Musina mayor Caroline Mahasela visited Mopane Intermediate School on Wednesday, the first day of the 2011 academic year, to thank the school for achieving a 100% pass rate in the 2010 Grade 12 results and to motivate the 2011 Grade 12 learners to study hard.

The school, which has put Musina on the academic map, had 33 learners who wrote the 2010 Grade 12 examinations and they all passed. The result makes them the top school of the nine secondary schools within the Zoutpansberg North Circuit. The school has never registered less than a 70% pass rate since they started with their first Grade 12 class in 2005.

Mahasela said the municipality was very proud of Mopane Intermediate School and pledged full support for the pupils and teachers. She thanked the school governing body, teachers, parents, pupils, the Department of Education and all the stakeholders who had made 2010 a successful year in the history of Mopane Intermediate School.

“On this first day of the academic year, I now take this opportunity to encourage you to study hard and take education seriously because it is through education that knowledge and information are received and spread throughout the world. For the rest of 2011, forget about anything else and put your books first. It is our wish that all of you must be studying at tertiary institutions next year. You can only achieve this through hard work. You are very lucky because you have dedicated educators who are readily available to assist you day and night.”

Mahasela also took the opportunity to introduce the Musina Municipality Mayoral study donations, which are presented to deserving learners every year. “I encourage you to make use of this opportunity because the municipality is always there to assist you to achieve your educational goals,” she said.

School principal Tshilidzi Mabirimisa said the recipe of success in her school was team work, dedication and proper planning.