Adopt a Child Foundation joins Eastern Cape Education to sharpen learning skills

In support of the Quality Learning and Teaching campaign (QLTC), the Adopt a Child Foundation recently joined hands with the Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) and held a primary and high school learners spelling and debating competition at the Lukhanji District municipality in Queenstown.

The competition’s provincial administrator Claudine Jansen opened the session with a brief explanation on what the foundation is all about. According to Jansen, the Foundation has two focal points which are education and sports. She went on to explain that the foundation has two offices nationally, one in East London and the other in KwaZulu-Natal.

“Each province holds its competitions with the aim of assisting learners in public schools with spelling and debating. As such the foundation goes around the country in different provinces to ensure that such competitions occur,” said Jansen.
 
Lukhanji Municipality Councillor, Bongiwe van Heerden welcomed the gesture from the foundation as an honour to the municipality. Van Heerden encouraged the learners that the competition is a step forward and a way of motivating them.

“The competition makes it easy for educators because back in the day learners did not know what they would want to be in future but with competitions like these it helps the educators to guide the learners about their future career plans,’’ said Van Heerden.  She also thanked the foundation for bringing to the learners this opportunity. 

“Take full advantage of the possibilities at hand given by this foundation and the department as it will help you (learners) to realise your careers plans”, added Van Heerden.

Queenstown District chief education specialist, Nocwaka Phungela gave a compelling speech, motivating the learners. Phungela who is physically challenged based her motivation on the famous speech by Martin Luther King and quoted the speech, ‘’I have a dream’’.

While motivating learners to be proud of whom they are Phungela said ‘have a dream, a place where you can rehearse what you would like to be one day’. “You must know that dreams are informed by choices,” added Phungela. 

“You have two choices, to pass or fail and it all depends on you.  Additionally, remember that success is about knowing who you are, and being able to define it. It has no limits. Wherever you want to go, education will take you there, but it all starts with a dream then subsequently making the right choices,” concluded Phungela.

One of the winners, a grade eight pupils from the Davidson primary school in Alice, Enathi Jama was so excited that she’ll be representing the province of the Eastern Cape in the finals in KwaZulu-Natal. “I am out of words, nervous and excited at the same time,” said Jama.