Senior government officials including Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature Speaker, Fikile Xasa, and parents, gathered at Putuma Junior Secondary School (JSS), Coffee Bay, Mqanduli on the 28 August 2012, to honour the learners for their successful achievement of winning the South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (SASCE) for 2012.
Earlier this year on the 3 to 6 July 2012, schools from all over the country came to compete for first place in the SASCE. They all gathered at the Rhema Church in Randburg to sing their hearts out. Knowing that the competition would not be easy, competing against seven other provinces, learners committed themselves to practising every day after school, and conductors went above and beyond their call of duty, giving the learners extra lessons over week-ends. Putuma JSS walked away winners, both in the Afrikaans and the Western Pieces.
Khutala Ngoma provincial coordinator for the choir programme acknowledged the learners by saying: “Putuma is a school of excellence; the department acknowledges your outstanding work. This has boosted the learner’s self-esteem, and has put change in their minds, to stop them from thinking they are helpless and under privileged.” She ended off by saying, Ä child of a farm worker can become a president of a great nation.”
As the winners of this year’s provincial and national Eisteddfod, they were rewarded with a piano and a guitar. The school does not only want to stop there, but has now requested to add music to their curriculum, to teach students different musical instruments.
Babalwa Mtumtum, principal of Putuma JSS made a remarkable speech, thanking all those involved and gave the whole crowd something to think about, “It doesn’t matter where you come from or what the circumstances are, you can achieve.”