Vernacular needs to be promoted
Parents urged to encourage the use of the vernacular at home.
MBOMBELA – The province indeed has talent and needs to promote the use of the vernacular.
This was said during the recent East City Talent House Show at Tshwane University of Technology on November 23.
“We are here to promote the use of our mother tongue in the community and schools. We are also on the verge of dramatising siSwati literature books from Grade 10 upwards to help learners easily understand the theories they learn in class,” explained Ms Gcina Maseko.
The show was also attended by representatives from the Department of Education, Ms Nomthandazo Makhathini who is also the curriculum implementer in the province. She said the work done by the East City Talent House makes the work of educators easier.
Makhathini explained the four types of art forms taught in schools, which include music, dance, drama and visual art. She encouraged learners to pursue careers in art but added teaching as well, so they could be easily employed to teach arts and languages in schools.
She also urged parents to encourage the use of the vernacular at home, and said siSwati or any other should be treated equal to other subjects at school.
She said she believed the organisation would assist the province in producing and maintaining its own artists to prevent the migration of upcoming to Gauteng seeking for talents.
“We will always keep in touch with the organisation because it is everybody’s business,” she said.
Mr Vusumuzi Sthuli, president of East City Talent House explained that the project had been sponsored by the Department of Arts and Culture and National Arts Council for a period of three years.
He mentioned that prizes to winning groups would be handed before the end of the year to winning artists.
Three models were also chosen to be ambassadors of the project for the next coming three years. They are Sobahle Mlambo from Kanyamazane, Khensani Khoza from Ngodini and Precious Mhlongo from Barberton. He mentioned they will have a chance of working with the Cape Town International Modelling Agency.
“They will also be exposed to national and international seasoned individuals in the modeling industry,” he said.
He said his agency is determined to do away with the exploitation of artists by recording them on a database and help them in securing markets.
