Eight schools set for revamp
Peeling paint, broken windows and damaged toilets will soon be a thing of past for eight Port Elizabeth schools that recently earned the stake of R120,000 from Cashbuild through its Art-at-Heart competition.
The new school year is set to be a memorable one as pupils from eight primary schools will return to their newly revamped classrooms, courtesy of their artistic peers who were announced as winners during the launch of the new Cashbuild store in Njoli Square last week.
Pupils from each participating school submitted their best artwork to Cashbuild.
It was displayed at the ceremony and will remain on display in the Cashbuild store for the next six years.
Since the Art-at-Heart campaign was launched 17 years ago, Cashbuild has helped more than 3,000 needy schools in Southern Africa, with building materials worth more than R38m.
The most recent winners included Daniels Public Primary School (Zwide), Mzomtsha Primary (Kwazakhele), Aaron Gqadu Primary School (Kwazakhele), Siyaphambili Primary School (Motherwell), Kayser Ngxwana Primary School (Kwazakhele), Ilitha Primary School (Kwazakhele), J K Zondi Primary School (Kwazakhele) and Swartkops Primary School (Swartkops).
Aaron Gqadu Primary School principal Funeka Kepe said the voucher could not have come at a better time as sections of the school were in a deplorable state.
“Our school is a constant target for vandals, who always take the lights in the bathrooms, break windows, break plumbing and create a mess,” Kepe said.
“The children are too afraid to go into the bathrooms, so even though there is much to do at our school, the toilets for the foundation learners is first priority.”
Daniels Public Primary school principal Thamsanqa Nkonki said the voucher would make an immense difference not only in the appearance of the school but also in the pupils’ attitude towards it.
“We will use the voucher to repair loose gutters, fix broken window handles and other items around the school.
“This will make a huge difference to the learners,” Nkonki said.
Ilitha Primary School‘s Patricia Fundi said the school would give the classrooms a brand new coat of paint.
She said pupils had been asking to have their classrooms repainted and the school had just not had the funds to do so.