The Gauteng Department of Education has officially opened the newly-constructed Menzi Primary School in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni.
Learners at the school have been using zinc shelters and other temporary structures as classrooms since the early 90s.
The newly built paperless school has cost the Gauteng government over R100 million.
This is one of four new ‘smart schools’ being opened in the province this month.
Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi says they are ready for the start of the new academic year.
He says: “We so excited to be unveiling this beautiful school. You could mistake it for a university or a shopping mall. This is just a primary school, a new model of schools we are building in the townships.”
“You can see this school is in the middle of the informal settlement but it has everything. These kids won’t know what is a chalkboard, chalk or a duster. They are already on a paperless platform. Every classroom has a smartboard, every teacher will have a laptop and every learner will use a tablet device. We have sporting facilities, a library and a laboratory. This is a model school that we need for a post-apartheid SA.”
He says people in the community want to bring their children to this school.
“We want our children to enjoy it, we are excited to have this kind of school. All our devices have security features. The learners know what to do if somebody wants to mug them. These are the things we share with them. You can’t postpone the future of our children. This is their future and they must be in charge of it.”
“These devices help them to access all the information that they need at any time. Our children deserve to study in peace and this community is quite aware. Before we built such a school we engaged the community and advised them to protect this facility because it belongs to them.”
