Thuthuka learners informed about South African flag

Tembisa learners showcased their understanding of the importance of the South African flag recently.

This was after a Thuthuka Primary School teacher took it upon herself to teach learners the importance of the South African flag and the meaning behind its colours.

Sibongile Kunene is a teacher at the school who is responsible for teaching Grade 1 learners and she is also the Values and Education co-ordinator at the school.

Kunene decided to display what she had been teaching her learners by creating the South African flag using the learners as a collage.

On the day of her display, learners gathered at the assembly space to form a large ‘human’ South African flag.

“The children’s different coloured hats represented the different colours of the South African flag.

We are teaching them values in accordance with the Department of Education’s expectation, and among those values is patriotism,” said Kunene.

She said flag bearers at the school who were trained by the SAPS really know how to handle and hoist the flag in the correct way and also know what it means.

“The benefits of training children about the national flag is that they will know history and that they are also part of the flag. Children have to know what their flag’s colours represent and how the flag came about,” she said.

She went on to say that as teachers they were expected to teach monthly themes and the month of May’s theme was Open Society and the symbol linked to this theme was a national flag.

“We had to create a practical activity for learners and hope that our children will know the history of various parts of the flag and will represent it wherever they go.”

Kunene said children enjoyed the activity and the event was a success.

“The meaning of the symbol is instilled in them and now they know that they are part of this nation. They know the value of the flag and it is an experience that will stay with them for a long time.”