Learners at Kgatoentlhe Secondary School in Ga-Rankuwa, Tshwane, could not conceal their excitement as they started the new academic year in their newly built state-of-the-art school. The school was handed over to the community following the learners' impeccable record of a 100% pass rate achieved over the past years. 

Minister of Basic Education, Mrs Angie Motshekga, accompanied by Gauteng MEC for Education, Mr Matome Chiloane, officially handed over the school to the Ga-Rankuwa community as a token of appreciation for the excellent results achieved by the previous matriculants through the support of teachers, learners, School Governing Bodies (SGBs) and School Management Teams (SMTs).

During the briefing session with the Minister, the SMT highlighted that the school was one of the beneficiaries of the infrastructure development programme introduced by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE). The programme intends to promote educational excellence in schools by rewarding excellence. The new Quintile 1 school has enrolled 1,164 learners for the current academic year. The school consists of a multipurpose hall, nutrition centre, water reticulation system, a generator for load-shedding, two consumer centres, a sports centre with changing rooms and showers, as well as Wi-Fi. Updating the Minister on the state of school readiness, Kgatoentle Secondary School principal, Mr Joshua Mpete, said that the school received all the required LTSM for the 2024 school calendar. He expressed his gratitude to the DBE and PEDs for delivering the new school, saying that it will have an added value in terms of strengthening quality learning and teaching across all grades.

MEC Chiloane said that, through the implementation of the infrastructure’s development programme, the GDE will be able to transform the education landscape in rural and township communities. “I therefore urge members of school communities to protect the school infrastructure at all costs for the current and future generations. We condemn any form of school vandalism or stealing of school property, and we will ensure that those who are implicated in the act of wrongdoing are brought to book.” MEC Chiloane reassured education stakeholders that most schools in the province were ready for the 2024 school calendar. “The Department is working closely with education districts to complete learner placement as soon as possible. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Minister Motshekga for her continued support to our province. The intervention support and guidance provided by the DBE should not be underestimated because it enables our province to improve school functionality for the better.”

In her address to the learners, Minister Motshekga said that she was conducting the school visit in the province to gauge the level of school readiness for the year, adding that Kgatoentle Secondary School has given her confidence that the GDE was ready for the year. Addressing learners, the Minister said in her motivational speech: “Great performance starts from the beginning of the year hence you are required to cooperate with your school leadership and management, whilst committing yourself academically. I advise you to stay away from substance and drug abuse and use education to secure yourself a bright future”.

Updating the school community about the state of system readiness for the year, Minister Motshekga indicated that the majority of provinces have confirmed the receipt of the necessary resources. “We will continue to have regular meetings with officials to monitor learner placement. The DBE and PEDs, particularly the KwaZulu-Natal Province, will work hand in hand to monitor the extent to which school infrastructure was damaged due to flooding, and determine measures to be undertaken as an urgent solution for school infrastructure damage affecting learning and teaching time. We are confident that quality learning and teaching will progress as anticipated. Minister Motshekga and her entourage wrapped up the programme with an unannounced visit to Omphile Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre. Minister Motshekga was impressed by the commitment of the ECD practitioners in grooming the bright minds of young South Africans. She said that the DBE will conduct oversight visits to various ECD centres across all nine provinces this year to accelerate the institutionalisation of the ECD functionality in the Basic Education Sector.