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MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEO - Garden Route High School opened its doors on 5 April as an emergency measure to address the dire need for schools in Mossel Bay.
The school, in Asla Park, celebrated the end of its first term in operation this week.
According to the Education Department circuit manager, Rozelle Smith-Neethling, the school was established to relieve the pressure on the current system to accommodate more and more learners.
Influx of learners
"The Western Cape Education Department took this proactive step due to an influx of learners to the Mossel Bay area. There are also plans to construct a high school in the foreseeable future," Smith-Neethling told the Mossel Bay Advertiser this week.
The school currently accommodates 295 learners and only grades 8 and 9, but was built for only 240 learners.
"Most of the learners are English and isiXhosa speaking, however in both grades we have one Afrikaans home language class," Smith-Neethling explained.
VIDEO - Garden Route High address dire need (Video: Cornelle Carstens ).
In 2023, the curriculum will be extended to Grade 10, then Grade 11 in 2024 and Grade 12 in 2025. Eight educators are currently responsible for teaching at the school.
"In 2021, the dire need for placement among Grade 8 learners was noted, especially pertaining to Indwe and Hillcrest secondary schools. Both schools have reached their capacity and it was impossible to enrol more learners," Smith-Neethling explained.
Following a request made to the Department of Public Works, with all the necessary supporting data, the school, consisting of eight classrooms, a staffroom, administrative block and science laboratory, was established.
Aiming high
The acting principal, Edgar Gelembe, says the school's motto, although not formalised yet, is "Aim high."
The Advertiser visited the school this week and there is a vibrant atmosphere.
"It is a privilege to start a brand new school, fresh with new teachers," Gelembe said. He says the school has been welcomed by the community.
"We already foresee a challenge with parents wanting to enrol their children here, but we are only taking in 80 Grade 8s next year."
Gelembe says that by the end of 2022, four new classrooms will be completed to cater for the school's first Grade 10 group.
He pointed out some of the challenges, for instance the use of a generator since the campus is not yet connected to the electricity grid. Sadly, this had caused crime at the school, following an incident where the generator was tampered with.
"Our next step is to decide on a school uniform for our learners. This, along with the motto, we will discuss with our school governing body."
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