Premier Mabuza awards bursaries to three Emalahleni learners

Premier Mabuza awards bursaries to three Emalahleni learners

Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza today [Wednesday, 14 January 2015] awarded bursaries to three Mabande Comprehensive School learners in Phola Township in Emalahleni Local Municipality for being the school’s top achievers.

Premier Mabuza visited the school near Ogies, west of Emalahleni Municipality, as part of the school visits programme countrywide.

The Premier was impressed with Sibusiso Masango, Deborah Maphanga and Sithembiso Mbanjwa maths and physical science results as they were the top three achievers, and he subsequently awarded them with free bursaries to pursue their tertiary education at their preferred institutions.

He congratulated them and committed to give more free bursaries and laptops if the current class of matric at the school would achieve a 100 percent pass rate.

“We congratulate these learners for their efforts, it is not easy to be at school and on top of all end up passing. It must have been a long journey for them growing up and concentrating on their education, ours is to try encouraging and taking them to their next destination,” said Mabuza.

Mabuza took time to inspire other learners saying they should stay away from alcohol and drugs, but should look after themselves.

“Stay away from nyaope, do not even taste alcohol, it is for the elders because they can handle themselves when they are drunk. Start today to prepare for your final examinations, stay next to your teachers and look after yourselves.

“We can only make the face of the country look better if we make you the better people. We expect the best, and we believe in you that you can do it. As for the Grade 12 class, we want to say this is your last year at the school, we do not need you here next year, go and work and make us proud,” said Mabuza.

He warned the girl learners not to be distracted by the desire to want to earn the child social grants. He said they should have the desire to have children once they have completed school and studied for their desired qualifications.

“We want young women to be liberated too, but somehow it looks like the child social grants seem to be distracting them, really babies are more than social grants, we want all girl children to be at school learning instead of queuing for the grants,” said Mabuza.