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| Umbilical Leadership |
| Saturday, May 24, 2025 |
| 12:00 PM–12:50 PM |
| Marriott Marquis, M2 Level, Marquis Salon 1-5 |
| Area: EDC/DEI; Domain: Service Delivery |
| Chair: Andrew Bulla (Georgia Southern University - Armstrong ) |
| CE Instructor: Andrew Bulla, Ph.D. |
| Presenting Author: NOMBULELO SUME (Charles Duna Primary, PEER Imternational, Nelson Mandela University, GIZ) |
| Abstract: Charles Duna Primary School is a community school in the township of New Brighton in Gqeberha, South Africa. It serves as a beacon of hope, empowerment, and progress in the Nelson Mandela Bay school district. Under the hand of Nombulelo Sume, Charles Duna Primary School has achieved great heights through what she calls “Umbilical Leadership.” Principal Sume’s leadership is relational, and not a top-down process. Her leadership can be characterized by collaboration, creativity, transformation, and disrupting the status quo. Attendees will learn how her Umbilical Leadership fosters a generative environment, where the faculty and the broader school community find fulfillment and purpose in their work at the school in which the success of the child is the priority. Additionally, this presentation will describe the creative interpretation of the PEER International training and implementation in South African community schools, by the community itself. This presentation will describe how Umbilical Leadership allows schools to persevere with collaboration and unwavering values to break barriers and lead the way to excellence as well as elaborate on the continual collaboration and implementation with our PEER partners in South Africa for more than 20 years. |
| Target Audience: This target is appropriate for administrators, clinical dircetors, or aspiring leaders. |
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe the unique qualities of female leadership from an African perspective
2. Define what a community school is
3. Describe the role of stakeholders in successful community schools
4. List the core values needed to teach "the heart" that allows educators to build a community around The Child
5. List the features ecosystem which incorporates Ubuntu |
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| NOMBULELO SUME (Charles Duna Primary, PEER Imternational, Nelson Mandela University, GIZ) |
 Nombulelo Sume came into this world on the 4th of January 1964. Born 5th out of 7 kids to Nontsikelelo Nokhaya; a domestic worker and Wilmot Faneti Sume; a laborer who worked for the municipality. Although her parents were not formally educated, they instilled the value of education and a values laden life. She grew up in Mendi Road, New Brighton in a 2 bedroom home full of love, jokes and support. The home was very neat with a red ‘stoep’ that was always shining. Everyone had cooking and cleaning chores including the only brother who stepped in as the ‘in-charge’ whenever the parents were not at home. Nombulelo only started schooling at the age of seven due to her short arms that could not reach the ear; a criteria for admission that was used those years. This turned out to be a blessing as she was much more mature than the five and six year olds in her class. Annually she would receive books for academic achievements from the principal; Miss Mekuto who was also a neighbor. She grasped content easily and would be used to explain the work to other learners. This responsibility triggered her love for teaching and would play at school after hours, teaching her friends. She went to Johnson Marwanqa Primary where academic excellence was inculcated. Daily morning classes were compulsory and unruly behavior was reported to the entire school during assembly, embarrassing the culprit to compliance with rules. The school offered Domestic science classes that were attended at Newell High School, kindling a love of cooking and baking. Newell became an obvious choice for High school. Nombulelo went to Cape College of Education in Fort Beaufort and trained as a Foundation Phase teacher. She passed the majority of the courses cum laude. Her teaching career started in 1989 at Emafini Primary school, Kwa Dwesi. She studied part time at Vista University; where she received a BA and BA Honours. She was promoted and became the principal of Charles Duna Primary in July 1998 where she serves till present. Nombulelo and her entire School Management Team enrolled at Nelson Mandela University for a certificate in School Leadership and Management; passing cum laude. Nombulelo has over the years formed partnerships with many organizations to improve the school’s infrastructure, introduction of ICT, capacity building, quality of teaching and learning. Innovation, creativity, thinking out of the box, strategist, hard-work, leading through modeling, transparency and flexibility are some of her leadership qualities. The learner is always at the centre of all decisions taken. Accolades: -READ FOUNDATION – Most Supportive Principal 2002 -National Teaching Awards: Primary School Leadership 2010 -District, Cluster and Provincial winner (4th nationally) -Manyano School Network Advisory Board Chairwoman: 2019- present |
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