By Johnathan Paoli
The Gauteng government has announced a significant expansion in educational infrastructure to meet the growing demands of the province’s rapidly increasing population.
The province’s infrastructure development department reported on Wednesday that 309 newly built classrooms and 58 refurbished classrooms would be ready this year, accommodating a total of 12,478 learners.
MEC Jacob Mamabolo emphasised the government’s commitment to improving educational facilities as a cornerstone for enhancing the quality of education.
“The programme is transforming the old school infrastructure in the province and promotes equality through extensive construction work which gives schools a new lease of life,” Mamabolo said in a statement.
The new classrooms are expected to cater to 10,506 learners, while the rehabilitated and refurbished spaces will accommodate an additional 1972 students.
Mamabolo said this initiative was part of a broader strategy to address the educational infrastructure backlog, which has been exacerbated by socio-economic migration to the province.
According to the 2021 Statistics South Africa report, Gauteng saw an influx of approximately 479,400 people between 2016 and 2021, significantly increasing the demand for resources.
The Rehabilitation and Refurbishment Programme targets schools constructed from inappropriate materials, such as asbestos, and aims to reduce the reliance on mobile classrooms.
The initiative not only improves learning conditions, but also fosters equality across township schools.
Key projects in the 2025 pipeline include the construction of Simunye Secondary School in Westonaria, the upgraded Ribane Laka Secondary School in Mamelodi and the Semphato Secondary School in Soshanguve, and the new Braamfischerville Primary School in Soweto.
He said the focus on the Dr W.K. du Plessis School for Learners with Special Educational Needs in Springs and Athlone Girls High School in Honeydew further highlighted the government’s inclusive approach to education.
The department was also prioritising the completion of Nancefield Primary School in Eldorado Park and Rust-Ter-Vaal Secondary School in Sedibeng.
New contractors have been appointed to ensure the timely delivery of these projects following the termination of previous contracts.
INSIDE EDUCATION
