More than a quiz: Harmony Grade 7 learners show determination

For the Grade 7 learners of Harmony Primary School, the 10th Phendulani Literacy Quiz was about more than winning. It was an opportunity to challenge themselves, take responsibility for their learning and discover what determination can achieve.

Last year’s winners returned to the competition despite the demands of their final primary-school year. Balancing prefect duties, assignments and mountains of schoolwork, the girls insisted on competing alongside their younger Grade 6 peers.

With limited time for organised preparation, they took responsibility for their own reading, worked through 12 prescribed books and practised together, drawing on the experience gained from the previous year.

Their efforts paid off when they secured fourth place with 33 out of 40 marks, finishing just half a point outside the top three.

“During the weeks preparing for this competition we were practising on our own, not knowing that we would come in the top four with 33/40,” said Grade 7 learner Zayaan Wippenaar. “Even though we had prefect duties, assignments and mountains of work to do, we pushed through and insisted on competing with our Grade 6 peers.”

For Imra Orrie, one of the highlights was working with the younger learners. She said she was incredibly proud of them for filling the first-place position.

The Grade 7s also learnt valuable lessons about accountability, problem-solving and maturity. Their experience showed that success is not always about coming first, but about persevering through challenges and taking ownership of the journey.

Meanwhile, Harmony’s Grade 6 Team 1 continued the school’s winning tradition, securing first place for the second consecutive year. Guided by dedicated volunteers through the Homework Enrichment Lifeskills Programme (HELP), the learners had spent two terms preparing by reading the 12 prescribed books.

Together, the two teams demonstrated the value of reading, teamwork and resilience.

The Phendulani Literacy Quiz challenged learners from nine schools to put their knowledge to the test. For Harmony’s Grade 7 girls, however, the greatest achievement may have been discovering that, even under pressure, they could rise to the challenge and see it through.