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Opening of the Get Ahead Private School
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Speeches and Media Releases
 Education

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EASTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT

SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE HONOURABLE MEC FOR EDUCATION MR S. SIZANI

AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF GET AHEAD PRIVATE SCHOOL IN QUEENSTOWN

ON THE 28 JANUARY 2000



MASTER OF CEREMONIES
THE SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY MEMBERS
THE PRINCIPAL & THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT TEAM
STUDENTS
PARENTS

Compliments of the season and welcome into the new millennium. It is indeed a pleasure to be here today and to share in this historic 
occasion. Occasions like this one stand as beacons of hope in times when our department is rocked and tossed by waves of anxiety, despair, 
fear and frustration.

It is really encouraging to be with people who have identified an opportunity and a need and have dedicated themselves making a difference 
in the lives of fellow South Africans.

The department of education believes, inter alia, in inter-sectoral collaboration. It is aware that the provision of quality education is a 
huge task that needs to be shared by all responsible citizens. It therefore welcomes with open arms all initiatives that aim to redress the 
imbalances of the past, to eradicate poverty and illiteracy in our province and to uphold the traditions of this province  a province 
which has produced leaders of stature in various fields.

"Get Ahead" it is hoped, will help the Eastern Cape in general and the Northern Region in particular, to produce learners who will realise 
that they have to get ahead and not be happy with being part of the crowd  part of the general "average"!! Much of the challenge faced by 
the DoE can be attributed to the fact that most learners, educators as well as officials tend to wait for somebody to tell them what to do, 
when and how.

Most have lost the enthusiasm, the excitement, and the drive to get ahead  to excel  to strive for excellence.

This young and vibrant centre of learning will have to accept the challenge of being a beacon of light that is set upon a hill and that 
shares its light not only with those learning and teaching here but with the Queenstown community at large. The DoE would like to encourage 
Get Ahead to be a centre of excellence that will be used, as a resource for training, motivation, as well as support

function by all. Centres of excellence that exist need to shift paradigms from "competition mode" to "co-operation mode." In order to build 
a winning province and a winning nation we need to help each other to win. Win/Win situations based on teamwork, on people achieving self-
selected performance objectives and on the ability to co-operate and synergise are a must.

In conclusion I would like to remind all that a wise man Goethe once said..."Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things 
which matter least."

In a school or a centre of learning, in a home, office, business concern etc. Even in a relationship between two people there are things 
which matter most as well as those which matter least!! I will not bore you by giving examples, but suffice to say of the problems and 
challenges we face in life stem from our failure to make sure that those which matter most are not at the mercy of

those which matter least.!!
What matters most in a school?
 What matters most in a childs life?
What matters most in the life of a parent whose child is in this school?
What matters most in your life as a teacher?, learner?

I will leave you to work out answer as well as to evaluate your answer. However I would like to remind you ladies and gentlemen that for 
the DoE what matters most is the future of the children of this country.

It is now my pleasure to invite you all to share with me this wonderful moment in history where I declare Get Ahead Private School 
officially open. May this school support our children to get ahead not only in this millennium but in may more.



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