Date: 11/09/2003
Source: Deputy Ministry of Education
Title: Mangena: Opening of Letlotlo Naledi Public School
ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MR MOSIBUDI MANGENA, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF LETLOTLO NALEDI PUBLIC SCHOOL, Bothaville, 11 September 2003
Director of Ceremonies, MEC for Education, Mr Kganare, District Director Mr Monnane, Chairperson, Mr Majwabe, and Members of the SGB, Principal of Letlotlo Naledi, Mr Mofokeng, Parents, Educators, Learners, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
The stone-age humans were born with brains that were as developed as those of their 21st century descendants. The difference between them and us lies in our experiences, and the type and amount of information and knowledge available during our respective lifetimes. Human civilisation is founded on the knowledge that is passed down from one generation to the next. Today we are able to fly aeroplanes and undertake space travel because our ancestors invented the wheel and discovered relationships between our climate and the stars. Therefore, if institutions such as schools and universities become less valued or go out of fashion, human civilisation, as we know it today will eventually disappear.
Together with the community of Naledi, we have gathered here to celebrate and to officially unveil this beacon of hope, appropriately named Letlotlo Naledi Public School. The people of Naledi do indeed treasure this school. We are reliably informed that the current nine classrooms of this school are effectively utilised for more than twelve hours a day for six days a week, during the school calendar. The 920 children enrolled in this school attend classes according to a platoon system. After the morning and afternoon sessions, the adults of this community use the same classes to receive tuition in the evenings and Saturdays. Letlotlo Naledi is indeed a model of a school that is a centre of community life.
Allow me also to congratulate and commend the school principal, Mr Mofokeng, for his commitment and dedication. While in some schools educators find it difficult to remain in school for the prescribed minimum of seven hours per day, Mr Mofokeng is on duty from seven in the morning to five or six in the afternoon every school day. We also salute the volunteer educators that are prepared to freely impart their skills and knowledge to the children of this community. We truly appreciate the sacrifices that you are making, especially considering the depressed conditions under which your families and communities live. Our gratitude also goes to the farmers of Bothaville that are supporting this school in whatever way they could. Education is the only way in which the people of this community could one day escape from the poverty trap under which they currently live.
The collective efforts of communities such as this one are a source of hope in the challenges and demands we are facing in transforming the South African education system. Hard work, commitment, dedication and the will to make a difference has brought this community to where it is today, when we are able to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of its labours. We would like to encourage you, the community of Naledi and your partners, to continue to work hard and to support the Department of Education to turn this school into a modern educational institution that would serve to foster development in this area. The official opening of this school today is a shining milestone in the history of this community, which is characterised by deprivation, stunted or absent social and economic growth.
A school is a microcosm of its community. But a good school brings a positive dimension to the lives of its learners by offering them a more sheltered and nurturing environment, within which they can learn to deal with the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities in their young lives. Without a doubt, the congestion in the classrooms and the short time that the children spend at school because of the platoon system, leave little room for the development of the extra-curricular needs of the learners. The fact that after thirty years since its establishment in 1971, the school infrastructure has only developed to the current nine classrooms, poses a serious challenge to us in the Department of Education. Letlotlo Naledi is a stark reminder of the conditions under which many of our citizens still live, and the work that still has to be done in the development of our schools and education system.
However, the unwavering commitment and dedication of the parents, school governing body, management and educators of Letlotlo Naledi is a source of comfort and hope, and an indication that as a country we are making progress in a positive direction. The vision and mission statements of the school bear testimony to the school's commitment to the development of its learners and the community of Naledi.
We also wish to extend our appreciation to all those farmers who have assisted the parents and department with the school nutrition programme. We all know that under-achievement and poor performance in schools is often associated with poverty and malnutrition. In order to ensure that our children, particularly in the Foundation Phase, are not disadvantaged because of hunger, the school and the SGB have a crucial role to play to ensure the success of this initiative. This is another way of creating an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching.
The department is in the process of implementing the Revised National Curriculum Statement in all our schools. The new curriculum advocates the development of modern knowledge, skills and technology, which should enable learners to follow meaningful career paths and succeed in higher education, and the promotion of human rights and other values related to a democratic dispensation.
As we prepare our children for the future, we need to acknowledge that we do not know the type of future in which our children will live their lives. But we do know that in order to survive under unexpected and extreme life circumstances, creativity and mental agility are a precondition. Therefore, the need to nurture and inculcate these abilities in our children can hardly be overemphasised. I would like to urge all of us to do all we can to ensure that our children are assisted to make the best use of all the opportunities afforded them.
In 2001, we unveiled a national strategy to improve learner attainment in mathematics, science and technology education that has since been implemented in the 102 schools and is popularly known as the Dinaledi Project. This project is meant to encourage learners to take and to pass well mathematics and science, so that they can be able to follow careers in the scientific and technological fields. The first matric results of the schools where the project was implemented have convinced us that the project is bearing fruit. From time to time, we will review performance, and advise on the extent to which it could be extended to other schools. I would like to encourage more private sector companies to support the project, so that we can be able to realise a complete roll out to all the disadvantaged schools sooner.
The opening of this school should have coincided with the International Literacy Day on Monday, 8 September, when the world reminds itself about its obligations to ensure that all the peoples of the world attain literacy skills. This is a day when we would have appropriately celebrated the achievements of the parents of Letlotlo Naledi for their efforts to gain reading and writing skills. The department has initiated a programme to encourage young and old to develop and improve their literacy skills. The South African National Literacy Initiative is a programme that seeks to redress the rate of illiteracy amongst our adult citizens. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage more adults in Naledi to enrol for Adult Basic Education and Training classes. This will equip them with the relevant skills to participate meaningfully in the mainstream economy and to improve the conditions of their lives.
Finally, we would like to wish you, the boys and girls for whom this school is built, the best of luck and a fulfilling learning experience in this wonderful school. We encourage you to hold hands with your teachers to make the best out of what this school has to offer. We hope you will value the opportunities that the school is able to provide, and as you move on in life, you can look back with pride and fond memories of your days at Letlotlo Naledi Public School. We comment Sedibeng Water for their commitment and support to the really needy learners in the school, and would like to encourage them to continue the good work.
With these words I wish to declare Letlotlo Naledi Public School officially open. May this school be an incubator to many great men and women. We encourage all the children to emulate the example set by Abram Mokgotsi Bentile, and reach for the stars.
Ke a leboga.
Issued by the Deputy Ministry of Education, 11 September 2003
Source: Deputy Ministry of Education
Title: Mangena: Opening of Letlotlo Naledi Public School
ADDRESS BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION, MR MOSIBUDI MANGENA, AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF LETLOTLO NALEDI PUBLIC SCHOOL, Bothaville, 11 September 2003
Director of Ceremonies, MEC for Education, Mr Kganare, District Director Mr Monnane, Chairperson, Mr Majwabe, and Members of the SGB, Principal of Letlotlo Naledi, Mr Mofokeng, Parents, Educators, Learners, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen
The stone-age humans were born with brains that were as developed as those of their 21st century descendants. The difference between them and us lies in our experiences, and the type and amount of information and knowledge available during our respective lifetimes. Human civilisation is founded on the knowledge that is passed down from one generation to the next. Today we are able to fly aeroplanes and undertake space travel because our ancestors invented the wheel and discovered relationships between our climate and the stars. Therefore, if institutions such as schools and universities become less valued or go out of fashion, human civilisation, as we know it today will eventually disappear.
Together with the community of Naledi, we have gathered here to celebrate and to officially unveil this beacon of hope, appropriately named Letlotlo Naledi Public School. The people of Naledi do indeed treasure this school. We are reliably informed that the current nine classrooms of this school are effectively utilised for more than twelve hours a day for six days a week, during the school calendar. The 920 children enrolled in this school attend classes according to a platoon system. After the morning and afternoon sessions, the adults of this community use the same classes to receive tuition in the evenings and Saturdays. Letlotlo Naledi is indeed a model of a school that is a centre of community life.
Allow me also to congratulate and commend the school principal, Mr Mofokeng, for his commitment and dedication. While in some schools educators find it difficult to remain in school for the prescribed minimum of seven hours per day, Mr Mofokeng is on duty from seven in the morning to five or six in the afternoon every school day. We also salute the volunteer educators that are prepared to freely impart their skills and knowledge to the children of this community. We truly appreciate the sacrifices that you are making, especially considering the depressed conditions under which your families and communities live. Our gratitude also goes to the farmers of Bothaville that are supporting this school in whatever way they could. Education is the only way in which the people of this community could one day escape from the poverty trap under which they currently live.
The collective efforts of communities such as this one are a source of hope in the challenges and demands we are facing in transforming the South African education system. Hard work, commitment, dedication and the will to make a difference has brought this community to where it is today, when we are able to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of its labours. We would like to encourage you, the community of Naledi and your partners, to continue to work hard and to support the Department of Education to turn this school into a modern educational institution that would serve to foster development in this area. The official opening of this school today is a shining milestone in the history of this community, which is characterised by deprivation, stunted or absent social and economic growth.
A school is a microcosm of its community. But a good school brings a positive dimension to the lives of its learners by offering them a more sheltered and nurturing environment, within which they can learn to deal with the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities in their young lives. Without a doubt, the congestion in the classrooms and the short time that the children spend at school because of the platoon system, leave little room for the development of the extra-curricular needs of the learners. The fact that after thirty years since its establishment in 1971, the school infrastructure has only developed to the current nine classrooms, poses a serious challenge to us in the Department of Education. Letlotlo Naledi is a stark reminder of the conditions under which many of our citizens still live, and the work that still has to be done in the development of our schools and education system.
However, the unwavering commitment and dedication of the parents, school governing body, management and educators of Letlotlo Naledi is a source of comfort and hope, and an indication that as a country we are making progress in a positive direction. The vision and mission statements of the school bear testimony to the school's commitment to the development of its learners and the community of Naledi.
We also wish to extend our appreciation to all those farmers who have assisted the parents and department with the school nutrition programme. We all know that under-achievement and poor performance in schools is often associated with poverty and malnutrition. In order to ensure that our children, particularly in the Foundation Phase, are not disadvantaged because of hunger, the school and the SGB have a crucial role to play to ensure the success of this initiative. This is another way of creating an environment that is conducive to learning and teaching.
The department is in the process of implementing the Revised National Curriculum Statement in all our schools. The new curriculum advocates the development of modern knowledge, skills and technology, which should enable learners to follow meaningful career paths and succeed in higher education, and the promotion of human rights and other values related to a democratic dispensation.
As we prepare our children for the future, we need to acknowledge that we do not know the type of future in which our children will live their lives. But we do know that in order to survive under unexpected and extreme life circumstances, creativity and mental agility are a precondition. Therefore, the need to nurture and inculcate these abilities in our children can hardly be overemphasised. I would like to urge all of us to do all we can to ensure that our children are assisted to make the best use of all the opportunities afforded them.
In 2001, we unveiled a national strategy to improve learner attainment in mathematics, science and technology education that has since been implemented in the 102 schools and is popularly known as the Dinaledi Project. This project is meant to encourage learners to take and to pass well mathematics and science, so that they can be able to follow careers in the scientific and technological fields. The first matric results of the schools where the project was implemented have convinced us that the project is bearing fruit. From time to time, we will review performance, and advise on the extent to which it could be extended to other schools. I would like to encourage more private sector companies to support the project, so that we can be able to realise a complete roll out to all the disadvantaged schools sooner.
The opening of this school should have coincided with the International Literacy Day on Monday, 8 September, when the world reminds itself about its obligations to ensure that all the peoples of the world attain literacy skills. This is a day when we would have appropriately celebrated the achievements of the parents of Letlotlo Naledi for their efforts to gain reading and writing skills. The department has initiated a programme to encourage young and old to develop and improve their literacy skills. The South African National Literacy Initiative is a programme that seeks to redress the rate of illiteracy amongst our adult citizens. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage more adults in Naledi to enrol for Adult Basic Education and Training classes. This will equip them with the relevant skills to participate meaningfully in the mainstream economy and to improve the conditions of their lives.
Finally, we would like to wish you, the boys and girls for whom this school is built, the best of luck and a fulfilling learning experience in this wonderful school. We encourage you to hold hands with your teachers to make the best out of what this school has to offer. We hope you will value the opportunities that the school is able to provide, and as you move on in life, you can look back with pride and fond memories of your days at Letlotlo Naledi Public School. We comment Sedibeng Water for their commitment and support to the really needy learners in the school, and would like to encourage them to continue the good work.
With these words I wish to declare Letlotlo Naledi Public School officially open. May this school be an incubator to many great men and women. We encourage all the children to emulate the example set by Abram Mokgotsi Bentile, and reach for the stars.
Ke a leboga.
Issued by the Deputy Ministry of Education, 11 September 2003
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