
When pupils finish exams, they gather for what they call “pens-down” parties but this time they are encouraged not to.
The Mpumalanga education department has asked all learners who will be finishing their exams in no time to refrain from parties that have the possibility to derail their bright future.
The MEC for the department said these “pens-down” parties often lead to very tragic incidents and instructions have been sent to secondary schools principals to discourage such parties.
“To this effect, we are making a clarion call to candidates to remain focused and to desist from participating in pens-down parties,” Reginah Mhaule, the MEC, said.

“We request parents be alert and monitor the movement of their children and discourage them from participating in such acts since they have the potential to rob our children of their bright future,” she said.
“Equally, our children need to know that there are more important things in life. There are people who lost everything because of these activities. It is based on that experience that we are issuing this warning,” Mhaule said.
(edited by MLM)
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