There was a hive of activity in the passages alongside the grade one classrooms early last Wednesday.

Eager and proud moms and dads brought their excited and nervous children, beautifully dressed in their new school clothes, to Drakensview Primary School for their first day.

These children were ready for the next step in their life of education and had soon settled into their places at their desks. Tying shoelaces, walking down lots of steps to the playground and discovering new things were all part of that exciting first day.

There were very few tears as all our new little learners got down to the serious work of formal education. These children will be part of South Africa’s matric class of 2027.