Abbotts College Northcliff started the new school year on a fresh note as they opened the gates to a brand new smoke-free campus on Pendoring Road.
The modern, purpose-built campus offers students state of the art facilities with full wifi integration, electronic teaching tools in all classrooms, specialised laboratories for the sciences and student residence facilities for those from further afield and abroad.
But what it does not offer this year, like all of Abbotts’ Gauteng campuses, is a smoking section for those 18 and older.
The school (which caters to only grade’s 10- 12 and received 100 percent matric pass rate last year) prides itself on empowering pupils to move on to tertiary education while treating them as young adults.
However as Principal JC Engelbrecht explained to his charges in the first assembly of the new school year, “I want you all to feel comfortable, but in the academic setting we have to have some measure of normality within the framework of your freedom as young adults.”
Speaking to NMT later, principal Engelbrecht said that Abbotts College Northcliff pupils are continuously made aware of the challenges of real life and how their choices now will affect them in the future.
“The implication of this is that students are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions. Respect and discipline form the pillars of our structure here so I, in good conscience, cannot want to allow them to smoke on campus while trying to teach this.”
Back in assembly pupils seem okay with the new no-smoking rule. When asked if there were any queries, one young woman was more concerned about when mirrors would be installed in the female bathrooms.
“Don’t worry, we will have them in soon,” said Principal Engelbrecht, “just take a ‘selfie’ until then.”
Refreshing laughter uproared as the school year began.
