Brave laaities who started school on Wednesday traded their trane for swift goodbyes as they settled into their classrooms at Cape Flats schools.
While a small group of children were seen shedding hartseer tears, many who started their first day at school could not contain their excitement, as they made their way through the gates and waved goodbye to their anxious parents.
“Teacher, please, I just want to see my mommy one more time, then I will stop crying.”
“I want to go home to my daddy, I don't like school!”
“I have a cough, I must go home,” these are some of the excuses overheard in the classrooms as bright fresh-faced learners embarked on their schooling journey.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) confirmed that 1.2 million learners started the year in public schools on Wednesday, including 93 000 Grade 1s and 98 000 Grade 8s.
Premier Alan Winde joined the WCED at their visit to Westcott Primary School where a special appeal to parents, saying: “We encourage parents to play an active role in the life of their child’s school and support the work of our teachers.
“We have already placed around 120 000 Grade 1 and 8 learners, and we will continue our efforts to place the remaining learners seeking places at our schools, including the extremely late applicants arriving at our district offices daily.
“To all our Grade 1s, this is the start of an exciting journey. It is all right to be a little nervous.
“Take it all in your stride and do your best. To all our learners, take pride in your schools, and respect one another and your teachers.”
Five-year-old Kayleigh Petersen, who started her schooling journey in the northern suburbs smiled from ear to ear as she stepped into big school.
The meisie says: “I am happy to have new friends that I can play with and colour in with.
Five-year-old Cairo Ruiters from Mitchells Plain could hardly wait to get into his classroom, carrying a bag half his size, he said: “I am excited to be at school, because we will learn and play and there will be no sleep time like at creche.”
Six-year-old Buhle Tswanya said she was so excited to start school that she couldn’t sleep the night before.
“I am very excited and I love my new uniform,” she said while holding onto her emotional mom.
Little Akahlulwa James from Khayelitsha was happy when she arrived but burst into tears as her mother said goodbye.
Six-year-old twins Qasim and Qiyam Halim, from Mitchells Plain who want to be “army men” when they are older, strutted into their class with confidence.
“We are big boys now, we are no more babies,” the twins agreed with one another.
Six-year-old Tarah Jantjies, from the Southern Suburbs walked into her classroom with confidence as she told the Daily Voice she wants to become an “artist person.”
dailyvoice@inl.co.za