KwaNobuhle pupils and teachers were the centre of attention at the Babs Madlakane Hall on Saturday where a committee of the Intaba kaVuba Development Foundation (IDF) encouraged education as an essential tool to uplift the community.
The IDF was established in January, with the aim of uplifting the community through educational interventions by offering skills training programmes and helping improve disadvantaged schools through the provision of facilities like computers and libraries.
Speaking at the event, IDF chair Bishop Lawana Vaaltein said the foundation had already signed an agreement with a skills training company in Uitenhage.
“We also have a bank that has pledged support in our bid to donate furniture to schools.”
Speakers entrepreneur Luyanda Jonas, Cosas national deputy secretary Mzakhe Gwegwe and IDF president advocate Vuyo Jack encouraged matriculants to work hard and raise the bar for the KwaNobuhle township, in honour of what would have been the 100th birthdays of Nelson Mandela and struggle hero Albertina Sisulu.
“Our main purpose for this event is to motivate those [pupils] who will start writing their final exams soon, to do their best,” Lawana said.
“Don’t just do it for yourselves. Raise the bar for KwaNobuhle schools.” Jonas encouraged the youth to acquire skills and take ownership of Uitenhage.
“It all begins at home where parents need to support and motivate their children to be ambitious regardless of where they come from, before we start complaining about the government not providing resources,” Jonas said.
The speakers echoed Vaaltein’s sentiments on education being the solution for social ills in SA at large.
“KwaNobuhle is small but it has great potential to birth scientists and prominent people but our youth are drowning in drugs and alcohol,” Jack said.
Former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas, who was meant to be a keynote speaker, did not make it to the event due to flight complications.