Nelspruit - The construction of two new schools to replace those that had to be vacated for the construction of the 2010 soccer stadium in Mpumalanga is expected to be completed by 31 March.
Mpumalanga Education MEC Rejinah Mhaule toured the construction sites of the John Mdluli primary and Cyril Clark secondary schools in Mataffin outside Nelspruit on Monday.
"Since we commenced work on 4 December, about 85 percent of the first phase for John Mdluli primary has been completed. We have began with phase two and have done 65 percent of the work," said spokesperson for construction company Clear Choice Builders, Joe Manonga.
Construction of the computer lab, library, kitchen and most of the classrooms was going smoothly, he added.
He said the company was still waiting for structural engineers to forward plans so that construction could begin on the soccer field and hall.
Spokesperson for Mpfumelelo Business Enterprise, which is building Cyril Clark Secondary School, Susan Nyathi, said the project was almost complete.
"We are also almost complete. We are now busy fitting the roof on the classrooms and we are left with the soccer and netball fields," said Nyathi.
MEC Mhaule and her delegation commended the builders for the pace of their work, as they were not expected to complete phase two of their projects until after the 2010 FIFA World Cup in June.
"But I'm surprised to see they have already started with phase two and are a step ahead. I am indeed encouraged by what I see here, this is work in progress and if the construction continues to unfold at this pace we will meet our deadlines."
The classes, administration blocks and toilets of the two schools are expected to be completed by the end of March.
Teachers and pupils are expected to move in by 1 April, ending nearly four years of learning in stuffy prefabricated buildings that were provided when they were moved from their original brick and mortar schools in late 2006.
The Cyril Clarke Secondary School will have 20 classrooms, a state-of-the-art laboratory, administration block, library, assembly hall, computer centre, kitchen, soccer field and three netball fields.
The new John Mdluli Primary will have 16 classrooms, 20 toilets and similar facilities to those of Cyril Clark Secondary.
