The Department of Public Service and Administration handed over gifts to learners at Prosperitus Secondary School in Eersterust, east of Pretoria as part of Back-to-School campaign on Monday, January 24, 2022.
School Principal, Mr Raphael Griffiths, learners and teachers were filled with joy when Ms Debbie Raphuthi from the office of the DPSA Deputy Minister, Gauteng Department of Education, District Director for Tshwane south, Ms Paula Galego handed over DPSA branded bags and note pads, sanitary pads and headsets.
In an exclusive interview with The Public Servant, Mr Griffiths said: “this is a successful back to school campaign…this visit to our school by the DPSA, South African Police Service (SAPS), the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), and the Department of Education is a clear indication that we are not working alone in encouraging learners to value education.
“I am quite certain that our learners also realised that everybody is fully supporting them. Our learners are very discipline because they familiarise themselves with the school’s code of conduct.
“Our teachers are working extra mile, they gave these learners rotational time tables every day apart of their weekly learning schedules. Despite the chaos caused by Covid-19, we are trying to get our grade 12 learners to come to school every day.”
District Director for Tshwane south, Ms Galego said: “as a District, we don’t want to work alone; but we want everyone in the society to work with us so that we can achieve our dreams. The dream of the 2022 class is a 100 percent pass.
“We want to take on the challenges of 2022 to ensure that we are safe from Covid-19 and we will do this by ensuring that we are wearing masks all the time and keep social distancing, so that we can have the best [academic] year ever.
“This is the year, where we want Prosperitus to do exceptionally well, we want you to know that you are not alone in this, the District and everyone, they are here to ensure that you realise your future.”
Ms Raphuthi message of support to learners started with a reminder of how South Africa’s first democratically elected President; the late Nelson Mandela valued education.
Quoting from the Bible, she said: “I believe as you are seated here, you’ve got a vision…you know I always like to quote from the Bible…it says where there’s no vision, people perish…and I am asking you that as [future] leaders, you must be able to have a vision…the vision that next year January, you know what you will be doing in your lives.”
Prosperitus Sec School Top 10 performers- Grade 12, 2021
Nicolas Mtombeni 85%
Delano Martin 82%
Katlego Lekgau 80%
Thapelo Mokoena 73%
Josephina Sethole 71.3%
Lesego Debeila 70, 6%
Koketso Ngwenya 69, 4%
Nothando Mafavuke 66,6%
Moeneerah Sparrow 66, 3%
Tisetso Mogotle 60, 3%