History was made on the mid-South Coast last Saturday, as the Sezela Cricket Ground was packed with 2 000 learners for a grand Malangeni Career Day event.
This life-changing expo was initiated by former learners of Sihle High School in Malangeni, Umzinto, to help further educate Grade 9-12 learners.
The event targeted the learners from Sihle High School and Malangeni Secondary School.
“Without education, freedom that was officially attained on April 27, 1994 will mean nothing,” explained Zakhele Nyuswa on behalf of the Malangeni Careers Day Organising Committee.
“It is for this reason that former students of Sihle High School successfully asked retired Chief Justice Sandile Ngcobo and many other high achievers from Malangeni and other areas to spend one day in the last week of Freedom Month imparting advice on the importance of education and careers.”
In addition to Ngcobo, the event was graced by the presence of luminaries such as chairpersons of boards of companies, directors of companies, senior executives of government and public entities.
“The retired chief justice inspired students with his life journey which had many failures including not finishing his LLB studies at the University of Zululand,” added Nyuswa.
“He ended up joining the Department of Justice as an interpreter and climbed the ladder until he was appointed the prosecutor. That detour gained him knowledge and experience of how the court system works and would later come in handy in his appointment as the country’s top judge.”
Ngcobo also encouraged learners to achieve much more than what he has done.
A number of companies, organisations and individuals contributed to the event’s success, with Sezela Canegrowers’ Association being the main sponsor. The committee is also grateful for the valuable information shared by everyone that came through to support the learners, and for the 150 scientific calculators that were generously donated.
Sikhosiphi Dlamini, chairman of the organising committee and former principal of Sihle High stated that he simply wanted learners to be able to walk away from the event with a ball of fire burning in their bellies showing excitement, drive, and feeling stimulated, recharged, rejuvenated, motivated, inspired and ready not only to confidently face the world, but to conquer it.
“We want learners not just to fly up in the sky like super eagles, but to soar without even having to flap their wings,” he said.
“Educators have tremendous power and influence over the young and impressionable minds of our young people and they carry the wishes, dreams, ambitions, hopes and the aspirations of our nation’s children. A heavy responsibility indeed. You dare not fail them.”
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