FNB teams up with Oracle to develop school in Thembisa
As a result of the collaboration, the school has undergone major renovations to offer more than 1600 learners’ better access to educational materials, sports, and food & beverage facilities.
First National Bank (FNB) has collaborated with Oracle to modernise Ponelopele Secondary School in Thembisa.
The school offers free education to the local community and fosters an interest in the fields of STEM and IT.
A special inauguration ceremony was organised at the school premises on December 5 to celebrate the occasion.
As a result of the collaboration, the school has undergone major renovations to offer more than 1 600 learners better access to educational materials, sports and food and beverage facilities.
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Under this initiative, a mobile library that features an extensive collection of academic, non-fiction, scientific, and many more genres has been delivered.
The mobile library will also offer science experiment equipment for learners to use across different sessions. To avoid overcrowding in classrooms, two mobile classrooms have also been installed.
This will allow the school staff to adopt a flexible teaching approach and help the students continue their education without interruption.
“We are extremely proud to be a part of this initiative to drive real impact for the school, its learners and the community. In line with our brand promise of being helpful, we remain committed to improving the lives of our youth with improved schooling experiences,” said Markos Davias, the CFO at FNB.
“We believe that the more we do for Africa’s youth today, the more we will benefit from its ‘compound’ effect for many years to come.
“Through our continued partnership with Oracle, we’re encouraged that we’ll be able to foster a positive impact for the school that serves as a beacon of hope for the community.”
To prevent rain-driven incidents of flooding and disruption, a new French drainage system has been installed at the school.
The sports pitches have also been completely revamped for the school to organise more sporting events and enhance the school’s athletic programme.
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In addition, the giant outdoor chess board has been fully revamped. The kitchen facilities at the school have also been modernised to ensure the preparation of clean and nutritious meals for the learners.
“Over nearly two decades, the Ponelopele Secondary School has played a vital role in helping shape the lives of thousands of young South Africans. The school is a testament to Oracle’s commitment to helping students develop skills they need to become technology innovators and leaders,” said Sandhya Ramdhany, country leader – Oracle South Africa.
“We are delighted to collaborate with FNB for this renovation project and look forward to introducing more development programs for the school jointly.”
Built by Oracle in 2006 and subsequently handed over to the Department of Education, the Ponelopele Secondary School is a non-fee-paying institution from Grade 8 to Grade 12 dedicated to serving the community of Thembisa.
Ponelopele Secondary School holds a unique position as the only ICT-equipped school in the area and offers a digital learning environment.
Every learner is equipped with a tablet enabling access to learning materials and textbooks, even in offline modes, aligning with modern educational practices. The school is equipped with Wi-Fi and has a dedicated computer lab.
Over the past three years, the institution has consistently achieved a pass rate exceeding 80%.
Matriculants demonstrating excellent academic performance and expressing interest in pursuing STEM and IT fields receive full bursaries from Oracle. Since 2020, over 93 bursaries have been awarded to the top learners.
