Local teens to fly SA flag in Dubai
The duo said they were thrilled to get the opportunity to represent their school and the country.
Meadowlands High School learners, Tisetso Mfene (16) and Kelebogile Gare (19) will jet off to Dubai next month, to represent South Africa at the International Global Travel and Tourism Partnership (GTTP).
The Grade 11 Tourism learners’ research essay on building a resilient workforce for a sustainable future was chosen as part of the national top three winners last month.
The research competition looked at how local tourism was beneficial to local communities, particularly looking at Soweto.
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“Our research looked extensively at the role of our global tourist attractions like Vilakazi Street, Hector Pieterson Memorial site, Soweto Towers and establishments like Lebo’s Backpackers in the communities where they operate, the township economy, in addressing unemployment and skills,” the duo told Urban News.
Meadowlands High School is among two schools in Gauteng chosen while the third school is in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mfene and Gare were lauded for their outstanding achievement with a trophy and certificates at the National Tourism Careers Expo at the Johannesburg Expo Centre on September 29.
“As people who attend a public school in the township, this opportunity is showing us that anything is possible. To get what you want, you have to be prepared to work hard for it because nothing comes easy in life. We were driven by that,” hey added.
The duo is currently preparing to present their research at GTTP 2023 where they will share their extensive research with learners from 16 countries including Kenya, Russia and France.
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The duo said they were thrilled to get the opportunity to represent their school and the country.
“We are excited, there’s still a lot of work to do in terms of the research and our presentation. We are continuing the research.
“We have to be detailed and explain further, so it will be longer than the initial research we submitted so it is a lot,” said Mfene.
“It’s nerve wracking, we have been working non-stop putting our brains together to make sure that our presentation hits all the right marks and makes South Africa proud at a global stage. We have been doing research on what to expect, the country and its rules,” Gare added, in a chuckle.
Phindile Mbaso, Tourism educator at the school described the learners as dedicated, hardworking and ambitious.
“I’ve been teaching them Tourism since Grade 10 and when I found out about this brilliant competition, I already knew which learners I’d chosen.
“They have not proven me wrong. I’m a proud teacher, but very much proud of them as my learners. This is a big competition, we are working together on this and we know this opportunity they will use to great extent.”
