Statement by André Gaum, Western Cape Education Minister

Fezeka High School celebrated the opening of seven new classrooms and a Science Centre in Gugulethu earlier today (Saturday, 22 February 2004).

The new classrooms are the result of a partnership between the school and a group of sponsors from Canada called "Education without Borders". Funding for the new classrooms were raised in Canada.

The building of the classrooms will bring relief to the school, which has over the past few years experienced increasing pressure on the number of learners it can accommodate.

I want to congratulate Fezeka High and "Education without Borders", as well as the other partners involved in the project, with the outcome of their partnership.

Not only will the new classrooms assist the school in terms of accommodating more learners, but it will also assist our endeavours to increase the number of learners who study science and technology.

The new Science Centre may therefore play a significant role in the local community as part of our comprehensive effort to align what the system of education delivers with what our economy requires.

Partnerships such as this one provide crucial cornerstones, not only for building education, but also for building a world-class province and a visionary nation.

We need all hands on deck if we are to speed up the education and growth of all communities in the Western Cape.

The WCED is committed to fostering partnerships. We continuously encourage schools to partner with schools in other communities through our Partnerships for Progress-programme.

However, partnerships are not a goal in itself, but must serve the vision of establishing every school in the Western Cape as a centre of excellence in education.

The new classrooms and Science Centre at Fezeka High will provide a platform for the further development of the school as a centre of excellence.

I want to call on parents and the local community to take ownership and responsibility for the new structures and the school as a whole. Their input will ensure that Fezeka High and this wonderful partnership goes from strength to strength.

Inquiries: Rudi Buys at  082 577 6551