Tsakani – The Circuit 2 Gauteng East District recently hosted a quarterly awards ceremony to acknowledge the commitment of learners and teachers based on Term 1 performance. The awards were recently held at Umdeni Fellowship Church in Tsakani.

The initiative, previously implemented in 2025 and later discontinued, has now been successfully revived to strengthen learner performance and motivation across schools in the circuit.

The idea was championed by circuit manager Stephina Modisane, who introduced and promoted the programme to the Circuit 2 team.

“Since its reintroduction, the initiative has grown into a meaningful platform for recognising academic excellence,” said event organiser and cluster leader for Circuit 2 Gauteng East District Matebeta Sathekge.

According to Sathekge, the programme focuses on reclaiming and improving learner performance within the circuit by encouraging consistent academic effort throughout the term.

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The event is a collaboration between Sathekge and Mxolisi Simelane, the acting cluster leader. Sathekge explained that the awards serve as a powerful motivational tool rather than a competition among learners.

“We do not see this as competition, but as a form of encouragement for learners to work harder and improve their performance,” he said.

He added that the programme has already shown positive results, with increased learner confidence and improved academic outcomes in subsequent terms.

“In fact, as we speak, some of our previous top learners achieved seven distinctions out of seven subjects in 2025,” he said.

The awards recognise outstanding achievement across multiple categories, including best performance per learner per subject, top 10 learners overall by gender (boys and girls), overall top performers for Term 1, and the best-performing school in the circuit.

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Learners from eight secondary schools within Circuit 2 were invited to participate, with approximately 100 learners per school attending the event.

Sathekge expressed gratitude to the host, Umdeni Fellowship Church, noting the support received from the leadership.

“Umdeni Fellowship is a home for many people. The church’s bishop is like a father to many of us.
“Through my colleagues, it was easy to secure the venue.

“The relationship with community members is very good, and the location is central and easily accessible for our learners,” he said.

The awards are expected to continue on a quarterly basis, reinforcing academic excellence and promoting a culture of hard work, discipline, and continuous improvement among learners in Circuit 2.