The department says this is part of ploughing back to the community but also as part of Mandela Month.
Saying it’s an effort to bring back dignity to the former combined school, Mpumalanga education MEC Sibusiso Malaza has volunteered to renovate the dilapidated Sunduza Primary School in Badplaas, virtually from his pocket.
Malaza spent 10 of his schooling years at the school. During this time the school was both a primary and secondary school.
“I spent 10 years of my life as a learner. I owe it and we owe it to the young generation to make Sunduza a better place,” he said.
Malaza, who is from the local area, was appointed as MEC early this year when President Cyril Ramaphosa reshuffled his cabinet following the forced resignation of Jacob Zuma as president. Here, Reginah Mhaule, who was education MEC, became international relations deputy minister.
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Last week Malaza mobilised a string of tenderpreneurs and businessmen in the area to come assist with funds to renovate the school.
Departmental spokesman Jasper Zwane said the businessmen “responded positively”.
“He pleaded with them to extend a helping hand to improve the ambience of the school for the enhancement of teaching and learning,” Zwane said.
“A number of them headed the call, pledged in kind, some donated material and students from the Mpumalanga Regional Training Trust were brought in to provide labour which constitutes part of their experiential learning.
“Work done to date is quite impressive though a lot still needs to be done,” said Zwane.
On Friday, he will return to the school to look at progress and “to appeal to the local community to take pride in their schools and to plead with them to protect schools”.
“He will use the opportunity to extend his appreciation to those who extended a helping hand and to urge that this must be emulated through out the province because education is everyone enterprise,” Zwane added.
(edited by ZK)
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