ETTA promotes entrepreneurship in honour of 1976 youth
The Art Painting Classroom Makeover was launched in honour of TKM’s late tourism teacher Irene Graham, who succumbed to Covid-19 on January 23.
In commemoration of the youth who lost their lives in the Soweto uprising in 1976, Ekurhuleni Travel and Tourism Association (ETTA) launched the Art Painting Classroom Makeover at Thuto Ke Maatla Comprehensive School (TKM) in Maokeng Section, which was also in honour of TKM’s late tourism teacher, Irene Graham, who died from Covid-19 on January 23.
The late Graham was proud of her teaching subject, tourism.
Her passion for the subject inspired her to submit the Art Painting Classroom Makeover proposal to the ETTA board.
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The project started in late 2019 but came to a halt due to the pandemic.
As lockdown restrictions were lifted to level two earlier in the year, ETTA and TKM continued with the project.
ETTA chairperson Nonkululeko Williams expressed gratitude to the late Graham.
She also said that the ETTA board has now seized the baton and is committed to promoting and encouraging TKM learners to use their new learning space to be more creative, innovative and ignite their imagination.
“ETTA’s vision is to bring together entrepreneurs and enterprises in the travel, hotel and wider tourism industries under a single umbrella to represent, defend, protect and grow their interests within South Africa’s economic sector,” Williams said.
“As an organisation, we strive to drive change and alter the tourist industry and a fantastic place to start is at the bottom, which is our local schools. Today, we are here to see our future entrepreneurs and game changers receive a learning environment that will benefit them.”
Ekurhuleni’s acting divisional head of tourism Caiphus Neitshishivhe and head of community safety Pebetsi Seleka handed over the classroom on behalf of Ward Seven Councillor Thabang Jiyane.
The paintings in the classroom were sketched by Richard Mokomme from Modderfontein who collaborated with numerous Thembisa artists.
The paintings depict numerous economic drivers in the Thembisa community.
With the tourism industry under strain as a result of the pandemic, Tshidi Kgabo, ETTA’s secretary-general and project manager, encouraged TKM learners to be passionate about their learning subjects, particularly those studying tourism and to never let the pandemic discourage them from pursuing their dreams.
“Covid-19 caused both good and terrible disturbances in our lives, but learners must not dwell on the unpleasant. If we look at how much money we wasted meeting up in person before the pandemic, it was a lot, but now we are fortunate enough to be able to meet remotely and save money,” Kgabo said.
“The message of encouragement I leave TKM learners with is that business opportunities are always available, but they will never come to us; we must be the ones who are innovative enough to chase them.”
Teachers and learners at TKM expressed their gratitude to the ETTA board for their new learning space. Learners who gave speeches noted that they were aspiring entrepreneurs who were looking forward to using the knowledge they acquired in class and their new classroom.
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