The Department of Basic Education appointed the Independent Development Trust (IDT) to spearhead the construction of schools under the Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI).
One of the schools that the IDT proudly completed and handed over to the Department of Basic Education was Heide Primary School which is about 15 km east of the judicial capital of South Africa, Bloemfontein.
This initiative ensures that the access to basic education, as enshrined in the Constitution, is realised through the provision of appropriate school infrastructure for a safe learning and teaching environment.
The scope of work on the new school is inclusive of 36 classrooms, a grade R facility, nutrition centre, computer laboratory, science laboratory, library/resource centre, multipurpose centre, ablution facilities, security fencing and administration block.
The school has sports facilities with a combi tennis and volley ball court, a massive hall big enough to host assembly for the 1 225 learners.
The construction of the school started in earnest in 2014 and reached practical completion in early 2016 and created 121 job opportunities, 43 of which were for women. The school has a total of 1225 learners and 35 educators.
The Government invested just over R43 million in this model school and the enrolment bear testimony to the standard of the facilities as there is already a long waiting list for the next academic year.
The school has become a catalyst for parents and learner interaction through hosting of sporting tournaments during weekends because of their excellent sport facilities, while the Grade R facility has become the cornerstone of early childhood development in the community.
In the past five years the IDT supported 40 government departments including building 97 new schools and 36 new health facilities while renovating hundreds more and created more than 360 000 work opportunities in various communities through its implementation of social infrastructure programmes and the Expanded Public Works Programme.
More information from Lesego Mashigo / Cell: 073 883 0662 / Tel: 012 845 2088
Email: lesegoma@idt.org.za
