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Article by Sisa Sityata-Soga
“Nantoni na othi uyicele kuThixo ngenene nange nyaniso uyakukwenzela”, these are words of South African Council of Churches Youth Forum (SACCYF), Reverend Mxolisi Sonti during the province’s prayer session held for Grade 12 learners ahead of their final examinations.
Speaking in Zwelitsha Community Hall on Sunday, Sonti regarded the prayer sessions attended by education stakeholders such as South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU), National Professional Teachers' Association of South Africa (NAPTOSA), Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (ECHTL) and School Governing Board (SGB) as a way of offering support to all learners as well as the education department as part of the religious sector’s belief in “theological rational”.
“With history records showing the Eastern Cape as the first area where education took place through Christian missionary schools, with initiatives like this one we want to remind people but also claim back the crucial role of the religious sector in the enhancement of our country’s education in all its sectors”- said Sonti.
He said plans to support the department in its various programmes of learner support were already underway.
“Another form of support that we want to give the department is to open up our churches for learners to use them as their study areas when needed,” he added.
Adding his voice of support was Education MEC Mahlubandile Qwase who commended all the learners for their resilience and steady focus in their preparations for the exams during and after the recently ended industrial strike action by public servants.
With 67,610 Grade 12 candidates expected to sit down for their examination for this year, Qwase urged all learners to adopt self-belief in their abilities to achieve, particularly those coming from modest backgrounds.
“Success is not for the fortunate or well-off individuals only, it is for everyone and that includes you even if you wake up every morning from a shack or similar households,” he motivated.
He further urged learners not to allow any misfortunes that they may have suffered in the past to be hindrance in their potentials but instead to “use yesterday’s mishaps as stepping stone towards a brighter future”.
While some of the learners will experience nervousness and fear, some to their detriment, Qwase reinforced for positive attitudes.
“All successful men are people who once failed but who never told themselves that they were failures”- he said.
In conclusion, he urged learners to stay dedicated throughout the duration of the examination period. “Success comes with commitment and sacrifice and you must always remember that shift happens when you let go of the attachments of the past”- he said.
Article Tags: prayer session
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