Bana Ba Sekhukhune honours Naledi Ya Meso top matric achievers
DIKGALAOPENG
Bana Ba Sekhukhune Community Solutions, a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) seeking to uplift communities in Sekhukhune, has on Wednesday 26 March 2025, organised the 2024 Matric Top Achievers Awards at Naledi Ya Meso Secondary School in Dakgalaopeng outside Groblersdal, Elias Motsoaledi Local Municipality (EMLM).
The initiative was held under the NPO’s ‘2025 Lend A Hand Campaign’, rewarding the top achievers with merit certificates, in a purpose to acknowledge and motivate learners and educators for their hard work and determination.
During the awards ceremony, Charmaine Nomusitsa Choma and Jabu Knowledge Mokgoatjana became best performing learners with Bachelor passes while Tumisho Maloma, Happy Ramphisa and Teballo Segokodi became second best achievers with Diploma achievements.
Tlaisego Mmoge Kgwale, Refilwe Edna Matlo and Maureen Mokgoatjana were awarded for being best achievers with Higher Certificates.
Teachers’ assistants from Ipopeng Cultural Group who also contributed to Naledi Ya Meso matric achievement were also rewarded. They are Kgantso Nape, Benneth Nkadimeng, Peggy Tlaka and Millicent Mohloba.
Delivering a keynote address, Bana Ba Sekhukhune Chairperson, Jeffrey Hlabirwa Walker, said Naledi Ya Meso Secondary was earmarked for the awards after emerging as one of the schools that performed well in the 2024 academic year, despite facing challenges of having only five educators.
“We felt that there is a need to present them with this token of appreciation and to acknowledge their efforts. Educators are our torch bearers as communities but their contribution goes unnoticed. We believe they need more than an award as an acknowledgement,” he said.
Walker urged parents and community members as stakeholders to take it upon themselves in the process of learning and teaching to play their roles in instilling discipline in children, stating that “because some kids behave in a way that makes it difficult for educators to teach other learners.”
“Lend A Hand Campaign is a platform that helps individuals and businesses to plough back in their communities primarily focusing on youth and programmes, women led projects and the elderly,” explained Walker.
A community activist, Nthwaleng Tlaka, who is also a Chairperson of Ipopeng Cultural Group, acknowledged Bana Ba Sekhukhune for their support by recognising learners, teachers and volunteers who played a vital role towards the tremendous achievement of Naledi Ya Meso matric class of 2024.
“When you send your soldiers to war and they come home victorious, they deserve to be rewarded. Today I stand here with pride because our volunteers have achieved their goals as assistance at Naledi Ya Meso,” she said.
Tlaka stressed that the community should give full support to learners and educators who are working hard to improve the school’s performance every year, urging parents to also come on board.
Bana Ba Sekhukhune Secretary, Hunadi Mamogobo, thanked local businesses and individuals who sponsored the awards including Schoeman Boerdery, Mentum Homes, Noko Mashilo and Nthwaleng Tlaka, saying their unwavering support will not go unnoticed.
“Your selfless and love for humanity can be seen through your actions and we believe more communities will learn from your actions and spread hope within their respective communities. Let us work towards developing our respective communities and give our children a safe and peaceful learning environment,” said Mamogobo.
Bakgaga Ba Kopa Traditional Council Representative, Joel Maipushe, praised Bana Ba Sekhukhune for holding the historical event in the area.
“We are here to give support to our educators and learners and also to acknowledge their hard work in their matric exam. We want to assure the community of Dikgalaopeng that we are with them all the way and they have our support as the traditional council,” he said.
