Noord-Kaap Primary School, in Olifantshoek, has been able to expand its capacity with the addition of two newly built Grade R classrooms. This infrastructure project, which forms part of REISA’s flagship Ubuntu Schools Project, provided additional space for sixty community learners and has meant that the school can now meet the regulations outlined by the Department of Education, which requires Grade R learners to be schooled separately from the rest of the school, for various reasons.
The two classrooms, which were completed the day before the country went into hard lockdown, 26 March 2020, are now being used at their full capacity.
“We recognized a need for more Grade R classrooms to provide more opportunities for children from the surrounding community to have a safe space in terms of Early Childhood Development, and are pleased that they are now enjoying the benefits,” said Veronique Isaacs, Project Community Operations Officer for REISA.
Noord-Kaap Primary School is one of only two primary schools, serving the Olifantshoek community. The school was originally built in 1998 to accommodate 800 learners from the community and surrounding farm areas, however, it now accommodates almost double the intended capacity.
Hence this additional infrastructure was viewed as essential, in order to provide two additional classrooms for young children entering Grade R, and also included secure fencing to separate these classrooms from the rest of the school.
“ECD classrooms in our community are very important, as we strive to accommodate Pre-School learners in a safe learning environment. The newly built classrooms are essential to the teaching and learning of children from a young age,” Mr. J Vries, Acting Principal at Noord-Kaap Primary.
Following an extensive local community participation process, this project appointed local contractors to construct the classrooms. Building commenced towards the end of 2019 and was scheduled for completion in May 2020, under the guidance and support of the School Governing Body.
As Noord-Kaap Primary School forms part of REISA’s Ubuntu Schools Project, further needs will be identified and supported, depending on available funding.“As part of our Ubuntu Schools Project monitoring process, we will undertake to provide additional support, as identified by the school, in alignment with our Socio-Economic Development Programmes,” concluded Isaacs.
