POLOKWANE – Take a Girl Child to Work Day is an annual corporate social investment campaign which was established in 2003.
The campaign allows female learners, usually from underprivileged backgrounds, to spend the day at a workplace of their choice.
Organised by Cell C and endorsed by the department of education, the campaign is held anually on the last Thursday of May.
Mehnaaz Abed, a gr. 10 Taxila Secondary School learner and Tshegofatso Mabutla, a gr. 12 Tom Naudé Technical High School learner, spend Thursday morning with the MEC for education, Thembi Nwendamutswu.
Nwendamutswu said she was honoured to have such confident and intelligent women as her guests and that she was confident that the province would produce future leaders.
Asked if she thought government should introduce “Take a Boy Child to Work Day”, Nwendamutswu said: “I think male learners would also appreciate the chance to visit various work places and learn a thing or two.
“We need to have a balance and treat all genders equally”.
Abed said they learned a lot from the MEC and that such campaigns should be held for both boys and girls.
“I was happy to meet the MEC, and I have learnt that anything is possible, if you only put your mind to it. The MEC has a lot of history and she seems like a tough person who fought nail and tooth to get what she wanted,” she said.
Mabutla said she was honoured to meet the MEC and that she would go the extra mile to be successful and live her dream.
“It is a very nice opportunity and I wish other girls could grab it with both hands and get as much knowledge as possible,” said Mabutla.
