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Soweto ‘mega school’ opens its doors on first day of new academic year

New school in Braamficherville story Picture: Supplied
New school in Braamficherville story Picture: Supplied

As schools across the country reopen their doors on Wednesday morning after a more than month-long break‚ the Gauteng Department of Education is opening a new school called Nomzamo Madikizela-Mandela Primary School.

Situated in Braamficherville‚ Soweto‚ just outside the central development corridor of Johannesburg‚ the school is expected to cater for 1320 children from Grade R to Grade 7.

The school is a modern facility with a design based on a prototype that incorporates Department of Higher Education National Schools Infrastructure Norms and Standards. According to the department‚ this school falls in the “mega school" category due to its size‚ and it is intended to respond to demand trends encountered across the province.

“We are really excited that we are opening this new school because it will deal with the backlog as this is a new development in the area. As you would have seen‚ as you drive into the area‚ there aren't sufficient schools here‚ but you would've also noticed that the department is busy building three schools‚" said department spokesperson Oupa Bodibe.

“This is an area where there has been a lot of protests about shortages of schools‚ so the fact that we are opening a new primary school is really exciting and a welcomed development‚" added Bodibe.

Provincial education MEC Panyaza Lesufi and Gauteng Premier David Makhura are embarking on the School Readiness Campaign to ensure that teaching and learning take place on day one of the academic programme at this school.

MEC for infrastructure and development Jacob Mamabolo was expected to officially hand over the school to Lesufi later in the morning.

Other MECs will visit various schools around the province and conduct community meetings in the afternoon to interact with parents and stakeholders. – TMG Digital


 

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