A R41m revamp of Gamble Street High in Kariega will help restore its pupils’ dignity and pride in their school, as well as provide an environment where they can feel safe.
Speaking at the official launch of the multimillion rand project on Friday, education MEC Fundile Gade said the improvements to the school would be a lasting investment for generations to come.
The work is set to start on Monday, at the same time providing employment within the community.
“We need to leave behind a legacy that shows people how we turned education in the Eastern Cape around,” Gade said.
“We must be able to pride ourselves on providing the pupils of this province with a brighter future.”
Gade said the project would not only enrich the lives of the school’s current and future pupils, but would serve to uplift the community through job creation and ongoing maintenance projects.
“We cannot just hand over these projects without an ongoing maintenance plan.
“We must ensure that decades from now, these buildings still look the way they do the day we handed them over to the school.
“And it is important to ensure the money allocated to this project does not leave this province.
“What is allocated to this community, must stay in this community, and that is why local job creation is a crucial element of what we are building here at Gamble Street,” Gade said.
In addition to the launch of the construction project, Gade and his team donated 100 pairs of school shoes to be given to less privileged pupils, at the school’s discretion.
The renovations will see the school’s admin block, classrooms and the girls’ hostel revamped.
The boys’ hostel, which was closed due to health and safety concerns, will undergo a full restoration.
Independent Development Trust project manager Grievance Segodi said final approval for the project was given only days ago, and contractors were expected on site from Monday.
“This phase of the Gamble Street project is scheduled to run for 12 months,” Segodi said.
“Because local involvement was a non-negotiable, the head contractor will be making use of four local companies to assist with the project, and 33 local residents will form the bulk of the labour force.”
Segodi said the next phase planned for the school would see the construction of new classrooms, as well as a new hostel further down the line.
School governing body (SGB) chair and former Gamble Street pupil, Tessa Loff, said parents were grateful to the department, and also excited to see the renovations take place.
“Many of our children come from disadvantaged backgrounds and live under challenging conditions,” Loff said.
“The hostels provide us with the opportunity to offer some of them a safe place to focus on their schooling, away from the distractions that hamper their development.”
She said the SGB hoped the improved facilities would also encourage pupils to take pride in their school, bringing with it greater dedication to their school work and better grades.
Grade 11 pupil Asiphile Nyiki said the school building was long overdue for an upgrade, and she was excited to see what it would look like once complete.
“Certain facilities in the school are in bad shape.
“Parts of the school are no longer usable, and some parts we don’t want to use because of the condition they are in.
“Hopefully, as the next grade 12 class, we will see a positive change and facilities we can be proud of,” Nyiki said.
Her classmate, Owethu Mgibe, said he was happy to see the school building finally being upgraded.
“I’m happy to hear the boys’ hostel will be revamped.
“Hopefully it is done in time for us to use next year as a safe and quiet space to study for the exams.
“It’s also good to know the school bathrooms will receive some attention, because some of those facilities are in bad shape,” he said.
Principal Keith August said the renovations would help the pupils achieve the school’s ethos of overcoming adversity and realising their potential.
He said while the current 186 matrics would sadly not benefit from the revamp, he hoped the remaining 1,124 pupils and the next crop of grade 8s would reap the benefits of the education department’s investment in the school.
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