Pretoria – Learners from Chief Albert Lithuli location in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, will no longer have to travel long distances to school, thanks to the newly built Chief Albert Lithuli Primary.
According to Gauteng MEC for Education Barbara Creecy, the new school was built at a cost of R58 million. The school starts from Grade R to Grade 7.
Speaking at the official handing over of the school, MEC Creecy said education remains government’s top priority.
“A school is the very lifeblood of a community. It is a platform through which the children of a community define their identity and the role they will ultimately play in society,” she said.
Chief Albert Luthuli Primary School is the first to be completed of the nine schools that are to be built in Gauteng.
According to Creecy, two more schools are expected to be completed before the end the year.
Creecy said the newly built state-of-the-art school will help address shortage of schools in the Daveyton area by accommodating 1600 learners.
The school has 24 classrooms, a library, computer room, three multipurpose centres, technology centre and laboratory.
The school, built and completed within five months, is dedicated to a former teacher and people’s leader who was also Africa’s first Nobel Peace Prize winner Chief Albert Luthuli.
Also speaking was Gauteng MEC for Economic Development Qedani Mahlangu who said she was impressed with the school.
Mahlangu called on local community to protect the school.
“As the provincial government, we are going to continue delivering more schools to our communities, there is no excuse for children for not attending school” she said.
Prior to the building of the new school, learners were being accommodated at nearby schools.
They are expected to move into their new school in September.
School Principal Peter Manana told SAnews that he was happy that the learners will no longer have to travel a long distance to school.
“They now have their own school next to where they live, I’m also excited about the new school,” he said.
Eight other prioritised new schools are currently under construction in various parts of the province.
All nine schools have been designed to incorporate alternative energy and other green solutions such as solar power, grey water and rainwater harvesting just to name a few. – SAnews.gov.za
