The Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) in partnership with the Nedbank foundation launched the first leg of the Nedbank Back-to-School campaign on Friday, 2 March 2012 at the De Vos Malan School in King William’s Town, where 9 schools benefited, with 200 learners receiving school uniforms, shoes and stationery.
The Nedbank Back-to-School Project helps learners in rural communities and informal settlements across the nine provinces with basic learning resources.
The schools that benefited from this campaign were Toise Secondary School, Nonceba Senior Secondary School, Xolani Senior Secondary School and Thembalabantu High School from Zwelitsha as well as Dumalisile Senior Secondary School, Zukhanye Secondary School, Kuyasa High School, Archie Velile High School and Richard Varha High School from Dimbaza.
The launch was attended by School Governing Body (SGB) members, officials of the ECDoE, principals of the benefiting schools, learners and parents.
King William’s Town Education District Director, Fikile Sokutu said the department has a responsibility to provide education, scholar transport, nutrition and non-fee schools.
“The department wants all children to access education,” Sokutu said. “Millions of people are still trapped in poverty and poverty has prevented access to school for many children. The department wants to reach every child in need but cannot do it alone. The hand that Nedbank has landed to the department is the key to unlock the prison doors of poverty and will help children to attend school and lift their self-esteems,” he added.
Sokutu also said children are the most important component of education because they determine the number of teachers in schools and the number of classrooms to be built.
Emphasising the importance of the partnership between the ECDoE and the Nedbank Back-to-School campaign, Sokutu said without books a child cannot go to school, a child who is hungry cannot go to school, a child who cannot afford school fees cannot go to school, a child who cannot buy school uniform cannot go to school.
Nedbank area manager, Sizwe Tantsi said that the launch of the Nedbank Back-to-School campaign was held at an opportune time as it followed after the budget speech. Tantsi said Nedbank is capable of making a positive contribution to the improvement of the quality of education in South Africa.
“Nedbank acknowledges the lack of skills in the field of engineering, commerce and science”, said Tantsi. “That is why Nedbank is not only working with the ECDoE in the launch but also in other programmes. One of the programmes is Nedbank Fundisa which is already operating in Dimbaza. The Nedbank Fundisa Programme deals with revision of the grade 12 syllabus and currently there are already over 1000 learners who benefit from this programme”, Tantsi added.
Tansti also said the impact that Nedbank has is limited and cannot reach each and every school.
“Children are the future of our country and Nedbank sees them as the leaders of tomorrow. Nedbank will continue to be involved in communities and will continue to interact with communities in the grassroots”.
Ward 41 Councillor in Zwelitsha, Councillor Mtintsilana said that education is close to his heart and he is determined to get involved and make a difference in his own ward.
“Every quarter I visit the schools in my ward in order to give them moral support. Education is an inheritance that no one can ever take away from you,” said Mtintsilana.
The learners were given an opportunity to show their appreciation and excitement for the gesture from Nedbank and the ECDoE by performing a traditional dance and choral music.
