Schools earn top marks in beautification project

It was time for celebrating when KwaGumbi Primary School was announced as the winner of the 2017 school beautification project at Intinyane Primary School in Umbumbulu on Friday, 10 November.

It was a good win for the efforts of KwaGumbi Primary which showed consistent improvement after it scooped second place overall last year.

Most improved school went to the hosting school and that was not all, as Intinyane’s Dudu Khuzwayo also won best co-ordinator. Sindisiwe Chamane won best supportive principal for KwaGumbi Primary School.

Khiphulwazi Primary had the neatest classrooms, while Sesfikile won most hygienic toilets. Intinyane scooped best lawn, KwaGumbi was judged to have the best gardens and Sesfikile won most hygienic kitchen for the second consecutive year.

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The project, which has been running for an incredible 25 years, rewards schools for going the extra mile to clean-up and beautify their properties and this year saw 18 schools participate.

Six judges from the project’s committee made three unannounced visits to the participating schools throughout the year to vote on the neatest classrooms, most hygienic toilets, best lawn, best gardens and most hygienic kitchen.

“We also include best supporting principal, best co-ordinator and most improved school categories to add to the success of the project,” said Nomali Msomi of Acacia, one of the project’s sponsors, along with Makro, Dulux and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa.

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Over the years the project has grown from strength to strength due to partnerships with the Department of Health, Durban Solid Waste, eThekwini Municipality and the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs.

“The aim of the school beautification project is to promote a healthy living environment in schools and to encourage as well as create awareness around these issues among teachers, principals and pupils. We thank their generous sponsors for helping to continually make the competition a success,” said Msomi.