The Sunday News
Sithatshisiwe Vuma, Sunday News Reporter
CYRENE Mission School in Figtree has received a shot in the arm from the Cyrene Old Boys Association (COBA) who donated an assortment of plumbing material that saw the school reconstructing a toilet block.
Following the advent of Covid-19 and recommendations that schools should have an increased number of ablution facilities, the school saw an opportunity to rebuild a toilet block that had been lying derelict after it collapsed years back.
The school authorities reached out to COBA who responded by donating plumbing material worth over US$2000.
The school’s senior master and COBA school liaison officer, Mr Mthulisi Mvubu said they managed to buy 10 toilet seat and cistern sets and seven sinks, among an assortment of material used in the reconstruction of the block.
“When the block collapsed we only remained with a slab and when the Ministry of Education recommended that we increase ablution facilities to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, we reached out to COBA who came to our rescue. We managed to buy material that includes toilet sets, plumbing pipes, taps, sinks, cement and manhole covers all worth US$2358 from the funds raised by COBA,” he said.
Mr Mvubu said the donation was timely considering that schools have been closed for long periods hence income from fees was minimal and the Covid-19 situation had hit many parents’ pockets making it difficult for the school to consider imposing a levy to rebuild the toilets. He said the envisaged reconstruction of the block will be complete by the end of this week with the builders back on site.
The school bought the rest of the building material for the block. Outgoing COBA chairman, Mr Dingi Magazi said they were hoping to play a wider role in the development of the school and would gladly assist whenever they can.
“As former students we are always ready to assist in the development of the school.
“When they reached out to us our members responded positively and chipped in towards buying the plumbing material,” he said.
Mr Magazi said among other initiatives they had established the yearly COBA Dux Scholar Award for academic excellence and assisted the school to roof dormitories that had been destroyed by a freak storm
“We have assisted the school with their refurbishment project on the Patterson ablution facilities.”
