Refurbished desks welcome Richmond pupils back to school

Hundreds of learners returning to classrooms for the start of the third school term today will be greeted by refurbished school desks after a partnership between Richmond Municipality and Sappi restored damaged classroom furniture at Nkumane High School.

The refurbishment of 100 damaged learner desks, completed as part of Nelson Mandela Day initiatives, comes as schools across KwaZulu-Natal reopen, providing pupils at the Richmond school with improved classroom conditions after many had been forced to share desks due to a shortage of usable furniture.

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The project, undertaken by Sappi at its Richmond Nursery in partnership with Richmond Municipality, has restored the desks to working condition, easing pressure on the school’s limited resources and creating a more conducive learning environment.

Richmond mayor Melikhaya Ngcongo said the initiative demonstrated the value of partnerships between the public and private sectors in addressing challenges facing schools.

“The refurbishment of these desks is more than repairing furniture; it is an investment in the future of our children. Every learner deserves to learn in a safe, dignified and conducive environment,” he said.

Ngcongo said the municipality’s partnership with Sappi had continued to deliver tangible benefits for communities and should be preserved.

“I am delighted by the strategic partnership that the municipality continues to have with Sappi. It is a partnership that consistently delivers meaningful results for the benefit of our communities. Sappi is one company that has never forgotten its responsibility to invest in the communities where it operates,” he said.

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He said improving education had become one of the municipality’s priorities, with the council actively seeking partnerships that strengthen service delivery and uplift communities.

“When I assumed office, I reached out to various stakeholders with the intention of building partnerships that would strengthen integrated service delivery. Sappi was among those who embraced this vision, and together we have introduced programmes that continue to uplift our communities.”

Ngcongo said the municipality and Sappi had already worked together on several education initiatives, including the distribution of more than 1 000 school uniforms to needy learners and recognising academic excellence by rewarding top-performing pupils with laptops and cash incentives.

He said the latest project showed that practical interventions could have an immediate impact on learners.

“This will not be our last intervention. We will continue working with partners such as Sappi to extend similar initiatives to other schools across Richmond.”

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For Nkumane High School principal Siyabonga Cele, the refurbished desks will make an immediate difference as learners return for the new term.

“We are truly grateful to the municipality and Sappi for this meaningful initiative. The refurbishment of these damaged desks has significantly eased the burden of inadequate classroom resources at our school,” said Cele.

He said the shortage of functional desks had forced some pupils to share seating.

“Because many of our desks were damaged, some learners were forced to share, with as many as three learners sitting at one desk. Thanks to this intervention, that will now be a thing of the past. Our learners can once again learn in a more comfortable and dignified environment.” Cele said