As the third school term begins after the 2010 winter school holidays, 60 Grade R learners at Ntontela Junior Secondary School will enjoy taking up their seats in a newly built classroom as Absa and the provincial government partner in making a difference.
This gift of a new classroom came about through the Eastern Cape leg of the Absa Premiers Invitation golf day held in September 2008. Absa, as the country’s largest Retail Bank, is cognisant of the communities in which it operates and at each of the Absa Premiers invitational golf events held across all nine provinces it donated R250 000 to a Corporate Social Investment programme or charity of the then Premier’s choice.
Prior to the completion of the classroom these grade R learners and their two educators were being housed in a nearby community hall as there was no classroom available at the school.
"As the South African Government we have lobbied all sectors of our community to join us in social partnerships that would ensure that lives of all South Africans, specifically the poor, are improved for the better. This delivery, emanating from Absa’s responsiveness to our call, shows that we are etching closer to our goals even though we still have a long way to go."
"Education is a prized possession and an area that we want to strengthen as the Eastern Cape Provincial Government as to build a skills and human resources base," says Eastern Cape Premier, Ms Noxolo Kiviet
"Absa aims to use this golfing event as a platform to thank all the Premiers for their ongoing efforts in managing their respective provinces. Young people are our leaders of tomorrow; therefore we have a responsibility to develop them. We are pleased with the value that Absa will be adding to the education of these learners in the village of Ntontela in Lusikisiki." says Chief Marketing and Communication Executive Mr Happy Ntshingila. An elated Nixon Mahlangeni, principal of the school said that the entire community is excited about such an investment.
"The 60 Grade R learners have always been separated from the rest of Ntontela School as they have been housed in a community hall due to lack of space at the school. This new classroom presents a foundation to enlighten and encourage learners to come to school as the new environment is presenting a sense of belonging with their integration into the mainstream school," he said.
He added that this new classroom is making a positive impact on the learning experience of these little ones, as they have a classroom of their own of which they will be very proud. Established in the early 1900s, Ntontela is a public school registered with the Department of Education. It provides education to 1 350 local learners from grade R to grade 9.
Absa has also invested funding into early childhood education in the broader rural areas of the former Transkei through its funding of the Masikhule Early Learning Centre based in Mthatha. These funds were used to train pre-school educators in order to provide resources to give little ones good grounding from which to start their formal schooling.
On 16 July Absa with Premier Noxolo Kiviet have launched a new science and technology laboratory at Ngangolwandle Senior Secondary School in Ebufumba Village in Elliotdale near Mqanduli.
