In developing confident leaders and nurturing talent, the Advancement and Alumni Relations Department, in collaboration with the Department of Co-operative Education at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), will be hosting a Talent Show at Sastri College, Durban on Saturday, 30 July 2022 from 10h00 to 14h00. This event is part of the DUT School Engagement Project that has been in existence since 2018.
According to the Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations at DUT, Mr Zwakele Ngubane, the Talent Show is intended to promote creative self-expression amongst learners as a means of developing confidence and leadership attributes. Ngubane will also attend the Talent Show where he will deliver the opening and welcome address.
“In keeping with one of the DUT ENVSION2030 Strategic Objectives of being an Engaged University and ultimately striving to Improve Lives and Livelihoods, the DUT School Engagement Project provides academic support and other life skills programmes to learners in our partner schools. The six partner schools are: Sastri College, Bechet High, Overport Secondary, Hunt Road Secondary, Durban Girls Secondary and Sparks Estate Secondary,” said Ngubane.
The Talent Show, as an integral part of this initiative, is intended to boost the morale of the learners and get them excited about life, learning and self-expression, especially after the COVID-19 related lockdowns and the recent devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal. Ngubane believes it will be exciting for the learners as they stand to win prizes to the total value of R15 000.
Highlighting the purpose of the day, the DUT School Engagement Project Manager, Ms Bérénice de La Croix, said: “The focus of the DUT School Engagement Project is to create caring educational communities where learners are inspired to discover their gifts, and to then use these gifts to benefit society. The more we celebrate the talents of our youth, the more they grow.”
The newly appointed Director of the International Centre of Nonviolence (ICON) at DUT, Professor Alain Tschudin, will deliver a keynote address at the event titled: Building Communities of Belonging. The show is in line with the DUT ENVISION2030 that highlights the important role of the University in building mutually beneficial partnerships.
30 finalists consisting of solo and group performers will be competing for the big prize of the overall winner.
Pictured: Images from the DUT School Engagement Project.
Simangele Zuma
