BIC Celebrates Global Education Week in Partnership with RW Fick Secondary
BIC, a world leader in stationery, recently celebrated Global Education Week to transform learning spaces at RW Fick Secondary School in Bosmont, Johannesburg. Partnering with Bata Toughees, the company refurbished school facilities, and provided students with some of the necessary resources to attend school and perform, including writing tools and a new pair of shoes for each student.
The activity stems from BIC’s global commitment to improving learning conditions for 250 million students by 2025. In South Africa, this is translated through the company’s local Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Together We Can Make the Future Write,which speaks to the school dropout crisis in the country, reaching an alarming rate of 41%. BIC’s flagship initiative, Buy a Pen Donate a Pen, directly contributes to the CSR drive, aiming to put a pen in the hand of every student in need for every BIC pen sold. Bata Toughees joined BIC’s CSR movement to contribute towards the school dropout challenge, as a lack of resources is believed to be a major contributor to the high dropout rate.
Lillian Henderson, Marketing Director, Southern and East Africa at BIC, said, “As a leader in stationery, and a responsible corporate citizen, we are committed to leveraging our product portfolio to support the communities in which we operate. Our dedication to education runs throughout the year driven by our Buy a Pen Donate a Pen programme which has resulted in equipping millions of students with the necessary writing tools to achieve academic performance. Using writing tools has tremendous benefits including enhancing cognitive development, retaining information, and encouraging self-expression. Global Education Week is one of the many milestones that we commemorate throughout the year as part of our commitment to education.”
Trevor Mkhize, Brand Manager for Bata Toughees said: “Our partnership with BIC this year has been remarkable. It’s refreshing to collaborate with like-minded individuals and organisations to contribute towards a crucial challenge facing the nation, and it is a testament to our Bata Children’s programme that is deeply invested in the well-being and development of children. By proactively joining forces as a private sector, we can help shape the future of tomorrow and set the foundations for generations to come.”
RW Fick Secondary School received resources that helped equip its classrooms with the necessary tools to enhance students’ learning journey. The refurbished school facilities, including common areas, will contribute towards creating an inspiring environment for learners.
Simon Mlambo, RW Fick Secondary School’s Principal, said: “It has been heartwarming to feel the commitment of the BIC team and witness their hard work to improve our school facilities for our next generation. BIC truly cares about the youth of our nation, contributing and volunteering their time towards making learning facilities a motivational and beautiful space for our students. The donations of the writing tools by BIC and the shoes by Bata Toughees really go a long way.”
In 2018, BIC launched its sustainable development programme, Writing the Future Together, which aims to enhance the company’s societal and environmental footprint. Education is one of the programme’s key pillars. In South Africa, the commitment towards education is tailored around the company’s CSR initiative tackling school dropout rates and sparking behavioural change in that space. Buy a Pen Donate a Pen remains the flagship initiative in South Africa which was launched in 2012 and has resulted in the donation of over 16 million writing tools to students in need. To learn more about BIC South Africa’s commitment to education and to join the movement, click here.
Each year, BIC reaffirms its commitment to education. With initiatives like Global Education Week, BIC is helping to create a lasting legacy that extends well beyond the classroom walls.
