Learning and teaching at Mphaphuli Secondary School near Thohoyandou will change for the better, after the school’s boys soccer team won a mobile library in the recent Express Store soccer tournament.

The school won a mobile library to the value of R60 000, some 250 educational books, soccer kits and a trophy.

The principal, Mr Lufuno Mulaudzi, was over the moon with the prize. “We believe learning and teaching at our school will change for the better. The school received good books, written in simple language that even Grade 8 pupils can read and understand. The books will improve the usage of the English language for our pupils,” said Mulaudzi.

According to him, although his school’s building is old and dilapidated, they are usually not performing well in sporting codes such as soccer, netball and basketball. However, at academic level, the pupils are excelling, especially the Grade 12s.

The manager of Express Stores in Limpopo, Mr William Pretorius, said it was his company’s policy to plough back into people who were doing business with them and also to invest in the future of pupils, as they are future leaders. He said apart from hosting the soccer tournament, his company also catered for the disabled.

The captain of Mphaphuli’s soccer team, Rendani Nyadzani, said the Express Store soccer tournament helped them to unearth their talent and he hoped some of the boys would eventually play for professional teams.