LIMPOPO – Education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya has officially inaugurated two new schools in Mphakane and Mushiyani villages, marking a milestone in the province’s education infrastructure drive.
In Mphakane, the school was built entirely from the ground up, addressing a long-standing need for a dedicated learning space.
In Mushiyani, the department demolished an outdated and dilapidated school building, replacing it with a state-of-the-art facility designed to meet contemporary educational standards.
“When we talk about building schools, we no longer hand over empty buildings. These days, we ensure that every school delivered to a community comes fully furnished,” said the MEC while officially handing over Mphakane Primary School to the community in the village.
She urged School Governing Body (SGB) members to ensure that the school is well cared for and properly maintained.
“As a department, we’ve done our part by building the school, but it’s now your responsibility to make sure it stays in good condition. Don’t say, ‘They will come back and fix it if something breaks.’ You must take the initiative to maintain everything,” she said.
“To my learners, I want to say this: when you truly love something, you take care of it. So, take care of this school as if it were your own. You must understand that this school belongs to you and to your brothers and sisters who are still on their way,” she said.
Meanwhile, Boyzen Mabunda, who spoke on behalf of Hosi Dzumeri, welcomed the department’s initiative to build a school for the community, saying it would finally put to rest the long-standing issue of the lack of a school in the area.
“It has been a long time since we started calling for a school in our area, and today the department has delivered,” he said. Referring to the past community protests, Mabunda added, “The way we went about receiving this school was not the best way to show appreciation to the government.”
“We used to block roads with stones, rocks, logs, and many other things until they finally listened to us.
“But now that the school is here, it’s up to us to take good care of it and ensure that future generations still find it in good condition,” he said.
Giyani Mayor Thandi Zitha also urged the community to take care of the school and to provide security, emphasising that teachers are only there to teach, while the rest of the responsibility lies with the community.
“Sometimes, as the SGB, it is necessary to walk around and inspect the facility to ensure that the school is well taken care of,” she said, adding that the department would come back to build a nutrition centre where feeding scheme food would be stored.
