By OBAKENG MAJE
A learner from PH Mooketsi Agricultural School in Taung said he is grateful to be recognized as the overall best top performer. Tlotlo Kgolobe (18) received awards as the overall top best performer in Taung, the top best performer for Life Science, Mathematics, and Agriculture Science subjects during the Greater Taung Local Municipality’s Mayoral Excellence Awards.
The awards that were organized by the Greater Taung Local Municipality mayor, Tumisang Gaoraelwe, were held at PH Mooketsi Agricultural School in Taung on Saturday.
“The discipline, dedication, and determination that I have put in my school work have paid dividends. I come from a humble beginning in Mamashokwane Section in Modimong village, near Taung.
“I was raised by a single mother, Marble Kgolobe, and received enormous support from my aunt and uncle Mogomotsi and Bonifa Kgopodimetsi. So, I am intending to study Aeronautical Engineering at Witwatersrand University,” he said.
According to Kgolobe, taking his studies seriously has encouraged him to do well. He further said, ensuring that he mastered each and every unit and chapter that teachers taught him, came in handy.
“I would also like to encourage those who did not make it not to despair. I urge them to work harder because this is not the end of the journey for them. There are still other opportunities out there.
“So, just know that you have a lot of potential in you and your destiny lies in the palm of your hands. To the Class of 2022, please go out there and work harder and be dedicated. Kindly put everything in your school work and you will produce positive results,” said Kgolobe.
The Greater Taung Local Municipality (GTLM) mayor, Tumisang Gaoraelwe said: “It is important to assimilate well-deserving learners and most improved schools across Taung. This is the concept from the municipality’s office of the mayor.
“We saw it necessary to reward excellence and recognize the top 10 learners across Taung. We are even recognizing the most improved schools in terms of merits. We are doing this necessarily because we want to encourage other schools.”
Gaoraelwe said, over and above, they believe in education and that’s the whole purpose. He further said, this is an annual event and they hosting these awards for the second time since the inception of the new administration.
“The top 10 learners will receive bursaries, laptops, and printers. We also have some service providers who partnered with us and they have allocated R2000 to each learner.
“There are top schools that have performed well and we are awarding them certificates and trophies. I cannot really quantify how much the municipality has spent on this initiative, but what I know is that the top 10 learners will receive laptops, while top 3 learners will receive laptops including printers and R10 000 cash,” said Gaoraelwe.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Education Specialist in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District, Petrus Meyer said, it is important to celebrate the hard work of these learners. Meyer said, as the district, they are now targeting a 100% pass rate.
“We believe that a 100% pass rate is possible through monitoring, support, and efficient management. Remember, in the past, we targeted 85%. However, from 2023 onwards, we target 100%.
“Mostly, all circuits performed well and there is an improvement. As the district, when the school received 60%, we rendered that as underperforming. Our standard is, schools should get 70% above,” he said.
The Guardian 