By Lebone Rodah Mosima

Ten-year-old Warona Setsome from R.B. Dithupe Intermediate School in Welbedacht Township has been named 1st Princess in the Little Miss Universe category after competing at the international pageant in the Philippines.

Her mother and manager, Kedijang Hendrietta Setsome, said Warona’s achievement followed a rapid rise in modelling after she recognised her daughter’s interest and decided to support her ambitions.

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“What started as a young girl’s interest in modelling has grown into something much bigger,” Setsome said.

“I saw her potential and decided to nurture it, supported her and gave her every opportunity to grow.”

Setsome said she had watched her daughter develop not only as a model but also as a confident young girl who understands the importance of using her voice and platform positively.

The journey to the international competition was not without challenges, with Warona becoming ill during the pageant.

“[D]espite not feeling her best, she showed incredible determination,” Setsome said.

“She continued to participate and represented herself, her family, the North West, and South Africa with grace, discipline, and commitment. She gave every activity her absolute best and carried herself with such strength and professionalism.”

Setsome said watching her daughter push through the difficult period and continue competing made her particularly proud.

The North West Department of Education said Warona’s progress had been remarkable given the short time she had been involved in modelling.

“Warona only started modelling in 2025 and within a very short space of time she has had the opportunity to walk for international fashion shows and designers, participate in events, develop her skills as a motivational speaker to children, and became a host and young public figure,” the department said.

North West Education MEC Desbo Mohono congratulated Warona, saying the achievement was a source of pride for her family, school, community and the province.

“We are extremely proud of her for representing the North West and South Africa with distinction on an international stage,” she said.

Mohono said Warona’s achievement demonstrated the talent and potential of young people in the province, pointing to another recent international success by a North West learner.

“Last month, we had Mbulelo Tolom from Klerksdorp, who represented the North West and the entire country in the Spelling Bee competition held in China, where he obtained sixth position.”

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She said both achievements showed that young people from the province were capable of competing internationally across different fields.

“On behalf of the North West Department of Education, I extend our warmest congratulations to Warona,” she said.

“May this achievement inspire her to continue pursuing her dreams and encourage other young learners to believe in themselves and strive for excellence.”

Mohono also congratulated Warona’s parents, teachers and others who supported her throughout her journey, saying their encouragement and commitment had played an important role in helping her reach the milestone.

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By Lebone Rodah Mosima

Five workshops and a storeroom have been destroyed in a fire at Sewagodimo Technical School in Pella Village, the second North West school to be hit by a major blaze in three days.

North West Education MEC Dr Desbo Mohono condemned the “barbaric incident”, saying the destruction of school infrastructure placed more pressure on the department’s limited resources.

The North West Department of Education said the school held a camp for matriculants over the weekend, with classes ending on Sunday afternoon.

 “Following the camp, a parents’ meeting was held and ended at 4pm. The educators left the school premises at 5:00pm,” the department said.

“At 5:53pm, the school management was alerted to a fire at the school. Management immediately contacted the South African Police Service and firefighters, who were dispatched to the scene. By the time they arrived, the fire was in its final stages of burning.”

The department said the cause of the fire remained unknown and investigations were under way to determine what led to the incident.

All five workshops, each comprising a storeroom and a classroom, were reportedly completely destroyed by the fire.

A separate storeroom located outside the block was also burnt down.

The incident followed another school fire at Matlhare Mokautu Secondary School in Monakato Township on Friday, where a school hall was burned down.

 “The burning of school properties is robbing our future generations of valuable educational resources, and I have repeatedly highlighted that the government has limited resources,” the MEC said.

The cause of the Sewagodimo fire has not yet been established, while the Matlhare Mokautu fire is being investigated as suspected arson.

Sunday’s fire comes just over two weeks after the North West Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Education visited Sewagodimo Technical School in early August as part of an oversight programme.

The committee reported ageing infrastructure, dysfunctional toilets, broken doors and windows and inadequate perimeter fencing at the school.

Mohono said the department already had a backlog of schools that needed to be built and renovated across the province.

She said this had forced the department to redirect resources to repair schools that had previously been in good condition.

“I am calling on the community to provide information to the South African Police Service so that those responsible for this barbaric incident can be brought to book,” she said.

The department said it would dispatch a team of inspectors on Monday to assess the extent of the damage.

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By Charmaine Ndlela 

More than 70,000 Western Cape matriculants are preparing to begin their trial examinations on Wednesday, as they enter the final stretch of preparation for the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations.

The Western Cape Education Department’s trial examination period is scheduled to run from 26 August to 23 September, giving Grade 12 learners an opportunity to assess their readiness and identify areas requiring further revision before the final examinations begin in October.

Western Cape Education MEC Jaco Londt wished the Class of 2026 well ahead of the exams.

“These examinations are an important milestone in a matriculant’s academic year as they prepare for the final National Senior Certificate examinations,” Londt said.

He said the trials would allow learners to assess their academic progress, identify their strengths and determine which areas require additional focus before sitting for the final NSC examinations.

The WCED is encouraging learners to make use of academic and wellbeing support available through its matric support platforms as they prepare for both the trial and final examinations.

Learners can access past examination question papers and memoranda, study guides, revision materials, subject-specific academic support and study tips.

The department also provides access to Telematics Schools Project videos for Grade 12 learners, information on funding for further studies, health and wellbeing support, as well as free internet and related services through WCG eCentres.

“I hope every learner approaches these examinations as a valuable learning opportunity. Stay focused, remain disciplined, and have confidence in your ability to succeed,” Londt said.

The province is seeking to build on the performance of the Class of 2025, which recorded its highest-ever NSC pass rate of 88.2%, alongside its highest-ever bachelor’s pass rate of 49.2%.

The department has said that it wants to place greater emphasis on the quality of matric results rather than focusing only on the overall pass rate.

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Then-Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier said in January that the province wanted to raise its bachelor’s pass rate to more than 60% over time, while also increasing the number and proportion of learners achieving 60% and above in Mathematics and Physical Sciences.

The WCED’s formal 2026/27 annual performance target for the bachelor’s pass rate is 49.5%, with further improvements planned in subsequent years.

The longer-term targets are aimed at increasing the number of learners who leave school with results providing access to degree-level studies and broader opportunities after matric.

Maynier, speaking at the province’s 2025 NSC awards in January, said improving the quality of education outcomes would require a sustained focus on performance.

“We must commit to excellence, and we must deliver excellence, in education in the Western Cape,” he said.

The department has urged learners to remain disciplined and confident as they prepare for the final NSC examinations.

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“The Western Cape is behind you every step of the way. Good luck, work hard, and make yourselves proud!” Londt said.

The final 2026 NSC examination programme is scheduled to begin on 13 October and conclude on 26 November.

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By Lebone Rodah Mosima

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Nomusa Dube-Ncube has called on NGOs and the private sector to support Higher Health’s Comfort Rooms, saying a coordinated response to gender-based violence (GBV), mental health challenges and HIV is essential to student wellbeing.

Dube-Ncube was speaking on Thursday at the launch of the first Comfort Room in the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector, held in partnership with Higher Health and Ekurhuleni East TVET College at its Springs Campus in Johannesburg.

She described the Comfort Room as a safe space where students can seek support without fear of judgement.

“Higher Health has built something simple, and therefore something powerful: a room. Not a policy document. Not a committee. A room – four walls, a door that closes, and people inside trained to listen without judgement,” she said.

Dube-Ncube said the rooms will provide access to Survivor Clubs for students who have experienced GBV, Transforming Mentalities Clubs, peer forums for young people living with HIV, mental health conversations, self-risk assessments and referral pathways.

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She said the initiative is peer-led, allowing young people to support others who may be more comfortable speaking to someone with similar experiences.

“This room is not an island. No single institution can carry gender-based violence, HIV and mental illness alone,” she said.

“The Comfort Room is where a student first finds the courage to speak, is received with care, and is then walked – not merely referred – into the nearest Thuthuzela Care Centre or the appropriate department for further support.”

She said Higher Health, together with the department, is working to establish Comfort Rooms at universities, TVET colleges and Community Education and Training (CET) colleges across the country.

Dube-Ncube called on NGOs to contribute their counselling and GBV-response expertise, while urging the private sector to fund Comfort Rooms, sponsor counsellors and donate furniture and connectivity.

“Government and Higher Health cannot carry this alone either. I issue a clarion call today, particularly to our NGOs and the private sector: this is your moment to step forward,” she said.

She said skills development must be accompanied by mental wellbeing, arguing that producing technically skilled graduates who struggle with their mental health would undermine the country’s skills revolution.

“Skills and wellbeing are not two projects. They are one,” she said.

Dube-Ncube said more than 850,000 self-risk assessments had been completed across GBV and mental health programmes, demonstrating that young people respond honestly when given appropriate opportunities to speak.

She called on universities, TVET and CET colleges to introduce confidential wellbeing screening during the first week of students’ academic lives, alongside registration and orientation.

“Catch it at year one, and you very often prevent the crisis of year three,” she said.

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She also described the Comfort Room as an important human space in an increasingly digital and isolated world.

Dube-Ncube said she hoped that within five years, Comfort Rooms would be as common on South African campuses as libraries and would be free from stigma.

She said the success of the initiative would ultimately be measured not by its launch, but by whether students felt safe enough to use it.

“But the true opening of this room will not happen with scissors and ribbon. It will happen the first time a student, alone and afraid, chooses to walk through that door instead of walking past it,” she said.

“Let us build a post-school system where that choice is always made a little easier.”

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By Charmaine Ndlela

Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has officially launched Clapham High School as the province’s 40th School of Specialisation, positioning the Pretoria school as a hub for sporting excellence while building on its strong academic record.

The launch, held in Queenswood, Pretoria, on Thursday, also marked Clapham’s designation as Gauteng’s fourth School of Specialisation focused on sport.

The event was attended by learners, educators, community stakeholders and sporting personalities, including Mamelodi Sundowns chairman Tlhopane Motsepe and former Sundowns players.

The designation builds on Clapham’s longstanding partnership with the Mamelodi Sundowns Academy, which dates back to 2012 and has helped create a pathway for young footballers to develop their talent and pursue professional careers.

Maile said the launch was about strengthening an institution with an established record of academic and sporting achievement.

“Today, we are not simply launching another School of Specialisation. We are strengthening an institution that already has a proud history of academic and sporting excellence and giving it an even stronger platform to develop the talent of our young people,” Maile said.

Established in 1948 and operating from its current Queenswood campus since 1955, Clapham has recorded a National Senior Certificate pass rate of more than 90% in recent years.

The school achieved a 94% pass rate in 2023, 97% in 2024 and 91.3% in 2025.

Its sporting achievements have also been significant, particularly in football, with the school producing several professional players.

Former learners include Samukele Kabini, Keletso Makgalwa, Thato Matli, Thabo Moloisane, Malebogo Modise, Bennet Mokoena, Malibongwe Khoza, Motjeka Madisha, Khayalihle Shozi, Percy Tau and Cassius Mailula.

Kabini was included in the South African squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while several other former learners have gone on to play professionally in South Africa and abroad.

Several Clapham graduates have also progressed through the Mamelodi Sundowns system, strengthening the relationship between the school and the club.

ALSO READ: Dube-Ncube calls for private sector, NGOs to back Higher Health Comfort Rooms

The school has won the CAF African Schools Championship boys’ title in Malawi, the Gauteng Sanlam Kay Motsepe Schools Championship and the inaugural Gauteng Schools Football Champions League.

Clapham was also nominated for School Team of the Year at the South African Sport Awards.

However, its specialised sporting programme extends beyond football.

Learners showcased their abilities in netball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, chess and e-sports during the launch. The school also demonstrated its vocational education and training offerings, Consumer Studies and its “Voices On The Rise” podcast initiative.

The programmes form part of the broader Schools of Specialisation model, which combines academic learning with specialised skills and talent development.

Motsepe said the partnership between Sundowns and Clapham had demonstrated what could be achieved when sporting institutions work closely with schools.

“When Mamelodi Sundowns looks at Clapham, we don’t just see a school for our footballers. We see a place of possibility, a place of potential,” Motsepe said.

He said the partnership had helped young players pursue their ambitions, but stressed that the School of Specialisation should not be viewed solely through the lens of football.

Motsepe encouraged learners to explore their individual talents and take advantage of opportunities created through the specialised programme.

“The Clapham School of Sport and Specialisation is an incredible opportunity for young men and women to achieve their greatness,” he said.

Maile said partnerships such as the one between Clapham and Mamelodi Sundowns were critical to developing specialised education in the province.

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“Government cannot develop sporting excellence alone. The partnership between Clapham and Mamelodi Sundowns is an example of how schools, professional sporting institutions and other stakeholders can work together to identify talent, provide mentorship and create high performance opportunities for young people,” Maile said.

He said the expansion of Schools of Specialisation formed part of Gauteng’s broader efforts to identify and nurture learner talent while keeping academic achievement central.

The inclusion of e-sports and the “Voices On The Rise” podcast also exposes learners to emerging fields such as digital skills, communication and media alongside established sporting disciplines.

Maile said Clapham’s new designation represented both a recognition of its achievements and an investment in future talent.

“As Gauteng’s 40th School of Specialisation and fourth specialising in Sports, Clapham represents both a celebration of what has already been achieved and an investment in what is still possible,” he said.

“We want young people to know that their talent has a place in our public education system and that their journey towards excellence can begin here,” he said.

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By Levy Masiteng

Suspected dagga, disposable vapes, cigarettes, broken glass, scissors, and other prohibited items have been seized during unannounced search-and-seizure operations at three high schools in Alexandra, as Gauteng intensifies efforts to address safety and substance abuse in schools.

The SAPS-led operation was conducted on Wednesday at East Bank High School, Realogile High School, and Alexandra High School, with Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile joining law-enforcement officials as part of the province’s school safety campaign.

According to the Gauteng Department of Education, more than 109 items were seized across the three schools.

At East Bank High School, about 40 items were recovered, including disposable vapes, cigarettes, suspected dagga joints, sachets containing a green leafy substance suspected to be dagga, grinders, scissors, folding multi-tools, glass shards and other prohibited items.

At Realogile High School, more than 41 items were seized, including disposable vapes, glass and mirror shards, scissors, matchboxes and other miscellaneous items.

More than 20 muffins or cupcakes were also recovered and will be inspected to determine whether they contain prohibited substances. The department stressed that no determination has yet been made about their contents.

A further 28 items were recovered at Alexandra High School, including disposable vapes, sachets containing a substance suspected to be dagga, matchboxes, broken glass, a folding multi-tool, a spanner or wrench and an improvised metal tool.

Overall, the operation uncovered 14 sachets containing substances suspected to be dagga and three suspected dagga joints, alongside other prohibited items.

“The discovery of suspected drugs, knives, broken glass, scissors and other potentially dangerous objects in our schools is deeply concerning. These items have absolutely no place in an environment intended for teaching and learning,” Maile said.

The operation comes as the department steps up efforts to address school safety challenges across the province.

The department has identified 245 schools as high-risk following an environmental analysis of crime and violence that profiled more than 1,300 schools across Gauteng.

The assessment identified concerns including violence and gang activity, bullying, substance abuse, vandalism, theft and criminal activity around schools.

The high-risk school assessment forms part of the province’s efforts to introduce targeted safety interventions.

“These unannounced operations are necessary to protect learners and educators and ensure that our schools remain safe,” Maile said.

He also called on parents and communities to play a more active role in school safety, urging parents to pay attention to what learners take with them to school.

The substances suspected to be illegal drugs will undergo the appropriate processes to establish their contents, while learners found in possession of prohibited items will be dealt with through relevant school disciplinary procedures.

Where conduct potentially amounts to a criminal offence, the matter will be handled by SAPS.

“Our schools are sacred spaces for education. We cannot allow drugs, weapons, violence or criminal behaviour to rob learners of their constitutional right to education,” Maile said.

The Alexandra operation followed similar SAPS-led searches at identified schools elsewhere in Gauteng this month, as the department targets violence, gangsterism, substance abuse and other threats to teaching and learning.

“We will continue supporting SAPS and other law enforcement agencies in conducting random searches because learners must understand that bringing drugs, weapons and other prohibited items onto school premises will have consequences,” Maile said.

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