New school opens for pupils
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi and the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure MEC Nandi Mayathula-Khoza have officially opened the Peter Zongwane Primary School in Phomolong on Friday last week.
Peter Zongwane Primary School is one of the 17 schools scheduled to be opened during the 2014/2015 financial year to alleviate the pressure from the rapid growth of pupil population in Gauteng.
It is also among the four new schools built by the government in partnership with the Independent Development Trust (IDT) School Programme initiative. The official ceremony was attended by the school officials, pupils, residents and local councillors. MEC Lesufi pointed out that the Gauteng Province is experiencing the highest immigration of pupils in South Africa.
“The Gauteng Provincial government has set aside R694.1-million towards the planning and construction of new schools in 2014/2015. A further R540.3-million has been allocated towards the rehabilitation of schools in the province,” he said.
MEC Lesufi added that Peter Zongwane Primary School was constructed utilising local, alternative construction technologies.
“The alternative construction method used is the Robust System, a replacement of brick and mortar using light concrete and light steel reinforcements. It also features a rain harvesting tank, the 6 ml grazing for energy, solar powered geysers and the wall is thermally responsive as they are warm in winter and cooler in summer,” he added.
He further said that the school is a response to a pressing backlog for schools in Tembisa.
“We acknowledge that we still have a long way to go in meeting the full complement of the backlog of the demand for schools in the province. I am happy that we have responded at least to the community of Tembisa, with a school that accommodates 1 269 pupils,” he added.
The school has three grade R classrooms, eight classrooms for senior pupils, six block classrooms and another nine block classrooms for the intermediate classes, administration block, security office, refuse yard, parking and paving, walkways, yard walls and steel palisade fence. It also has sports facilities, basic learning environment needs such as library and a laboratory.
MEC Mayathula-Khoza said her department was responding to the commitment government has made to deliver quality education centres in Gauteng.
“We are happy that today we hand over to the community of Phomolong and the Gauteng Department of Education the R46,7-million, state-of-the-art school. This school has contributed close to 150 new employment of local sub-contractors, who did ceiling, painting, and electrical work,” he added.
