Local schools win at Sepedi competition
Local high schools excelled in the African Languages competition held at Makhazeni Boarding School in Witbank.
The competition took place on Saturday August 17. Participants walked away with trophies and certificates of competence.
Mashishing Secondary’s grade 11 pupil, Winnie Mashianoke, took the first place in the Sepedi speech category.
Other categories in the competition saw entrants excel. Kgantsho Phasha took the third place in Sepedi reading, and Promise Mphogo and Egnessia Marobane both took third place in Sepedi poetry.
Twelve pupils from Skhila Secondary School participated in the competition. Pheladi Malatjie, a grade 11 learner, came first in the Sepedi spelling bee category.
“We had eight learners; Donald Marobane, Tshepo Mokwena, Sylvia Ndobe, Sarah Segwane, Jean Mashego, Thato Mohlala, Molebogeng Maja and Shirley Mabilo; in the top three in the categories of Sepedi spelling bee, speech, reading and poetry,” teacher Remember Seroka said.
“Mother-tongue education is undoubtedly regarded as pivotal for a learner’s academic prowess, for good school performance and for the shaping of a dynamic identity and sense of belonging.
Not only does it develop a learner’s abilities in his or her own mother tongue, but also promotes a learner’s abilities in second, and other, languages,” Refilwe Malatjie, Sepedi teacher at Mashishing Secondary, said.
“A solid foundation in one’s mother tongue also has a favourable impact on multilingualism.”
