Modern schools to improve education in townships

© Yuliya Shangareeva – 123RF.com

He said this at the official handover of the newly built Soshanguve East Secondary School in Pretoria on Sunday, 5 March 2017.

MEC Lesufi said the provision of schools with modern facilities will also have an economic impact and assist to stimulate the township economy.

“Our learners will get quality education where they reside. We are prioritising township education because we do not want our people to be exposed to technology or experience utilisation of tablets and computers for the first time at university.”

The official handover was convened by Gauteng Infrastructure Development MEC Jacob Mambolo. The school is located in the Northern Development Corridor of Tshwane and it caters for approximately 1,200 learners from Grade 8 to Grade 12.

More than R105 million was invested in building the state-of-the-art school. The Gauteng Education Department said a total of 185 jobs were created through the construction of the school, and about 14 local sub-contractors were appointed.

The school has a total of 30 classrooms, two Science laboratories, two multi-purpose rooms, one computer laboratory, Information Technology control room, library, nutrition centre with dining hall, school hall, concrete palisade fence, covered walkways, sports facility, soccer and rugby field, combi courts, and a plant room.

This is also a green school with roof insulation which reduces energy loss from the buildings and glazing that maximises natural light into the building and reduces energy loss from the building. There is also energy saving lighting; rainwater harvesting; landscaping; insulated walls for heat conservation and soundproofing and a 120m3 underground rainwater harvesting tank.

The department said it is striving to open one new modern school every month until 2019.

MEC Mamabolo encouraged the community of Soshanguve to protect the school against any vandalism.

“This is your school. You, the community of Soshanguve, have a responsibility to protect the school and promote the smooth education of our children. Should we ever hear that the school was burnt down, we will not build you another one,” he said.

This was the fourth school to be opened in the province since July 2016. The other schools were Garankuwa Primary School, Nellmapius Secondary School, Bophelong New Secondary School and the Nomzamo Madikizela Mandela Primary School.