Revealed! The first-ever Growsmart Western Cape digital competition winners

Since 2009, the Growsmart Educational Programme, an initiative by Growthpoint Properties in collaboration with the Western Cape Department of Education, has been at the forefront of advancing education for all. This year is no different.

Growsmart started as a literacy competition for learners in grades 5, and 6 from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, and has since grown to include Mathematics, Natural Science, Story writing and Poetry, Debating and Entrepreneurship.

The COVID-19 lockdown caused major disruption in education which necessitated digital transformation globally. What was impressive during this time was the ability and agility to teach and study online. This inspired the Growsmart team to develop a “New Thinking” strategy and this year for the first time since its inception the Programme was hosted in a digital format. The results have been tremendous.

Over 17000 learners, across three provinces, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Limpopo, utilised the Growsmart online learning platform of which 2077 learners participated in the programme as contestants. Contestants completed Level 1 and Level 2 of the competition and were accessed on accuracy and time to progress to the semi-finals and finals.

The Growsmart Final competition was hosted differently this year and as a reaction to the current pandemic. Finalists competed online in a safe and controlled environment.

The results are in and Growsmart is proud to announce the 2021 competition winners are:

Literacy:

First place: Sadiyah Padayachee (Silverlea Primary)

Second place: Luca Alexander (Silverlea Primary)

Third place: Lyndell Morkel (Silverlea Primary)

Fourth place: Milani Kamva (Silverlea Primary)

Fifth place: Rowan Coetzee (Beacon View Primary)

Mathematics:

First place: Matteo Pasquallie (Northpine Primary)

Second place: Aashiq Williams (West End Primary)

Third place: Sherwin De Beer (Helderkruin Primary)

Fourth place: Mu’aawieyah Allie (West End Primary)

Fifth place: Chelsea Jackson (Bishop Lavis Primary)

Story Writing:

First place: Tania Dumbreni (Belmor Primary)

Second place: Thelma Muyengwa (Belmor Primary)

Third place: Cameron Steenkamp (Helderkruin Primary)

Fourth place: Chuma Fani (Abedare Primary)

Science:

First place: Northpine Primary

Second place: Gardenia Primary

Third place: Balvenie Primary

Debating:

First place: West End Primary

Second place: Liwa Primary

Entrepreneurship:

First place: Hoofweg Primary

Second place: Parliament Street Primary

Third Place: Belmor Primary

The winners are awarded with substantial prizes worth more than R500,000. The Growsmart team did not want to dismiss the opportunity to recognise the hard work of the learners throughout the year, however, we needed to make sure that a function would be in line with Government regulation and safety protocols. This year a prize-giving graduation was hosted. Only the winning learners and a guardian/ mentor was invited to attend where they received a certificate, medals trophies and prizes.

Jewel Harris, founder of Growsmart and General Manager of Growthpoint Properties, says:

“Congratulations to all our winners and well done to every learner who participated in the programme and utilised our online platforms this year. Growsmart is a leading example of the impacts and importance of ongoing effective public-private partnerships. It is designed to be transformative for educators and learners, but also for their families, communities and South Africa as a whole.”

The prize giving graduation took place on the 15 and 16 October at Workshop 17 in the V&A Waterfront and was attended by senior delegates from the Western Cape Education Department and Growthpoint Properties.