Government school not ready but private one to open
One of the schools are readying for operation in the new school year.
NELSPRUIT – Not far outside the city there is a stretch of road where two schools can be observed. Driving from Nelspruit towards KaNyamazane just past the Karino/KMIA intersection one school being built can be seen on the left-hand side.
Curro Holdings started construction on the first phase of the school located at the Karino Lifestyle Estate earlier this year. Meridian Karino is to start operations in January and will initially cater for pupils aged from pre-primary to grade 10.
According to the school, grades 11 and 12 will be added in the next two years. It is to have state-of-the-art facilities, including modern science and computer laboratories as well as hostels and sports facilities. The language of learning and teaching will be English. Boarding and extensive aftercare facilities will be available.
Continuing west towards KaNyamazane on the same road is the construction site of a government school. Building on Tekwane South Secondary School also started earlier this year. However, in contrast to its neighbour down the road, it is no way near completion.
Mr Jo Koster, chief whip for the opposition on the Mbombela council, said it was amazing what private enterprise could achieve. “With all the government’s red tape, it just can’t seem to get it right,” he said.
At the time of going to print, Mr Jasper Zwane, spokesman for the Provincial Department of Education, would not comment on when they expected the school to be ready to begin operation, how many pupils it would be able to accommodate or how much money was being spent on the construction of the facilities.
