KOMATIPOORT – These essential resources were donated to the school after Lafarge SA found out that the grade R pupils were being taught in a dilapidated structure without any ablution facilities.
Despite the challenges faced by pupils, the school has had a matric pass rates of over 70 per cent over the last four years (77 per cent in 2015). The school does not charge fees and has 31 teachers and about 950 pupils, which include 90 orphans, 27 child-headed homes and 432 children living with relatives and grandparents.
Lafarge South Africa’s country manager: communications and public affairs, Unathi Batyashe-Fillis was delighted to hand over the facilities on behalf of the company. “The learners and teachers more than deserve it. They are achieving against the odds and in the face of huge challenges. The parents are also incredibly committed as they maintain the school. And the children want to learn despite the less- than-ideal circumstances in which they find themselves,” she said.
She found it humbling to witness a community that was so passionate about education, despite challenges, and said that the consistently outstanding matric results demonstrated this.
“Early childhood development has proved to be directly related to a child’s overall development and the adult that they will become. We hope that this gesture on our part will contribute greatly to the development of Komatipoort and its people. Lafarge South Africa is committed to the development of South Africa, and that starts with its youngest citizens,” said Batyashe-Fillis.
