400 pupils brush up on maths skills

FOUR hundred matric pupils from different schools in the Mthatha region recently gave up a week of their winter holiday to take part in a maths development camp.

An awards ceremony was held at the weekend to honour the camp’s best-performing pupils.

The Thuthuka maths development camp held during the June-July holidays, also aimed to improve pupils’ financial literacy, accounting, English and science knowledge.

The initiative is run by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (Saica), in partnership with the Eastern Cape department of education.

Saica project director for transformation Lwando Bantom said 471 pupils from disadvantaged communities around the province received additional support in communication, career guidance and life skills.

“This programme is unique in the sense that we also have life orientation lessons where they can be developed holistically as responsible members of our society.”

Bantom said the camp leaders were university students who had previously attended the camp and were volunteering as their way of giving back to their community.

“These leaders were made up of the Thuthuka bursary fund recipients undergoing their university studies across the country and other individuals from the education space who are passionate about youth development,” he said.

The awards ceremony was held on Friday at the Walter Sisulu University’s Nelson Mandela Drive campus.

The awards are categorised into physical science, accounting and mathematics.

Sisimelel Mayila from Zingisa Comprehensive High School took top honours for both science (97%) and mathematics (100%).

The top award for accounting went to Sange Zimbini Masitha from St John’s College in Mthatha. —