Content creator and qualified educator Vourné Williams, who is also married to Mafikizolo singer Theo Kgosinkwe, recently sparked conversation on social media after sharing why she decided to move her daughter from a private school to a government school.
Taking to Instagram, Williams opened up about the decision and made it clear that she was speaking from personal experience rather than presenting herself as an expert on education.
She wrote: “Hot topic, but let’s talk about it!! Private school vs government school… what’s your experience? I’ve seen both sides, and I think there’s more to the conversation than people realise. I am not an expert just speaking from real life and my own perspective.”
In a video posted on her platform, Williams explained that the move was driven by several concerns she had while her daughter was attending the private institution.
“Number 1, we actually moved her because we just not happy. I was in a very good government school and having my dad be in the education system for over 30 years made me appreciate the government system and anything else that comes with it and just have a better understanding about it as well.”
She also pointed to concerns around management and communication at the school.
“Number 2 there was a big lack of structure, accountability and communication, so that was another red flag. Number 3, there was 27 kids in a class. I kept on asking myself where is the individual attention. Like how is she getting that?”
Williams went on to reveal that even the school’s playground raised concerns for her as a parent. She admitted that while it may seem like a small issue to some, it played a role in her decision-making process.
“Number 4 was the play ground. I know it sounds silly, but I don’t think it matched the environment I was paying for and me being a helicopter mom, an anxious mom, I want to be feel safe when I drop off my child, that when she’s playing and actually having fun, she’s actually safe.”
Reflecting on her overall experience, Williams said she felt the environment lacked the level of focus she expected.
“Overall, I would say the energy actually felt very relaxed, actually too relaxed for my liking. I feel like it became more of a business then actually worrying about my child’s development. Or my child’s education per se.”
As someone who has worked within the public education system, Williams believes government schools can offer valuable support and structure.
“I’ve been teaching at a government school and I find that at the government school, they have a system in place, they have support and they have structure.”
Williams emphasised that she was simply sharing her own journey as a parent and educator, encouraging others to consider that every child’s needs and experiences may be different.
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