Watch: Open Air School set to celebrate 105th birthday
Calls to uplift school
Open Air School’s principal, Samantha Sayanna; chief education therapist, Zahira Abdulla; deputy principal of the primary school, Bongekile Gasa; and deputy principal of the high school, Nash Singh, stand outside one of the four original classrooms from 1921.
Image: Nadia Khan
AS Open Air School gets ready to commemorate their 105th birthday, their wish is to continue to uplift the school, and for that they require the generosity of donors and sponsors.
The school, which caters for about 260 pupils with physical and medical conditions from pre-primary to 12, was opened by the then-Natal Education Department on February 9, 1921.
Speaking to the POST, Zahira Abdulla, the school’s chief education therapist, said while they received a subsidy from the Department of Education, it was not enough to meet the growing needs of the school.
She said they depended on their fundraising efforts such as flea markets and fun walks, but mainly donors and sponsors for the upkeep of the school.
“We are truly grateful for the support we continue to receive from various donors and sponsors. Through their assistance, we have had a significant number of renovations done at the school to date.
“However, there is much more that we would like to do. For example, many of the original windows, which are wooden frames, need to be replaced; we also want to replace doors as we have an issue with borer, and we have ceilings that need to be fixed, among many other concerns. We haven't been able to use one of the classes in our junior primary because of the ceiling which is in a poor state for years.
“In addition, we would like awnings in some areas to provide shade for our children, some who have albinism, and cannot be out in the sun. Right now, it is difficult to do these upgrades because, although we are a fee-paying school, about 70% of the children receive a concession. We also receive a utility bill of about R50 000 a month. We have to pay our bill to ensure the electricity stays on, as many of the children rely on devices in the classrooms,” she said.
Abdulla said despite their challenges, they continue to strive for academic excellence.
“We continue to maintain our high standard of education, which was proven with our school achieving a 100 percent matric pass rate last year. We believe that with continued dedication of our staff, the generosity of donors and sponsors our school will continue to flourish.”