Multi-million rand upgrade for Luxolo

Update

ABERDEEN NEWS - Luxolo Intermediate School in Thembalesizwe has made history. The school received approval of an emergency project well in excess of R10-million for infrastructure repairs and upgrades.

Principal Christo Frazenburg and the Student Governing Body (SGB) received the excellent news from the Eastern Cape Department of Education in the last week of February.

After signing the contract with the main contractor on Tuesday 28 February, an urgent meeting with parents took place on Thursday, 2 March.

Approval of this emergency project is the direct result of 10 years' resilient action by stakeholders.

Frazenburg shared the delightful news with all present at the meeting and explained how the project would affect school activities.

The main contractor was due to start on Tuesday 7 March. The first section to be declared a building site and excluded from schooling activities, is the double storey block. The teaching personnel will be platooning* learners and classes for the duration of the project.

One of the non-negotiable conditions is that parents and local stakeholders must enjoy priority consideration when it comes to jobs, service delivery opportunities and general labour opportunities.

The project
The highlights entail not only repairing and revamping existing infrastructure, but the Grade Rs will get a demarcated and safeguarded portion of the school grounds with upgraded infrastructure, including newly built age appropriate ablutions. A new hall will be furnished with a stage and kitchen. Learners will enjoy their daily meal in the hall. The school will also get a multimedia library, multipurpose classroom, conference facilities, a science laboratory and its own borehole. The completion date is 7 February 2024.

Background
Since 2012 several teachers, principals, parents and the SGB have continually complained about the state of the school.

In February 2020, engineers sent by the department, declared six of the 12 classrooms in one block as unsafe. Parents then safeguarded that section with locked gates leaving the school to function without six classrooms.

On 14 September 2022 the SGB, on behalf of the parents, locked the school since the department failed to respond to their continued appeals. At the time, George Yalolo of the SGB, representing the parents, said the department simply did not deliver on the promised R90 000, more teachers and the appointment of a caretaker. The school was left without sufficient water and the ablutions were in despicable condition. From 15 September 2022, for more than a week, all personnel of the school had to do their daily work outside in the street. Despite undertakings by the department to visit the school, nothing tangible came to fruition. But the SGB and parents were set on solving the deadlock. On 11 October 2022 they made their way to the district offices in Graaff-Reinet making it clear that they won't let up until the department delivers.

"Over the past 10 years our predecessors set the example - they tirelessly fought for our school to be repaired. All of us continued to plead, argue, pray and even toyi-toyi for our school. Today we can announce that we have made history," Frazenburg said.

Parents at the meeting last week, 2 March.