Schools get new Grade R facilities
R32m upgrades a needed boost for ECD
Edlelweni Primary and Thembelihle Public Primary schools were handed over new Grade R facilities and equipment by education department MEC Fundile Gade and department of public works & infrastructure MEC Ntombovuyo Nkopane on Tuesday.
The total cost for the facilities and equipment was R32m.
It includes new classrooms, ablution facilities, sick bays, playgrounds, and educational equipment such as televisions and toys.
Thembelihle has 115 Grade R pupils, while Edlelweni has registered 158 Grade R pupils for the 2024 school year.
Speaking at the handover, Gade said early childhood development (ECD) centres were crucial in laying the foundation for pupils’ future educational success.
“The infrastructure that we are handing over to Edlelweni costs R20m and R12m for Thembelihle.
“I can confirm it is first world class infrastructure that includes a playground and library,” Gade said.
In line with the province’s aim to improve the Grade 12 results, Gade said it was vital to invest in children’s development from Grade R.
“Starting from next year, there has to be a way to ensure the lower grades produce a high quality of education so children can progress with no content gap,” he said.
Nkopane said after the education department appointed the public works department as an implementing agent for both projects, it had appointed contractors during the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the project had to be halted due to budget cuts during the pandemic.
“Our initial plan was to finish these ECDs by 2019 but because of Covid-19, we couldn’t and continued after Covid-19.
“We also trained Mlungisi people on building while they were part of this project.
“We also have two SMMEs from Komani that we worked with from the beginning to the end of the project. We worked very well,” she said.
Chris Hani District Municipality deputy mayor Noncedo September-Caba said: “I am grateful to the Eastern Cape government for entrusting these departments to build us infrastructure for two schools.
“These facilities are safe places for children and this puts the children in a better position to start schooling.”
The district municipality promised to do its best to maintain the two facilities. Thembelihle principal Khayalethu Morman said: “The class is the introductory phase for children to be more familiar with school when they start in Grade 1.
“What I love most are their toys and playing spaces because their concentration span is small and they spend most of their time playing.”
He called on the government to be hands-on and to invest in fighting crime to safeguard school infrastructure.
Edlelweni principal Zukisani Sondlo said: “We are very happy about what the departments have done for us by building this state-of-the-art infrastructure.
“It assures us that the education of these children and their dignity have been lifted to greater heights by these departments. We received six fully- furnished classrooms and a beautiful ablution facility for the children.”
Sondlo said the school also received tanks which were connected to the facilities to ensure water supply.
The schools’ SGB chairs, Thembinkosi Nofemele and Mawande Stengile, applauded the education department for having identified the need at the two schools for appropriate ECD facilities which were conducive to learning.