THIS year marks at least two big milestones for Kabega Park Pre-Primary School – the school’s 55th birthday and the retirement of principal/teacher, Sandra Mulder.
Kabega Park Pre-Primary School officially started on July 18, 1967, with 27 learners and one teacher-cum-principal, Anna Erasmus.
It was in Avondale Road, in a building which was rented from a church. The ‘classrooms’ had to be vacated at the end of November as the church used the premises during the December holidays. The week before the school started in January, all the school equipment had to be transported back to the building and packed out before the learners came back.
At that stage a piece of land next to the Kabega Primary School had been allocated to the pre-primary school by the municipality. With fund-raising from the parents and a municipal loan, the school was built and in April 1971, 45 learners moved into a brand-new school. In 1981, another classroom was built and since then, the school can facilitate 90 learners.
This year, the school celebrates its 55th birthday and the celebrations include two jumping castles, Popsi the clown, balloon animals for the children and party packs.
This year also marks the retirement of principal/teacher, Sandra Mulder, who started her teaching career at Kabega Pre-Primary School in January 1979.
She then left in 1985 to have her baby and substituted at various schools for two years. Mulder joined the Kabega Pre-Primary family again in 1988 and became principal of the school, which was founded by her mother, Anna Erasmus. During her years of leadership the school went from strength to strength and she leaves a smooth running legacy behind.
“From an early age my passion was the ‘little people’ of the world and I lived my passion by teaching them for 43 years! The first children whom I taught are now 49 years old. I absolutely lived my dream,” Mulder said.
