by Nokubonga Mthethwa
Durban - Pupils of Berea Primary School celebrated their 95th birthday in style on Tuesday.
There was a big birthday cake with 95 candles, the singing of the national anthem, plenty of congratulations and, of course, the “Happy Birthday” song as colourful balloons fluttered skywards.
And when the pupils sang “We are the light of the world”, it added a special touch to the celebrations.
When the school opened on August 2, 1921, it had just nine pupils. But, within days, there were 42 pupils, and eventually the original building became too small to cope with the increasing number of children who enrolled.
The building was extended and now boasts 366 pupils.
Bridget Williams, who has been the principal for three years, said the school had provided 95 years of excellence in education, and the celebration was very significant.
A circuit manager of education in central Durban, Themba Mthembu, said it was an honour for him to celebrate 95 years with the school.
“I salute everyone who made the institution what it is today,” Mthembu said.
The school had encountered hardships over the years, but the commitment and love of the school and governing body had brought success, he said.
The chairman of the school governing body, Leon Lambert, who has been associated with Berea Primary for 12 years, said there had been a lot of growth and development in the school through technology.
“Every child now has an e-mail address and computer learning as a subject,” he said.