Since March of this year, Masicorp volunteer Paul Dibley has been kept busy with a major project to makeover Ukhanyo Primary School’s 35 classrooms. Paul has committed three years of his time to make the learning environment cleaner, safer and more attractive for Masiphumelele’s primary school pupils. The project, which is funded in large part by generous donations from The Rotary Club of Torquay, is repairing broken windows, painting old walls, installing shelving and replacing old blackboards with modern whiteboards.
Look carefully in the picture above and you will see how the old blackboards have been transformed once the modern whiteboards are in place. They are being used for a series of murals to encourage ownership of the upgraded facilities. In the school reception and each of the Grade 6 and 7 classes (the rest are yet to be done) there is a board that says “This is our Class” and each learner has handprinted and signed the board. Teachers, learners, parents and support staff (security, cooks, cleaners, admin, sports coaches) are all taking part.
The boards are interactive – every afternoon as the children depart they walk along the wall placing their hands into other known hands, playing, comparing sizes and roles – who’s who in the school. Many thanks to Masicorp’s Fran Louden (Paul’s sister) for highlighting the project. Fran volunteers in the schools science lab. Now when she comes into class and holds up her hand and asks “Whose class is this?”, in unison the students put up their hands, open palmed, and say “This is our class!”
Masicorp 
Way cool PD. It’s called “priceless”. So proud of you.
John & Jude
[…] The project began in March 2013 with the aim of making the school’s classrooms a safe, clean and stimulating learning environment for all pupils. All 35 of the schools classrooms are involved and the makeover provides learning equipment (e.g. new modern whiteboards to replace blackboards), repairs to broken windows/roofing and painting the walls in bright stimulating colours. Importantly, the project has generated a sense of ownership in the school by its learners, their parents and the staff – as we recently reported with regard to the This is Our School project. […]
Five months down the track and still priceless. As a giver you appreciate the true meaning of happiness – it’s living a life of meaning and purpose, life’s highest calling. Keep up the good work mate. John & Jude
Paul ypur generosity and skill has no limits – what a wonderful thing you have done ! Kimx
[…] They raised Euro 1000 which will be used to continue funding the ‘Classroom Makeover Project” in Ukhanyo School, which is now in its second year now of providing, repairing, and replacing many of the resources needed for teachers to teach and learners to learn. This includes building works, furniture, windows, doors, chairs, desks, ceilings and shelves, not to mention teaching aids like whiteboards, maps, posters etc. Running parallel to these physical improvements and for sustainability, the whole school community is engaged in an education and ownership program for their new and improved resources as we reported on in a posting earlier this year. […]