Dear Parents, Staff and Friends
Condolences
I would like to begin by expressing our condolences to Mrs Busi Matsito who recently lost her son. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family.
Grade 9 Parents Evening
We recently held a very informative Grade 9 Parents evening to enlighten our Grade 9 Parents on topics relating to the subject choices for 2022. The evening was very well supported and I would like to thank the parents who made the effort to attend. I must also extend thanks to Mrs Schroder, Mrs Neethling and Mr Nkomo who were in attendance at the function.
Uniform Reminder
I would like to remind parents of the uniform requirements for term 4.
From the beginning of term 4 we will be returning to the wearing of the full school uniforms for Grades 4 to 6 and for Grades 8 to 11. Grade 7 must wear a tracksuit top or a school shirt identifying them as learners at the school. Grade 12 learners must wear the matric jackets to identify them as learners at the school.
Foundation Phase learners will continue as is whilst we await stock of uniform items.
Assessment Program
Our examination sessions are well under way and we wish all the learners the best of luck in their efforts over the next few weeks. Please make sure your child/children spend time preparing for these assessments
Re-registration for 2022.
Please refer to the message regarding the re-registration of learners for 2022. Space is limited and we need to plan accordingly
Covid Update
We are part of a group of like-minded principals in the greater Limpopo region. We support each other and our respective schools. To this end we believe that there is an even greater need to mitigate against the Covid pandemic as we face the threat of a fourth wave. Statistics show that our current rate and history of infections is remains alarming.
Number of new daily coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in South Africa as of August 4, 2021
Stephen Lowery at Mitchell College drafted a document to this effect and encouraged us to adopt, adapt and share it on a wider platform.
We are aware there is some C19 vaccine hesitancy amongst the MECS community. As a teaching and learning community we are strong advocates of the dissemination of true and accurate information that is based on the scientific method of investigation and research. Our educational philosophy is to train our learners to apply reason and critical thinking to all they encounter, based on the scientific method whether applied in the sciences, languages, arts and culture or humanities. We trust the families that have chosen MECS have the same high expectations of learning and knowledge that we do.
Plague and pestilence are part of life for every living organism, and no less in human history. The bubonic plague in Europe in the 1350s killed 25% of the population. Smallpox imported to the Americas by European colonizers, wiped out most of the indigenous population (some estimates put it as high as 90%), within a few decades, because the populations had no natural immunity to the disease. “One of history’s deadliest diseases, smallpox is estimated to have killed more than 300 million people since 1900 alone. But a massive global vaccination campaign put an end to the disease in 1977—making it the first disease ever eradicated.”[1]. Both of these plagues and many other dangerous ailments (polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, rubella, Hib, mumps, rotavirus measles[2]) are now seldom even heard of and no longer a daily threat due to vaccination. I am sure some of the older members of our community remember someone who experienced one of these diseases.
It is our duty and responsibility to share accurate information regarding Covid 19 vaccinations for a few key reasons:
- The vaccination is the only effective way we have of protecting ourselves, our loved ones and all those we come into contact with. It is not an exaggeration to state that by not getting vaccinated we increase our own chances of sickening, and of causing the suffering or death of another. For future amelioration of symptoms, vaccination is more effective than contracting and recovering from the disease.
- Even without getting seriously sick, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome or “long covid” is now recognized as an unexpected chronic multi-organ disease.[3]
- As a nation we have to achieve herd immunity. This will only happen once 60 to 75% of the population are vaccinated. If we do not achieve this the economic devastation will only increase and “hunger and deprivation” unrest will become endemic.
- Despite some inaccurate social media information, the very slight side-effects experienced by some who have received the vaccination are very insignificant in comparison to the continued social devastation caused by the pandemic. Those few and very limited side effects cannot in any way be compared with the illness, hospitalisation, death, loss of jobs and general economic devastation caused by Covid 19.
It is important that the school and all its stakeholders join the national effort to disseminate as much accurate information as possible regarding the Covid 19 and vaccinations. We appeal to all in our community to be involved in encouraging family, friends and all you interact with to get themselves and their loved ones vaccinated.
To that end we include a number of resources below. Please feel free to use this information as needed. Please contact the Principal for any further information.
Warmest Regards
Brian Dawson
principal@mecschool.co.za
[1] https://www.amnh.org/explore/science-topics/disease-eradication/countdown-to-zero/smallpox, Countdown to Zero, the American Museum of Natural History.
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/diseases/forgot-14-diseases.html
[3] Nalbandian, A., Sehgal, K., Gupta, A. et al. Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome. Nat Med 27, 601–615 (2021).
