MEC Phosa encourages learners to remain in school
Thursday, 07 February 2013
LEARNERS at Uthaka Secondary School in Wakkerstroom kick started their first day of schooling for the year 2013 highly spirited, following a surprise visit by the MEC for Finance Mrs Pinky Phosa.
MEC Phosa encouraged about 700 learners gathered at the school assembly to dedicate their time to education.
She urged them to take their education serious, emphasising that it is the single most powerful weapon to defeat poverty, unemployment and inequality in the country.
“Education will sharpen your mind and shape your future and that of the community in which you live.
“We need you to be educated and make quality input in the nation building programmes in the country and province, said MEC Phosa.
Mrs Phosa urged the members of the School Governing Bodies, educators and learners to work hard to improve on the education outcomes at all school grades.
MEC also congratulated the school management and staff for having improved the matriculation results from 44% that was obtained in 2011 to 77.46% in 2012.
“The results signify the capacity of the school to attain the best results in the coming years. It gives us hope that the 2013 class will do even better if they allow the educators to guide them to a brighter future,” said MEC Phosa.
This is the highest percentage pass of matric for the school since 2009.
MEC and her delegation will proceed to Wakkerstroom Primary School and Qalani Primary School on Thursday and Friday respectively.
The back-to-school programme is a national programme where public representatives from national, provincial and local government are encouraged to visit schools and check on their state of readiness, which includes the state of infrastructure and the delivery of learner material.
After the school visit Mrs Phosa went to hand over school uniform to eight destitute children at at Perdekop, near Volkrust.