Teachers and learners were pleasantly surprised by a visit from the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Executive Mayor, Cllr Zanoxolo Wayile, who stopped by at four schools in the city to spread words of encouragement on the first day of the new school year.
Mayor Wayile was accompanied by a delegation comprising of various municipal officials and members of the Education Task Team, including private sector representatives.
The schools visited were Cingani High School and Fumisukoma Primary School in Motherwell, Daniels Primary School in Zwide and Fontein Primary School in Gelvandale.
Also present were Cadbury South Africa representatives, who over the past three years have invested more than R2 million on various upgrading projects in different schools in the township. This year they have reaffirmed their commitment to invest another R1 million toward building classrooms, renovating and fencing of schools as part of the Municipality’s education intervention programme that was recently launched by Mayor Wayile’s Education Task Team.
Mayor Wayile also used the opportunity to interact with parents and learners and passed on words of encouragement for the start of the new school year.
“The first day of school is the most important day for the pupils and as the municipality and our partners from the private sector we wanted to show our support to the teachers, parents and pupils,” he said.
“Although education is not the primary responsibility of the municipality, we could not simply stand aside and look at the conditions that our children are expected to learn in. We had to do something and fortunately the private sector has come in to assist us,” said Mayor Wayile.
He called on other companies and government parastatals to come on board and support education because, “by investing in education we are building a brighter future for the country.”
“We dare not fail our children because history will judge us harshly,” said Mayor Wayile.
He also called on parents and pupils to support the teachers and protect the schools from vandals and thieves. “These schools belong to you, if you neglect them your own children and grandchildren will suffer and your communities will continue to be underdeveloped and poverty stricken,” said Mayor Wayile.
Department of Education District Director, Dr Nyathi Ntsiko, said the Education Department was under severe pressure due to lack of financial resources. He said the assistance by the NMBM through the mobilisation of private sector companies to assist in renovating and donating equipment to schools was a critical intervention.
“Any assistance from the partnership that has been made between the municipality and the private sector is appreciated,” he said.
Editors Notes: Mr Mayor – I appreciate your going walkabout and pressing the flesh – George W. Bush and Barrack Obama could learn a thing or two. I also appreciate you telling the pupils to work hard during their last year of school, and urging them all to aim for acceptance into tertiary institutions at the end of the year, BUT, why aren’t you telling the pupils the things that I suggested in this article: Port Elizabeth at the Forefront of YATT?
Alan Straton
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