Kwikspace helps upgrade school in the Northern Cape

In line with the National Department of Basic Education’s Accelerated School's Infrastructure Development Initiative (ASIDI) programme, schools across the country are being upgraded. ASIDI affects all schools constructed from inappropriate materials like mud and asbestos, as well as those without sanitation, electricity and water, in an effort to make them safe and conducive to learning and teaching.

Kwikspace has been involved in many school upgrade and expansion projects in Gauteng, the Free State, and the North West provinces. Now, for the first time, Kwikspace is providing temporary classrooms, ablutions and offices for a school upgrade in Kimberley, Northern Cape. This is to facilitate learning and other necessary space while the school revamp project is underway. The project is two-fold: knock down unsafe structures and those that negatively affect the health of the learners, and rebuild and expand these structures to add capacity to the school.

In a process of ‘school decanting’, Kwikspace was contracted to provide temporary structures on site at the school while construction is underway. “While parts of the school are a building site, we provide clean, safe, comfortable classrooms and ablutions so the teaching syllabus is not interrupted and the learners are safe,” says Kwikspace Rental Account Manager, Claude Naidoo. Kwikspace provided a total of 23 units to the school in a turnaround time of only four weeks. “We provided 18 classrooms, a staffroom and kitchenette, as well as teacher and learner ablutions,” says Naidoo. The contract runs for 16 months.

As a market leader in alternative building solutions, expanding its footprint to other provinces is in line with the company’s expansion objectives. “We believe that you never know if the next president of the country is sitting in one of our buildings or classrooms,” says Naidoo. Kwikspace field agent in Kathu is in contact with the school and the project team. He will conduct regular site visits and inspections during the projects’ duration.

According to the Department of Basic Education, “Every child is a national asset”.  “The constitution provides that every child has the right to an education and we provide safe, comfortable spaces for kids to learn and grow,” says Naidoo. Kwikspace classrooms come fitted with at least seven windows to provide natural lighting and include air-conditioners for the comfort levels of the learners and teachers. ASIDI schools are helping to restore dignity and pride for people who been deprived of facilities for far too long. “One of the things we do as Kwikspace is provide basic human rights, shelter and dignity.”

Kwikspace provides time-based solutions - “If it is not quick, it’s not Kwikspace”. Kwikspace is not in competition with brick and mortar structures. Rather it provides temporary solutions while issues are being permanently resolved.