Two Gqeberha colleges, whose principals coincidentally share a surname, are celebrating their centenary in 2026 with huge plans to mark the milestone.
Laerskool Newton Park principal Pine Pienaar and Pearson Excessive Faculty principal Haldane Pienaar are main the cost in honouring the legacy of their respective establishments with a bunch of occasions deliberate for 2026.
Laerskool Newton Park has an fascinating historical past having began in 1926, then known as Newton Major Faculty, as a twin medium English and Afrikaans faculty.
In 1954, it cut up into two completely different colleges — Laerskool Newton Park for the Afrikaans-speaking pupils, and Herbert Hurd for the English-speaking pupils.
And in time for his or her centenary 12 months, Laerskool Newton Park has kicked off its celebrations after restarting educating in English once more.
With the opening of faculties earlier this week, Laerskool Newton Park accepted two new courses of English pupils, in grade R and grade 1.
Pine Pienaar stated the grade 1’s of 2026 would pioneer the best way for English pupils.
“Laerskool Newton Park has at all times prided itself as a wonderful tutorial faculty, with a lot of our learners doing Afrikaans residence language and English first extra language, and the pupils who obtain over 75% are robotically certified to enter an English medium highschool.”
He stated the college was a most popular feeder faculty for a few of the Bay’s most prestigious excessive colleges, and that lecturers had at all times been a robust level for the college.
Laerskool Newton Park has 550 pupils, together with the 54 English-speaking pupils.
On the opposite aspect of the Bay, in Summerstrand, Pearson Excessive Faculty can be celebrating its one centesimal 12 months, together with its fourth consecutive 100% matric move price.
Pearson can be a twin medium faculty, educating in each English and Afrikaans from grade 8 to 12.
Haldane Pienaar stated the college began its journey in 1926 within the previous Provincial Hospital in Richmond Hill however later moved to the previous Gray constructing on the Donkin.
“By 1941, the college had outgrown these services and Pearson moved to Bayview.
“In 1973, the college suffered a devastating fireplace and plans have been then put into movement to maneuver to new premises which is our present residence in Summerstrand.”
Pearson has greater than 1,200 pupils now, after beginning with solely 35 pupils 100 years in the past.
Each colleges have plans for centenary celebrations in 2026, with Pearson trying ahead to celebrations all 12 months.
“From black-tie occasions, music celebrations, musical productions and market days to a few of the largest interschools derbies within the province the place we might be inviting Framesby, Selborne Faculty and Clarendon Women, and Parel Vallei from Somerset West, to affix us for sporting and cultural competitors.”
Laerskool Newton Park may even have celebrations all year long, kicking off with a praise-and-prayer operate on the finish of January, adopted by a giant operate in June for all employees, pupils and alumni.
The Herald
