Mbizana – President Jacob Zuma today acknowledged and thanked all hard working teachers, as South Africa joined the world in celebrating World Teachers’ Day.
“We urge you to rededicate and recommit yourselves to quality learning and teaching as you hold the future of our country in your hands. The children you mould should be able to lead this country forward to prosperity,” Zuma said on Saturday.
He was speaking at the official hand over of the newly built Ethridge Junior Secondary School in Mbizana, in the Eastern Cape.
Celebrated annually on 5 October across the globe, World Teachers’ Day was set aside by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1996. The day is held under the theme 'A Call for Teachers'.
The President encouraged teachers to continue the good work they were doing of teaching the learners.
Zuma said today, South Africa was also marking the beginning of Oliver Tambo Month, celebrating former ANC President Oliver Tambo, a man produced by this area of Mbizana.
He went on to become one of the most legendary, inspiring, innovative, exceptional and hardworking leaders of the ANC and of the country. He was also a teacher.
Zuma said he was optimistic that the newly built school in the Eastern Cape would produce leaders of a high calibre.
"The school is a sound investment in the youth of Mbizana, so that we can be able to produce other Oliver Tambo's," Zuma said.
The Ethridge Junior Secondary School has been built by Anglo American Platinum as part of compliance with the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act’s Social and Labour Plan. The project was facilitated by the Department of Mineral Resources.
The new school replaces the old Ethridge School, which was dilapidated and not suitable for teaching and learning.
School Principal Phiwa Pepu told SAnews that since they have moved into the new school, the learners have shown great interest in learning.
“Absenteeism is no longer a big problem, the learners are showing an interest in learning,” he said.
Pepu said teaching was difficult at the old school because the school lacked among other things, windows.
Makhaya Swartman, a Grade 5 learner at the school told SAnews that he now finds learning at the new school more interesting.
“I like our new school and I enjoy coming to school,” he said.
The provision of the school directly responds to commitments in the Presidential Package for the development of a new partnership between social partners for the development of sustainable human settlements in mining towns, labour sending areas and all communities.
The total expenditure of the project is just over R45 million. The school has state-of-the-art facilities including 18 classrooms, sports ground, computer laboratory, science laboratory and a library.
It also has a Lilliput Sewer Treatment Plant which processes sewerage and releases grey water for irrigation as well as a borehole and chlorination providing the learners with potable water.
A community hall will be constructed as part of the Phase 2 of the project. – SAnews.gov.za
