Witsand Primary School is ready to adopt state-of-the-art educational technology.
Since its inception in 2020 the school has been instrumental in transforming the lives of students and the broader Witsand community through a collective effort involving community leaders, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), the City of Cape Town and provincial and national governments. They brought the community’s long-term vision to life.
Partnerships with the Republic of Korea and Coppin State University in the US have been established to enrich educational opportunities for students. The school has holistic approaches to education, which includes gardening and life skills as key areas of development. While mobile teaching is currently more accessible in well-funded institutions, Witsand Primary School aims to make it universally available to all its students soon.
School principal Gerhard Matthyse stated: “Our main goal is to cultivate partnerships with educational institutions and engage the private sector to enhance the quality of education, empowering our students to overcome challenges and emerge as future leaders in their chosen fields.
“Dr Tenyo Pearl of Coppin State University and Dr Wesley Boiken initiated a scholar-exchange programme between Witsand Primary School and Coppin State University to enhance their cross-cultural learning experiences. Matthyse said that consultation process between the school and university is underway. He also said Coppin would draft the programme, to take off after the new year.
Apart from academic endeavours, the programme aims to empower both students and the community by improving skills and creating job opportunities. Matthyse highlighted the involvement of private businesses in projects such as recycling initiatives and horticulture, benefiting five community members already.
The vegetable garden, with a variety of crops such as potatoes, beetroot, cabbage, onions and spinach made a lasting impression. It consists of two distinct areas: one for seed sowing in a hydroponic gardening tunnel and growing smaller crops, and a second garden where such crops as cabbage, beetroot, potatoes and spinach are grown under direct sunlight. Water for irrigating the garden is sourced from three large water tanks and bore-hole water pump installed by the Department of Agriculture.
Matthyse and Pinky Masega expressed their immediate aim of finding a market for their produce.
The duo is enthusiastic about the recycling programme. Students collect soft-drink cans, paper, plastic and cardboard, which are sorted into large bags and sent to recycling facilities in partnership with the City’s Solid Waste Department. The proceeds from these recycling efforts are reinvested in the school’s sustainability programme for educational resources.
