The school has produced a 100% pass rate since it was established

FORMER Mpumalanga premier Mathews Phosa donated R1-million to a Nelspruit college that is named after him.

The treasurer-general of the ANC has also pledged an additional R250,000 for a student who is a top achiever at the 18-year-old Dr Matthews Phosa College.

The school has produced a 100% pass rate since it was established.

Phosa told the audience, which included college director Pieter Struwig and Phosa's wife, Pinky Phosa, who is the province's finance MEC , that the donation was from his family trust.

He said he hoped the money would enhance and nurture future leaders of South Africa.

The college was named after Phosa during his tenure as Mpumalanga's first premier soon after the country's first democratic elections.

Struwig had motivated the decision to name the college after Phosa.

"When you asked that the college be named after me I agreed and you have not disappointed me," Phosa said.

He advised the students to continue working hard.

"If you think your generation invented skipping classes or bunking - whatever it is called nowadays - I have news for you," Phosa warned.

"It was invented centuries ago! As long as there has been schooling, some children have tried to avoid attending diligently and parents have tried to force them to go to school."

Phosa ended his speech by quoting former president Nelson Mandela: "Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world".