Libraries

Finetown Primary School has an interesting history. It was once a ’country’ school under the former Transvaal Education Department for the children of farmers and residents of small holdings and plots in the area. In the late 1970s, the white families moved out and their houses were allocated to the Indian community who could not be accommodated in nearby Lenasia.

The school was transferred to the House of Delegates, who administered the education needs of children for roughly two decades before the demise of Apartheid. In 1994, the school was transferred to the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE). Through the years each education department had made changes to the school by adding classrooms and other amenities. Finetown Primary School thus mutated into a structure of bricks and mortar alongside pre-fabricated mobile classrooms.

The school has a corps of teachers who try their best under trying conditions. The school experienced a population explosion; classrooms are overcrowded and there are daily struggles with the infrastructure as a result of the informal (now formalised) settlement on its doorstep.

Imperial and Motus launched an unparalleled renovation project:

• Classrooms were painted and cleaned
• New wall charts were set up to assist with revision
• Additional textbooks were provided to ensure each learner had a book of its own
• A tiny storeroom was upgraded for books and teaching aids
• In-service training was provided for teachers on teaching large classes
• The principal and management team were mentored by a high performing former principal
• Mathematics and science teachers were enrolled in a special WITS University programme
• The playing field was upgraded with new turf for soccer and netball, and also to prevent dust from getting into classrooms
• The school hall was completely refurbished for parent and community meetings and school functions
• A new library was built in 2015 and the accelerated reading programme was introduced
• A donation by Deloitte was used to upgrade three grade R classrooms and the play area
• Another donation by 27/4 Investments assisted in the upgrading of the nutrition and feeding area

A number of learners from this school have excelled in various maths, science, reading and spelling competitions held at departmental level.