Media Release
Minister of Education Donald Grant
Western Cape

9 November, 2011

Two technical schools to open their doors in January 2012

Statement by Minister Donald Grant, Minister of Education, Western Cape

Technical schools are extremely valuable to this Government. They provide important educational opportunities for learners who want to study in fields such as mechanical technology and engineering and are key to developing skills in the Western Cape.

In January 2012, two new technical high schools, Delft Technical High School and the Northpine Technical High, will open their doors to learners in this province.

They are two of five technical high schools in the province. The remaining three include Oude Molen, Belville and Drostdy Technical High School. Each of these schools specialize in technical subjects such as mechanical technology; electrical technology; civil technology; engineering, graphics and design, as well as, mathematics and science.

In addition to the five technical high schools, nineteen additional 'comprehensive technical schools' offer the four technical subjects and other subjects such as history and geography.

Northpine Technical High School

In 2009, I met with the 'Old Paarl Road Technical High School Steering Committee' to discuss the possibility of building a new technical high school in the Kraaifontein/Brackenfell area. The nearest technical high school was Bellville Tech, which as explained by the committee, was in terms of travel too far for those learners who wished to pursue a technical study field.

After an audit of the Province's infrastructure needs, the WCED approved the building of the new technical high school in Northpine which commenced in the second half of 2010. The school is expected to be completed by the 30th of November 2011.

Given its focus on technical subjects such as mechanical, electrical and civil engineering, the school has a number of specialist facilities such as workshops and laboratories. Therefore, the cost of the school, approximately R40 million, is higher than the average new High School.

The school has 27 classrooms, three workshops, two specialist rooms and five laboratories. The school facilities also include a library, two computer rooms, a school hall, sports facilities and the relevant administrative offices.

Applications for enrolment in Grades 8 and 9 opened in October 2011.

Parents can contact the Metro East Offices for information on where and how to enrol their children at this school. The school has already accepted around 200 learners, and additional applications are currently being processed. Mr Edgar Williams has been appointed as acting principal. The school can accommodate up to 1 200 learners.

The WCED are currently ensuring that all the necessary logistical requirements, such as school furniture, equipment and learner support materials are being ordered for delivery just before the start of the school year.

Delft Technical High School

The second new technical high school in the province to open next year is Delft Technical High School which will also accommodate over 1 200 learners. The school is also enrolling Grade 8 and 9 learners for the 2012 school year.

This school has three workshops, six specialist rooms and four laboratories. The school facilities will also include a library, two computer rooms, twenty-seven classrooms, a school hall, sports facilities and the relevant administrative offices.

The cost of this school is also approximately R40 million.

Infrastructure plan

We are excited that come January 2012, eleven new high schools, four Primary and seven Secondary, are expected to open in the Western Cape.

Ten of the eleven new schools form part of the WCED's infrastructure plan, which includes the building of 25 new schools and 20 replacement schools in the current Medium Term Expenditure Framework.

Since the announcement of the infrastructure plan, the Department has already planned and completed the building of eight new schools in the province, eleven are currently in the final stages of construction (including ten mentioned below) and an additional 12 schools are in their planning stages. In addition, the new Hout Bay Primary school will be completed by the start of the 2012 school year, which has been built using private funding.

Seven of the eleven new schools will be enrolling learners for the first time, the other four schools include those that already have already been operating for a number of years, but have been temporarily located in mobile classrooms. Learners from these schools will move from their old premises to their new one at the beginning of the year.

Conclusion

I am very excited about what the department has achieved in these last two years and I look forward to visiting all our new schools in the New Year. I am confident that their, now empty, classrooms will be transformed into hubs of teaching and learning, where learners and educators are safe and secure, and where quality learning is taking place.

For enquiries, contact Bronagh Casey:  072 724 1422 or brcasey@pgwc.gov.za.

Visit our website: http://wced.wcape.gov.za


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