Help give school a lifeline
"The school was built in 1948. We want to restore the spirit and return Etwatwa to what it was.”
Etwatwa Secondary School, in Wattville, is in dire need of a lifeline.
With paint peeling off the walls, sections of the ceiling collapsing, and a fallen perimeter fence that makes it easy for learners to slip out during school hours, the institution’s infrastructure has reached a critical state.
Yet, amid the decay, a glimmer of hope remains as the School Governing Body (SGB) has rallied the community to take action.
In an effort to restore the dignity and safety of the school environment, the SGB is hosting the Making Etwatwa Great Again fundraising event on October 15 at 08:00, calling residents, businesses, and former learners to lend their support.
According to educator and SGB member Sthembiso Sangweni, some of the things they urgently need help with are the school fence, renovations of offices and classrooms, and sports facilities for their netball, volleyball, and table tennis teams.
Furthermore, they need a security system for the school, dignity packs, bursaries, and mentoring for the learners.
“The event is aimed at renovating our school internally and externally. We are looking for sponsors to assist us with repairing our school. We invite as many sponsors as possible, as well as former learners who are now professionals and may be able to help,” said Sangweni.
The funds raised will go towards urgent renovations, including rebuilding the boundary wall, repairing classrooms, and reviving spaces that could one day serve as sports facilities for learners.
“Etwatwa Secondary is known for excellence in sports, and we have a good choir. Learners are excelling; even our previous matric results prove it. But we’ve seen that the school’s morale has dropped. Our building is old. The school was built in 1948. We want to restore the spirit and return Etwatwa to what it was.”
Sangweni explained that the goal is not only to fix the infrastructure but also to restore pride and a sense of belonging among the learners.
The teacher also called on the Wattville community to take ownership of the school.
“We love the school. We’ve come here to offer our services to the school and learners, but we are strained because in the triangle, we are supposed to have teachers, learners, and parents. But the parents are missing. They’ve distanced themselves.
“We are appealing to you to help us. Let’s all dream and imagine a better Etwatwa and work towards that goal. If we do that, we can make the school great again.”
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