Pupils, staff and the surrounding communities at Lukalo in Tshaulu are on cloud nine, following the official opening of a R33 million school in the area.

Pupils at Milton Mpfumedzeni Secondary School were left stranded when a mysterious fire gutted part of the school in 2007. The education department provided mobile classrooms, which were used for years. On Tuesday, the whole community, political and traditional leaders and the senior district manager of the Department of Education in Vhembe, Dr Gerson Rambiyana, converged at the school to witness the historic occasion.

The state-of-the-art school comprises modern classrooms, laboratories, an administration block, hall and a computer laboratory. The school can accommodate more than 900 pupils.

Education MEC Dickson Masemola said the new infrastructure at the school should inspire and encourage both pupils and teachers to do better in their work and to improve the school's results. “I know you were learning under difficult conditions. You continued to do well despite the odds; the new school is payback for the hard work you are doing,” he added.

He urged pupils to work like slaves in order to live like kings and queens in the future.

Thovhele Gole Mphaphulu, who is also very passionate about education, praised the government for the facility. “We need development in our area and it will only be possible if more of our children are educated,” he said.

Tshepo Motloung, chairperson of the Learner Representative Council, said he was happy that promises for a new school had become a reality.