Durban - Residents of the uMngeni Municipality (Howick) in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands have welcomed news that the municipality will be rewarding top performing Grade 12 pupils.
The municipality said it had set aside R100 000 that will be given to top performing Grade 12 pupils from the schools under the municipality, with the pupils expected to be awarded up to R7 000 in vouchers.
In addition, the municipality revealed on Tuesday that schools with top Grade 12 performers could get R5 000 from the uMngeni Municipality that will go towards maintenance.
About three schools could benefit, said uMngeni mayor Chris Pappas.
These revelations have drawn widespread praise for Pappas on social media. The DA took over the municipality in November last year.
One person said: “Mayor Chris Pappas, you are doing well in your municipality. We applaud you.”
Another said: “This man is a performer, you can see good progress, so leave him and appreciate what he is doing.”
One person commented that education is the key to success.
“These matrics are the key to the future. So why not incentivise to do just that? The infrastructure is improving in this municipality all the time. Count yourselves lucky to have mayor Chris Pappas, his deputy and team.”
However, some expressed concern about spending money on Grade 12 pupils.
“If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. Instead of creating job opportunities, they opt for wasting our taxes, in booze because that’s where the money will go.”