Basic Education Minister urges #Matric2018 top achievers to use their skills and knowledge to take South Africa forward

The best of the best from across the country were urged by the minister to not only use their skills and knowledge to take themselves and their families forward, but also to take the country forward.

January 7, 2019

Yolanda Buthelezi 2 minutes read

The cream of the crop of the matric Class of 2018 was honoured at a breakfast in Vodaworld, Midrand on 3 January.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Vodacom hosted the breakfast to personally congratulate the top achievers for their hard work and dedication.

In her keynote address, Motshekga said with almost 15 years of experience in the department, the learners all have one common trait.

“Over the past 15 years, every time I interact with learners and ask them how they made it, they all give me one consistent story: it’s hard work, it’s commitment, it’s dedication.”

The best of the best from across the country were urged by the minister to not only use their skills and knowledge to take themselves and their families forward, but also to take the country forward.

“You have demonstrated that you have the brains, you have demonstrated that you have the ability, commitment and dedication to come with solutions to solve issues of the past. More than 800 000 of you registered, not even a 1 000 of you are here [as top achievers].

“You are going to fly the South African flag high because you have been endowed with all the capabilities.”

Motshekga concluded by thanking partners such as Vodacom and other stakeholders for making education a societal issue.

“The success we are celebrating is a national success, we thank the parents, teachers and caregivers for not only supporting the learners but giving their extra time to help them.”

As a part of its initiative to improve education, Vodacom’s chief officer of corporate affairs Takalani Netshitenzhe said the 11-year partnership with the department of education had been growing from strength to strength.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.

Mudzielwana Kharende of Thengwe High School in Limpopo and Felicia Makhondo of EPP Mhinga High School in Limpopo.

“The department approached us to say they needed a partner to assist them to improve the quality of education using information and communications technologies,” said Netshitenzhe.

“The minister approached us and wanted us to assist by rewarding those schools that have performed consistently to produce the best matric results in the past five to 10 years to provide laptops, tablets, interactive boards, printers and a server.”

Netshitenzhe added that the company would continue to work with the department and further extend their current projects in training teachers, the e-learning platform and data access for universities and job seekers.

“We are a company that connects people with machines and machines with machines and that is part of the fourth industrial revolution. “We want the young people as they go to matric, to spread their arms and take the courses that will make them ready for the fourth industrial revolution.”