Hope rises for Dunoon’s Inkwenkwezi Secondary School as WCED delivers long-awaited relief for learners and teachers
Peter Luhanga
After a prolonged period of overcrowded classes, Inkwenkwezi Secondary School in Dunoon celebrated the Western Cape Education Department’s delivery of 14 new classrooms on 3 July.
The completion of the classrooms marks the culmination of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) project to expand the school’s capacity to accommodate its growing student population.
Initially slated for completion by March 2023, the project faced setbacks due to financial disputes between contractors, leading to delays in construction progress. (See report in Iliso Labantu’s mid-month edition published on 14 May, 2024).
Kerry Mauchline, spokesperson for Western Cape education MEC David Maynier, acknowledged the challenges faced during the construction phase but expressed optimism about the positive outcome now realised.
School Principal Nokuzola Tyobile said the additional classrooms will have an immediate positive impact on the learning environment.
“These new classrooms will alleviate the overcrowding, particularly for grades 8 and 9 where classes were bursting with up to 55 pupils,” said Tyobile.
She said the reduced class sizes will foster a more conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning. “With fewer students per class, teachers can now provide more personalised attention, which we believe will lead to improved academic performance,” she said.
She said the new classrooms not only address immediate infrastructure needs but are also expected to contribute to a transformative impact on student behaviour and academic outcomes.
“Effective teaching and behavioural management are easier with smaller class sizes. It is a relief. We’re really excited,” said Tyobile.
She stated she would like the community to take care of the classroom infrastructure, expressing sadness that they were vandalised just before completion.
“We appeal to the community to assist in securing the school. It’s a community property.”
She said more needed to ensure that the classes were secured, as the school was adjacent to an informal settlement.
“We need to have an alarm, intercom, to protect them from that side where they are near shacks. We need more security, more alarms, everything that can assist us to secure them,” she said.
WCED spokesperson Millicent Merton confirmed 14 classrooms had been completed and officially handed over on 3 July 2024.
Merton said there were some “snags” the contractor still needed to attend to, but the school could use the classrooms.
“The classrooms were handed over for occupancy. There are some outside works around the back of the classrooms that must be completed. This will not interfere affect the usage of the new classrooms,” said Merton.