Caption: Learners from Portia Shabangu Secondary School
By Lwazi Raul-Shongwe
The day looked a little different from the usual classroom routine for a group of Grade 9 and 10 learners from KwaMhlanga Secondary School.
Instead of textbooks and chalkboards, they spent the day inside the offices of the Mpumalanga DEDT(Department of Economic Development and Tourism), in Emalahleni, seeing firsthand how policy, planning and business development shape the province.
The visit was reportedly part of the annual National Corporate Social Investment Take a Boy/Girl Child to Work campaign, a program designed to give high school learners a real look at the world of work.
According to DEDT, the campaign exposes learners to real workplace environments to help them make informed career choices.
Additionally, DEDT said the key focus of the campaign is ensuring equal exposure for both boys and girls to promote gender balance in the workplace.
“ The campaign also provides resources and guidance to support learners in pursuing opportunities within the economic sector, enabling them to reach their full potential and contribute to the province’s economic development,” said DEDT.
Learners from Portia Shabangu Secondary School, in Tekwane, were also hosted by DEDT in collaboration with the Department of Education.
For many of the students, it was the first time seeing how departments operate beyond what they read in textbooks. Through guided tours and discussions, they learned about opportunities in the economic sector and received resources and guidance on how to pursue them.
By stepping into government offices for a day, learners left with more than pamphlets and presentations, they left with a clearer picture of what’s possible, and a stronger sense that their future role in the province’s economy starts now.
