Tongaat Learners Get New Classrooms Thanks To Sibaya Community Trust

Learners at Maidstone Primary School in Tongaat have received a new classroom block worth more than R3-million from the Sibaya Community Trust.

The three new classrooms, with two ablution facilities, can accommodate more than 100 children and replaced six old pre-fabricated classrooms. Maidstone Primary School is almost 140 years old and is currently attended by 323 learners aged seven to 13.

At the event held on Friday, 04 September 2020, the MEC for Basic Education joined Sibaya Community Trust Mr Vivian Reddy handed over the facility to Principal Mr KA Pillay.

In his address, the MEC for Basic Education,  Mr Kwezi Mshengu, thanked the Trustees and Mr Vivian Reddy for his commitment to uplifting the Community by placing emphasis on education and more so in legacy projects like infrastructure which will benefit our children and youth for generations to come.  He said a successful future is based on Education.  He added that the close to 250 million spent by Sibaya Community trust  in Community upliftment was a remarkable amount and applauded the many other projects undertaken by the Trust.

He was delighted that the Tirst went further to donate ‘My First Isizulu Picture Dictionary’ to over ten schools in the area, all helping kids to learn the language in a fun interactive way.  He added that this was in line with the vision of national government to get all children into a reading programme. He noted that currently, there is a large percentage of children who cannot read. The minister said, “There is no future without education” and he added and thanked Sibaya Community Trust for the distribution of these books.

Handing over the new facilities today, Trust Chairman Mr Vivian Reddy said: “I am passionate about uplifting our young children and youth – a passion the Trust shares with me – so I am thrilled to be handing over these wonderful new classrooms to Maidstone Primary School. My hope is for the learners here today and all those who will follow them in the future, to embrace this safe, modern and happy learning environment and to thrive in it. We actively strive to uplift our communities and believe these bright new facilities will inspire learners to succeed at school”

Delighted principal Mr KA Pillay said that extra classrooms were needed to realise the School’s governing body’s vision of expanding the school from a single class per grade to a double class per grade school. “Thanks to Mr Vivian Reddy and Sibaya Community Trust’s generosity we can now give more families the opportunity to access the high standard of education which we offer at Maidstone Primary School,” Pillay said.

Since it was established, Sibaya Community Trust has spent over R200-million on various community upliftment projects, with a significant proportion being spent on infrastructure such as extended school classrooms and youth skills development centres.

Mr Reddy spoke passionately about the Matric Academic Development Initiative (MADI) programme enhancing Maths and Science tuitions, which is taking the pass rate from below 30 % to over 89 %.  To date, the Sibaya Community Trust has donated R12-million on the MADI programme, which includes bursaries to learners. 

During lockdown, the Trust also spent over R500 000 on providing food parcels for needy families.