Cullinan Diamond Mine hosted the Annual Department of Education Gauteng North District Matric Awards on Friday 11 February 2022. The Class of 2021 were honoured and celebrated for excellent results despite being the class that endured two years of interrupted studies due to the Covid19 pandemic.
Cullinan Diamond Mine’s top scholarship student Raymond Mamabolo (Chipa-Tabane Secondary School), was rewarded with the CDM Top Achiever Blue Diamond Award during the ceremony. Raymond also received the award for the Top Performer for a Township School in South Africa, Top Pupil in Mathematics, Physical Science and Life Sciences and for Top Pupil in the Secondary Schools Improvement Programme (Gauteng).
Finsch Diamond Mine also celebrated Vuyo Mlungwana, a scholarship student since 2018 with achieving 6 distinctions in Setswana, English, Mathematics, Life Orientation, Engineering Graphics and Design and Physical Science. Vuyo attended the K.P. Toto Technical and Commercial High School in Batlharos, Kuruman.
Cullinan Diamond Mine donated school uniforms to children in need at Cullinan Primary and Cullinan High School. More than 350 school uniform packs, including school shoes, will be distributed at schools that fall within the CDM community to children aged between 7 and 18 years. With the financial support of the Boodles Sponsorship Programme, more children in need can be assisted through this annual initiative.
Cullinan Diamond Mine in partnership with the Maths Centre Incorporating Sciences, hosted five (5) groups of learners from Chipa Tabane (Refilwe) and Lesedi Secondary School (Donderhoek), to compete in the annual MST competition. These learners were tasked with the assignment to develop a safety system, either to address a challenging issue in mining or design a traffic control system. Through competitions like this, education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, goes beyond the transfer of knowledge. Group work and engagement with peers and mentors improve critical thinking, problem-solving, creative, and collaborative skills that fill the gap between schoolwork and preparing learners for the workplace, ultimately contributing to the economic development of South Africa through innovation and entrepreneurship.