Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) employee honoured with an award

Our very own Mhlangabezi Felix Mbete, Eastern Cape Department of Education Provincial Programme Coordinator for Peace clubs at schools in the Eastern Cape, was honoured with a Strini Moodley Peace Activist Award at the University of KwaZulu-Natal recently.

Peace clubs are part of the school safety programme, and are successfully implemented at 275 schools in the Eastern Cape. Mbete was awarded for implementing the programme better than any other province in the country this year. This club is vital for learners to help deal with pressures placed on them at their age group. 

Thembalabantu High School is just one of schools in the Eastern Cape that have this club at their school, where they meet regularly after school and on weekends. They discuss vital topics affecting their lives directly e.g. teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, how they get treated at home, school drop outs, how education is important to have a successful future, child headed homes, self-confidence and self-respect.

Secretary of the Peace Club at Thembalabantu HS, Bulelwa Mile says “The peace club has made such a difference to my life, I have been disrespected by others, I believed I had no talent, but I have discovered, through our plays, that I do have talent and it has built my self-confidence so much.”

Although humbled and honoured to receive the award, Mbete went on to say, “When doing your passion, the greatest reward is seeing those that the programme was intended for (learners) achieve.”

Thembalabantu High School’s peace club wrote an appreciative message to Mbete saying, “We congratulate you and wish you more years and more achievements. May you continue with your great doings, in changing our lifestyles and giving us opportunities to achieve our goals in life, thank you.”