PHAKAMANI Secondary School in Etwatwa, Ekurhuleni understands that running a school requires a lot of role players from parents and teachers, as well as cooks and patrollers.
Last week, Phakamani held an award ceremony to honour all those who make it possible to run the school daily.
Patrollers were honoured for guarding the school, cooks were honoured for feeding pupils, teachers were honoured for their hard work and the good matric results, while the parents were honoured for being supportive and for bringing order among the pupils.
Principal Siphiwe Shobete said staff need to be motivated to perform to their best of their abilities.
"We're also here to honour even the food handlers (cooks). These cooks carry a great responsibility on their shoulders of ensuring pupils are fed to help them concentrate in the classroom.
"Without patrollers there would be chaos at the school, with some pupils bunking classes or leaving the school premises as and when it pleases them. Their presence on the school premises not only brings order, but remind pupils that they're here to learn," he said.
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A patroller was honoured for being outstanding. Patrollers also search school bags to check if the pupils are bringing dangerous weapons to the school.
In most cases, patrollers do raids for the safety of other pupils and to prevent gangsterism at the school.
Teachers whose matric pupils performed well were honoured. In 2023, the school obtained a pass rate of 86,1%.
Shobete said the school holds the awards annually to motivate staff, cooks, patrollers and the school governing body members.
