Pretoria - What started off as a promise to repair the roof of Peninghotsa High School in Mhinga, Limpopo, by Communications Minister Faith Muthambi five months ago, is now a reality.
The roof in some classes in one block of the school was blown off by a severe hailstorm that hit the village in February 2015 and it was Minister Muthambi’s visit that brought hope to both learners and teachers.
When Minister Muthambi visited the school situated near the Kruger National Park in January this year, as part of her Back to School campaign, she was touched to see learners in classrooms with no roof.
An excited Minister Muthambi, who will officially hand over the classes with a new roof on Saturday, July 9, said: “I don’t want South Africans to remember me as one of the leaders who failed our government. My feet are always moving forward. Even in the darkest moments in life, I don’t despair because I am committed to change the lives of our people.
“During my visit to the school, I said that the situation needed be addressed as a matter of urgency and I am glad that our promise is now a reality, clearly confirming that we are indeed a caring government, not only to those who are living in suburbs but also to those who are living in the border-lying areas of our country,” she said.
Minister Muthambi said the renovations were made possible through a partnership with MTN and the SABC Foundation.
School principal Hasani Chauke said: “[The Minister] is well known for not wasting time in delivering services to the people. It's our hope that very soon, everything will go back to normal at this school.”
There is also no water and toilets at the rural school and two of the teachers left the school, leaving children with no educators for certain subjects.
Despite being situated in a deep rural area, the school has managed to attract a high number of prospective students because of the high matric pass rate over the past years.
In the 2012 academic year, the school achieved 96%. In 2013, it achieve a 100% pass rate. In 2014, there was an 88% pass rate, although it dropped to 56% last year. - SAnews.gov.za
