By: Njabulo Ndlovu and Kwazi Dlamini

First year students killed two birds with one stone as the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching hosted an ‘edutainment’ event for them at Fred Crookes Sports Centre on Friday.

The event was titled, First Year Student Experience and  its main purpose is to assist first year students to properly adjust to the tertiary environment.

The event was both informative and entertaining, thus dubbed edutainment. Professors gave first year students words of encouragement through their speeches.

Lungisani Mavundla from Ukhozi FM is the Project Manager and was one of the MC’s at the event with Bheka Mchunu his co-host, also from Ukhozi FM. Mavundla reiterated that the event aimed at making things easier for first year students.

“We want to assist first year students to properly adjust to the tertiary environment because you never know what makes students not to perform, said Mavundla.

“There are other issues that affect students so today we wanted to show students the facilities that we have here at DUT and how we can assist them with those facilities.”

Mavundla added that students really struggle during their first year of studies.

They want to belong and they end up doing things that will destroy their future. However, he believes that students learnt a lot from the event which will now take place annually.

“The event went well because the purpose was to convey a message on how students should behave when they arrive at tertiary, it is very easy(sic) for them to get hooked to bad things so it is important that we pass the message now. The message from Zakes Bantwini was on top because young people get lost in this entertainment thing,” added Mavundla.

During his performance, Zakes Bantwini dedicated his few minutes to giving words of encouragement.

He said that for some students they are the only hope for their families- they are their ticket to a better life.

Bantwini concluded by saying that first year students must do what they came to DUT to do, and that is studying.

The event was also sponsored by the Student Representative Council (SRC) which also stated its concerns regarding first year students’ problems. Students were told to feel welcome and that the SRC was there whenever they needed help.

Khethiwe Tembe, a first year student said that she was excited because she got to see Zakes Bantwini perform live, and she was also happy because of the words of encouragement from the guests.

“I really had a good time, and the words by the guests, and the SRC found a place in my heart. I feel sad for the first years who missed this event because I learnt a lot,” said Tembe.