The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), through its Water and Sanitation Education Programme (WSEP), will host its Provincial Public Speaking Competition on 14 August 2024 at the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens in Emmarentia.
The competition forms part of WSEP’s public awareness and water literacy initiatives aimed at empowering young people with knowledge about South Africa’s water and sanitation challenges and encouraging them to become active advocates for the protection and sustainable use of the country’s scarce water resources.
WSEP is a school-based programme that uses various action projects to communicate water and sanitation messages to learners and communities. The Public Speaking Project provides learners with a platform to research, analyse and articulate solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing the country’s water resources.
The Public Speaking Project targets learners in the Further Education and Training (FET) Band, preferably Grades 10 and 11, particularly learners taking subjects such as Pure Mathematics, Physical Science, Geography and Engineering Graphics and Design.
The programme encourages participation by learners who demonstrate strong academic achievement and have an interest in pursuing careers in the water and sanitation sector.
To promote inclusivity and equal opportunities, WSEP also prioritises the participation of both rural and urban schools and encourages learners with special needs to participate in the programme. New schools are mobilised annually to broaden participation and ensure that learners from different communities have an opportunity to engage in water and sanitation education initiatives.
The Provincial Public Speaking Competition follows district-level adjudications, with top-performing learners progressing to the next level of the competition. The programme ultimately culminates in national adjudication, where provinces showcase learners from schools that have not previously participated in the project, thereby expanding access and participation.
Members of the media are invited as follows:
Date: Friday, 14 August 2024
Time: 9:00 to 16:00
Venue: Johannesburg Botanical Gardens, Emmarentia, Johannesburg
For media confirmations please contact Ms Maria Lebese on 082 611 9264 / lebesem@dws.gov.za
For more information, contact Ms Wisane Mavasa, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 060 561 8935 / mavasaw@dws.gov.za
For media releases, speeches and news visit the Water & Sanitation portal at: www.dws.gov.za
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