Please see attached English and Afrikaans soundbites, as well as the Afrikaans translation below. Kindly find photos from the oversight visit here, here, here and here.
As a result of the joint of effort of officials, contractors and stakeholders, Saxonsea Junior High School – an extension of the High School to accommodate more Grade 8 and 9 learners – was able to be built in 65 days and within its budget of R40 million.
The school forms part of the WCED’s innovative Rapid School Build (RSB) programme that is aimed to increase capacity for learner placements.
This means that the school was ready for the start of the 2023 academic year and has contributed towards there being no unplaced learners in Atlantis.
Following an unannounced oversight visit by the Standing Committee on Education yesterday, we were also able to witness first-hand the exceptional build quality of the new school. By using a combination of brick-and-mortar and alternative steel-framed building technology, the school has been neatly built to serve the needs of the community.
During the visit, we were able to see the following installations:
- The 9 brand-new classrooms which, in total, can accommodate approximately 405 extra learners;
- A multi-purpose learning centre which has the capacity for 200-250 learners;
- 2 new JoJo water tanks;
- A new safe to store exam papers;
- Start-up kits for stationery and textbooks, as well as cleaning products for 1-2 years;
- A new drinking fountain; and
- Various olive trees and succulents planted around the school in order to promote sustainability and greenery around the new structures.
MPP Deidré Baartman says: “We, as the DA in the Western Cape, are proud of the quality construction carried out at the school. What we witnessed yesterday showed what is possible when we adopt a whole-of-society approach. The construction company, for example, also trained local companies in order to become subcontractors and worked over weekends to ensure that the school was built on time.
With there also being high involvement from both parents and the School Governing Body, we know that this school is destined for success. Saxonsea Junior High School is a prime example of the Department’s innovative RSB programme that is aimed to increase capacity for learner placements, and we look forward to this programme making even further progress.”
AFRIKAANS TRANSLATION:
As gevolg van die gesamentlike poging van amptenare, kontrakteurs en belanghebbendes kon Saxonsea Junior High School – ‘n uitbreiding van die Hoërskool om meer graad 8- en 9-leerders te akkommodeer – binne 65 dae en binne sy begroting van R40 miljoen gebou word.
Die skool vorm deel van die WKOD se innoverende Rapid School Build (RSB)-program wat daarop gemik is om kapasiteit vir leerderplasings te verhoog.
Dit beteken dat die skool gereed was vir die begin van die 2023 akademiese jaar en daartoe bygedra het dat daar geen ongeplaaste leerders in Atlantis was nie.
Ná ‘n onaangekondigde oorsigbesoek deur die staande komitee oor onderwys gister kon ons ook eerstehands die uitsonderlike bougehalte van die nuwe skool aanskou. Deur ‘n kombinasie van baksteen-en-mortier en alternatiewe staalraamboutegnologie te gebruik, is die skool netjies gebou om in die behoeftes van die gemeenskap te voorsien.
Tydens die besoek kon ons die volgende installasies sien:
- Die 9 splinternuwe klaskamers wat altesaam ongeveer 405 ekstra leerders kan akkommodeer;
- ‘n Veeldoelige leersentrum met 200-250 leerders;
- 2 nuwe JoJo-watertenks;
- ‘n Nuwe kluis om eksamenvraestelle te stoor;
- Hulpbron pakkies vir skryfbehoeftes en handboeke, sowel as skoonmaakprodukte vir 1-2 jaar;
- ‘n Nuwe water drink punt; en
- Verskeie olyfbome en vetplante was rondom die skool geplant om volhoubaarheid en groen rondom die nuwe strukture te bevorder.
LPP Deidré Baartman sê: “Ons as die DA in die Wes-Kaap is trots op die gehalte konstruksie wat by die skool uitgevoer word. Wat ons gister gesien het, het gewys wat moontlik is wanneer ons ‘n hele samelewingsbenadering volg. Die konstruksiemaatskappy het byvoorbeeld ook plaaslike maatskappye opgelei om subkontrakteurs te word en het oor naweke gewerk om te verseker dat die skool betyds gebou word.
Aangesien daar ook groot betrokkenheid van beide ouers en die Skoolbeheerliggaam is, weet ons dat hierdie skool bestem is vir sukses. Saxonsea Junior High School is ‘n uitstekende voorbeeld van die Departement se innoverende RSB-program wat daarop gemik is om kapasiteit vir leerderplasings te verhoog, en ons sien uit na nog verdere vordering deur hierdie program.”