Background to the Fund

The Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund was established in 2006 by Dale and Craig Jackson in memory of their late father, Theo Jackson.

The aim of the fund is to provide scholarships to under-privileged and financially disadvantaged boys of all races who wish to enrol at Jeppe High School for Boys but cannot afford to do so.

Jeppe High School for Boys

Jeppe High School for Boys is Johannesburg's oldest boys only public school having been established in 1890 in Fairview, Johannesburg.

As noted in the book Historic Schools of South Africa "perhaps more than any other Johannesburg school, it reflects the history and changing character of the city and has always been a melting pot for children of diverse socioeconomic, language and cultural backgrounds."

Recognised as one of South Africa's Top 20 boys schools, the defining characteristics of the men it produces often centre around the principles of loyalty, honour and friendship. Whilst many Jeppe pupils have gone on to become captains of industry, famous politicians and international sportsmen, it is the ability of the school to shape the characters of boys into men which is its greatest success.

The Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund aims to build upon this success by giving young men, who would otherwise never have had the opportunity for a quality education, the chance to attend Jeppe High School for Boys.

Theo Jackson (1946 – 1995)

Theo Jackson was an orphan who, following the death of his mother, was adopted by his uncle, John Jackson (himself a Jeppe Old Boy) and as result came to South Africa from Zimbabwe at age 13. He was enrolled in Jeppe as a term boarder at Tsessebe hostel in Std 7 (Grade 9) in 1961 and matriculated in 1964.

Although he went on to become a stage prefect and obtain half colours in rugby, Theo was neither a particularly gifted sportsman nor great academic. However, from the time he entered the school gates Jeppe was to play a huge role in his life and was probably the defining influence in shaping Theo’s character and outlook.

Theo was intensely passionate about Jeppe and determined to advance both the school and the Old Boys Club, Jeppe Quondam. So great was his involvement that he became president (and Honorary Life Member) of Quondam, was a founding member of the running section which now has over 280 members and is recognised as one of the strongest in South Africa, captained and coached the Jeppe Old Boys 1st XV Rugby team and was chairman of the Parents Association of Jeppe High School for Boys.

Notwithstanding the above, it was for his unwavering loyalty and friendship that Theo is most remembered. Perhaps due to his background, he always retained a deep compassion for the underdog and those whom he considered to have been dealt a tough hand in life.

Theo passed away tragically at the age of 48 in 1995 as a result of a heart attack.

Nature of the Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund

The fund aims to provide scholarships to boys of all races from disadvantaged backgrounds who despite difficult and challenging circumstances have shown a will to succeed if given the opportunity.

Like Theo Jackson these boys may not necessarily possess great sporting or academic talents but have a character and fighting spirit that burns within them.

The following categories are considered when awarding a Scholarship:

Character of the applicant:
Sporting and academic prowess of the individual are not considered to be of prime importance. Rather, it is the character of the individual and their desire and ability to contribute to life at Jeppe and obtain the maximum from the opportunity given to them that is important.
Financial circumstances:
The child's parents or family must be unable to pay for school and boarding fees.
Family circumstances:
Scholarship recipients are either orphans, not aware of the whereabouts of their parents or from single parent families.

An important principle of the sponsorship is that upon completion of their studies, at some time in the future, scholarship recipients will be encouraged to “give back” by becoming involved in the school and repaying the costs of their tuition into the fund (when they can afford to so) so as to enable future generations of under-privileged learners to receive the same benefit.

Despite only being formed in June 2006, the fund is currently sponsoring the education of 23 boys.

Current Financial Position

The Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund is a separately administered and controlled fund within the Jeppe Foundation, a registered public benefit organisation. The cost of school fees (R20,000 pa) and boarding fees (R25,000 pa) is R45,000 per boy per year. Craig and Dale Jackson capitalised the fund by donating their inheritance from Theo Jackson as an initial investment into the fund.

This has been supplemented by the donations of a further 120 individuals and corporates who are contributing to the fund via the following methods:

Monthly debit orders
Annual lump sums
Corporate sponsorships of individual boys as part of the BEE CSI spend of these companies

In addition, annual fundraising initiatives are held (e.g. golf days and breakfasts) which are supported by a database of over 600 individuals and companies. To date over R2 million has been raised.

Administration and Controls

The fund is administered by the following individuals:

Dale Jackson: Son of Theo Jackson and a chartered accountant who oversees the daily operations and the accounts of the fund
Craig Jackson: Son of Theo Jackson and a portfolio manager at Investec Private Client Securities whose expertise will be utilised to invest the capital portion of the fund
Bill Silburn: Long time popular teacher and housemaster at Jeppe High School for Boys whose knowledge of schoolboys and mentorship is invaluable
Bill Sears: Lifelong friend of Theo Jackson, Jeppe Old Boy and respected businessman
Kevin Tait: Former headmaster of Jeppe High School for Boys

Importantly, all of the above donate their time and expertise free of charge so that 100% of the fund contributions go towards the boys. All operational, financial and administrative expenses of the fund are paid for by Dale and Craig Jackson. In addition, quarterly reporting on the progress of the boys and financial position of the fund is provided by Dale Jackson who also holds monthly meetings with the headmaster and financial manager of the school.

Summary

In our opinion, living in South Africa brings with it certain responsibilities. Although a beautiful country with unbounded potential, South Africa nevertheless has a number of serious infrastructural and socioeconomic problems, one of which is the lack of widely available quality education.

It is said that the gift of education is the greatest gift that one can ever give. The Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund aims to provide this gift to underprivileged children so that they can have the opportunity to enjoy a life which they would otherwise never have had.

Hopefully, like Theo Jackson, they will in turn repay the school, society and our country in time by giving back more than they ever received.


Home Background to the Fund Scholarship Recipients Contributors Donate Online Apply for the Scholarship Newsletters Jeppe High School Gallery Contact Us Other Funds	Background to the Fund Background to the Fund The Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund was established in 2006 by Dale and Craig Jackson in memory of their late father, Theo Jackson. The aim of the fund is to provide scholarships to under-privileged and financially disadvantaged boys of all races who wish to enrol at Jeppe High School for Boys but cannot afford to do so. Jeppe High School for Boys Jeppe High School for Boys is Johannesburg's oldest boys only public school having been established in 1890 in Fairview, Johannesburg. As noted in the book Historic Schools of South Africa "perhaps more than any other Johannesburg school, it reflects the history and changing character of the city and has always been a melting pot for children of diverse socioeconomic, language and cultural backgrounds." Recognised as one of South Africa's Top 20 boys schools, the defining characteristics of the men it produces often centre around the principles of loyalty, honour and friendship. Whilst many Jeppe pupils have gone on to become captains of industry, famous politicians and international sportsmen, it is the ability of the school to shape the characters of boys into men which is its greatest success. The Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund aims to build upon this success by giving young men, who would otherwise never have had the opportunity for a quality education, the chance to attend Jeppe High School for Boys. Theo Jackson (1946 – 1995) Theo Jackson was an orphan who, following the death of his mother, was adopted by his uncle, John Jackson (himself a Jeppe Old Boy) and as result came to South Africa from Zimbabwe at age 13. He was enrolled in Jeppe as a term boarder at Tsessebe hostel in Std 7 (Grade 9) in 1961 and matriculated in 1964. Although he went on to become a stage prefect and obtain half colours in rugby, Theo was neither a particularly gifted sportsman nor great academic. However, from the time he entered the school gates Jeppe was to play a huge role in his life and was probably the defining influence in shaping Theo’s character and outlook. Theo was intensely passionate about Jeppe and determined to advance both the school and the Old Boys Club, Jeppe Quondam. So great was his involvement that he became president (and Honorary Life Member) of Quondam, was a founding member of the running section which now has over 280 members and is recognised as one of the strongest in South Africa, captained and coached the Jeppe Old Boys 1st XV Rugby team and was chairman of the Parents Association of Jeppe High School for Boys. Notwithstanding the above, it was for his unwavering loyalty and friendship that Theo is most remembered. Perhaps due to his background, he always retained a deep compassion for the underdog and those whom he considered to have been dealt a tough hand in life. Theo passed away tragically at the age of 48 in 1995 as a result of a heart attack. Nature of the Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund The fund aims to provide scholarships to boys of all races from disadvantaged backgrounds who despite difficult and challenging circumstances have shown a will to succeed if given the opportunity. Like Theo Jackson these boys may not necessarily possess great sporting or academic talents but have a character and fighting spirit that burns within them. The following categories are considered when awarding a Scholarship: Character of the applicant: Sporting and academic prowess of the individual are not considered to be of prime importance. Rather, it is the character of the individual and their desire and ability to contribute to life at Jeppe and obtain the maximum from the opportunity given to them that is important. Financial circumstances: The child's parents or family must be unable to pay for school and boarding fees. Family circumstances: Scholarship recipients are either orphans, not aware of the whereabouts of their parents or from single parent families. An important principle of the sponsorship is that upon completion of their studies, at some time in the future, scholarship recipients will be encouraged to “give back” by becoming involved in the school and repaying the costs of their tuition into the fund (when they can afford to so) so as to enable future generations of under-privileged learners to receive the same benefit. Despite only being formed in June 2006, the fund is currently sponsoring the education of 23 boys. Current Financial Position The Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund is a separately administered and controlled fund within the Jeppe Foundation, a registered public benefit organisation. The cost of school fees (R20,000 pa) and boarding fees (R25,000 pa) is R45,000 per boy per year. Craig and Dale Jackson capitalised the fund by donating their inheritance from Theo Jackson as an initial investment into the fund. This has been supplemented by the donations of a further 120 individuals and corporates who are contributing to the fund via the following methods: Monthly debit orders Annual lump sums Corporate sponsorships of individual boys as part of the BEE CSI spend of these companies In addition, annual fundraising initiatives are held (e.g. golf days and breakfasts) which are supported by a database of over 600 individuals and companies. To date over R2 million has been raised. Administration and Controls The fund is administered by the following individuals: Dale Jackson: Son of Theo Jackson and a chartered accountant who oversees the daily operations and the accounts of the fund Craig Jackson: Son of Theo Jackson and a portfolio manager at Investec Private Client Securities whose expertise will be utilised to invest the capital portion of the fund Bill Silburn: Long time popular teacher and housemaster at Jeppe High School for Boys whose knowledge of schoolboys and mentorship is invaluable Bill Sears: Lifelong friend of Theo Jackson, Jeppe Old Boy and respected businessman Kevin Tait: Former headmaster of Jeppe High School for Boys Importantly, all of the above donate their time and expertise free of charge so that 100% of the fund contributions go towards the boys. All operational, financial and administrative expenses of the fund are paid for by Dale and Craig Jackson. In addition, quarterly reporting on the progress of the boys and financial position of the fund is provided by Dale Jackson who also holds monthly meetings with the headmaster and financial manager of the school. Summary In our opinion, living in South Africa brings with it certain responsibilities. Although a beautiful country with unbounded potential, South Africa nevertheless has a number of serious infrastructural and socioeconomic problems, one of which is the lack of widely available quality education. It is said that the gift of education is the greatest gift that one can ever give. The Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund aims to provide this gift to underprivileged children so that they can have the opportunity to enjoy a life which they would otherwise never have had. Hopefully, like Theo Jackson, they will in turn repay the school, society and our country in time by giving back more than they ever received.	Fundraising Craig Jackson is running the London Marathon to raise Funds for the Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund. If you wish to support him, Click Here.

The Theo Jackson Scholarship Fund

Background to the Fund