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Thanks to the unwavering vision of a small group of people, young children living in the inner city have a school that offers quality education and care.
The pupils, dressed in their grey uniforms with cobalt blue trimmings, feel proud and at home
ALMOST hidden by the factories and warehouses surrounding it, a quaint, newly revamped school in downtown Johannesburg is filled with children of all ages, shapes and sizes.
CityKidz Pre- and Primary School is a living monument to the efforts and commitment of ordinary people to make a difference, and a prime example of what can be achieved when business and government work together.
Just over six months ago the school buildings stood empty, neglected and decaying, their original purpose all but forgotten.
But one company, assisted by other sponsors that included the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), took a chance where others saw no future. With just four months in which to revamp the buildings, Afhco Group, the major sponsor and trustee of the school, delivered on one of its social responsibility initiatives.
"Afhco decided to raise the standard of education of young children in their formative years by providing excellent education in a pleasant and open environment in the Johannesburg central business district," Renney Plit, the group's chief executive officer said at the official opening of the school on Monday, 3 March.
Reopened
And so the school was able to reopen its doors, in time to welcome 140 learners at the start of the 2008 school year. It is tiny compared to suburban schools, but its pupils, dressed in their grey uniforms with cobalt blue trimmings, already feel proud and at home.
Tuition is concentrated on giving quality maths, science and computer studies education. In addition, learners are given regular, nutritionally balanced meals. Afternoon care and activities such as drama, arts and crafts are offered by volunteers from Childline.
In general, inner city children are desperately in need of proper schooling as the area is almost devoid of good, well-run government schools. Instead, most inner city parents opt to send their children long distances each morning to schools in the surrounding suburbs.
Sadly, many fall prey to the numerous fly-by-night schools that have mushroomed in the inner city. These schools are often not registered with the department of education and offer inferior education or the wrong syllabus.
Working together
Beyond offering quality education in a neglected area, CityKidz is also a strong reminder of what can be achieved when government and business work together.
A number of sponsors assisted in the refurbishment, including the JDA, which handed over a cheque of R150 000 to Afhco at the opening ceremony.
Other sponsors include Engen Petroleum, Fuel Feeding Scheme, TNT Electrical, RJN Building Construction, Prominent Paints, TUHF, MGM Glass and Etching, Chevron SA, Resilient Carpeting, Bernard Fagri Insurance Company, ITEC and Nandos.
Afhco will carry the cost of any operational shortfalls for the next three years, expected to be about R1-million. It is still seeking financial support from major institutions. To date, it has cost the company R2-million to refurbish the school, its grounds and facilities.
Plit, urging sponsors to come on board, said people did not have to accept decay, lawlessness and poor service delivery.
Chutzpah
It was this kind of chutzpah that should be applauded, said Lael Bethlehem, the CEO of the JDA.
"[Social development] is not something which can be done by the City alone."
Lael Bethlehem, the chief executive of the JDA with Ruby Mathang, MMC for development planning and urban management at the official opening of Citykidz
And there were times when things looked bleak, confirmed principal Pierre de Lange.
"The fear of failure, of ‘Is this possible?' was always on our minds." De Lange, previously of Bramley Primary School, understands the challenges, but is sure of the goal. "We want to concentrate on the upliftment of the inner city."
Because its registration still has to be finalised, the school has not yet received any support from the department of education. Registration can take up to a year.
Afhco hopes to extend the school at a later stage to cater for high school learners and will be looking at purchasing additional buildings. For now, it can accommodate 220 children; it is open to the public.
CityKidz School is a section 21 company. The board of trustees is made up of Afhco staff members. It offers tuition from Grade 00 to Grade 7 in nine classrooms, and there is ample space for outdoor activities. There is outdoor equipment; however, the school still needs help to buy computers, science equipment, readers and text books.
Afhco Group is a property investment, development and management company and provides quality affordable rental accommodation for residential and commercial clients in the inner city.
CityKidz School is in Goud Street, City and Suburban.
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