By Lebone Rodah Mosima
Mpumalanga’s cleanest school will receive more than R200,000 this year as the provincial education department relaunches a campaign aimed at improving school safety, cleanliness, infrastructure, and community ownership.
Education MEC Lindi Masina announced the prize on Tuesday during the launch of the 2026 Rhandza Xikolo Xa Wena Campaign at Mahhushe Agricultural Secondary School in Nkomazi.
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“This year, the winning school will receive prize money exceeding R200,000, as part of our commitment to incentivise excellence and promote sustainable school environments,” Masina said.
The prize will be awarded through the 2026 Cleanest School Competition, which will follow district activations across Mpumalanga later this month. Each of the province’s 71 circuit managers will be expected to submit one school per circuit to their district by 30 June.
Districts will then adjudicate the entries and submit one winning school each to represent them at provincial level. The provincial winner will be announced in September, aligned with International Clean-up Day celebrations.
Masina said the campaign was intended to do more than encourage schools to clean their premises.
“This campaign goes beyond infrastructure and cleanliness. It is about instilling pride, reinforcing values, strengthening accountability and building a culture of excellence within our schooling system,” Masina said.
She said the objectives of the campaign included improving teaching and learning surroundings, promoting “safe, disciplined, and drug-free school environments”, encouraging the planting of vegetable gardens and enhancing food sustainability through education.
The campaign is being driven through partnerships with the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs, Correctional Services, municipalities, non-governmental organisations, the private sector, school governing bodies and learner formations.
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Masina said schools should be seen as community assets, not only as government institutions.
“The Rhandza Xikolo Xa Wena Campaign must continue to inspire every one of us to take full responsibility for our schools and, by extension, the future of our beautiful province – Mpumalanga,” she said.
She said communities had to take a direct role in protecting and developing schools.
“We have joined hands across sectors to mobilise our communities to become the first line of defence in protecting and developing our schools,” Masina said.
The district activations are scheduled for 19 May in Nkangala, 22 May in Gert Sibande, 26 May in Ehlanzeni and 27 May in Bohlabela.
Masina urged schools to embrace the campaign with “innovation, commitment, and inclusivity” and to involve parents, learners, school governing bodies, traditional leaders, churches, businesses and civil society.
“We remain resolute in our belief that when a community protects its school, it protects its future and when a community invests in education, it invests in its own prosperity,” Masina said.
