The Speaker’s school outreach campaign

By Emily Setona

QWAQWA – As part of her school outreach campaign the speaker to the Free State Legislature lends a helping hand to under privileged learners in Maluti – a – Phofung (MAP).

Ntombizanele Sifuba visited Pheta Intermediate School to donate school shoes and sanitary towels to learners who are less fortunate. MAP speaker Paratlane Motloung accompanied her in this school outreach program. When speaking to The Guard acting principal Keakile Dlamini said the following,

“The work that Mme Sifuba is doing is making a huge difference for the school’s under privileged learners. The kids were very excited to receive brand new school shoes of a good quality. Even the female learners who received the sanitary towels were very thankful for this act of kindness.” School Governing Body (SGB) member Dibuseng Tsotetsi echoed the same sentiments of Dlamini when she said that this outreach program makes a huge difference in the lives of the learners.

“The impact of this school outreach campaign is great, having observed that many of the learners come from disadvantaged households. There’s also a great deal of support necessary, especially from the department of education. The school is an all inclusive one, accommodating even children with disabilities like hearing impairment and those who cannot speak. Mobilization of resources is critical if the performance of the school and it’s community is to improve beyond what it is currently. The academic staff at the institution has to be lauded for the sterling work they do with the limited resources at their disposal,” Motloung said when speaking to The Guard.

Part of Sifuba’s oversight role was also to visit Pitseng Village where the bridge has collapsed six months ago and makes it difficult for learners to cross the river and make their way to school.

During her constituency work done in 2022 Sifuba visited Hlajoane Secondary school in order to motivate and encourage the class of 2022 before their final exams and assisted them with National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) applications. The feedback from the school was very positive with a pass rate of 100 percent and successful NSFAS applications.

“As a former teacher I want to see learners succeed in life that is why the school outreach program is important to me. It is very important for me to educate and explain to the community the role of my office which is to champion and advocate for basic human rights that democracy has enabled us to have and I promise to continue helping grade 12 learners and under privileged learners as best as I can during 2023,” Sifuba said.