The Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDOE) together with the South Africa Council of Churches (SACC) has embarked on a partnership that will see the 24 Religious Heritage Schools in the Eastern Cape become centers of excellence.

On the 22-24 September 2017 a Religiuos Heritage Expo was held at St Matthews, with an aim to resurrect and restore the school to its former glory and even beyond. This is the beginning of a relationship that seeks to bring positive change in the education of the Province. Speaking during the expo, ECDoE Superintendent General, Temba Kojana highlighted the role of the Department in this partnership.The ECDoE has already begun with improvement of infrastructure as they have started refurbishing and renovating structures.“The refurbishment of hostels is also currently underway or finished in Clarkbury, Healdtown, Mt Arthur and Free Mantle. Healdtown will also benefit from an additional new R3O million hostel, the contractors are currently on site,” said Kojana.

He continued to express the eagerness and keenness of the Department to work with the Council of Churches in establishing these schools as centers and models of excellence in the Eastern Cape. “We share your zeal and commitment of ensuring that these schools, as they are restored to be models of excellence, they become beacons of hope for all our schools that are currently working very hard to restore the image of our education system”.

Preceding the main event was a visit to the memorial site of the three people who were instrumental in the establishment of St Mattews. The delegation from ECDOE and SACC led by Ebenezer Ntlali, Bishop of the Anglican Church of the Grahamstown Diocese remembered Bishop John Armstrong (Founder), Charles Taberer (Priest Builder) and Chief Socishe(Chief Benefector).Ntlali gave a brief background on the history of St Matthews and the relationship between Chief Socishe and Bishop Armstrong. It is the work done by these three stalwarts that we see the revival of St Matthews today.

Chief Solomon Nkululeko Socishe was also present to honour the work done by his great grandfather when approached by Bishop Armstrong for land, donated 698 hectares for the building of St Matthews.

This collaboration sees the beginning of great things to come in the Eastern Cape in building a society that is moral and passionate about education. “We seek to nurture wholly developed morally upright citizens who would go on to be leaders of their communities”, concluded Kojana.