Dunbar Primary School upgrade project handed over
The project handover was done by the MEC for Education, Mr Bonakele Majuba together with GE Kusile Project Director
A public-private partnership between the Mpumalanga Department of Education, General Electric Steam Power (GE), Eskom and Emalahleni Local Municipality has resulted in the upgrade of Dunbar Primary School.
The school is located in Empumelelweni Extension 6, KwaGuqa.
The project entailed the removal of unsafe precast infrastructure, construction of 30 new Enviro Loo toilet facilities, conversion of a non-functional ablution facility into a storeroom, construction of eight additional classrooms, landscaping and paving and the installation of stormwater and sewage management system.
The project handover was done by the MEC for Education, Mr Bonakele Majuba together with GE Kusile Project Director, Mr Paul Collins, Ms Makwena Makgwane, acting Senior Project Manager from Eskom Kusile and the Executive Mayor of eMalahleni Local Municipality, Cllr Linah Malatjie.
“We appreciate that at all times of need our partners, General Electric are always there to give a helping hand by ploughing back to the community. By so doing they are adding value to education and better developing our country. The partnership will also produce better human resources and it is always a good gesture to us as the Department of Education. We would like to urge the parents, learners, SGB and community members to take care of the school and the facilities provided. Protect and maintain the school for the next generation and other generations to come,” said MEC Majuba.
Mr Collins said this was part of the company’s ongoing effort to support communities in areas they operated in and create share value.
“Research shows that a healthy and safe learning environment aids learning and enhances education outcomes. In the past five years, GE Steam Power working with local municipalities and communities has supported schools in the Mpumalanga province through the school infrastructure upgrade project. The project was launched in 2013,” emphasised Mr Collins.
Through this initiative ten schools have been refurbished and upgraded, the latest being Dunbar Primary School.
The projects take the environment into consideration, implementing ecologically-conscious solutions like rainwater harvesting, energy efficiency, Enviro Loo water-free toilets and low-maintenance landscaping for dust control.
Ms Makgwane said they were proud to be part of the project as they believe in empowering communities.
She added to say that they believe in investing in future leaders as one of the pillars.
They also believe that their association with General Electric will leave a footprint and they thanked the Department of Education, local municipality and the local community and is looking forward to continuing with such projects in the future.
The 1 208 learners and a staff complement of 36 stand to benefit from the project and will increase the school’s capacity to enrol Grade 7 as of 2022.
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