Don’t use burnt school buildings as excuse to fail your final exams‚ Motshekga tells matriculants

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has urged Grade 12 pupils in Vuwani in Limpopo not to use burnt school buildings as an excuse to fail their final year examinations.

 Motshekga addressed 151 matriculants at Vhafamadi Secondary School in Mashau Village during her visit to the area on Monday.

 The school was one of the first to be torched during demarcation-related protests which hit Vuwani and surrounding villages earlier this year resulting in the destruction of over 20 school buildings.

 Motshekga who was accompanied by other officials from the department‚ as well as the Limpopo education MEC‚ Ishmael Kgetjepe‚ told the pupils to do their best despite their difficulties.

She warned the pupils to make sure they pass because no one will remember that they came from a burnt school building.

 “We will look at the student number. We won’t care if you come from a burnt classroom‚” Mosthekga said.

 She encouraged the pupils to take their inspiration from former matriculants who managed to produce outstanding results despite going through tough times.

 “The only thing you can do with your trauma is to succeed. Fight with all the energy you have. You will not regret it come January‚” Motshekga said.

Earlier Motshekga told members of the media she hoped the Vhembe district will maintain its position as one of the country’s top 10 in terms of pass rates despite the situation in Vuwani.

 She said extra classes and study camps would assist pupils to be ready for their examinations.

 Motshekga however said the department would struggle to fix the damage caused by the fires as they needed a budget of over R300 million. She said funds meant for other projects had to be used to pay for mobile classrooms and study camps.