Six new classrooms have been unveiled at Nederburg Primary School in Lantana, Paarl, thanks to a partnership by MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet, the Western Cape education department and several donors. 

The classrooms, built offsite by Kwikspace, will offer 212 grade R and grade 7 pupils at the no-fee school an inviting new space for lessons.

Drakenstein mayor, Conrad Poole, and district director of education for the Cape Winelands, Juan Benjamin, officially opened the classrooms on March 5.

Check out the classrooms here:

The new facilities replaced six older classrooms which had been in disrepair and housed pupils for more than 50 years. 

The project was driven by community support programme MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet with help from the Val de Vie Foundation, Hopewell United Methodist Church in Downingtown Pennsylvania, TFG and the Rhodes Food Group.

Through a collaboration with the education department the donors’ funds were matched to 40%, making the upgrade of more than R1.8-million possible.

Nederburg Primary’s principal, Melville Lawrence, says almost 50% of pupils are from single-parent or foster-care homes.

“The opportunity to partner with other donors and provide much-needed facilities to Nederburg Primary shows the power of collaboration,” says MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet GM Pieter Twine. 

“After months of preparations, we were excited to unveil the classrooms and see the looks of joy on the faces of both the educators and learners. These facilities will benefit the Paarl community for generations to come.”

MySchool GM Pieter Twine

Fruit, flavoured water, blankets, rulers and National Geographic Kids magazines were also distributed to the school’s 850 pupils.

MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet raises funds for schools and charities to improve education and social development in South Africa. To participate, sign up for a card for free at myschool.co.za or download the app and select the organisations you want to support. MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet’s partners will make a donation on your behalf every time you shop.

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