A group of learners from Zandspruit Primary School will now go to school feeling more comfortable, following the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Group Corporate and Shared Services, councillor Loyiso Masuku, facilitating a donation of stationery and cosmetics.
On Friday, 31 January, the new MMC restored the confidence of about 50 learners when she handed over the much-needed packs to make their schooling days more pleasant.
The donation comprised school bags, stationery, sanitary towels, roll-on, a toothbrush and toothpaste for the identified learners.
Loyiso, who promoted cleanliness among the learners, said the donations were made in partnership with a non-profit organisation that works with schools in the area.
While the learners’ basic needs were met, Loyiso came across even bigger challenges at the school, which she felt required an inter-governmental approach.
During a walkabout at the school, the principal, Joshua Mamabolo, complained about the lack of services that hampers teaching and learning. The main problems Mamabulo raised were that the school sits on land without a title deed, the water available for consumption is unhygienic due to the faulty water connection, and the learners lacked proper nutrition.
“After the walkabout, we were able to identify the challenges and where we are able to intervene. However, the challenges at this school require an inter-governmental approach in the sense that there are things that City Power, Eskom and Joburg Water needed to do.
“There are structural problems that require the Provincial Department of Education’s attention, and there are challenges with the school’s nutrition programme, which is a national competence,” she said.
Loyiso expressed concern about the lack of sporting facilities at the school. “Of importance to us is the well-being of the children; we want the learners to be able to study in a safe and friendly environment, but there are no sporting facilities at this particular school,” she said, suggesting that in the interim, soccer and netball posts be put up at the school for the children to use.
The MMC added that she was to attend a meeting after the school visit to give feedback about the school. She also vowed to revisit the school next month. “It doesn’t end here; we will be back again in March to see progress and expedite whatever challenges we met when we visited the school,” she concluded.
