Clarkbury Agricultural School has been announced as provincial champions of the HESOp Competition, supported by the National Heritage Council. According to Nomawele Njongo’s Facebook post, the team secured 1st place and earned the honour of representing the Eastern Cape at the National Finals in Mpumalanga, hosted at Kruger National Park.
Their Story
Njongo’s post says the learners produced a research paper and a strong presentation on promoting, preserving, and managing heritage.
A highlighted case in their work is the Funda Mpondo Literary Festival, described as a cultural driver that:
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creates job opportunities for youth,
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drives women’s empowerment, and
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champions marginalised languages, putting isiMpondo forward for recognition as South Africa’s 13th official language and for future use as a medium of instruction in schools.
The Event/Occasion
Per the post, Clarkbury’s team “dominated,” taking top honours at the provincial stage of the HESOp Competition and advancing to the national finals in Mpumalanga.
Community Reactions
The post closes with a rallying message to the province: “Eastern Cape, the torch is in our hands—and we’re taking it to the nation.” Reactions around the update reflect pride in the achievement and support for the heritage and language focus highlighted in the research.
