eMBALENHLE – Hope, joy and happiness were evident on the face of Mr Abraham Lukhele (63), principal of Roodebank Primary School, when local municipal employees and businessmen handed over school uniforms and sanitary pads on Friday, 30 May.
“Match your words with action,” was his remarks when he received the items in one of the dilapidated classrooms.
Mr Lukhele asked business people to not forget farm schools whenever they give out donations to needy schools.
“Everyone is happy today, particularly the pupils.
“Some of them are already wearing the school uniform.”
The school was built on a farm by a Jewish businessman and residents in 1946.
It has more than 300 pupils from Grade 1 to 9 and many come from needy families who can not afford school uniforms and other basic needs.
The school has six classrooms that are in a bad condition and have broken furniture.
Pupils from different grades share classrooms with the nine staff members.
The businessmen committed themselves to building at least two extra classrooms and an admission office that are expected to be finished before Mandela Day on 18 July.
Mr Lukhele asked the Department of Education to build new classrooms at the school and has not yet received feedback.
“It has never been easy to teach at the school, but we can not just stop.
“Education of our children is the priority.”
Mr Mangaliso Mashiane, manager of Region 3 of the Govan Mbeki Municipality, said they were pleased to contribute towards helping the pupils.
“We noticed the plight of the school when we visited the farm during an Integrated Development Plan meeting and decided to make a donation and to buy the school items.
“We also invited businessmen, mainly those who work for the municipality, to help the school.”
The municipality will also help regarding a water problem.
