Learners at Cafda School of Skills put their best foot forward in a fun modelling show that was organised in partnership with Steenberg Police Station’s adopt a cop outreach programme.
Nadeema Saferdien, deputy school principal at the school, said the aim of the initiative was to build confidence among learners.
“I am very chuffed with the outreach programme, adopt a cop and that Steenberg police have adopted Cafda School of skills.
“Our right-hand person in this programme is Col Barbara Toua.
“We get along like a house on fire. The fire in her is to do an outreach programme, the fire in me is to make a difference and to build the confidence in our learners who are coming from impoverished circumstances.”
The school has a four-year vocational programme which are aimed at learners from age 15 where they are exposed to different workshops at the school.
Saferdien explained: “There is a history where they have repeated twice in foundation phase and intermediate phase. So, if they don’t go to Grade 7 in primary school they will slot in here because once you have repeated you are then 14 going on 15, you are not 12.
“Their Grade 6 peers are now too young which is why they slot into a high school setup.
“We are not a primary school.”
The school offers six different workshops which includes hard skills and soft skills such as woodwork and autobody repairs as well as welding, she added.
“Soft skills would be your hairdressing, beauty and nail technology and office admin. These six workshops they sell themselves.
“We are making a huge difference in holistic education.
“It is what the world outside needs, it is what the job market has to offer. The aim is to prepare the kids from year one, where they are exposed to workshops per term or for a period of six weeks.”
The outreach programme and modelling event was to build the confidence in learners who were often “broken”.
“They are very broken learners and we need to be building confidence to prepare them for the world out there. Our kids suffer from low self-esteem and this initiative drives confidence. We did the first modelling show in term three that was a roaring success.
“Today they really outdid themselves,” said Saferdien.
Col Toua, support head at Steenberg Police Station, said the event was a way to engage with the school to build positive partnerships.
“I am part of support services so I liaise with schools and the community.
“The school is very near to my heart; they struggle a lot and I’m also hoping to get their name out there because maybe there are children in the same situation.
“The message I want to give them is to lift up your head. You are dealt the cards that you are dealt but you don’t need to stay there.
“Lift up your head, put your shoulders back and face the world. If you need to be a skilled person in woodwork or beauty, those are things that people need.
“Just go forward, do your best and take the bull by its horns.”
