EXTRACT
I now wish a wiser person had informed me that I had no idea how much academic potential lay within me. My Latin teacher did and it made a difference at school. But I still had no idea whatsoever how much talent lies within us as lifelong learners and as emerging leaders. This is why in hundreds of talks to schools around the country I play my one-string guitar over and over again – “you have no idea how smart you really are”.
Of course, our society and our schools are very good at telling young people, in ways direct and indirect, that not much is expected of them; we have become, as the highly talented journalist Redi Thlabi recently tweeted, “30% pass rate people”.