A new school promising to provide quality pre-university preparation education from a young age will start in Alexandra on 19 January.
Kgololo Academy, a brainchild of Waahida Tolbert-Mbatha and hosted by the Methodist Church on 2nd Avenue, will start with 20 pre-Grade R and 30 Grade R children. Both grades still have a deficit of seven intakes each after enrolling children from Alexandra and Bramley. The institution aims is to ensure the children are introduced to an academically challenging learning environment and knowledge of social justice as they navigate through their education life. This will enable them to achieve academic skills, habits and characteristics to help them succeed at tertiary level and later on in life.
The new facility has five classrooms, a cafeteria, toilets, an open plan office space and a brick tiled parking walkway. This in addition to a landscaped play area with lush lawn and a sprouting garden.
Tolbert-Mbatha said the school’s objectives are aligned to the community’s needs and received commendations presenting it with a challenge to ensure it keeps their hopes and expectations for quality foundational education. “We have engaged qualified and experienced local personnel where possible and will ensure transparency in our programme by integrating parents to the school’s development programme. They [parents] have pledged to contribute 20 volunteer hours per year including participating in choirs, extra murals, field trips, arts and crafts, helping in administration, cooking at special events and occasional cleaning of the premises.”
She said they were ready to welcome children and parents to a small ceremony on the first day with a much larger event scheduled for the end of term one.
She commended the church for availing the place as a temporary first home for the school which will grow to Grade 12 level and seek bigger and more spacious premises elsewhere in the near future. Tolbert anticipates a visit by the local councillor to broaden the school’s support network.
