Gauteng education ditch re-opening of Mayibuye Primary in Midrand
Gauteng premier spokesperson believes they are only left with a few issues such as placing of furniture to the classrooms before handing over the school.
Despite promising to officially open the new Mayibuye Primary School this year, the Gauteng Department of Education made a U-turn at the eleventh hour.
Education MEC Matome Chiloane, Minister of Education Angie Motshekga and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesifu were scheduled to officially hand over the school on January 17. They were also scheduled to conduct an oversight visit of the school that’s allegedly been built on a wetland.
However, outstanding refurbishment, including the placement of furniture and clearing of the muddy entrance to the school, is believed to be the only stumbling block.
This comes after Chiloane told reporters at the Noordwyk Secondary School in December that the school would be ready for January.
Chiloane had then said, “So in the new year [2024], we always begin with a positive note, and on January 17, we will be in Mayibuye and the school will be ready. Contrary to what is being paddled out there, some media organisation [name withheld] took a picture of rubble and said this is what is happening at Mayibuye. Of course, we are building and it’s a construction site, so there will be rubble. On the day though, there will be learners in the classroom with an educator sitting at the desk with all of their materials.”
However, on the day of the school reopening, officials who were scheduled to visit Mayibuye went to Kgatoentle Secondary School in Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria.
Gauteng premier spokesperson Vuyo Mhaga said they did a walkabout on January 16 and were informed by engineers that the constant December rain disturbed them heavily. “Everything is in order in terms of classroom buildings, only a few things need to be finished. They told us, with the school principal when we were doing a walkabout, that rain was very disruptive to their work. However, by the end of February, I am quite confident that the kids will be here. But as I am saying it would be unfair to open the school when the furniture is still being put in the classrooms.”
Teaching and learning were not missed as learners returned to the old Mayibuye school about a kilometre away from the new one.
Construction of the school began in 2017 at a cost of roughly R18m.
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