West school finally upgraded after 18 years
The previous classrooms had ventilation issues which meant learners could not concentrate well.
Classrooms at Pretoria West Primary School have after 18 years been upgraded from prefabricated structures to brand-new, state-of-the-art brick classrooms with the help of local businesses and community members.
SK Moseneke Primary School in Atteridgeville is a non-fee-paying school established in 2006.
The school opened with 300 learners and only five educators, however now boasts about 1 700 learners and 30 prefabricated classrooms.
School principal Chris Nong said the new classrooms are bright, spacious, and allow easy integration of technology.
Nong said that interactive whiteboards were installed. The interior was painted bright blue with artwork on the ceiling and motivational quotes on the walls to encourage learners to be more creative, curious, and think critically.
He said that previously, the prefabricated classrooms had challenges of ventilation and were extremely hot during the summer and very cold in winter.
“This created challenges in the classroom because learners could not concentrate well, especially after lunch,” he said.
Nong said that learners and teachers were thrilled to have new brick classrooms and looked forward to a new conducive learning and teaching environment.
He said using the interactive whiteboards would help learners participate more because it would keep their attention and encourage them to engage more in class.
“Teachers will also have to try different ways of preparing for class and collaborating because they can try different teaching methods in different subjects,” he said.
He added that if more learners take part in the lessons, there will be an improvement in the results that they achieve.
“Everyone in the community can now enrol at our school, as we are now forced to accommodate 1 720 children this year,” he said.
One of the school’s donors and CEO of Encha Group, Koketso Moseneke, described the layout of the new classrooms as a symbol of resilience and progress.
She said the classrooms are constructed with sturdy brick and mortar, and each comes equipped with a storage room to provide enough space for educational materials and resources.
She explained that the structures don’t only represent physical expansion, but also signify the commitment to providing quality education to every child in the community.
“We believe in the transformative power of education and the importance of community collaborations,” she said.
She added that by coming together, they aim to create a conducive learning environment for future generations.
Nong said people who want to help can get involved in various ways, like volunteering their time and skills to make a significant impact.
“People can help promote literacy by donating books and encouraging reading in the afternoon,” he said.
He said they can also mentor students from disadvantaged backgrounds by sharing knowledge, skills, and experiences to inspire and guide them.
Nong said they would like to organise fundraising events for school infrastructure and other supplies such as textbooks, stationery, and art materials.
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