How to celebrate Heritage Day in a meaningful way awakened the creative juices of many people in Grahamstown.
How to celebrate Heritage Day in a meaningful way awakened the creative juices of many people in Grahamstown.
The Department of Education’s arts and culture curriculum section launched an art exhibition at the Recreation Hall in Albany Road on Tuesday. The artworks displayed were created by Grade 9 learners from various local schools. According to the Department of Education’s subject advisor, Noxolo Ndanga, Grade 9 is the exit point for General Education Training (GET).
After completing Grade 9, learners can decide on the subjects that they want to take. This means that after GET, the next phase is Further Education and Training (FET) in either a school, covering Grades 10 to 12, or equivalent levels in FET colleges. During the exhibition, a marimba band from Amasango Career School entertained educators and fellow learners with African rhythms. Each school had arts and crafts displayed on the wall. These included drawings of certain areas in Grahamstown, beaded bags, wire craft and many other vibrant artworks. They really impressed officials from various art institutions such as Bongani Diko, the director of Ikhaya Theatre Company and the principal of Johan Carinus Arts School, Virginia Reed. While commenting on the displays Diko said "If all these artworks can be exhibited in this way, it shows that educators are succeeding." He also urged teachers to use all the available institutions in Grahamstown to educate and assist their learners. "What I have seen has struck a chord in me," said Reed while explaining how impressed she was. She also elaborated on some of the artworks created by learners from her school.
The entertainment was provided by groups from both high and primary schools. Dressed in orange and black traditional Xhosa attire, a cultural group from Fikizolo Primary School performed a traditional dance. Some schools provided choral music and poetry. One of the dramatic pieces entitled African Child was particularly heart warming because it focused on how poverty affects young people. This was performed by a group from CM Vellem High School. Another performance which was out of the ordinary was Electricity performed by Lutho Gqirana from Archie Mbolekwa Primary. "Respect electricity and if you play with electric cables, it will lead to death," he warned. Also present at the event were officials from the local and provincial education department, Mandla Tshofoti, chief educational specialist and Amos Fetsha District, the district director awarded all the schools that registered for the exhibition with certificates of recognition.
