Pupils, teachers and members of the local community could not hide their joy when the MEC for Education, Mr Ismael Kgetjepe, officially opened the completed multimillion-rand state-of-the-art buildings at Beit Bridge Primary School in Musina Nancefield.
The infrastructure is comprised of 24 classrooms, an administration block, a nutritional centre, 20 flushing toilets and security fencing. The school has an enrolment of 1 357 pupils.
Also present during the event were the MEC for Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure, Jerry Ndou, Mayor Tshitereke Matibe (Vhembe District Municipality) and Cllr Mihloti Muhlope, the mayor of the Musina Local Municipality.
Muhlope said the infrastructure would play a very important role in the eradication of overcrowding at the school. "Government is doing everything possible to make education accessible to everyone. Things like non-payment of school fees, the introduction of feeding schemes, free books and stationery are just some of the fruits of the freedom we are enjoying today."
She urged young children to take education seriously. "Education should be your best friend every day. An educated person is respected everywhere, because education beats beauty and good body looks."
Kgetjepe said the government had used R26 million to set up the infrastructure at Beit Bridge Primary School. He urged community members to take good care of the buildings, so that they can also serve future generations. "Let us move away from destroying government property when we protest. This school is just a demosntration that we are serious about the education of our children. The environment in which education takes place has a very big impact on the performance of our children."
Kgetjepe said the Limpopo government had completed more than 150 school projects in the last financial year. "This is money well spent and we have no doubt that the new infrastructure will encourage our children to study hard."
A Grade 4 learner at the school, Joseph Moyo, said that they used to attend classes under a tree and "we are very happy and thankful that the government has come to our rescue."