Page 4 - CAO 25th Ann Coffee Table Book

FOREWORD
Reflections on 25 years
I feel very privileged to be the Chairperson of the Board of the CAO as we celebrate its 25th year of existence. I together with the Board members take immense pleasure in being part of an organization that contributes to the overall development of the country by being a player in the higher education arena. No success can be attributed to a single individual when an organization like the CAO grows, develops, and succeeds over a period of 25 years. Such success can only be attributed to the very many role players that impact this organization. This not limited but includes the Universities in KwaZulu-Natal, the FET colleges affiliated to the CAO, the Management team and staff in general, the students that apply via the CAO to study at the various Universities in KwaZulu-Natal, the parents and guardians of these learners, the teachers and schools that assist the learners to apply for places at the Universities.
Equally important is an acknowledgment of our founding fathers and the earliest Management team of the CAO who faced and had to overcome
many hurdles in the earliest days of the existence of the CAO. The history of the CAO points to a tumultuous period in its earliest existence with key role players at the time also having grave doubts about the ability of the CAO to continue in business given the need for funding as a start up organization. Equally there were brave souls who believed in this organization succeeding and hence persevered despite the numerous challenges. A significant credit must go to Dr Ann Knock who nurtured
this organization from its baby steps until it was able to stand on its own feet despite at times feeling weak at the knees. There were instances when certain founding Universities threatened to pull out of the agreement which had given rise the establishment of the CAO. Even during these difficulty periods in the history of the CAO, reason had prevailed through the efforts of resolute supporters of the CAO as well as colleagues within the Board. Such persuasion by Board colleagues to hang in and give this fledgling organization a chance to grow and show what it is capable of, has led to the organization successfully reaching the milestone of 25
years in business.
By the time that Dr Ann Knock had retired in 2012
having been the Chief Executive Officer from inception (1998), the organization was ready to go into its next phase of development with the appointment of Mr. George van der Ross. A strategic intent at this stage was for the organization to evolve as an active player in the post schooling experience for the applicant and to provide a valuable source for institutional planning and policy making. Under the leadership and guidance of Mr. George van der Ross, the organization has managed to reach and operate in far calmer waters
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