A new school is on the cards for Barcelona Primary School
The project is estimated to be completed by February 2025
Parents and SGB members of Barcelona Primary School have welcomed the announcement by MEC for Infrastructure Development and Property Management, Tasneem Motara, that plans to build a new school are underway.
Motara recently met with a representative from the Department of Education, SGB members, Ward 109 Clr Masele Madihlaba and business stakeholders at WJ Mpengesi Primary School in Etwatwa, to share feedback on what the department has done so far following the communities plea for a new school.
The meeting comes after several classes and administration blocks at Barcelona Primary School were burnt down last month by angry community members who called for a proper school to replace existing prefabricated units.
According to Motara, the department is working on an arrangement with the municipality to transfer the land ultimately to the Gauteng government.
“In the meantime, they have committed to giving permission to occupy while the procurement processes start,” said Motara.
Motara shared that the total allocated budget will only be confirmed once a contractor has been appointed, however, the school’s building plan and gateway review have been approved.
“The overall budget for equitable share allocated to the Department of Education is R1.8b for the financial year and out of this sum, the department will determine which schools they are going to renovate or extend.
Also Read: WATCH: Barcelona Primary School classrooms set alight
“The Department of Infrastructure Development and Property Management have concluded the planning and the internal team together with consultants have determined the estimated construction budget. At this stage we cannot divulge the estimates because if we do it will prejudice the procurement processes,” said Motara.
The project is estimated to be completed by February 2025 and a contractor will be awarded next year in February.
During the meeting, it was revealed that the existing prefabricated units will be moved once the construction of the new school is completed to allow teaching and learning to continue while construction is underway.
The new smart school is expected to have 40 classrooms, a laboratory, library, computer room, technology room, music centre, visual art room and nutrition centre.
According to the deputy chairperson of the SGB Nogolide Zadunge after the incident through fundraising and the assistance of the principal they’ve had to fork out money from their pockets to fix some of the classrooms.
This is after the department said it will not fix the school.
Also Read: Barcelona Primary SGB, parents demand new school
