Menzi Primary School opens on first day of school

Langaville – The long-awaited opening of Menzi Primary School in Langaville Extension Four took place on the first day of the 2019 school year on Wednesday.

The opening was well attended by parents who were happy to see the state-of-the-art school after multiple delays since construction commenced in 2015.

MEC of Education in Gauteng Panyaza Lesufi invited the community to use the facilities of the R105-million school and implored them to protect it.

“Gone are the days where the community has to have meetings under trees.

“You are welcome to use the school for meetings, but please do not destroy the school,” he says.

“If you are angry at councillors and want to burn tyres, please burn them in the streets and not in the school.

“Report anyone you see destroying the school to the authorities,” Lesufi adds.

The school, which boasts 33 smart classrooms, two science laboratories, two computer labs, two IT control rooms and a library, was officially handed over to the education department by the MEC for Infrastructure Development, Jacob Mamabolo.

Speaking on the environmentally friendly features of the school, Mamabolo mentioned how the classrooms have climate regulation technology which will ensure optimum learning conditions whether it is hot or cold.

“The school has a stormwater system and drains in the lawns that collect rainwater which will be reused by the school,” he says.

Acting mayor of Ekurhuleni Clr Lesiba Mpya spoke on the importance of primary school education.

“As a city, we are particularly passionate about the developmental phase and foundation phase of the children because we know if education does not capture your hearts and minds at an early age, it never will,” he says.

“We need to ensure maximum focus on literacy, numeracy and life skills in our primary schools so that we eliminate some of the problems that become more glaring in secondary schools and ultimately at tertiary level.”

Mother Ntokozo Masango says she is happy with the school’s new building.

“My older child went to this school and would come home with a dirty uniform,” she reminisces.

She maintains all that has changed about the school is the building they are in.

“The education at Menzi has always been of a high standard as the teachers have always been committed to giving our children the best of themselves, even in a zozo classroom,” she adds.

This was reiterated by Grade One teacher Paulina Mahlangu, who has been teaching at the school since 2006.

“Our classrooms were hot, even on cold days,” she says.

“All that has changed is that there are no fleas, rats and snakes because we have always been committed to the education of our learners.

“We see this when our former learners, products of our zozo classrooms, come back to thank us for the contribution we have made in their lives.”

Gauteng premier David Makhura expressed excitement at the construction of a smart school and what it means for the future of the learners.

“This is a step in moving from a generation that relies on government to one that relies on itself,” he beams.

Stephen Lu, CEO of Base Major Construction that constructed the school, donated R20 000 to the new school.

The school is one of 53 smart schools handed to communities in Gauteng and the only one in the Ekurhuleni North district.