Mission schools provided a superior education to any other available to those who woke up as “pariahs in their own land”. They were centres from which the likes of John Langalibabele, Sol Plaaitjie, Pixley Ka Isaka Seme, Anton Lembede, Nelson Mandela, O R Tambo (also a teacher at Saint Peters where he later taught the likes of Henry Makgothi) went for their foundation education.

Although fundamentally driving an imperialist agenda, these centres of education demonstrated an essential point – that with a relatively good foundation, education can liberate.

Like an invisible golden bracelet, this was an asset that affirmed the spirit of those who fought for freedom – a gift they were prepared to pass on and even die for.

When many of them completed their foundation education and had the opportunity to further their education at tertiary institutions in South Africa, some went abroad and upon their return became agents of change for freedom for all. Mission schools, thus played a critical role of driving the cause of the kind of education South Africa and Africa, is still searching for.