Marude Secondary School to get R41m revamp
MEC, Namane Dickson Masemola says the massive upgrade of Marude Secondary School was part of the six-school infrastructure upgrade project, he and the MEC for Education, Polly Boshielo, launched on 26 January.
LIMPOPO – To ensure learners from Marude Secondary School have a conducive learning environment, the Department for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure launched a infrastructure development programme at the school worth R41 million to assist revamping the school.
Marude Secondary School was started in 1999 to cater for mathematics, science and commerce learners and was housed in the former Venda College of Education building, which is now old and dilapidated.
The MEC, Namane Dickson Masemola, who was joined by councillors from the Vhembe District Municipality and Thulamela Municipality as well as representatives from the University of Venda, handed over the contract to Mashaka Ravhura to revamp the school into a state-of-the-art centre during a sod-turning ceremony last Wednesday.
He said the massive upgrade of Marude Secondary School was part of the six-school infrastructure upgrade project, he and the MEC for Education, Polly Boshielo, launched on 26 January.
According to Masemola, the project is expected to earn the local community’s economic spin-offs that include sub-contracting to the tune of about R12 million.
In addition, 50 jobs would be created over the span of two years.
Masemola urged representatives of the University of Venda, Thulamela and Vhembe District Municipalities to actively take part in monitoring and evaluating the work being done.
“The upgrade will comprise the construction of three new combo technical workshops, one nutritional centre, five new classrooms and 18 new waterborne toilets and the renovation to existing classrooms, amongst others. We want to see the school progress, well after building better infrastructure, as modern buildings mean nothing if matric results are not improving,” said Masemola.
Thina Mbedzi, Vhembe District Municipal councillor, appreciated the efforts by both Education and Public Works, which he said will go a long way in making sure learners learn in a conducive environment.
Mbedzi pledged their support as the district municipality and said they will form steering committees to assist in monitoring progress during the construction phase.
The Principal of Marude Secondary School, Alex Muthelo was over the moon to hear that the old Venda College of Education building will be renovated.
“It was long overdue, as the project was scheduled to have started in 2016, but was delayed by the Vuwani demarcation strike, which resulted in many rural schools being burned down. We now promise that we will work hard and improve the matric results, without excuses,” Muthelo said.
