Passing Out Parade held for Ulundi Aviation Awareness graduates
Date: 14 December 2019
By Dean Wingrin
Proud learners of the South African Air Force’s (SAAF) Aviation Awareness Programme Summer Camp in the Ulundi area held a Passing Out Parade on Friday 13 December 2019. This was the largest Aviation Awareness Camp held by the SAAF to date.
In collaboration with the Department of Education, the main aim of the aviation camp is to expose the youth to “a new world of endless possibilities, a world of aviation and discipline.”
Officiated by the Chief of the Air Force, Lieutenant-General Fabian Msimang, the Parade is the culmination of a two week programme which exposed 720 learners (406 girls and 318 boys) to maths and science, showing how these subjects relate to their day to day lives. Learners were given lessons in discipline, aviation awareness and exposure to flying simulators. Others had an opportunity to fly in airforce helicopters.
Msimang noted how many of the learners were not aware of the existence of pilots, technicians or engineers from their communities.
“We are here to extend hope and access on how to get there,” he said in his speech, “I am reliably told that the motivation levels and the love for aviation have since increased.”
Other civic education activities included lessons in patriotism and being an outstanding citizen. There was also dedicated awareness lessons on sexual exploitation and abuse, together with a career exhibition.
Feedback from various provincial education departments have indicated that learners who have gone through the SAAF aviation awareness camp tend to be more confident, have a positive influence on their peers and show overall improvement in their studies.
Addressing the learners, Msimang told them that they had “now received your toolkit to serve as responsible members of the community, you must be exemplary in respect to discipline, honour and integrity. Henceforth, you now have a moral obligation to provide quality leadership to your peers.”
The learners should have respect for themselves, their bodies and learn the art of self-discipline.
The Ulundi Summer Camp was hosted by his Majesty the King, the SAAF and the Department of Education and partners from the industry being ARMSCOR, SAAB and the Civil Aviation Authority of South Africa.
