25 March 2004

By Clifford Mogotsi

A new education facility, the Thuto-Boswa School, has been officially opened in Mogale City by the Gauteng MEC for education, Ignatius Jacobs, in time for the start of the second school term.

The school, based in Ha-Mohale, Magaliesburg, was launched on 19 March amid a festive air, with dancers from the local community providing entertainment for the guests of honour, including Jacobs, the mayor of Mogale City, Advocate Lentswe Mokgatle, and the mayor of Randfontein, Zeph Mhlongo.

Representatives from the community of Ha-Mohale, teachers, parents and learners attended the function and listened as the MEC reflected on the progress made over the past 10 years, educationally.

"The positive trends emerging since 1994 shows a high level of confidence in public education, an increase in the matric pass rate and endorsement rates, significant improvements in the number of learners registering for mathematics, science and technology, increased enrolment in higher education institutions, and a decrease in the number of violent incidents in our school," Jacobs said.

Opening the Thuto-Boswa School, Jacobs said: "We want to change the face of rural education for the better. Education is the tool to give young people character in South Africa."

Guests were then taken on a tour of the facilities, which include state of the art workshops, a library and a science laboratory. Incorporated into the design is a flexibility that allows classrooms to be rearranged. Gregg Ellis-Williams of architecture firm Henk Montel and Associates said: "Key designs allowed for flexibility, allowing changes in the classroom structure depending on the subject or class held."

The school will open its doors to learners in mid-April.