Reservoir Hills Secondary School celebrates 53 years with inaugural fun walk and run

Saturday will go down as a significant day on the calendar for Reservoir Hills Secondary School in Durban as it marked the school's 53rd anniversary and the staging of an inaugural fun run/walk that drew a good response from the local community.

While the school strives to stir academic excellence, it was also on a mission to promote active participation in sport amongst its pupils, which received backing from the community and other well-wishers.

With a large crowd in attendance, there were good vibes throughout proceedings as parents, learners, and alumni joined in to make it a memorable occasion.

Teacher Ingred Persad, who has dedicated 45 years of service to the institution, articulated the importance of this fun run.

“We haven’t really done anything to celebrate the 53rd year of the school's existence, so together with Reservoir Hills' former students, we’ve organised this fun/walk run to create awareness that Reservoir Hills Secondary is still a school that you can rely on,” she stated.

Generous sponsorships bolstered the success of the event, including a donation of R10,000 from the Daily News Milk Fund, a contribution that Persad “deeply appreciated.”

She emphasised that such support was vital, particularly for schools facing resource constraints.

Another 'old boy' in attendance was retired teacher and former pupil Vijay Balram. He reflected on the ongoing need for resources at school, which included laboratory equipment, computers, and enhanced sports facilities.

“A lot of kids here are from informal settlements and urban areas, and they are the ones that need the support,” Balram said.

Balram emphasised the need for a united community: “We need to develop a community that is coming together; divergent, but at the same time, they must work together.”

The school's principal, Logis Pillai, brought to the fore some of the school's current challenges, which included the meagre R45,000 it receives annually for operational expenses that inhibit their efforts to secure essential resources.

“We don’t have any laboratory facilities; the one we have was provided 53 years ago and has not been upgraded,” Pillai lamented.

In spite of the challenges, Pillai remained steadfast in his commitment to promoting both sporting and academic excellence among pupils. Sameera Kareem, CSI manager and project coordinator of the Daily News Milk Fund, expressed her delight in supporting the initiative.

“It was truly an honour to contribute, as the school is part of the very community I call home,” she said.

Kareem hopes for further collaborative efforts to pave the way for enhanced opportunities that would benefit underprivileged pupils.

“What touched me most was the unwavering dedication shown by the teachers and alumni. Their passion for the children's growth and success is nothing short of inspiring,” she said.

DAILY NEWS