State-of-the-art facility replaces farm schools and cuts scholar transport costs

Mpumalanga's provincial government has officially handed over the long-awaited R625-million Mkhondo Combined Boarding School, ending years of delays, budget escalations and political criticism.

- By Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane

The facility was handed over to the Mkhondo community by Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu and his provincial cabinet at ceremoney held at eZimbindleni village on Tuesday last week.

The facility was built to assist children living on farms in and around the Mkhondo area, formerly named after Voortrekker leader Piet Retief.

Its completion follows several missed deadlines.

Boasting 32 classrooms, a cutting-edge library, computer centre and science laboratory, the school also features a multipurpose hall, dining area and kitchen to give pupils a homely environment in a previously marginalised region.

The project had been under fire from opposition parties who accused the provincial government of turning it into a dream deferred after repeated postponements due to incomplete work.