Pic: Supplied
After a bumpy start and faced with initial funding challenges, four Gqeberha schools won big at the Western Cape Schools Marching Competition, bagging more than a dozen trophies and also walked away with the coveted 1st place championship in the senior division.
Their trip to take part in the competition in Cape Town on Saturday was in limbo when the Eastern Cape Education Department pulled funding at the last minute.
However, a few days before the competition was due to start, the department had a change of heart.
“We want to give special thanks to the Eastern Cape Department of Education for looking at our appeal and making the means necessary to transport and accommodate the squads,” Go Big Project CEO, Addie Jappie said. .
“ We appreciate the great deal of effort that was made to review and overturn the initial decision.
“Without the intervention of the committed officials within the Department, this trip may not have been possible.”
Two hundred marching drill learners, with their teachers from the four schools were selected to represent the Eastern Cape at the competition.
In total, they won 17 trophies across all categories and walked away with the coveted 1st-place championship in the senior division.
The schools that participated were Alpha Primary, Charles Duna Primary, Ndzondelelo High and Soqhayisa.
The Gqeberha schools competed amongst 15 other schools from around the Western Cape.
This year's competition also yielded a remarkable milestone for the Eastern Cape, where for the first time since competing in the Western Cape, a Gqeberha school has walked away with the 1st place championship trophy.
Local non-profit company, Go Big Community Development, the founders and operators of Project Schools Marching Drill Inspiration attributed the success of the trip to excellent teamwork amongst its partners and resilience from the squads, not forgetting those who worked tirelessly in the background to make things happen.
Project Manager Zee Agherdien said: "Quite often we undermine the strength of a child, but this weekend these children proved that despite all hardships, they remained focused and walked away victorious.”
