The Department of Basic Education (DBE), Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE), in partnership with Department of Agriculture, Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC), Supersport, Walmart, Sangari South Africa and Paarl media visited Clarkebury Senior Secondary school as part of their Mandela Day celebrations.
The celebrations at Clarkebury started with a tour of the school classrooms which was led by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Eastern Cape Premier Noxolo Kiviet. This is a school which Nelson Mandela attended in his youth, and it received furniture and R6,8 million for renovations from the DBE which is expected to start soon.
Sangari South Africa donated an i-box, an interactive white board, science kit and Tablet for the Principal which amounted to more than R300, 000.
“We arrived early to train the teachers and show them how the software and equipment works and we are confident that the teachers are ready to use it,” said Dira Marule from Sangari SA. He added that the software and the equipment will make things easier for teachers when it comes to marking and it is instant.
Seeing that there is a need for a proper kitchen at the school, the DBE roped in Walmart stores and they donated a kitchen, pots, spoons, gas stove, plates and detergents. Speaking on behalf of Walmart, Sherley Kreinack said that they were asked to donate 94 kitchens across the country to commemorate Mandela’s birthday. “We saw it fit that we exceed that number and donate 100 kitchens to poor communities which will benefit 20 million children,” said Kreinack.
To maintain a saying which states that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body, Supersport organised the unemployed youth from the Clarkebury community and trained them to coach learners. Learners were coached in various sporting codes and given t-shirts and balls. Supersport and Paarl media also promised to build better sport facilities for the school, while DoA planted trees and seeds in the school garden and DSRAC donated a mobile library.
Addressing the masses who attended the grand birthday celebration at the school, Minister Motshekga encouraged learners to take full advantage of the facilities that are at their disposal. “Tata Mandela values children and education and you (learners) must also study hard and not disappoint him in everything you do,” added Motshekga. She also thanked the sponsors for choosing to spend their 67 minutes with the children.
Vuyisani Khethimali who is a grade 12 learner at the school made a vow to the Minister on behalf of the grade 12 class that ‘not only will they maintain the standard raised by the 2011 class who got a 93% pass rate, but will raise the bar and get a 100% just for Tata Mandela’.
