Long distance walk in search of a better education will be the thing of the past for Zanele Bawana of Manzana Administrative Area (A/A) in Ngcobo, Chris Hani District Municipality. Bawana, 18, is a grade 12 student at Manzana Senior Secondary School (S.S.S), a school that hosted the Department of Social Development and Special Programmes’s Back to School Campaign.
Bawana’s school, along with Zwelihle S.S.S of Torha A/A, Kanyolwethu S.S.S from Cobosi A/A and Gwarhubana in and out of school Youth, were the three schools that received schoool uniform, computers, study guides, pencil cases printed “ke moja, I’m fine without drugs”, netball and football kit and bicycles.
Manzana S.S.S is one of many schools that are operating under section 21of the Schools Act in the Province, situated approximately 5km from the Town’s CBD. Without proper infrustructure, this meant that Bawana and co will have to bear high taxi fares to town or take a long walk to the town’s library for empowerment.
With 10 computers, a printer and 188 study guides delivered, Bawana believes that will have a positive impact in this year’s matric results. “We are happy that a rural school like ours receives computers and style guides. I believe that our matric results will improve as this (delivery) will enable us to do research without having to walk long distance to town,” she says.
Bawana understands the significance of having computers in the morden world: “In our days one needs to be computer literate to be able to make it at marketing world. So, this delivery by the department (of Social Development and Special Programmes) will transform us to be competitive students in the morden education…we are very grateful.”
School princial Mr Sidlayiya committed that with recent delivery by the department, his school will achieve more that they have targeted for the matric results. “Our target is 75%, but with this assistance, will are destined to achieve more than our target,” he said.
On handing over of 30 school uniforms to her school comprising a pair of trousers for boys or tunic for girls, a shirt, pair of shoes, a jersey, socks and a tie, Bawana said: “Some of us are coming from poor families who cannot afford school uniform.
But with school uniform, we all look the same in spite of different family backgrounds.” On that package was also a washing towel, bath soap, toothpaste, a toothbrash and sanitory towels for girls. A total of 188 study guides for matrics on all subjects and 116 pencil cases were also handed over to the school. The print “ke moja, I’m fine without drugs” on pencil cases is a slogan that is used to combat the use of drugs at schools and communities at large. The school was also launched to be one of the schools where TADA (Teenage against Drug Abuse) group will be established to mobilise against drug abuse.
This was as a result of a brief visit by the department’s MEC Dr Pemmy Majodina in 2011, where she pronounced her adoption of the school and promised better things. On this day, she came back to honour her promise. This was also a symbol of ploughing back as Majodina finished her matric at the school. It was her who led the department’s delegation to the school to do the handing over. “As this department, we have a mandate to ‘care, protect and develop’ the poor and the vulnerable, as enshrined in our constitution. We are here today to deliver on that mandate. We want to make sure that no pupil drop out of school due to lack of school uniform,” she said.
Majodina also echoed Bawana’s sentiments: “In spite of poor family backgrounds to some of you, with same school uniform to all these handsome and pretty faces in front of me, no one will tell the difference of your family status,” she said, to the roar of the audience.
Zwelihle S.S.S received 40 style guides and 10 school uniforms whilst Khanyolwethu S.S.S was a recipient of 10 school uniforms and four bicycles. Gwarhubana in and out of School Youth received netball and football kit.
