20 / 36
18
M U T
S P I R I T
/ /
J A N U A R Y - M A R C H 2 0 2 0
A key aspect of MUT’s Strategy 2025 is its goal of
entrenching itself as an anchor in the community of Umlazi,
in order to develop the township. Playing a key role in
this is the annual Circle of Excellence (COE) awards, a
prestigious event through which the University recognises
and encourages the top-performing Umlazi Township high
schools based on their Grade 12 results in the previous
year. By extension, the COE awards also affirm the hard
work and dedication of the teachers. Zama Sishi, Director of
Stakeholder Relations in the University’s Department of Marketing and Communications,
said the event sends a strong message that the toil of teachers to transform society
through education is not in vain, and that the University cares about the schools. “We are
proud to be offering the Circle of Excellence awards for the seventh time this year. It is
encouraging to see that our township schools have embraced the spirit of competition in
pursuit of excellence,” said Sishi.
MUT anchors the community
2020 Circle of Excellence awards reinforce MUT Anchor
Strategy – and Umalusi takes note
MUT STRATEGY 2025 IN ACTION:
Excellence in community
engagement
(Goal 3)
Over the years the COE has grown in stature to the
point that it features strongly in the calendar of the
University and the schools themselves. From the
time it was initiated, the COE has served as a strong
link between the schools and the University. The
underlying philosophy is that there should not be any
gulf between high school education and university
education; the two systems must be joined. The COE
has helped to close this gap, thanks to the sterling
leadership of the Department of Marketing and
Communications, which drives the COE every year.
The noble role of the COE in both the school and
university systems has been highlighted by the support
the event has enjoyed from the local Department of
Education since its inception. This support has given
the event the image that it deserves, and over the
years it has attracted the attention of some major
players in the education sector. In 2020 it was attended
by none other than Dr Mafu Rakometsi, the Chief
Executive Officer of Umalusi, the quality assurance
body for General and Further Education and Training.
Dr Rakometsi said he was “truly humbled” by being
Dr Mafu Rakometsi at the COE