Thandulwazi Mathletics Challenge Inspires Excellence
On Saturday 24 October 2015, the Thandulwazi Saturday School recognized the achievements of students who have excelled on the Mathletics programme and in the English Comprehension and Language Competition this year.
NIgel Hove and Thabo Mbathta – the two students who won at the Mathletics Challenge two years in a row
The event was attended by the Thandulwazi Director, students, staff and tutors; the St Stithians Advancement Director and Foundation Governors. In addition Thandulwazi donors were represented by Ms Khabo Ramoupi, Group HR Director of OMNIA; Mr Rob Masefield CEO 3P Learning; and Ms Sandy Begg of the Standard Bank of SA Limited.
For the last five years, Protea Chemicals (a division of the OMNIA Group) has funded the annual Mathletics licence for the Thandulwazi Maths & Science Academy. Mathletics is an internet-based Mathematics programme, aligned to the South African curriculum, which allows students to work at their own pace and improve their understanding of Maths concepts and skills. Each year, at registration, the Thandulwazi learners are provided with an individual log-in, which they can use both at Thandulwazi on Saturdays or at home/ internet cafes/ their schools, to practise their Maths. The Mathletics programme allows Thandulwazi to monitor progress and to assess the learners' understanding of the Maths sections taught at the Saturday School. In order to encourage the Saturday School students to make greater use of Mathletics, Thandulwazi organizes an annual competition, the Mathletics Challenge, and Mathletics sponsors a cash a prize to the Thandulwazi learner and runner-up, who achieve the most points in his/her Grade at the end of the year. This on-line competition is monitored by the Mathletics head office.
At the prize-giving, Nigel Hove was named as the winner of the Grade 12 Mathletics Challenge. Currently a Matric student, Nigel has attended the Thandulwazi Saturday School for the last two years. He was the Grade 11 Mathletics Challenge winner in 2014 and this year he repeated this achievement when he was awarded the prize for the top Grade 12 Mathletics student. In acknowledgment of his efforts, Nigel was awarded a Thandulwazi certificate of excellence and a cash prize sponsored by 3PLearning/Mathletics Africa. Nigel is a hardworking and committed student, who hails from Cosmo City. He attends the local secondary school and hopes to study BComm (Accounting) at the University of Johannesburg next year.
Hot on his heels, is Thabo Mbatha. Thabo attends Itirele Zenzele Comprehensive School in Diepsloot. In 2014 Thabo won the Grade 10 Mathletics Challenge and repeated this feat again this year when he was announced as the Grade 11 winner for 2015.
Noxolo Khubeka, from Letsibogo High School for Girls in Soweto, was the Grade 10 Mathletics Challenge Winner this year.
The HoD of English at the Thandulwazi Saturday School, Ms Natalie Arndt, and her team facilitated the 2015 English Comprehension and Language Competition this year. The following students were named as the Grade winners. Each student received a certificate and a book, The Authorised Portrait of Bishop Desmond Tutu.
Grade 10 - Mpho Mahlakazela won the English comprehension prize and Bridgett Dikhoba won the prize for language
Grade 11 - Phuti Malebana was the top English student for both comprehension and language
Grade 12 - Thompho Mulaudzi won the English comprehension prize and Linnet Chikonhi won the prize for language
Standard Bank has been the major funder of the Saturday School since 2010. At this event, the bank generously provided each of the winning Thandulwazi students with a gift bag containing useful branded items.
The Thandulwazi Maths & Science Academy celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year. Over the last decade, the Saturday School has provided extra tuition and curriculum enrichment for nearly 10,000 high school students (Grade 10-12) from under-resourced schools across greater Gauteng. For further details log onto: www.thandulwazi.com.
