Programme Director Deputy Minister Mr Enver Surty
His Excellency Mr President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma
Premier of the Western Cape, Madam Helen Zille
MEC for Education, Ms Debbie Schäfer
Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Ms Patricia de Lille
Principal of the school, Mr Jacobs
SGB Members present
Distinguished Guests
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
It gives me pleasure to stand before you on this important day - the official hand over of the Kensington High School. Kensington High, Mr President is one of the 14 Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) schools in the Western Cape. We have already handed over one school namely the Die Duine Primary School in Lotus River earlier this month. Some schools are in various stages of completion. ASIDI as some of us know has four pillars, namely:
- Eradication of schools built from inappropriate materials like corrugated iron, asbestos, wood, mud, etc. There is quite a number of such schools across the country which ASIDI seeks to replace;
- Provision of modern and dignified sanitation facilities;
- Provision of drinking water; and
- Provision of electricity, where none is available.
Short History
Mr President, there is an apartheid atrocity with regard to the history of this school. It was established in 1934 in Kensington Road, Maitland. It was known as Kensington Central and provided education from Grade 4 to 8. During this time, there were fewer learners. Over time learners increased and the need for secondary education became a necessity in the area. As a result more classrooms were built and this led to the formal establishment of Kensington High School in 1951.
However in 1974, about 40 years ago the school moved from Maitland area to a prefabricated building. The Nationalist Party regime informed the former principal, Mr. Page in 1974 that the move to the prefabricated structure was a temporary one. However, the structure remained for 39 years without being converted into permanent structure as promised until the intervention of this ANC-led government through ASIDI. So, today Mr. President, we are here to restore the dignity of this community that was stolen by the apartheid regime.
New School
The total amount invested at the rebuilding of the new state-of-the-art Kensington High School is R44.369 Million. The new school consists of the following:
· 39 classrooms
· 2 Computer rooms
· 2 Multi-purpose classrooms
· 1 Media Centre
· 1 Admin Block
· 1 Nutrition Centre
· 1 Security room
· 25 Parking Bays
· New Ablution facilities comprising 35 toilets
· New school fence
· New Sport fields
Partnership
We wish to acknowledge the working partnership with the Western Cape Provincial Government that contributed school furniture and ICT equipment to this school. Mr. President, when it comes to the education of our children, the needs of the children supersedes our divergent political philosophies. We acknowledge the cooperation of both the Western Cape Premier and MEC for Education with our Department in ensuring that ASIDI programme takes off without any glitches in the Western Cape.
Enrollment Figures
Currently, the school has 1226 learners. There are 41 educators – 33 are permanently employed, three contracted by the Western Cape Department of Education and five are SGB employed educators. The medium of instruction at Kensington High School is English. The school also teaches Afrikaans, French, Portuguese and Lingata (Kenyan Language).
Conclusion
Government’s intervention through ASIDI continues to change people’s lives and restore dignity to thousands of South Africans across the country. Education experience for learners and teachers in these new modern schools will never be the same again. The launch of the Western Cape leg of these ASIDI schools today sends a strong message that this is indeed a caring Government.
Official Introduction of the President of the Republic of South Africa: His Excellency Mr. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma.