Out of the dusty streets of Ivory Park in Midrand rises a structure that brings hope to the community it serves, but more importantly equips its children with technological skills that very few can emulate. For the past 11 years Bonwelong Primary School has introduced its scholars to the joys of music, sport and more recently to the role that technology plays in our daily lives.
The institution has been equipped with a computer lab, which was headed by Romeo Moripa, a passionate teacher who, until recently, provided the children of Bonwelong Primary with computer skills. Moripa also trained his colleagues and members of the community in basic computer skills. This has resulted in the school being one of a very few that runs a successful computer centre in the townships.
When the funding for the computer science teacher ran out, the children of Bonwelong and the members of the community lost a valuable resource. Unwilling to accept the situation, the school approached Grintek Limited to assist in securing funding for the teacher's salary.
Grintek donated R45 000 to cover the teacher's salary for the next 11 months. The community hopes that the Gauteng Department of Education will take over the salary contribution as of next year.
"Being a technology company, we fully appreciate the need and passion that Bonwelong Primary feels for growing their computer science skills. Education and development are cornerstones of our modern society, and hence require the support they deserve. We were humbled by the enthusiasm and dedication shown by these students and their families in ensuring they obtain the skills they'll need to prosper in our diverse and technically challenging global community," says Grintek's CEO Makhup Nyama.
The school has over 1 700 pupils and places a remarkable emphasis on the need for good education in order for its pupils to achieve goals they set out for themselves. It has identified many of the elements needed to provide its students with skills and training, which will enable them to catapult ahead of their peers. Science and technology have been earmarked as two of the skills essential for any successful integration into the business environment for these future leaders.
"In order for us to empower our children with the skills base they need in our highly technical world, we need to partner with companies that are willing to assist us in realising our vision. We want to ensure our pupils' computer skills reflect the grades that they are in. As they prosper and expand their minds, their technological knowledge base should reflect that," says principal of Bonwelong Primary School, Bulelani J Faku. The school serves a densely populated informal settlement with a large number of unemployed residents. It caters for an estimated 200 pupils who come from child-headed families. In spite of these trying circumstances, this year Bonwelong Primary won more than 13 accolades in various disciplines, proving that dedication and tenacity are not in short supply.
"The absolute dedication that Mr Moripa has shown deserves a special mention; we are pleased that in some small way we are able to contribute towards the growth and progress shown by the students. In a couple of years these children could very well be the next leaders in technology at Grintek, taking the company to the next level of technological innovation," concludes Nyama.
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