Jeppe Park Primary in Jeppestown recently extended an appeal to the City of Joburg (CoJ) for the allocation of a building and a rebate on rates.
David Fu, CEO of Streetlight Schools, which owns and runs Jeppe Park Primary, engaged with Ward 61 and 62 PR Clr Bongani Nkwanyana and emphasised the need for council’s assistance on the matter.
Nkwanyana said the school is committed to pursue the relevant avenues which will see more proactive engagements taking place in the foreseeable future.
The school, which neighbours the newly revamped Gilfillan Park and recently the benefactors of a Gauteng Education Department subsidy for independent schools, operates from a semi-residential building and incorporates Grades R to Four as part of its educational offering.
There are plans to launch Grade Five next year to add to the 257 learners already enrolled, and further plans for the addition of Grades Six and Seven at a later stage.
This will round up on a fully incorporated primary schooling system, and forms part of Jeppe Park Primary’s growth objectives, according to Fu.
“We partnered with the landlord of this property to launch the school here in order to provide the tenants and residents access to quality education,” said Fu.
“The big question for us now is whether CoJ can support our request for a building to enable us to launch a high school?
“Jeppe Park Primary will only have enough room for about 450 to 500 learners once we grow to full capacity up to Grade Seven. But where do these learners go after that? So for us, that is what we see as key in wanting to collaborate with the city.”
In response, Nkwanyana said he was pleased that Streetlight Schools took the decision to launch Jeppe Park Primary in such close proximity to the Jeppe Men’s Hostel.
He said this has enabled children in the area to access primary school education.
“As the city, our objective as part of the Inner-City Rejuvenation Project, is to give buildings out to people who need them, in order for them to utilise it in a correct manner.
“Now that Streetlights has a primary school here, they are welcome to come to the offices of CoJ and put their proposal forward for a building to convert into a high school.
“I will, however, take these discussions to the mayor so they can get their plans to launch a high school off the ground more proactively,” said Nkwanyana.
