MATSULU – Regardless of minor dissatisfactions regarding the construction of Tsandzanani Primary, community members are overjoyed with the new classrooms.
The school, despite the fact that its roof was destroyed during a storm in 2013, was very old and desperately needed refurbishment.
Parents told this publication that, with the school-governing body (SGB), they had raised concerns about the dilapidated building to the education department, but because there were delays they ended up taking the matter to the media.
Two days after the SABC visited the primary school earlier this year, the department sent a contractor to commence with the building of new classrooms. This is according to the deputy chairperson of the SGB, Ms Sibongile Ntimane.
“People have a tendency of viewing the media as an enemy, but this has taught us that they are there looking out for our needs. We are happy that the department took heed of our pleas and now children will learn in a good environment without fearing that the building can collapse at any time,” she said.
Ntimane added that she hoped the classrooms will be enough to address the overcrowding of learners where some of them had more than 70 children.
“Right now, it is difficult for teachers to pay the required attention to the learners because the classrooms are too full, making it impossible to move from one child to the other to check and monitor their school work,” she further stated.
A community member who said she acquired her primary education at the same school 30 years ago, was excited that finally the school was receiving a new facelift.
“I believe the state of an institution contributes towards learners’ attitude about school.
The construction will make our children eager to wake up and go to school every day. We are happy that our appeals have finally borne fruit,” said Ms Thoko Ngwenyame.
She also hailed community members for not embarking in protests, like other residents do in such situations, and disrupting the children’s educational quest.
