22 Jun 2014

Students have been encouraged to take education seriously as it is the key to their success in life.

Officially opening the Masunga cluster school’s Excellence awards ceremony at Batanani JSS at Mapoka recently, the general manager of Tati River Lodge, Ms Margret Hikwama-Tlhalerwa said education plays a vital role in the society as the dynamics of the world have changed.

She said there was no how education can be distanced from technology because the two go hand in hand.

She implored students to work an extra mile and take all the responsibility towards learning, saying they should avoid indiscipline in order to avoid sanctions such as expulsion from school, failing and discontinuing among others.

Ms Hikwama-Tlhalerwa said for the past years public schools have been rocked by vandalism, drugs and substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS, thus making the learning environment not conducive.

She said when the learning environment is not conducive, the results are negatively affected. She also noted that while in the past people could survive without any formal education that was no longer possible.

She applauded those who got prizes saying it was not easy for them because of challenges but said they made it due to hard work.

Furthermore, Ms Tlhalerwa urged parents to partner with teachers in order to produce future leaders of this country and also urged them to participate in Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs).

For his part, the director of Education in the North East region, Mr Oupa Masesane said the idea of excellence awards came up as a way of motivating best students, teachers and non-teaching staff by awarding them prizes.

Mr Masesane also reminded private companies and individuals about the ‘Adopt a School’ programme, which he said contributed a lot towards producing good results.

The best students and teachers in various subjects received certificates and P500 each and the overall students received certificates and P1 000 each.

Meanwhile, well performing schools walked away with certificates and P20 000 each and P10 000 went to the most improved schools.

Mabudzane, Gungwe and Patayamatebele primary schools emerged the best in primary schools in the North East district each obtaining 100 per cent pass rate while Mabudzane got position one having produced quality results of 80% while Sekakangwe primary school emerged as the most improved.

The theme for this year was, ‘Value addition, a building block to employees and students motivation’. ENDS