Mr Speaker, the ANC welcomes the unveiling of a state-of-the-art boarding school in Mpumalanga. One of the ANC's manifesto assertions of 2009 was that the ANC-led government would aim to ensure the progressive realisation of universal schooling, improve the quality of education, and eliminate disparities in education. Thus the ANC welcomes the official opening of the state-of-the-art Izimbali Combined Boarding School by the ANC-led government in Mpumalanga on Monday, 24 February 2014.
The boarding school boasts 24 classrooms, a science laboratory, library, computer centre, 40 toilets, a state-of-the-art administration block, four sets of male dormitories and four sets of female dormitories, a fence, water and electricity. The school will cater for vulnerable children, including orphans and children who are heads of their households. Almost 456 pupils from the surrounding primary schools, such as Broadholm, Idalia, Nongena, Samlee, Thokomala, Westoe, Zandspruit, Riverbend and Lithole are expected to move into their new school at the beginning of April.
This initiative is part of the ANC provincial government's Comprehensive Rural Development Programme, which is aimed at phasing out multigrade schools and unsafe schools, as well as ensuring that learners from rural communities, including farms, are able to attend. I thank you, hon Speaker. [Time expired.] [Applause.]
