The Department of Basic Education in collaboration with Tiger Brand Foundation donated fully furnished kitchen, worth R650 000 (Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Rands) to Thandulwazi Primary School.

Giving the purpose of the day was done by the Curriculum Deputy Director General Ray Tywakadi and he said, "Today we were here to celebrate the achievement  of this District as Thandulwazi Primary School was placed Third out of twenty One Thousands Schools Nationally and this is a notable achievement for then 2021/2022 financial year.  As the department, we would say this is the beginning for better things that are yet to come for the school and hope they keep their investment (Kitchen) as healthy as possible for the other generations as well." 

Giving the background of the programme was the ECDoE Learner Development and Social Support Services Acting Director Verona Witbooi, she said, "This NSNP was implemented with the intention to improve teaching and learning which hampered by abject poverty and hunger in communities."

Highlighting the partnership between the Education Department and the Tiger Brands Foundation was, Operations Manager Kurl Muller. He said, "Research show us that improved school nutrition leads to improved education and life outcomes for learners, and we want South African learners to eat their school meals in a hygienic and dignified manner, therefore, we involved ourselves to reward excellence in school feeding and encourage schools across the country to improve nutrition to learners."

Speaking during the handover, ECDoE MEC, Fundile Gade said, "The Tiger Brands Foundation has been a formal partner with the NSNP since 2011, feeding around 75500 learners a hot cooked nutritious breakfast across the province, therefore, we would like to extend words of appreciation to them for their contribution for providing a healthy mind and a healthy body to our learners by means of healthy school nutrition and infrastructure, therefore we would like to invite other stakeholders to assist us on changing the outlook of the province."

Thandulwazi Primary School Grade 6 Learner Onako Mpoyi (10) said "Besides the breakfast that we get from Tiger Brands Foundation, we are happy that they were able to also support us through building a kitchen and flushing toilets for us and we promise to keep them as clean as they are for the coming generation."

PHOTOGRAPHER:  PUMZILE LUDIDI