Scientific Roots - Certificate Ceremony at AgriSPACE Campus
A memorable certificate ceremony was recently held at the AgriSPACE Campus to celebrate the achievements of learners who successfully completed their National Qualifications – NQF Level 1 Poultry Production and NQF Level 2 Plant Production programmes.
The event recognised the resilience, hard work and determination of disabled learners who completed their agricultural learnership programmes.
It is also exciting to mention that the learners have signed contract grower agreements with various enterprises where they will be applying their knowledge and skills by producing and selling inputs. This works towards our Vision 20/5000, which states that for every 20 enterprises incubated at the AgriSPACE Campus, 5000 contract growers will produce for them.
A total of 56 AgriSETA certificates were prepared for all the learners who completed the programmes. These learners were sponsored to participate in learnerships by the following sponsors:
• Bayer (PTY) Ltd
• Merlog Foods (PTY) Ltd
• Gedore Tools SA (PTY) Ltd
• Norvo Construction SA (PTY) Ltd
• Panel Technique (PTY) Ltd
• Sealand Transport Services cc
• Skipwaste (PTY) Ltd
• VR Print (PTY) Ltd
• Wonga Online (PTY) Ltd
The day was filled with pride and excitement as learners received their certificates in front of their classmates, facilitators, and technicians.
Furthermore, the ceremony also celebrated learners who did exceptionally well in class and practicals on campus at large. Special awards were presented; these were the special categories:
• Ubuntu award: for a learner who showed kindness, help, respect, and teamwork.
• Best learner in class: for outstanding academic performance.
• Best learner in practicals (NQF 2 Plant Production): for excellent skills in plant production.
• Best learner in practicals (NQF 1 Poultry Production): for excellent skills in poultry production.
• Most deserving learner: for showing commitment, perseverance, and determination and seeing the programme through regardless of challenges one faced/ faces.
The learners who received these special certificates were honoured with framed certificates and gift packages that consisted of products produced on campus by incubated entrepreneurs.
Buhle Nophikela: the most deserving learner.
Asiphe Swenyana: the Ubuntu award receiver.
Siphathise Tonise and Siphiwo Tonise: best learner in class and runner- up for best learner in class, respectively.
The certificate ceremony was also attended by representatives of the Disability Forum from the Winnie Madikizela Mandela Local Municipality (formerly Bizana), with whom Scientific Roots and AgriBioTech have worked hand in hand. Some of the learners who received certificates were recruited from the Bizana Disability Forum, and this was the first group to complete a programme from the forum. Members of the forum who attended were also gifted with packages of products produced at the AgriSPACE Campus. During the event, Mr Chris Ncamani (pictured right) presented a speech that was inspiring and encouraging the learners to continue learning and use the skills gained to improve themselves and their communities.
The day also included a special moment for learners who completed the programme but sadly passed away. Their hard work, resilience, and determination were honoured and will remain a part of the success stories of the programmes implemented.
A vote of thanks from one of the learners, Mr Siphiwo Tonise, who also completed the programme, was given. He congratulated his fellow students on the completion of the programmes. In addition to that, he thanked the facilitators, technicians, sponsors and the staff at large for the never-ending support they received during the course of the learnership, and furthermore, he encouraged the learners to implement all skills and knowledge learnt to better and empower themselves and their communities.