Hope restored for qedela learner

RIGHT-QEDELA SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL THOMANI ELEONOR MUDAU

Class is in session: Matriculants at Qedela Secondary School in Saul Mkhizeville

For years, the lack of furniture disrupted lessons at Qedela Secondary School, with learners resorting to sitting on floors or crates and balancing their notebooks on each other’s backs to write. Today, the classrooms are neatly furnished after Kangra partnered with Komatsu to provide the school with 360 chairs and 180 desks, creating a more conducive learning environment. “I want to say from the bottom of my heart, you see, this furniture is going to give hope to these learners,” remarks school principal Thomani Eleonor Mudau.

The biggest high school in Saul-Mkhizeville outside Mkhondo, Mpumalanga, Qedela Secondary, has an enrollment of over 1,267 learners. In 2025, the school achieved a 73% pass rate. However, Thomani is confident that improvements are on the horizon, as learners are now able to sit comfortably and concentrate in class. By the end of the first term after the furniture was delivered, the school recorded a 10% improvement, reaching 88%, and Thomani believes they could achieve even better results by the end of 2026.

Before, only Grade 12 classes and some Grade 11’s had access to old furniture. “When learners got tired of standing, they would leave the class, not because they wanted to run around, but it was to give themselves a break from standing so long,” she recalls.

She was moved to take action, working with the School Governing Body (SGB) to find solutions. The SGB had previously raised R10 000 but soon realised the funds could only afford them about 15 chairs. Thomani ultimately wrote to Kangra requesting support. SGB member Phumzile Masango says they were relieved to get a positive response from the company. “We are very happy. Things have changed, and we feel that we now have a real school,” Phumzile says.