric, were united with family members that were traced in countries overseas. Many of them obtained their degrees in Sweden, Canada and the U.S.A. The ‘World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child” was awarded to the college by a Swedish NGO for the part played in educating the learners and re-uniting them with their families.
In 1994, Phoenix College opened with 90 leaners. In 2017 the learner base had grown to 1 255 in the full-time school. In addition to the above, the college had:
• 57 learners in pre-school.
• 500 leaners in the Saturday school.
• 80 learners in the matric re-write centre.
Phoenix College is fully BEE compliant. The full-time staff complement has grown from 9 in 1994 to 48 teachers and 22 administrative staff, while the Saturday school and the matric rewrite centre have additional teaching staff. The staff members are professionals who place education above personal ambition.
The college is an NPO that is run by an executive committee consisting of:
Chairman: C.Levin
Director: F.Boltman
Financial Manager: P. Ndlovu
School Principals: S.Mlalazi and F. Moyo Primary School Principal: C.Tshuma Secretary: L.Moyo
I asked founder and Director, Fred Boltman, what separates Phoenix College from other educational institutions.
“Commitment to quality education which has resulted in our extensive list of achievements that speak for themselves. We are running out of space for all the awards and accolades!”
“We aim for quality education and the RESULTS REflECT THIS.”
UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS
These include:
• 2018: Physical Science teacher from Phoenix named as
top teacher in Gauteng.
• 2017: isiZulu teacher from Phoenix named as top teacher
in district south, Gauteng.
• 2017: Top debating team in Gauteng province.
• 2017: Talia Ndlovu Captained Gauteng Chess Team that
came 2nd in SA National Competition.
• 2017: No. 1 Volleyball team for U15 and 17 in the district. • 2017: Thabisani Sibanda obtained a UNISA certificate for
cello.
• Ms S Sebata – top matric educator in the district in isiZulu
Home Language (2012, 2015, 2016).
• 2015: Zakhele Mthembu top learner in Gauteng Maths
Literacy.
• 2014: Ms N Nleya – top matric educator In the district in
English FAL.
• 2013: Rachel Mhlomi 2nd in Gauteng school chess. • 2013: Top student in matric achieved seven distinctions. • 2012: Top student for 2012 in grade 12, Nkosinathi Sibanda, was the Top (Dux) student in Gauteng, thereby being awarded the Nelson Mandela Trophy.
• 99% matric pass rate since 2008.
“Our extremely high matric pass rate is a result of total commitment, total communication and good discipline. I have an open door policy and we have close relationships with our learners and the community – the parents help the children, the children help themselves and we help the children.”
Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) and other skills training courses in areas such as Entrepreneurship and Project Management are offered to learners to widen their horizons and improve their chances for university entrance and job applications.
Computer/Mathematics lessons are offered to learners from public schools on Saturday mornings while all learners from Grade R to Grade 9 in the full-time school are offered free computer literacy lessons during school hours.
“Every teacher at Phoenix has their technological requirements met and Mathematics is taught with interactive software.
“Phoenix College is one of the few colleges to offer Information Technology, including Delphi programming language, according to the Department of Education curriculum. It is extremely important for our learners to be fully equipped to enter the fast moving, ever changing world of technology.“
FUTURE PLANS
What is on the horizon for the college for 2018?
“We are excited about our plans for expansion – our vision is to open a new school, which means we will be able to assist an increased number of previously disadvantaged learners. I mortgaged my house and used my pension to start Phoenix and keep it afloat. It is now the number 1 school in its group and in order to extend this level of education to a wider community we need backing.
We are hoping with our proven track record and unflinching commitment to quality that a financial backer with a strong commitment to corporate social investment (CSI) – and paying back to the community – will provide the backing we need.”
And what message does Fred Boltman have for the learners out there?
“Have a dream – remember you get what YOU AIM FOR.
MAKE IT PRACTICAL. KEEP GOING.
INVEST IN THE ART OF LIVING!”
CONTACT DETAILS
PHOENIX COLLEGE OF JOHANNESBURG
Happiness House
120 Loveday St, Braamfontein Johannesburg, South Africa
+27 11 720 1227
+27 83 449 5089 registration@phoenixcollege.co.za