MEC for Provincial Planning and Treasury Phumulo Masualle brought hope to students, teachers and School Governing Body (SGB) of Bethania High School when he brought school material to the school he adopted in 2010.
He adopted the school after the Executive Council of the Eastern Cape Provincial Government resolved that each Member of the Executive (MEC) must adopt at least six poorly performed schools in their matric results, in an effort to improve grade 12 matric performance.
In collaboration with Standard Bank, Masualle delivered to the school 25 computers, five water tanks, a power engine, 20 paraffin heaters, a projector, three grass cutting machines, 20 office chairs and 3 staff tables.
Bethania High School is located in the rocky fields of Sathube Location in the outskirts of Mount Fletcher. It is one of the schools that achieved less than 10 percent matric pass rate in 2010. MEC discovered this during his school visits and decided to make the school his project, together with four other schools. Others include Jojo High School from Mt Ayliff, Smuts Ndamase High School from Libode, Mthawelanga High School from Maclear and Zimlindile High School from King Williams Town.
A steady improvement since Masualle adopted the school is glaring in that the school achieved 79 percent matric pass rate in 2013. “I appreciate the cooperation between the teachers, SGB and learners. I believe that it is that cooperation that has brought the improvement to the school, and the appointment of the Principal,” said MEC Masualle during his address. “These are things that were not happening before, with ill-discipline dominating the school. We are giving support to the school because we want to see a better future for the children of this community."
Handing over the material with the MEC, Mr Lekhelebana from Standard Bank conceded that “we want to see the school moving forward and get a 100 percent matric pass rate.” It was clear that they both believed in building the future of the children and improving their education will bear good results for our country in the future.
Grade 12 learners were grateful to the MEC and Standard Bank for the delivery and they promised to work harder and achieve distinctions and merits at the end of the year.
Bethania High School was the last stop for MEC’s school projects. He has been to other schools, where similar activities took place.
