THE SANLAM Ubuntu-Botho Community Development Trust National Schools Programme was launched this week at Mbekweni Primary School.
School buildings, desk and teachers are important to learners, but what about the library books, stationery, and a proper meal? Without these, learners’ progress through school may be slowed. And for learners at some of the Western Cape schools even stationery is beyond their parents’ means. On Monday over 900 learners at Mbekweni Primary received stationery packs and books for their library from Western Cape Premier Lynne Brown as part of the Sanlam Ubuntu-Botho Development Trust Schools Project. In the Western Cape eight schools will initially pilot the scheme and nationally 80 schools will benefit from this R6 million project set to run over three years.
“The single most important thing government can do is to invest in our children’s education,” said Premier Brown.
“Government, parents, teachers and businesses must work together to make education stronger. The work we put into our children comes back ten-fold,” Brown said.
The hand-over is the result of discussions the Premier initiated with Sanlam in an effort to support education in some of the poorest communities in the Western Cape. Mbekweni Primary School received text books, stationery and other support material.
The Takalani Sesame Muppets also visited the school to entertain the youngsters, who sang songs of thanks
Sanlam Group Services Chief Executive, Raisibe Morathi, said this investment has unearthed potential: “Today Sanlam has found diamonds in Mbekweni”.
Deputy Minister of Education, André Gaum, said; “This is a very important initiative. This is the kind of partnership we want to encourage.”
