Durban – A Grade 2 pupil from Windy Heights Primary School in Isipingo has scooped an award for producing the “Best road safety poem”.
In an event that was organised by eThekwini Metro’s transport authority in partnership with the South African Road Federation (SARF) and the provincial department of education Sinqobile Phungula, 8, was declared the overall winner in her category for the best poem.
The event – the Road Safety Poetry and Speech Schools Competition – was held in Durban on Friday.
The eThekwini Metro spokesperson, Msawakhe Mayisela, said pupils were required to submit a one-page essay or poem on road safety concerns around their respective schools.
He said they also had to outline the interventions their school had undertaken to address road safety. This included, but was not limited to, assembly presentations on safety, stakeholder visits, classroom teaching, and awareness campaigns.
He added that the competition was divided into three categories for Grades 2 to 3, Grades 4 to 7, and for pupils with special needs. He said 22 schools were in the finals with all the pupils receiving certificates of participation during the ceremony.
Mayisela said for each category the school received a prize of R4 000, while the winning pupils won R3 000, second place R2 000, and third place R1 000.
In category one, Sinqobile walked away with R3 000 for best poet, followed by Lee-Andrea Wood of Ferndale Primary School in Newlands East who came second, while Hillgrove Primary School’s Zandisiwe Mthethwa came third.
By winning the first prize, Sinqobile also won R4 00 for her school.
In Category 2 the first prize went to Skyelar Brigmohan from Kamalinee Primary School in Lotus Park in Isipingo, while second prize went to Lerato Madlala, also a pupils at Windy Heights Primary School. Third prize went to Phila Ziqubu of Ekwandeni Primary School in Hammarsdale.
Category three winners were: Aphiwe Mabhida of Khulangolwazi Special School, Fezile Chiliza of Mason Lincoln Special School, and Khanyisile Dube of Truro Prevocational School.
Mayisela congratulated the winners and said the Road Safety Poetry and Speech Schools Programme aimed to support the national curriculum statement on road safety education, and service delivery in schools.
“It also hopes to promote good road safety among pupils, and raise public awareness of road,” said Mayisela.
Sinqobile's class teacher Busi Nombika described her as a very intelligent child who has a bright future ahead of her.
“She is a fast learner and always shows signs that she would be a teacher because if not busy with her school work, she teaches other pupils in the classroom,” Nombika said.
The pupil's mother Zibuyile Phungula said she was excited about her child's performance and said even at home her daughter was a different child who listened and did what she was instructed to do.
“I was not surprised that her poem was chosen as the best because I’ve noticed that she likes reciting poems,” Phungula said.
The unemployed mother from the informal settlement of Malukazi said with the money her daughter won she would buy her school uniform and other clothing before spoiling her with other goodies.
Daily News