The city is set to receive a new state primary and high school over the next few years.
MEC for education, Bonakele Majuba announced during his budget speech that a primary school is to be constructed in Mbombela in the 2020/21 financial year and a new high school in 2021/22.
The provincial Department of Education (DoE) has set aside a total of R935 million for education infrastructure this financial year. Lowvelder has previously reported on the overcrowded schools in Mbombela and surrounding areas.
To address this, Majuba announced that Laerskool Laeveld, Nelspruit Primary and Laerskool Bergland will obtain additional classrooms this financial year.
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DoE spokesman, Jasper Zwane told Lowvelder that an estimated budget of R10 million has been allocated to each of the three primary schools, with a planned five additional classrooms to be constructed per school. However, they were still in the planning stages.
“The feasibility study will determine the total number of classrooms and it will be completed before August 30. The study entails the analysis of space and learner enrolment figures,” said Zwane.
“When the finalisation of planning and design are done, construction will begin. The process is allocated for the 2019/20 financial year to complete in 2020/21. Consultations with school governing bodies (SGB) will be done in due course.”
Majuba said this year their focus has shifted to fast-growing towns in the province. In his speech, the MEC also stated that there is a site in Mbombela for a school of the deaf and blind. This will be a three-year project and construction will start in the 2020/21 financial year.
Zwane said the school will be allocated a portion of the remainder of portion 14 of the farm Barberton Townlands, 369-JU to the extent of approximately 100 hectares.
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Work is also under way at Klipspringer Primary School. Lowvelder previously reported how the SGB threatened to keep the children away from school due to concerns regarding the safety of the school structures, and massive overcrowding.
Klipsringer Primary has about 781 learners, but a 180-pupil capacity. It will now get six new classrooms in a double-storey building, as well as two new grade R learner centres. Two blocks of toilets will also be added and the dangerous roofs will be replaced to make the four affected classrooms usable.
The estimated project cost is R10,6 million and it is expected to be completed in 10 months’ time, by May 4, 2020.
