Water and Sanitation in Schools Programme, Monuments of Peace initiative
5 September 2006
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, together with the Premier's
office, has created an opportunity for former combatants to be re-trained and
utilised in the infrastructure service delivery programmes of our Department.
This initiative, which cuts across all political divides, is intended to
address a number of objectives: not only are we identifying and retraining
former combatants, but we are adding to the province's available pool of
contractors that can be used in infrastructure service delivery.
Our Department has put aside a total of R60 000 000 for this initiative over
three years, with the annual allocation being R20 000 000. The total number of
direct beneficiaries is 200 people.
This Monuments of Peace initiative will be implemented through our
Department's existing Water and Sanitation in Schools Programme. This programme
is aimed at providing adequate sanitation facilities to those schools in our
province that do not have any facilities at all. We have appointed a total of
four implementing agents to assist us in this regard and this has been a
successful programme thus far. To date, a total of approximately 2 300 toilets
have been delivered through this specific programme and it shall deliver a
further 2 500 toilets within the next two financial years.
The Monuments of Peace initiative will contribute towards the delivery of
toilets that our schools so desperately need. A total of 200 former combatants,
identified from across the province, will be trained through our Further
Education and Training (FET) College in basic construction skills and, later,
basic business management skills, in order to adequately equip and train them
to become entrepreneurs in their own right. These people come from across the
province and will be deployed back to their homes to work with our implementing
agents to contribute towards service delivery.
Today we are here to award certificates to the first twenty trainees who
have graduated from the FET College's training programme. From here, they will
be absorbed into the service delivery programmes of the Department and be
provided with further mentorship and training on site to hone their
newly-acquired skills. Once they have successfully completed their first
projects, they will return to our FET College to start the next chapter of
their adventure that is, learning how to start and manage a business that can
be competitive in the market place.
To you, the graduates, we congratulate you on coming this far. This is our
contribution towards your personal development and sustained economic
development in our province. However, do not take this opportunity for granted.
The onus lies with you to make this initiative a success. As we have told many
of our contractors, we will provide you with the opportunity, but you need to
rise to the occasion and embrace it. Be diligent in your approach and produce
something that will contribute towards a new legacy, something that you can
tell your grandchildren about and be proud.
We as a Department look forward to making this programme a resounding
success. We thank all those who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes,
especially those representing the former combatants - your contribution has not
gone unnoticed.
Let us all work together to providing a better quality education for our
children.
Enquires:
Christi Naudé
Director: Media and citizen liaison (Acting)
KwaZulu-Natal Education
Tel: (033) 355 2453
Fax: (033) 3420275
Cell: 083 262 8829
E-mail: christin@kznedu.kzntl.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Education, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
5 September 2006
