Newly built Abram Hlophe Primary School opens its doors
“Our children must not come out of informal settlements to go to informal schools.”
MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi, with Gauteng premier David Makhura, Infrastructure Development MEC Tasneem Motara and Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina, officially handed over a R77-million state-of-the-art Abram Hlophe Primary School to residents of Katlehong on February 15.
The school project included the renovation of all brick-and-mortar structures, while removing asbestos and mobile structures.
The new infrastructure included 15 new ordinary classrooms, a Grade R block with five classrooms and the reception block, administration block, library, nutrition centre, two laboratories, a guardhouse, refuse yard, pump room, new parking area and two kombi courts.
The school was named after Abram “Buddy” Hlophe, a former learner at Katlehong High School who later became a community and political activist. He fought for educational facilities to be brought closer to the townships. Hlophe was killed in Katlehong in 1992.
Lesufi said by rebuilding the school, the Gauteng provincial government aimed to counter the mentality that African children did not deserve the best in education.
“The re-opening of the school was a result of sheer determination from the government that all our children must in the spirit of Abram Hlophe learn closer to where they stay. Our children must not come out of informal settlements to go to informal schools,” he stated.
The MEC stated the Gauteng Department of Education was concerned about some 3 000 learners who did not return to school last year due to Covid-19 fears. The districts will be consolidating current attendance figures and compare them with the previous year to verify the accurate number of learners who might have dropped out.
Other Gauteng members of the executive council visited schools across the province and were all impressed with the state of readiness of Gauteng schools to begin the academic year on the first day, he added.
However, there were two incidents reported in the province with some parents protesting over the placements of their children.
Some parents visited the Tshwane West District office and Akasia Primary School to protest and highlight their frustration with the admissions process.
“It is encouraging that the department has made progress in the placement of a total of 221 271 learners. Applicants for 104 981 Grade One and 116 290 Grade Eight learners have been placed. We are working tirelessly to place the remaining 1 004 applicants,” said Lesufi.
