01 October 2010
Starting an independent school that opposed separatist schooling policies in the dark days of apartheid was an act of bravery and vision. Twenty five years ago, founding principal, Peter Anderson, discovered a loophole in the apartheid system which allowed him to establish a school for black children in a so-called "homeland".

Anderson established St Mark's College at Jane Furse, in what is now known as the Limpopo Province, and now, two and a half decades later the school is still exceptionally successful and continues to make a difference to children's lives on a daily basis.

Explaining how everything fell into place, he says, "Having found some ambiguity in the apartheid system, we were able to break away from the stranglehold of Bantu Education to establish St Mark's College. In 1985, my wife and I opened the doors to the first 60 young boys and girls with only three very inexperienced and unqualified teachers and began our mission to rebuff the archaic educational system created by the apartheid era. Since then, we have produced a generation of boys and girls who were schooled with independent minds as a result of a first-rate education."

The school's initial founding was boosted through the support of the Anglo American Chairman's Fund, which has been in existence for over 40 years, and has a long history of supporting educational initiatives and partnering with other socially relevant and impactful causes.

The chairman of the Anglo American Chairman's Fund, Norman Mbazima notes that Anglo American takes great pride in the fact that an educational initiative that represents such social change and which it helped to create so many years ago, continues to thrive.

"As St Mark's founding corporate social investor, the Anglo American Chairman's Fund is extremely proud that our backing of the school has been crucial in the development and success of a host of people who otherwise would have lacked quality academic opportunities, continues Mbazima."

Since apartheid was officially abolished in 1994, the school is now split and run equally between the government and the Anglican Church, says Anderson, adding that matric results compare more favourably than many other government run schools with a recorded pass rate of between 80% and 90% each year.

Owing to the school's establishment, many people have been able to break the shackles of Bantu Education which was the apartheid school system that sought to subjugate the role of the majority of people in South Africa's economic and social landscape.

Anderson adds that since the school was founded, the Anglo American Chairman's Fund has over the years provided ad hoc support towards the building and upgrading of the school such as supplies for the institution's primary school, dormitories, and dining hall.

"St Mark's illustrious history, excellent results, and a promising future ahead has made a real difference in the lives of its students and is a true South African success story, one that the Anglo American Chairman's Fund is proud to be associated with," concludes Mbazima

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South Africa
Pranill Ramchander, Media Relations
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Notes to editors:

Anglo American
Anglo American plc is one of the world's largest mining companies, is headquartered in the UK and listed on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges. It's portfolio of mining businesses spans precious metals and minerals – in which it is a global leader in both platinum and diamonds; base metals – copper and nickel; and bulk commodities – iron ore, metallurgical coal and thermal coal. Anglo American is committed to the highest standards of safety and responsibility across all its businesses and geographies and to making a sustainable difference in the development of the communities around its operations. The company's mining operations and extensive pipeline of growth projects are located in southern Africa, South America, Australia, North America and Asia.
www.angloamerican.com