ON Thursday, November 1, 2018, Stephen Nkomo Primary School, one of the oldest schools in Kwa- Nobuhle, celebrated its 50th anniversary.
The Uitenhage based tyre manufacturing company, Goodyear South Africa, which has a thriving relationship with the school, was part of the celebrations.
Goodyear Group Managing Director, Darren Hayes-Powell, delivered a message of support and remarked on how giving back to the school is close to Goodyear’s heart. “Stephen Nkomo has been a pillar to the KwaNobuhle community for the past 50 years and I am proud to state that some of our employees and their children are products of Stephen Nkomo Primary School.
“We are honoured to have partnered with Stephen Nkomo, giving the company and its employees a platform where we can all give back.”
The connection commenced with Goodyear renovating a classroom that was in dire need of refurbishment for Mandela Day 2017. This was followed by the renovation of two more classrooms in February 2018.
The principal at Stephen Nkomo Primary, Zoliswa Njiyela, said, “Goodyear has played an active role in shaping the future of our learners and we are grateful for all that they have done and continue to do for us”.
Isaac Bali, Department of Education circuit manager said, “in cricket when a batsman reaches 50, he raises his bat to indicate that he has reached this milestone and is not out yet. We salute Stephen Nkomo, raise your bat ... you still have a lot of good work to do.”
Bali encouraged parents to take ownership of the school and to protect what they have. He thanked Goodyear for their generous involvement at the school.
“As a department we do not have the resources to do it alone, we depend on business to partner with schools for the benefit of the learners,” said Bali.
Goodyear will now be launching a programme called Keep A Dream Alive with the grade 7 learners before the end of the year.
“Education is the cornerstone of our society and it was important to us to identify a school that was focused on the holistic grooming of a young mind from the classroom to the debate halls; to the sportsgrounds and ultimately to the professionals the learners envision to become.
“As Goodyear South Africa, we have committed ourselves to playing an active role in developing the future of South Africa, the children,” concluded Hayes-Powell.
-HEILIE COMBRINCK