Central Region rewards achievers

PINI BOTHOKO
Correspondent | Tuesday May 28, 2013 00:00

At the ceremony, 937 recipients received awards. 'They were recognised, acknowledged, appreciated and celebrated,' said the ministry's regional director, Molebi Morolong.Held at the Tonota Bus Rank, hundreds of teachers, non-teaching staff, students and residents gathered under the theme 'promoting excellent performance through partnership'.

Tati Nickel Mining Company communications manager, Tebogo Rapitsenyane, was the guest speaker at this event, which was also attended by Tonota South Member of Parliament (MP) Pono Moathodi and village elders.The award recipients - teachers, students, non-teaching staff and schools management- - received trophies, certificates and money as recognition for their good performance.

Morolong explained that central region hovers between positions two and three for primary and junior level.She said the region has 251 primary schools, 81 junior secondary schools, 12 senior secondary schools, 16 brigades, three colleges of education and two technical schools.'Central region has over the past years performed well.Prior to creation of the 10 regions, it was affectionately known as, 'The region'.

Today it is referred to as the mother of the regions because of the size, volume of both teaching numbering 11,133 and non-teaching at 2,246,' said Molebi.Molebi said for the past three years, the region has performed exceptionally well, with position one exchanging hands between schools like Orapa, Makhubu and Moepong junior secondary schools.She said schools in Selebi Phikwe are ranked amongst the best 10 schools in the country.'Today we are here to recognise, acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate individual and team work contribution and support towards the realisation of our results,' she said.

Molebi said even though schools in the region are faced with the huge challenge of shortage of classrooms and textbooks, she encouraged them to soldier on with their quest to make an impact. 'We really commit ourselves to creating a conductive working environment and culture that promotes loyalty, passion and helping to maintain enthusiastic, motivated workforce and learners and satisfied clients,' she said.Rapitsenyane told students that they must understand than in life, the best are rewarded handsomely.

'One cannot shy away from the fact that as human beings, we are in constant competition  be it at church, work, sports, business, politics and school, competing for the top most position,' he said.Rapitsenyane told students that they must be sensitised to the fact that competition does not end at secondary school.'You should know this; the more educated you are, the better the chances of withstanding the tough competition.

Since its inception in 2011, the central region excellence awards have emphasised the importance of teaching and leadership in institutions of education at all levels,' said Rapitsenyane. He said the region has worked tirelessly to provide, engage, and motivate learners and teachers who are recipients through conferences, partnership, programmes of this nature and more.  Rapitsenyane encouraged other stakeholders to partner with the Ministry of Education and Skills Development to achieve an educated and informed nation pillar by the year 2016 and beyond.