#Mediocritymustfall – CMC awards excellence
Ferrum High School takes home the title of Top school in the district.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education hosted the Newcastle Circuit Management Centre (CMC) 2016 Annual Awards on Friday, April 8.
The best performing principals, schools, pupils and teachers received awards and recognition for their hard work and dedication throughout 2015.
The function was attended by role players and pupils from local and neighbouring schools. Representatives from the main sponsor of the event, Old Mutual, the student governing body, sister departments, and the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), gave messages of support for the upcoming year.
Amajuba District Director, Reverend N.K. Sithole, said the performance of education was measured by results that formed the basis of future improvement.
The guest speaker for the evening, Dr Mdu Gama, urged principals, teachers, pupils and leaders, to constantly strive for excellence.
“We must instil sustainable excellence wherever we go, Strive for competence and reward excellence and punish mediocrity. Anything under 50 per cent is a fail. Let us destroy the culture of patronage. We are breeding a culture of mediocrity and not excellence. Let us not write a history that promoted mediocrity.”
Close to 150 certificates and trophies were handed over on the evening.
Awards were presented for the following:
Sport, Cultural activities, Circuit Top 5 Pupils, Matric excellence, Most improved school, Circuit top achievers, Top 5 schools in the CMC district, Top 10 schools, schools that obtained an average pass rate of 80 per cent and above, schools that obtained 100 per cent pass rate, Top Circuit, National Teachers Awards, Top 3 quality schools and the CES special awards.
The Top 3 schools that were awarded were:
Zama High School – third. The school walked away with a laptop, sponsored by AM Computers.
Newcastle High School – second. The school received a R5000 voucher from SA Office Solutions.
Ferrum High School proudly took the title as Top Quality School and also received a R5000 voucher sponsored by SA Office Solutions.
The CES Special Award went to Zama High School for outstanding performance and growth in 2015. The school received a R10 000 voucher form SA Office Solutions.
Newcastle Advertiser congratulates all the schools on their great achievements and wishes them all the best for 2016.
As quoted on the evening: ‘In the race for quality, there is no finish line’.
