INLSA
This is the school, before construction too place.
Green, yellow, red and every other colour of the rainbow woven on to the fence grabs your attention before you enter the school. Little handprints pressed on to the dry cement lead you all the way into the school grounds.
Welcome to Durban’s King George V Hospital School in Sydenham, now looking a far cry from its former dilapidated state.
It recently underwent a R3-million facelift over four months.
The school is located inside the hospital – a specialist hospital for drug-resistant tuberculosis. Unlike regular TB patients whose treatment lasts for six months at home, patients including children suffering from this particular strain of the illness are treated at the hospital for up to two years as in-patients.
The school was described as being in a totally dilapidated state which also posed a health hazard to teachers and pupils.
Then the Italian Southern Development Organisation approached a number of private donors, including Stefanutti Stocks Civils KZN to get involved in the refurbishment and reconstruction of the school earlier this year.
“The doors and windowpanes were falling off, windows were broken and the classrooms weren’t properly ventilated and were totally unhygienic.
“It was an open building in an open veld,” said the school principal, Vani Singh.
“It had an asbestos roof (which poses a health risk).
“The adult patients would use the school’s toilets and people walked around the school grounds and used and abused the school facilities because there was no fence, which also compromised the safety of pupils,” she said.
The school was built 50 years ago. While the hospital is being revitalised, the school was overlooked. Health, ventilation and clean open spaces were the main focus when designing the new school.
Michelle Quamby, owner of Ocean Architects, said the company had worked towards creating a school environment filled with life and love.
“We focused on creating outdoor areas where children can play and learn. We looked at the orientation and created a covered area to create natural ventilation where the lessons can also take place if the school chooses.
“Each classroom door was painted with a different rainbow colour,” said Quamby.
Rainbow colours were also woven into the school’s new fence. Each classroom, complete with new writing boards, desks and shelves for storage, has a hand wash basin to ensure hygiene.
A jungle gym, fridges and five computers were also donated to the school. An art room where children can play with colours was also constructed.
Teachers at the school were praised as the real heroes. Emma Thwalo, who has been teaching at the school for 11 years, said the decaying state of the school posed additional problems on top of existing ones including teaching frail children who sometimes need to be sent back to the hospital early.
“We like the open spaces, the art room and new computers. It will be easier now,” she said. – The Mercury
