Kwa-Thema – Masimini Primary School recently hosted a career motivation session for its Grade Seven learners, bringing back local professionals who once walked the same corridors to inspire the next generation.

“I am proud to say that I am a product of this school. I failed Grade Seven and had to go back and figure out what I was doing wrong.

“I chose to focus on my schoolwork and not be the class clown. Eventually it all paid off, and I moved to secondary school,” explained Sandile Tsie, a community development practitioner.

He encouraged the learners not to follow their friends blindly, but to listen to their teachers. After completing matric, Tsie chose to volunteer, while gaining experience in the field he loves.

“It has been 20 years, and I am certain that I took the right path. I love helping people through skills development and training,” he added.

He encouraged the learners to have a positive attitude, regardless of the circumstances they come from. Another former learner of the school, Michael Masina, said he has created a special space for learners. Masina runs an internet café close to the school, and assists business people with compliance.

“All you need to do is listen and learn. At my café, I have created something for young people that I did not have when I was growing up. Some of our homes were not conducive to learning,” he said.

Masina encouraged the learners to use the access they have to technology to gain information.

“I know that some of you are falling asleep while on social media. You wake up tired because you are not sleeping enough. And is any of it educational? How does it benefit you?” he added.

Masina challenged the young minds to form healthy habits that will help them in their future careers.

“You are fortunate to have a public library. Growing up, I did not know what a library was until I was in university.

“My journey as a librarian started in childhood. I was an avid reader because my mother made sure that we read instead of playing in the streets,” said Tebogo Kekana, a librarian for the City of Ekurhuleni.

She said that ideally, every school and every home should have a library.

“A library is not used for scholastic purposes only. Through reading, you can escape and go to a place that you have never been physically, because as you read, the book can take you anywhere in the world.

“If you don’t read, you might as well say that you are missing out on life,” she said.

Kekana said she did not know what qualification to study towards when she went to university.

“As they were telling us more about the different courses, I connected with Biblioteca,” she added.

Most South African universities offer qualifications in Library and Information Systems. Dr Stanley Leketi, a community leader and philanthropist, reminded the learners that knowledge is power and ignorance is weakness.

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“In primary school, you learn how to be good in every subject. But when you get to high school, you start to choose a stream, based on your talents, that will lead you towards your career.

“I want you to know that high school is not the end of school. It is in the tertiary education that your career starts,” he explained.

Leketi was a top soccer player while he was studying medicine. He also urged the learners to be patient as they go after what they want.

“Hard work does pay off. There is no end to learning in life. One thing that hinders young black people from being successful is pleasure and instant gratification. Stay away from alcohol and drugs,” he added.