New computer lab opens world of opportunities for learners

A new computer laboratory at Drommedaris Primary School in Reiger Park is set to give more than 1 800 learners access to technology and digital skills, opening a new door of opportunity at a school that has long battled overcrowding and limited resources.

The school officially received the lab during a special ceremony attended by representatives of the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT), the Gauteng Department of Education, the School Governing Body (SGB), community leaders, educators and other supporters.

For Drommedaris acting principal Selwyn Plaatjies, the facility represents far more than a room filled with computers.

“It is a doorway to opportunity,” he said, highlighting the importance of giving learners access to technology, research and digital literacy regardless of their circumstances at home,” he said.

Drommedaris, a no-fee-paying Quintile 4 school, currently has about 1 844 learners, significantly more than its capacity of 1 100.

Of its 50 classrooms, 33 are prefabricated mobile units added to accommodate the growing number of learners.

The school serves children from Reiger Park and surrounding areas, including Ramaphosa and Joe Slovo informal settlements, Delmore Park, Boksburg, Rondebult, Graceland, Buhlepark, Jerusalem, Dukatole, Vosloorus and Katlehong.

Against this backdrop, the computer lab is being welcomed as an important investment in the children’s future.

The facility was made possible through the support of SAMCT and various individuals and organisations involved in the Reiger Park Renewal Initiative.

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Plaatjies also acknowledged former principal Delyse Sampson for setting the project in motion.

At the same time, special thanks were extended to Andrew Opperman of T4 Technologies for the countless hours spent helping bring the project to completion.

The school also expressed its appreciation to all who made this project possible.

The lab itself builds on infrastructure that was left at the school by the former Gauteng Online project.

Although the facility had previously been used as an ordinary classroom, it already had the required infrastructure and reinforcements needed for a computer laboratory.

For learners, its revival could mean their first meaningful opportunity to work with computers.

Plaatjie urged learners to take ownership of the facility and use it to research, create and discover what they are capable of achieving.

“Somewhere amongst our learners may be a future software developer, engineer, entrepreneur, scientist, teacher or technology innovator,” he said.

” We believe access to technology can play an important role in helping learners overcome some of the challenges associated with growing up in an impoverished community where unemployment and social problems remain major concerns.”

Despite these challenges, Drommedaris maintains an average academic performance of about 80% and continues to invest in activities beyond the classroom, including sport, drama, poetry and art.

Two of its learners were selected for national teams in soccer and athletics in 2025, while others participate in tennis, cross-country, netball, and mini-cricket.

With the new laboratory now in place, the school hopes to add another avenue for learners to explore their potential.

Plaatjies said the facility carries a responsibility for both educators and learners, as technology becomes meaningful when teachers use it effectively in teaching and learning.

“This computer laboratory represents exactly that opportunity,” he said.

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