Silikamva High matrics make their mark

Silikamva High School held its annual Wall of Commitment ceremony in the school hall on Thursday last week.

The ceremony sees the school’s matrics pledge to work hard and do their best, says principal, Siphathisiwe Nkala-Nkohla.

“The learners make an imprint of their left hand onto a piece of canvas. Once this is done, the hand print is then dried, framed and hung up on the wall. This has been a tradition at the school since 2021, with the help from Hout Bay NGO, Lalela,” Ms Nkala-Nkohla said.

Lalela is a non-profit arts education programme for at-risk youth in Hout Bay and surrounding communities (“Lalela connects art works with fashion,” Sentinel, October 2019).

Lalela spokesperson Carol Dube said the initiative was a way to encourage accountability, motivation and a sense of community among the pupils.

“By signing next to their hand prints, they promise to attend extra classes on weekends and devote themselves to achieving their academic goals.”