Michelle Jones
Education Writer
FIFTY schools are currently being built in the Western Cape – 12 new and 38 replacement – and all are expected to be completed by the end of next year.
Three of the new schools – Brackenfell Senior Secondary, Wellington Primary and Masakhane Primary in Gansbaai – are expected to be completed at the end of this year and ready for new pupils by the start of the first term next year.
Teachers at Die Duine Primary, in Lotus River, are using the holiday to move into their new replacement school building.
Principal Morgot Kiewet described the new school building, which was part of the Department of Basic Education’s Accelerated School Infrastructure Development Initiative (Asidi), as a “blessing”.
She said their old pre-fabricated building had been about 40 years old.
“The kids were exposed to extreme weather, both severe cold and extreme heat. When we were informed we had been identified to get a new building, it was a blessing, not only for the teachers and the pupils but also for the community.”
Kiewet said the new building had computers, art and music facilities.
“A new world has opened up for these pupils. They will definitely be exposed to things they haven’t been exposed to before.”
Shaun Rossouw, history teacher at Kensington Secondary, said moving into their new building last term had been a “momentous moment”.
“Our old building was way past its expiry date. Moving into the new building was like a breath of fresh air. Being in a brick building, that is fantastic, the kids don’t get wet because they are covered.”
Western Cape Education Department spokesman Paddy Attwell said it planned to invest R2.3 billion in building projects over three years, 2014/15 to 2016/17.
“The plan includes 27 new public ordinary schools, 44 replacement schools and two new special schools, among other classroom and infrastructure projects.
“The schools will meet growing demand for school places and to replace ageing infrastructure.”
Attwell said the department had budgeted R855.9 million for infrastructure in 2014/15, more than R1bn in 2015/16, and R401.7m in 2016/17.
Additional infrastructure funding would be provided by the Asidi programme, he said.
“The Department of Basic Education has allocated an additional R485m to the province for 25 replacement schools. The department funding forms part of the national Asidi programme. Work began on the Asidi schools last year.”
Asidi had initially been planned for completion by the end of the 2013/14 financial year but it was later announced that it would be wrapped up in 2016.
Due to this the original budget changed from R8.2bn to R10.8bn.
Across the country, a total of 510 replacement schools would be built, 939 schools would be provided with sanitation, 932 schools would get electricity for the first time and 1 145 would be supplied with water for the first time.
New Schools
Brackenfell Senior Secondary, Protea Heights in Brackenfell (2014)
Eersterivier Primary, Eersterivier (2015)
Happy Valley Primary, Silversands/Bardale Village (2015)
Khanya Primary, Philippi (2015)
Kranshoek Primary, Plettenberg Bay (2015)
Kwanokuthula Primary, Plettenberg Bay (2015)
Masakhane Primary, Gansbaai (2014)
Silversands Senior Secondary, Silversands/Bardale Village (2015)
Swellendam Primary, Swellendam (2015)
Umyezo Wama Apile Senior Secondary, Grabouw (2015)
Vuyiseka High, Philippi (2015)
Wellington Primary, Wellington (2014)
Replacement Schools
WCED projects
ACJ Phakade Primary (2015)
Bottelary Primary (2014)
Buck Road Primary (2014)
Entshona Primary (2015)
Fairview Primary (2015)
Garden Village Primary (2014)
Hazendal Primary (2014)
Itsitsa Primary (2014)
Plantation Road Primawry (2015)
Steynville Primary (2015)
Touwsranten Primary (2015)
Wes-Eind Primary (2014)
Nalikamva Primary (2015)
Asidi projects
Delta Primary (2014)
Die Duine Primary (2014)
Sophumelela Secondary School (2014)
Hawston Primary (2014)
Heideveld Primary (2014)
Kensington Secondary (2014)
Portia Primary (2014)
Kasselsvlei Primary (2014)
Sophakama Primary (2014)
Valhalla Primary (2014)
Knysna Secondary (2014)
Parkview Primary (2015)
Wesfleur Primary (2015)
Willemsvallei Primary (2015)
Mount View Senior Secondary (2015)
Voorspoed Primary (2015)
Red River Primary (2015)
Silverstream Primary (2015)
Scottsdene Senior Secondary (2015)
Delft South Primary (2015)
Rosewood Primary (2015)
Tygersig Primary (2015)
Du Noon Primary (2015)
Vooruitsig Primary (2015)
Swartberg Senior Secondary (2015)