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Company: Metropolitan Holdings Limited, South Africa, Cape Town
Company Description: Metropolitan targets the lower and middle-income markets in southern Africa. We rank in the top three listed insurers in terms of numbers of clients and brand awareness. Our service offering includes assurance of individuals, retirement annuities, medical aid products, unit trusts, and investment products, credit life benefits and employee benefit packages.
Nomination Category: Company & Office Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program in the Middle East and Africa
Nomination Title: Metropolitan RAUCALL
1. Tell the story about what this nominated company achieved (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:
The Metropolitan Rand Rand Afrikaans University College for the Advancement of
Learning and Leadership was established as a crucial part of Metropolitan and
RAU’s social responsibility programme. Established in 1992 as the only project
of its kind, it sought to provide opportunities for selected high school
learners from disadvantaged communities with the potential to study at tertiary
education institutions, at t time when schools were segregated and there were
few opportunities for the Black South African children. Metropolitan contributed
R5, 5m and RAU R5m which was put into a trust for the school which would also
allow other donors who share the same vision with these organisations to
contribute to the realisation of the dream. This fund is being administered by
a Trustee Committee and an Investment Portfolio Committee.
This project became the culmination of a dream for which gifted children from
under privileged communities and the number of school buildings in the area that
became vacant. This dream gained support from private sector and educational
authorities in the country and in 1991 was given the green light to go ahead
with the project. There were five first staff members drawn by invitation
including Principal Carel Freysen who still counts among the current staff.
Excellence became the hallmark of the project from its inception. This was
confirmed by the results of 100% pass rate of the first matriculation class of
1996 and this level has been maintained every year. In 1995, the school
achieved the best results with 95, 5% of the learners obtaining university
exemption. The academic programme consist of a fixed curriculum of six subjects,
English, Afrikaans, Mathematics, science, Accounting and Economics. In 1999,
Technology was introduced as a new subject to grade 8 & 9 classes. Furthermore
collaboration with the Department of German at RAU, the opportunity for learners
to do an instruction course in German was offered on a voluntary basis. As part
of the special enrichnment programme life orientation was introduced to the
school.
Metropolitan RAUCALL has gone from strength to strength through the support of
its service partners: Metropolitan, the Department of Education, the community
and RAU. In 2002 the first four candidates, two women and two men from this
programme enrolled at RAU’s Faculty of Engineering. This is being done with the
partnership formed with Group 5 Engineering programme which mentors learners and
exposes them to technology on practical basis from grade 8 to 12.
The table below shows the achievements of the school since its inception:
Year Number of Matriculants Passing with Exemption %
1996 66 47 71
1997 67 64 95.5
1998 64 48 75
1999 65 53 81.5
2000 70 56 81.4
2001 64 55 86
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
On 23 March 2005 at the presidential guesthouse Mr. Freysen received an award
on behalf of RAUCALL from the Minister of Education Mrs. Naledi Pandor
donated by Anglo Americans Chairman Fund for the Most Improved Schools of 2004
Awards ceremony. RAUCALL was honoured for excellence in Mathematics and Science
teaching. This honour was again bestowed upon the school at the beginning of
2007 due to the excellent matriculation results.
2. List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:
3. Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader of this nominated company:
Mr. Freysen matriculated at Hoërskool, in South Africa and completed his B.Sc
degree at RAU. He completed his B.Ed. and an advanced business management
diploma at RAU.
He has been teaching mathematics for 28 years and has achieved notable successes
in his teaching career. In 2003 he was selected to be one of forty educators to
go to the USA for a 10 week period to study the American way of teaching and
learning. During 2004 Mr. Freysen was the runner up in Gauteng Province for the
Mathematics and Science teacher of the year competition.
Currently Mr. Freysen is the principal of Metropolitan RAUCALL, a secondary
school in Johannesburg catering for disadvantaged learners who excel in
Mathematics and Science. Since the first matriculation class in 1996 RAUCALL has
attained a 100% pass rate and university exemption rate of above 85%.
Mr. Freysen still teaches Mathematics to grade 11 and 12 higher grade learners
at RAUCALL and derives pleasure from his interaction with learners. He marvels
at the ways they come up with individual solutions to problems posed in class.
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