The long-standing overcrowding crisis at Cingani High School in Motherwell, which sometimes sees more than 50 pupils crammed into a class, is finally set to be addressed.
After the school lost all hope of its pupils ever being seated in a classroom conducive to teaching and learning, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stepped in to assist by handing over six new prefabricated classrooms on Friday.
Church representatives, school management, the matric class, neighbouring principals, as well as metro and education officials, unveiled the infrastructure costing about R2m during a ribbon-cutting and plaque unveiling ceremony.
The organisation, with its missionaries based in East London, undertook the task of supplying the infrastructure, accommodating up to 40 pupils, at the behest of a local member of its leadership in 2023.
“We have members throughout the community and some leaders locally,” a church representative said.
“Liaising with the church’s humanitarian department, we identified a pressing need at the school.
“We’ve undertaken other significant [community development] projects in SA, including a wheelchair programme and infrastructure project, partnering with the national health department.
“However, education has been big for us, which has seen us undertake similar [initiatives] elsewhere.”
Ward 59 councillor Bulelani Matenjwa applauded the development and welcomed the partnership with the church to erect the classrooms.
“I’m glad to see the classes which will contribute to [lessening] the teaching burden,” Matenjwa said.
“It means the school can operate knowing full well that every child is catered for.
“It means teachers can educate them without worrying about borrowing classes from a school much further away.”
Principal Mbuleli Sandi expressed gratitude to the donors and hoped the development would contribute towards improving a matric pass rate of above 80% over the past five years.
“It has been a long journey of 31 years for the school,” he said.
“This handover is the church’s response to the challenge we faced.
“We received an email about an offer of assistance last year.
“As school management, we did not hesitate to respond.
“However, we didn’t ask for money, uniforms or the donation of computers.
“Meetings with the church followed, culminating in the project, hence this gift will make a difference in the pupils’ lives.”
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Gqeberha stake presidency member Mbali Zitshu said: “We do these things quite a lot.
“However, the church has no money, being an NPO [nonprofit organisation].
“All the resources we have are generous donations from the ordinary members of the church and its leaders try to put it to better use.
“We’re pleased to contribute the little we can to the community.”
HeraldLIVE
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