The city was abuzz as children across Germiston took their seats behind their desks and kick-started the new academic year, on Wednesday.
Children were eager to start learning and staff ready to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.
Tears of joy and a few of sorrow were also shed as new Grade Ones started their school careers.
For the most part it was smooth sailing as schools were well prepared.
The GCN chatted to some of the city’s principals to see how the first day of school went.
“Our first day was very busy, but very good,” said Afrikaanse Hoërskool Germiston’s principal Retha du Toit.
“We welcomed 189 Grade Eights to the school, the most we have ever had, and are still expecting more.
“We are ready to get the year started.”
“We hosted our orientation a week before school started so we were able to start classes straight away on our first official day of school,” said Neville Workman, principal of Assumption Convent.
“Though we did have the normal first day stresses, we were able to handle any problems that presented themselves easily and without hassle.”
Deputy principal of Dawnview High School, Tommy Stoltz said the first day back went very well, with the students all in class and working.
“We are ready for the new academic year,” he said.
“Our first day back went very well,” said Renee Goosen, deputy principal of Germiston High School.
“The day started with a visit from a pastor who offered the students encouragement for the year ahead.
“The Grade Eights also wrote their first sets of assessments on their first day.
“We are very happy with how the year has started.”
Jannie Jordaan, principal of Hoërskool Vryburger High School, said that the school’s first day ran smoothly.
“We had the students sorted and in their classes and started handing out text books all on the first day.
“We are ready for the new year and look forward to getting classes underway,” he said.
Rondebult Secondary School’s secretary, Ina Templeman, said the first day back went very well, with no hassles and nothing they couldn’t handle.
Sizwe Secondary School’s acting principal, Aaron Nkambule, said: “Everything went well except that we are faced with a challenge due to the fact that three of our teachers handed in their resignations.”
Germiston South Primary School also got off to a good start.
“We held our orientation day, the day before and all the rules and activities of the school were explained to parents and new pupils,” said Lanette Fouché, principal of the school.
“Our parents are very enthusiastic, which is very good.”
Laerskool Delville kick-started their year well.
Adriaan Fourie, the principal of the school, said: “It was wonderful.
“Everyone was settled in quickly as we had done our preparation thoroughly beforehand.”
Eric Roux, principal of Alston Primary School, echoed these sentiments and said that their Grade Ones had already started on Monday and Tuesday, so that by the time the official first day came they were settled.
“We took in a record number of Grade Ones this year, a total of 320,” he said.
Galway Primary School’s principal, Riëtte van den Berg, also said their school had experienced no problems.
“This was one of the best starts to the school year we have ever had,” she said.
Ithembelihle Lsen School also had a good start.
Principal Leonor Ngozi said that everything was going well and classes were on track.
“Our day is running smoothly, our teachers and students are ready for the year ahead,” said Sunnyridge Primary School principal Marianna Odendaal.
“We have a lot of students but are able to cope with the numbers.”
The only problem the school had to deal with was the unexpected arrival of children from different schools.
“There was a mix-up with their transport and they were mistakenly dropped off at our school but we made arrangements to take them to their own schools,” Odendaal explained.
It’s a new year, filled with new challenges for Laerskool Oosterkruin.
The school welcomed a host of new pupils including its first English Grade One class.
Laerskool Elsburg’s principal, Marius van Rensburg, said: “Everything went very well and ran smoothly.
“The orientation held the day before helped Grade One pupils to familiarise themselves with the facilities.”
Eunice Stockton, deputy principal of Colin Mann School, told the GCN that everything went well.
“We had a funny incident where the door of Sandrisha Govender’s class would not open.
“It was also her first day with us, so the children had to go play while the door was opened.”
The schools are all looking forward to a great academic year.
Colin Mann Primary School Grade One teacher, Geraldene James, and her class just before going to their new classroom.
All smiles: Tanya De Matos and her Grade One class, from Colin Mann Primary School, were eager to start their first day of school.
Colin Mann Primary School’s Grade One pupils in Candice Hannah’s class confidently show which grade they are in.
Tarryn Millward and her Grade One class, from Colin Mann Primary School, show no fear on their first day of school.
Diandri Oosthuizen (6) was excited and eager to start Grade One at Laerskool Oosterkruin on Wednesday.
Laerskool Die President eerste dag.
Die eerste saal opening is Woensdag by die Laerskool Die President gehou.
Noludho Shabalala (links), Trinity Wessels, Winston Yeh en El Jerome van der Westhuizen het Woensdag vinning vriende gemaak op hulle eerste dag in graad een by die Laerskool Die President.
Graad eens by die Laerskool Die President is reg om te leer.
Laerskool Die President tweeling Shane en Mariska Beytell kon nie wag om Woensdag na die “groot skool” te gaan nie.
Tweeling Lizaan en Theo Potgieter het Woensdag baie uitgesien na hulle eerste dag in graad een by die Laerskool Die President.
Louise van Vuuren, die grondslagfase departmentshoof en ’n graad een onderwyseress aan die Laerskool Delville, en haar klas, was bly om Woensdag by die skool te wees en gereed om te leer.
Bernice Barnard (6, links) en Liebrus Swiegers (6) het breed geglimlag op hul eerste dag in graad een, by die Laerskool Delville.
New Grade Ones Adriana Cunningham (left) and Nicole Kriel strike a cheeky pose on their first day at Laerskool Oosterkruin, on Wednesday.
Suzel Spies, a Grade One teacher at Laerskool Oosterkruin, welcomed her new class to the school on Wednesday.
AJ van Tonder (left) and Thabiso Dlamini were excited to start their first day of Grade One. The two are part of Laerskool Oosterkruin’s first English class.
Twins Justin and Tamsin Pretorius started their school career on Wednesday at Laerskool Oosterkruin.
Tumelo Morena (left) and Zackary Moonsamy were part of a Laerskool Oosterkruin milestone as the school welcomed their first English Grade One class to the school on Wednesday.
Among the Grade Ones welcomed to Laerskool Oosterkruin on Wednesday were Milandrie Broodryk (left) and Jayden Cilmaney.
Shy Monique Pretorius (left) and Diandri Oosthuizen were excited to start their first day of school on Wednesday at Laerskool Oosterkruin.
Laerskool Oosterkruin teacher Carina Borstlap was thrilled to welcome her new Grade One class to school on Wednesday.
Aiden Booysen and Tian van Schaik were eager to have their photo taken on their first day of Grade One at Laerskool Oosterkruin, on Wednesday.
Nerissa Myburgh.
Jordan Arendse (8).
Marcelina Muccosse (left) and Sasha Mukwekwezeke started their school careers at Sunnyridge Primary School on Wednesday. The girls were excited to have their first professional school photo as Grade Ones taken.
Grade One teacher at Sunnyridge Primary School, Lindsay Thomson, smiles with her new class.
Rourke Smith waits to have his first school photo taken, at Sunnyridge Primary School, on Wednesday.
Sunnyridge Primary School welcomed their new year of Grade Ones on Wednesday. Bohang Molepo (left) and Twané Moore were among the students excited to start their first year of big school.
Trishaun Sathiaseelan (left) and Charles Shaw smile excitedly while they wait for their first school photo as Grade Ones at Sunnyridge Primary School, on Wednesday.
Sunnyridge Primary School teacher, Natalie Muller, happily poses with her new Grade One class.
Khumo Ngoetjana (back) peeps out from behind Keisha Nell as they stand in line. The two started their first day of Grade One, on Wednesday, at Sunnyridge Primary School.
New Grade Ones at Sunnyridge Primary School, Toni Lee Hill (left) and Zylin Fasin, smile sweetly together.
Teaching assistant Haseenah Cassim (left) and Sunnyridge Primary School teacher, Susan Esterhuizen, were eager to get started with their new Grade One students.
Pride (left), Prudence, Princess and Prince Kachongo are ready for school.
Laerskool Elsburg’s Malerato (left) and Lerato Mokoena (6) are the twins in Mari Prinsloo’s Grade One class.
Laerskool Elsburg’s Grade One group has seven sets of twins. They included, Reatlegile (left) and Reatile Mamaila (6).
Amuhelo (left) and Kamuhelo Pule (7) are among the identical twins starting their school career at Laerskool Elsburg.
Lealin (left) and Leezahn Fesasie (6) joined the six sets of twins starting big school at Laerskool Elsburg.
Humphrey (left) and Henry Kanyenga (5) were excited to start Grade One at Laerskool Elsburg.
Laerskool Elsburg has seven sets of twins kicking-off their school career. Back, from left; Humphrey and Henry Kanyenga (5), Blessing and Brian Chapfunga (6), Amuhelo and Kamuhelo Pule (7) and Malerato and Lerato Mokoena (6). Front: Jo-Jo and Jade Craven (5), Lealin and Leezahn Fesasie (6) and Reatlegile and Reatile Mamaila (6).
Jo-Jo (left) and Jade Craven (5) were among the Grade One twins at Laerskool Elsburg.
Blessing (left) and Brian Chapfunga (6) were another set of twins thrilled to start Grade One at Laerskool Elsburg.
Fun and learning were the order of the day for Mari Prinsloo and her Grade One pupils, from Laerskool Elsburg on their first day of school.
It was all smiles from Germiston South Primary School pupils Tendai Motinyodne (6, left) and Kgothatso Sefunie (6) as they settled into class, on Wednesday.
Getting to know one another on the first day of Grade One at Germiston South Primary School are Manabile Mankane (6) and Sinethemba Mazibuko (6).
Jennifer Pillay and her Grade One class at Germiston South Primary School were thrilled to be starting to learn, on Wednesday.
Feroza Abdullah’s Grade One class at Germiston South Primary School shows how excited they are to be at school, on Wednesday.
Ongama Mnyamana (6, left) and Buhle Mbatha (6) from Germiston South Primary School couldn’t wait to start learning on their first day of Grade One in Feroza Abdullah’s class, on Wednesday.
Assumption Convent School welcomed its new Grade Ones, last Tuesday. The girls were all smiles and very few tears were shed. The pupils in Janet Brown’s class couldn’t wait to get started with “big school”.
Tina Toi and her Grade One class were all smiles on the first day of school at Assumption Convent, last Tuesday. The little ones were excited to start learning new things.
