The Western Cape takes double gold at the national Young Historians' awards | Western Cape Government

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The Western Cape takes double gold at the national Young Historians' awards

6 October 2017

Dayyaan Edries, a Grade 10 learner from Vista Nova High School and his teacher Ms. Pertunia Mutheiwana, won the National Young Historians' Award which was held at the Department of Basic Education in Pretoria from 29th September to 2nd October 2017.

Sixty four Grade 8 - 11 Social Sciences/ History learners and twelve teachers from eight provinces participated in the competition. The annual competition is an initiative by the National Department of Basic Education as a contribution to strengthening History as a subject of choice in schools.

The competition is named after the first Nobel Peace laureate South of Sahara, Nkosi Albert John Luthuli, who apart from his fight for total emancipation of the oppressed, was a distinguished educationist, having taken up his first teaching assignment at Adams College, where he completed his Higher Teachers' Training Course.

Dayyaan's research focuses on 'A life story of a former activist in Bonteheuwel, who emulates the values of Oliver Thambo in addressing issues of non-racialism and socio-economic inequalities'. He interviewed Mr. Quentin Michaels from Bonteheuwel to highlight the impact he had in the Bonteheuwel community and verified the information by interviewing Mr. Neville van der Rheede and Ms .Charlene Edum.

Teachers are important role-players in this competition, as they guide the learners through the formal oral history research process. Ms. Pertunia Mutheiwana from Vista Nova High School presented how she introduced the process and the implementation plan of oral history to the learners.

Ms Mutheiwana explains that 'as my learners hail from a special educational needs background, it has always been imperative to make them realise that disability is not an inability hence their chances of success in all spheres of life hinges on equality'.

Ms. Dodgen concludes that 'through the competition the learners and teachers are accessing the memory of ordinary citizens. History is not only about our heroes, but also about everyday people in our communities. Their names may not appear in the history books, but they have made an immense contribution to get us where we are today'.

Congratulations to both Dayyaan Edries and Ms. Pertunia Mutheiwana on their achievement.

Media Enquiries: 

Jessica Shelver
Cell: 076 175 0663
Email: Jessica.Shelver@westerncape.gov.za