OFM News attended the infrastructure launches at two of the schools, namely Ereskuld Primary School, where a new kitchen was donated to the school which has a feeding scheme, as well as at Moroka High School, where 16 toilet facilities for boys and girls were donated.

The MEC of Education in the province, Tate Makgoe, encouraged the young learners to not look down on their education or potential because of where they come from but rather use it to motivate them to become successful.

Speaking at the high school, Makgoe said the emphasis of this collaborative effort was to bring back dignity to rural schools such as this one. He delivered a warm address to the Grade 11 and 12 learners at the school, encouraging them to not look down on their education because of where they come from or went to school. He cautioned the young adults to carefully consider their decisions as these would determine whether or not they live up to their potential within the next five to ten years following their matriculation.

The schools that benefitted from this project received either basic or incentive infrastructure. Basic infrastructure refers to the building or renovation of ablution blocks and classrooms, perimeter fencing and the provision of desks and chairs. All programme schools receive basic infrastructure where it is required and where it is not already being provided by the government.

Incentive infrastructure, on the other hand, refers to facilities such as science laboratories, libraries, computer centres, math centres, multi-media centres and sports facilities. Schools that perform above the target that has been set by the Free State Department of Education, qualify for incentive infrastructure projects. KST was recently accused of handing over six recently built, unsafe grade R classrooms to schools in Thaba Nchu and Botshabelo by a councillor in Botshabelo. The councillor, Zwelakhe Msabe, claimed KST would push ahead with this project despite a warning by an architect working on the project, who said these classrooms had structural discrepancies. He also said that members of these communities expressed concerns over the safety of learners and staff at these schools after the quality raised several red flags.

However, KST’s Kaya Nyati said the claims that these classrooms were due for handover were false as the Trust was currently concluding the occupation safety clearance with the Structural Engineers and these schools (in Botshabelo) would not form part of the infrastructure launch on 25 and 26 February unless the engineers would issue a certificate of clearance. She furthermore also said the Trust has no record of the complaint made by one of its engineers that the said classrooms have discrepancies as stated by Msabe. The Trust intends to hand over more structures to schools in Botshabelo sometime next week, though the exact details will be furnished at a later stage.

OFM News