THE Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA), an entity of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and operators of the Uitenhage-based Science and Technology Centre, recently donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to Khulile Primary School in the metro’s number one Covid-19 hot spot, Motherwell.
School principal, Lumka Zokoza, welcomed the 200 bottles of hand sanitiser and 150 cloth masks and said that the intervention was made possible when a parent at the school suggested that the principal write to the MBDA for help, as soon as talks of schools reopening began.
“The intervention from the municipality could not have come at a better time. Parents are nervous about bringing their children to school; we have also only received one mask per child from the department to date.
“The engagement with the MBDA has also led to us talking about science and maths support through the centre they operate.
“Our school has a laboratory without equipment and resources to assist learners with experiments, so we appreciate the support and know that through this engagement, our learners will be capacitated well,” Zokoza said.
Mayoral spokesperson, Siyanda Mxotwa, who represented acting Nelson Mandela Bay mayor, Tshonono Buyeye, said that the mayor would have loved to be at the handover because education is very dear to him.
“We called on all departments to avail support and resources to battle the spread of Covid-19,” Mxotwa said.
The production of sanitisers and masks was done in partnership with the IM Africa Foundation and FOI Science from May 7 to May 13.
More than 2 000 bottles of hand sanitiser, 1 000 masks and antibacterial/antiviral lotion were produced.
Nelson Mandela Bay Science & Technology Centre (NMBSTC) manager, Singathwa Kuli, said that they understood the socio-economic challenges posed by Covid-19 and had prioritised the employment of 15 unemployed members of the community.
“The objective of the programme is to empower these 15 individuals through skills development that will provide sustenance for them and their respective communities during the Covid-19 global pandemic.
“The Science Centre’s role in assisting learners to acquire basic knowledge of science through developed learning programmes, including education, training and skills development, is deeply needed during the Covid-19 global pandemic,” Kuli added.
Grade 7 learner, Ababalwe Tolom, thanked the MBDA, on behalf of all her peers and promised to follow all Covid-19 protection protocols, including wearing her mask and washing hands regularly.
