Call to join in ‘rebuilding broken walls of education’ in Eastern Cape

Teachers, parents, and members of the community who want to participate in an initiative to “rebuild the broken walls of education” in the Eastern Cape are invited to join the Eastern Cape Christian Educators Forum (ECCEF) says visionary chairperson Nikiwe Apenteng.

The forum was launched in January last year to address serious challenges in the education sector in the Eastern Cape that were highlighted during a series of educational seminars led by Pastor Segun Olanipekun, CEO of the Institute for Christian Leadership Development.

 Apenteng says the main purpose of the ECCEF is to restore God in the education sector. Everybody who has a burden for the sector is invited to join the forum by contacting her at 061 447 0393 or eccefrsa@gmail.com or by connecting through the Eastern Cape Christian Educators Forum Facebook page.

She says challenges in the sector include rebellion among learners, alcohol and substance abuse in schools, bullying and violence, lack of community involvement, low teacher morale and an exodus of teachers, sexual immorality and teenage pregnancy, low academic performance, lack of infrastructure and Illumanati.

A wife and mother of three sons, and an intercessor and prophetesss at Community Church in Bisho, she said that in 2010 God began to show her many challenges facing South Africa because the nation had shifted away from Him. She also realised that she was called to do something about the challenges.

That year, with a growing hunger for God and to equip herself to follow her calling she enrolled for courses on transforming nations by Prof Vincent Amigbogu of the Institute for National Transformation.

She said that reading a book, The state of Africa by Martin Meredith, about the history of African nations after 50 years of independence, pointed to more challenges facing SA.

“At first I was so demotivated by the book but after some time I told myself that South Africa is not going there,” she said.

In 2011 she attended History Makers Training with Pastor Sunday Adelaja in Ukraine.

“That is where I saw the Church operating in her purpose. I saw Matthew 28:19 & 20 manifesting in every domain of our society. I knew that I caught the spirit. When I came back, I was a different person. I was no longer a child of God, I was a son of the Kingdom of God.

In late 2011 Apenteng joined a team that was involved in matric exam camps with different schools. From there she led an initiative to adopt two dysfunctional schools in the King William’s Town area. She said by the grace of God the schools were turned around.

In 2017 she decided to resign from the Department of Agriculture where she had served for 22 years as a technician, scientist and manager, to focus on ministry. She registered a non profit company, Deborah Community Upliftment (DCU) in 2017 to restore and equip young people in the Eastern Cape. Current projects include carpentry workshops which require trainees to start businesses and undergo mentoring. Next year the foundation plans to introduce other skills like agriculture, sewing and designing. The workshops and businesses all have a biblical foundation.