Rustenburg Girls’ High School (RGHS) has been named one of the top ten candidates for the ‘Supporting Healthy Lives’ category of T4 Education’s World’s Best School Prizes.
T4 Education’s World’s Best School Prizes, established last year in collaboration with Accenture, American Express, Yayasan Hasanah and the Lemann Foundation, are among the world’s most prestigious education awards.
Other categories besides ‘Supporting Healthy Lives’ include ‘Community Collaboration,’ ‘Environmental Action,’ ‘Innovation’ and ‘Overcoming Adversity.’
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According to the People’s Post, RGHS students were overjoyed to learn that they were in the running for the award. The government school is one of two South African schools named as one of the top ten candidates shortlisted for the World’s Best School Prizes shortly after 8am this morning.
The other, Spark Soweto, made the top 10 shortlist for the category ‘Community Collaboration’. Spark Soweto is an independent, partially government-funded kindergarten and primary school in Johannesburg.
According to RGHS Principal Michael Gates, being named one of the top ten schools in the world supporting healthy lifestyles is an honour.
‘This competition is open to all applicants, and we eagerly participated,’ said Gates, according to the People’s Post.
Founded in 1894, RGHS has a strong academic reputation, with matric graduates frequently appearing on the Western Cape Department of Education’s Top Learners lists. The school implemented a sports policy that made sports mandatory for Grade 8 and 9 students in order to balance their academically driven focus.
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The policy gives students the option of participating in a variety of sports, both competitive and social. Every ten days, students receive one structured and one unstructured sports lesson, ensuring that they have both organised and creative opportunities within the programme.
According to Gates, being active and engaging in physical activity is critical for academic, social and mental success, and the school strives for its students to embrace a holistic approach and incorporate exercise into their daily routines.
He told the People’s Post that the school takes great pride in its high-achieving competitive teams, which excel on the sports fields and courts.
T4 Education is a global organisation dedicated to improving education through engaging tools, initiatives and events for teachers. Its founder, Vikas Pota, believes that schools around the world will benefit from the story of these trailblazing South African institutions and the culture they have created.
‘The schools shortlisted for the World’s Best School Prizes, no matter where they can be found or what they teach, all have one thing in common. They all have a strong school culture. Their leaders know how to attract and motivate exceptional educators, inspire change and build excellent teaching and learning environments,’ said Pota.
The top three finalists for each of the five World’s Best School Prizes will be announced in September, followed by the winners in October. Each winning school in each of the five categories will receive a $50 000 (R912 785) prize.
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Picture: Rustenburg Girls’ High School, Cape Town / Facebook