Penguin Tutoring Blog

The winter solstice sees people doing crazy things to mark the shortest day of the year. Polar Bear plunges in the middle of a Northern hemisphere winter, and now a local Penguin Plunge into the Klein River in Stanford, Western Cape.

Local residents and any other brave Overberg souls will be lining up on the jetty of the River Lodge on Sunday 25th June to leap into the icy waters. Their reward? A comforting mug of gluwhein, and a glow in their hearts knowing that they will contribute to a needy cause in the local community.

A challenge was set to one of the big-hearted local residents, who rose to the fore and turned the occasion into a fun event, with the spin off to raise funds for local charities.

Springfontein Wines will generously sponsor the wine, and Hennie - of the famed Hennie’s Pub and Grill - will be ladling  the gluwhein.

Join Penguin Tutoring and support this worthy cause, or take up the challenge and organise your own Penguin Plunge - your pool, perhaps?

The African Penguin is a globally endangered species. In 1956 the population numbered about 147,000 breeding pairs and just over fifty years later, in 2010, the population was down to some 21,000 pairs – a decrease of more than 100,000 pairs. This massive population decline led to the species classification as endangered by the World Conservation Union. Competition with commercial fisheries for pelagic fish, changes in prey distribution and availability, habitat degradation, oiling and predation contributed to the decline.
Dyer Island is a critically important breeding colony – one of the largest remaining in South Africa – but African penguin numbers are rapidly declining. In 1979 Dyer Island had a penguin population of about 23,000 breeding pairs. This dropped to 1,200 pairs in 2010 – a more than 90% drop in numbers in 30 years. Today, Dyer Island is a protected area but during the last century (in fact as late as the 1980s) the island was stripped of all its guano, centuries of accumulated bird droppings. In addition, commercial exploitation of eggs drastically reduced African penguin numbers. Further threats come from disease, oiling and predation by Cape Fur Seals.

Historical threats:
During the 19th and 20th centuries the island was stripped of guano for use as an agricultural fertilizer. This has had devastating effects on the penguins. The safest place for penguins to breed is in burrows, which they used to dig into the soft guano enabling the birds to make their nests and sheltering them from the heat of the sun.

The problem:
When guano was removed, penguins were forced to nest in the open on the rocky island surface. Here they are at the mercy of the elements and of predators. On hot days adults incubating in the open overheat and often leave their nests to go down to the sea. As soon as eggs and small chicks are left unattended on the surface, they too can overheat and die, or more likely fall prey to the ever watchful Kelp Gulls.

The solution:
The Dyer Island Conservation Trust, in partnership with Cape Nature, has embarked on a programme to introduce artificial nests providing vitally important shelter for breeding penguins.Fibreglass nests were specially designed to mimic natural guano burrows. The nests minimise exposure to predators and the elements. They also facilitate research and monitoring that would otherwise not be possible on surface nesting birds.

The way ahead:
The nesting project has been expanded to other breeding colonies where penguins are forced to nest on the surface, including Stony Point, Bird Island, Boulders Beach, Robben Island and Ichaboe Island (Namibia).
Sponsor an Endangered African Penguin Family a New Home Now! Only R400 buys and installs a nest as well as supporting research.

Dyer Island Conservation Trust objectives:
This Trust has been established for the conservation, rehabilitation and protection of the natural environment, including flora, fauna and the biosphere, the care of wild animals, the promotion of, and the conducting of educational and training programmes relating to environmental awareness, greening and clean-up projects, and conservation research. Donations towards this Trust are administered specifically for conservation at Dyer Island and its surroundings.
The Trust promotes awareness of the plight of the African penguin both locally and internationally and generates support for the African penguin and marine research.

What can you do?:

Sponsor a penguin nest!
Cost: R400 (towards nest manufacture, transport and placement, conservation, monitoring and penguin research). Receive: Certificate of sponsorship, penguin information, name on online supporters list, access to website updates and newsletters.
Contact details: Dyer Island Conservation Trust P.O. Box 78, Gansbaai, 7220 Tel: +27 (0)28 384 0406 Fax: +27 (0) 28 384 2002 Email: info@dict.org.za Web: www.dict.org.za

“I accept the call to responsibility that comes with the many rights and freedoms that I have been privileged to inherit from the sacrifice and the suffering of those who come before me.
“I appreciate that the rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa are inseparable from the duties and responsibilities to others. Therefore I accept that with every right comes a set of responsibilities.”

Today saw the launch of The Bill of Responsibilities, an initiative by Lead SA and the Department of Education,with the support of the National Interfaith Movement.  A nationwide programme will teach the youth of our country the content and implications of this Bill, a first of its kind in the World. It is an educational document to be taught in schools and publicised and debated throughout all areas of society.

The Bill of Responsibilities is a complementary document to the Bill of Rights and has the power to change South Africa for the good. Each one of us has the potential to change the course of this country’s future, and when we change our behaviour, we change the attitudes of those around us. We all need to improve our moral values and behavior and base our values on the foundations of integrity, compassion and decency.

Through the positive actions of every individual, we will be able to improve our wonderful country, and the future of the bright young people just at the beginning of their lives.

Lets all embrace this change and Lead South Africa.

Penguin Tutoring is the leading provider of specialist academic tutors in the country. Our professional management and extensive tutor database will ensure that your children get everything they need and more out of their extra lessons.

Last night I had the pleasure and the privilege of attending a gala function at the Johannesburg City Hall. This in itself was an uplifting experience. Driving apprehensively through the darkening streets of downtown Johannesburg,  I was enthralled at the beautiful buildings in the vicinity of this magnificent old lady. The fire damaged historical Post office building is receiving attention and together with the City Hall and another newly refurbished building in close proximity, the area looks set to rival the smartest addresses in any European city for class and architectural excellence.

The event, hosted by Murray and Roberts, was to announce the winners of their annual Jack Cheetham award. This year’s winner was the Tiger Titans Cricket Club in the Eastern Cape. The club was started in 2007 by a 14 year old schoolboy in Bathurst, Ross McCreath. His aim was to give the boys from the impoverished Nolukanye township something to do during the holidays.In a very short time, Ross and the enthusiastic group of boys had restored the derelict cricket field and started practicing. The under 14 Tiger Titans team took on Ross’s school team, St Andrews College,reaching the winning target with seven wickets in hand and disposing of Ross for a duck! Today, a squad of 50 young boys between 9 and 19 make up three formidable teams and 35 of the players are enrolled in the President’s Award Programme.

Ross is a 17 year old schoolboy. He works with passion, energy and drive to improve the lives of so many young people in his community. He has received awards in South Africa and overseas and was invited by HRH Prince Phillip to be the keynote speaker at a gala dinner at Lords Cricket Ground. He has been recognised by the Peter Cruddas foundation as one of ten International social innovators. Together with the talented coach, Mduduzi Mkalipi, and community elder, Gladman Xali, Ross McCreath is altering the future of an entire community.

Murray and Roberts, already every South African’s favourite company after their involvement in the Chilean mine rescue, is a big company - doing bigger things. With the support of business and the energy and passion of our youth, South Africa is full of promise. Imagine what you could do.

The year 2010 has been an exciting adventure for most South Africans as we played host to the World for an exhilirating month during the Fifa Soccer world cup from June to July. Not so exhilirating for the Matrics of this memorable year as their scholastic calendar was turned on its head to accommodate the long winter holiday, and then their lessons were disrupted by a prolonged teachers strike.

On Monday, 25 October, 67000 eager and anxious young people start their final exams. They have been told that this is the most important event of their young lives, and that their entire future depends on the outcome. Yes, the exams are important, and yes, good results will open doors to tertiary institutions,and bursary offers. But the results printed on the Senior certificate are just a small measure of the person. South Africans are world renowned for their resilience, their strength of character and their sheer guts and determination, especially in the face of difficulty. So use your energy to believe in yourself, to believe in a positive outcome, to believe in an exciting and fulfilling future. ke nako - the time has come.

Good luck to every one of you as your anxiously turn over that first question paper. Good luck to your family as they wait on the sidelines in nervous anticipation.

Good luck!

Phakama School is tucked away in a forgotten corner of the Kwena basin valley in Mpumalanga. This little school accommodates 130 primary school children from the surrounding farms. Just a year ago, Penguin Tutoring Co became aware of the constant struggle the teachers faced to deliver quality education to the children in their care. For many of the children, their only meal is provided by the school “kitchen “. Here, a big black three-legged pot is placed over a wood fire in the open area next to the school building. At break, the children line up in anticipation, and the cook ladles out steaming porridge.

Student teachers from the Wits school of education are assigned here for their practical experience bloc, and are given a taste of the plight of the rural school child and their gallant teachers. Penguin Tutoring Co has partnered with Wits and Phakama through our Corporate social initiative project (CSI)  in an effort to “give something back “  Through our sponsorship, the Wits students were able to present the school with sets of readers for every Grade, in both English and Sepedi.

Just a few short years ago, Phakama School had no roof and the ablution facilities were an open pit in the ground. Many of the children had never seen the written words in a book. But, with the vision, energy and continuous effort by many dedicated and passionate people, this is slowly changing. Today, after handing over the books, the children sang their songs of thanks, and filed into the gaily decorated classrooms, protected from the harsh sun by a sturdy roof! The youngest class lined up outside the neat ablution block before being served their porridge. The middle class concentrated hard on the sums written on the board while the “Most hardworking”, “Best in reading” and “Best in counting” proudly wore their crowns for the day.

Penguin Tutoring Co is proud to be part of that change and we will continue to channel resources into education projects aimed at improving the future of our country’s children.

Penguins, lets LEAD South Africa and volunteer to help out at schools in crisis.

Just a few weeks ago, we watched with pride and excitement as we hosted the most successful sporting event in the World. We wore our Bafana shirts, waved our flags, and felt proud to be South Africans. On Saturday 94 000 (and thirteen) of us swarmed to the FNB stadium in Soweto to cheer on our rugby boys. We are a very special nation of amazing people. We have pride and commitment and belief that we can achieve the impossible.

But we are also strongly aware of a crisis that is currently unfolding in the hospitals and schools. South Africa’s education is in a state of crisis as members of one Teachers union, SADTU, embark on violent strikes and prevent learners and teachers from attending school. If Government has not responded to their demands, members of Naptosa will join their colleagues.

We sympathise with their cause and strongly believe that they should be well paid for work well done. After all, the future of our nation is in their hands. But, we can’t sit by and watch as learners miss out on essential teaching, not now, only weeks before their final exams.

We at Penguin Tutoring Co would like to assist these bewildered young people where we can and we appeal to you to come forward if you are able to volunteer your time. You had the benefit of a good education and are now able to follow your dream as a student at a tertiary institution. Thousands of Matrics may have to delay writing their exams until next year, because of the disruption to their education

We will be offering to help out at schools and in communities to prepare the Matrics for their final exams. Do the right thing - sign up with us and help LEAD SA.

Excitement is mounting as the famed Cape Argus Cycle Tour draws closer. A contingent of Penguins from Johannesburg will be tackling the gruelling race on Sunday March 14th, together with35 000 other cyclists tackling the 109km route around Cape Town.

Traditionally staged on the second Sunday of March, this is the biggest one day sporting event in the country and fast becoming a major international draw card – Lance Armstrong joins the starting line up this year.  Foreign entries topped 2 000,  and increase every year, a boon for business and tourism in the Western Cape.

Charities are also big winners at the Cycle Tour. Over R3-million was donated to the race’s two official charities, the Pedal Power Association and the Rotary Club of Claremont in Cape Town.

Last years’ windy conditions made the race the toughest in 20 years. This year conditions did not look too promising, with a feisty south-easter expected to blow at between 40km and 50km/h. Highs of about 25 C are expected in the city, dropping to about 22 C around Slangkop and 19 C at Cape Point.

Good luck to all the brave souls out there - have fun, wear yellow and support Lance’s Livestrong Campaign.