Rustenburg Girls’ High School staff, pupils and alumni celebrated the school’s 130th birthday last week with a special assembly, alumni lunch and school carnival.
Past pupils from as far back as 1947 reunited for the annual birthday assembly, and the school welcomed back past principals Mary van Blerk (1991-1999), Dr Elizabeth Fullard (1999-2006) and Laura Bekker (2008-2015). Actress and goodwill ambassador Hlubi Mboya-Arnold was the guest speaker at her old school.
Founded in 1894, the school, known as Rondebosch Girls’ High School Rustenburg, opened with 76 pupils, including seven boarders and 11 boys, and it included boys into the 1940s, despite efforts by authorities to channel boys to the Rondebosch Boys’ High School.
By 1921, talks for a new site for the high school had started due to the growing demand, and by July 1932, the move had started. At the time, the school acknowledged the need for division between the primary and high schools, but the two would remain parts of a whole, a younger and elder sister of one family.
Once the new building was erected, 311 pupils moved over to the new high school for grades 7 to 12, leaving behind 400 pupils in the junior school.
During apartheid, admission to Rustenburg was limited to white pupils. The school, however, was a member of the Open Schools Association, which lobbied for schools to be open to all pupils. By January 1991, the school had opened to all races and nationalities.
While the façade of the school has remained unchanged over the years, new classrooms have been added as well as a dedicated music block, the new school hall and a new foyer, a maths and physical science building and a hockey AstroTurf.
The school now recycles close to 100% of all its waste and is self-sustaining as far as its water supply is concerned. In 2019, it introduced iPads in the classrooms.
In 2020, the school updated its vision and mission statement to foster a more inclusive environment, and the school song was re-written with a new melody composed in 2021. The whole school sang the new school song for the first time at the 128th birthday celebrations in February 2022.
Ms Mboya-Arnolds fondly recalled her time at the school, saying it was where she had found her passion for the arts. Coming from Langa, she said, her parents had prioritised education and made it possible for her to attend the school.
“Do not take your journey at Rustenburg lightly as this is the start of your journey. Find a mentor, discover your passions, be prepared and have a teachable spirit,” she said.
Principal Michael Gates said: “Over the past few years, we have seen a significant increase in the ‘happiness’ factor while still maintaining academic standards. We want to be a school that grows confident women who take on the world as leaders in their fields. Participation in sports, cultural, and outreach activities is encouraged, as this helps provide a good work-life balance.”
The school also handed out long-service awards to staff as well as its Diamond Jubilee and Palmam Meruit awards and the Dux Scholar Award.
