Q AND A WITH MASENYANE OF CHILDREN’S WORLD PRE-SCHOOL

MaSenyane Children’s World Pre-school Principal Johanna Senyane

1.Where were you born and which primary schools and high school did you attend?

I was born in Mamogalieskraal, I attended my primary school at Mokgwaneng Primary in Mpumalanga and I attended my high school at St. Citicol private school that is situated at corner Schoeman and Schubart streets in Tshwane.

MaSenyane Children’s World Pre-school Principal Johanna Senyane with the awards she has won in her career as a community-builder

2.How would you describe your upbringing?

I was brought up by my grandmother who was a community builder, a church leader, farmer and founder of our high school in Mokgwaneng, and I must say I learned most of the things that I know about life from her.

3.What are your academic qualifications?

Business Management Diploma obtained at CIDA City Campus.

Education Management in ECD obtained at Unisa.

Grade R Teaching Certificate obtained at Unisa.

4.What community projects are you involved in at the moment?

*Owner of Super Spaza shop.

*Principal of Ma-Senyane Children’s World Early Childhood Development Centre.

*Homestead food gardening project.

*Meditation Centre for Women.

5.Why are you passionate about the development of your community?

Real success has to be collective; it entails an individual together with the community they live in and this brings about a balanced life and a good feeling.

6.Can one say you are also involved in politics? Please explain.

Yes I am also involved in politics because the political platform is key to the development of an individual, the family, the community and our country at large.

Another thing is that the political platform helps me to know which doors to knock at regarding much- needed logistics for community projects.

7.What are your principles in life? What is it that you believe in?

I believe in honesty as it makes one truthful at all times and helps one to avoid failure, but at the same time I believe failure is not a downfall but the beginning of learning how to tackle different obstacles on one’s road to success.

8.Are you satisfied about the education system in South Africa from pre-school level right until high school or do you believe the government must make some changes?

I am not satisfied at all because our education system only starts to be practical at tertiary level, I am of the opinion that it needs to start being practical at the foundation phase where children must learn practical skills like how to construct a computer, a phone and music instruments.

At the moment there is too much emphasis on playing and children are not allowed to start writing at an early age and I opine that children must start learning how to write as early as the age of 1.

9.Which awards have you won in your career as a nation- builder?

*Best Gauteng Spaza Shop, Third place in Best Businesswoman of The Year in Gauteng 2012 with a trophy and R10 000, Best Agri- Businesswoman of The Year in Gauteng 2013 with trophy, certificate and R25 000.

*Best Community Representative whereby I flew to Cape Town to attend the National Assembly for a week.

10.What can the government do to make life better for South African women?

Retirement age for women must be five years earlier than that of men and the government must make sure that women are well-represented in the corporate world.

11.What is your advice to young women out there who have hopes of being successful in life?

They need to build their lives on a good foundation, which is education and moral regeneration and they must forget about the so-called nice time.

They need to know that to reach their goal they must do so with passion, focus and consistency.