"A pillar must be set into the ground, so it can't be blown over by the wind," said principal Madeleine Schoeman, during Ntsika Secondary School's reunion on Friday morning.
After teachers had played various indigenous games with the pupils, the event was opened by the Ntsika choir, followed by Schoeman's address.
"A pillar must be set into the ground, so it can't be blown over by the wind," said principal Madeleine Schoeman, during Ntsika Secondary School's reunion on Friday morning.
After teachers had played various indigenous games with the pupils, the event was opened by the Ntsika choir, followed by Schoeman's address.
The pupils should be proudly rooted by their Ntsika heritage, she said.
"If we do not honour our past, we will lose our future."
Schoeman said each and every pupil needed to be a pillar of the school.
Former principals, the former mayor, school governing body members, former pupils and parents and, of course, the teachers and pupils attended the event.
The opening song was especially significant because it was written by Ndzondelelo Yili, while he was a teacher at the school.
Yili, talking about the history of the school, said that Ntsika had always been surrounded by churches, shops and taverns.
"If you didn't know where you were going, any of these things might lead you another direction," he commented.
He said that the school had been established on the former site of TEM Mrwetyana in 1978.
"We were busy teaching and on the other side, the construction constructor was busy building," said Yili. He said those were hard times – "but better because we have learned a lot".
there was a short drama piece by Ntsika pupils and then one of the former principals, Mtwekhaya Nkwinti, told the audience that the school, was the pupils' pillar.
"The pillar use to be at a centre of the house, so that when the child crawled, it would crawl next to it," said Nkwinti. He said he was there to support the school in its efforts to help the children make the best of their lives.
Former pupil Mbulelo Mphokeli spoke about the school uniform.
"The red shirt symbolise the blood of our mothers, fathers and bothers, who died during apartheid," said Mphokeli. Mphokeli said going to school in 1978 had been like a nightmare.
"Education is a right that you worked hard for, so don't wait for the teachers to teach you," he said.
Grade 12 pupil Amanda Kopi said she hadn't known Ntsika had a great history that they could celebrate.
"I am inspired by the heritage of the school," said Kopi. She she would try to make sure she didn't disappoint. "I am happy I am being educated at this school," said Kopi.
