Picture: Learners receiving bursaries from the Dr Ruth Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality/Facebook
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
The top 10 best-performing learners from various schools in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District received bursaries to further their studies. One of the best-performing learners, Refentse Lekgoane from Setswakgosing Secondary School said, the bursary will come in handy and assist her to pursue her Degree in Medicine at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg.
The principal of Setswakgosing Secondary School, Olaotse Moreke shared the same sentiments. Moreke said, out of 10 top academic performers in the entire district, his school has produced two learners.
He attributed all the accolades to the healthy relationship between parents and the school, as well as, the support of his school management team, the School Governing Body (SBG), teachers, and the government.
“Indeed, the National Development Plan (NDP) is correct to assert that, education empowers the people to define their identity. It also ensures that they take control of their lives, raise healthy families and take part confidently in developing a just society.
“The District Development Model (DDM) has declared this year 2023, a year of implementation. This is a year that needs all hands to be on deck to accelerate the provision of services and to people,” said Moreke.
The executive mayor of Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, Motseokae Maje together with EST-Sourcing and MaxProf organised these prestigious awards. In his keynote address, Maje said, they doing this within the context of the National Development Plan (NDP).
“The NDP states that, education, training, and innovation are central to South Africa’s long-term development. They are core elements in eliminating poverty and reducing inequalities. This is actually the foundation of an equal society.
“There is a need for a district to produce wide skills revolution for the massive human capital development. So, we encourage Private-Public Partnership (PPP) in a fight against abject poverty, inequality, and unemployment,” he said.
Maje further said, the district is too rural and it is not much industrialised. He added that, as a result, the majority of its citizens rely more on government institutions for employment and other assistance.
“Agricultural sector is the second hope for our people’s employability, but much needs to be done to ensure it benefits all the people including the disenfranchised sections of society.
“So, as the district municipality, we decided to use the mayoral discretionary funds to assist learners to register with institutions of higher learning. The is to ensure that, they plough back into the district upon completing their studies.,” said Maje.
He said they need thinkers and innovators to bring tangible solutions to the challenges that bedevil society. Maje said, for the lives of the people to be ameliorated, a paradigm shift in thinking and how government institutions operate is needed.
Meanwhile, the MaxProf, which is a company that deals with vat and tax, is committed to working with the district municipality, Vuselela TVET College, and other role players to address the skills shortage and human resource development.
The Guardian 