Matric of the year finalists counting down to awards night on Friday

The highly anticipated announcement of the overall winner of this year’s The Herald Absa Matric of the Year is about to be made, with the top 20 finalists having done all they can in their bid to be its silver anniversary winner.

Friday night will see one of the top-achieving finalists earn bragging rights and stake their claim of the R50,000 which will be shared between the overall winner and the Excellence Award winner.

The glamorous gala event at the Radisson Blu Hotel will also see the announcement of the category winners – academic, cultural, sports and community – who will share prizes valued at more than R120,000.

Fuel, cash, books and even a gym subscription are waiting to be claimed, with a host of sponsors throwing their weight behind the Eastern and southern Cape’s most prestigious accolade for matriculants.

With petrol prices at a record high, prize winners look forward to sharing fuel vouchers worth R10,000 from Caltex.

Other prizes include one 12month, five threemonth and 20 twomonth memberships from Profiles Gym, and one spa voucher – worth R23,558 in total.

Proline computers is providing four Proline 7in LTE tablets worth R5,596.

Van Schaik Book Store has contributed 20 dictionary and stationery packs and vouchers to the value of R5,850.

The event organisers will fund two 12-month, five sixmonth and 20 digital subscriptions and 26 framed certificates, all worth R13,934.

Vodacom will give two Samsung Galaxy Tablet A 10.1 Note Editions, each with a 1GB data bundle, worth R12,296.

Vodacom consumer business unit executive head Travis Goate said the group was happy to be associated with the event, which places emphasis on education and its role in eradicating socio-development challenges.

“Corporates exist in contexts that have many developmental needs – giving back to the communities contributes to the eradication of socio-development challenges,” he said.

“Vodacom believes in making use of its innovative technology. The fundamental principle of the foundation is that through our mobile communication technologies we can help address some of the country’s most pressing humanitarian challenges.

“Our responsibility is to use our innovative mobile technology in enabling social change.

“The company’s flagship education programme aims to enable the enhancement of the education system in partnership with the department of basic education.”