Plans to bring new top school to BCM

Mpengesi says if an agreement can be reached, the institution could open a campus as early as 2024

One of the country’s prestigious independent schools groups, Curro, could soon open its doors for the first time in East London if the dreams of Chippa United boss Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi are anything to go by.

In an exclusive interview with the Dispatch last week, Mpengesi revealed that talks with Curro about opening up a campus in East London were at an advanced stage.

If an agreement between the two parties was eventually reached, Mpengesi said, the school could open a campus in East London as early as 2024.

Mpengesi said he had already had some “serious engagements” with the Curro management about the possibility of them opening up their doors in the Buffalo City Metro, further revealing that “from our engagements so far, they have shown a huge interest”.

He confirmed that he would meet up again with school bosses this week.

However, the organisation on Friday would neither confirm nor deny such plans.

Through its publicist, Nadia Rossouw, the school group said: “As a Jse-listed independent education provider, Curro Holdings remains committed to widening access to quality education.

“Due to the nature of the business, the organisation continuously explores all viable business opportunities that may contribute to the growth of the organisation.

“However, the details of the various opportunities and decisions made with regards to each opportunity remain confidential.

“Curro reserves the right to decide which opportunity’s details to release in the public domain.”

However, a senior executive, while not mandated to speak to the media, did confirm ongoing talks with Mpengesi about the possibility of opening up in East London.

“We can confirm that Mr Mpengesi had indeed approached the school with such proposal to have us opening up a school in East London.

“At the moment there is nothing firm or formal that has come from those talks, but we are looking into that,” the official said.

“In fact we are looking all over the country for new opportunities — nothing specific at this moment, but we cannot rule out the possibility of the school opening its doors in East London as we have little footprints in the Eastern Cape.”

Mpengesi said his idea was to have the school opening up its doors around the Absa and Jan Smuts stadium precinct where, he said, he would be opening a sports academy and a high performance centre in the next few months.

He said the academy would focus on different sporting codes such as soccer, rugby, cricket, netball and boxing.

Mpengesi has now taken control of the city’s two major stadiums after a 20-year lease agreement was sealed with Buffalo City Metro authorities recently. He will have an option to renew the lease agreement for another 20 years when it lapses in 2043.

Mpengesi said if the school did eventually open its doors at the precinct, he would look at linking it with his envisaged sports academy.

Asked how such an idea came about, Mpengesi said Curro was “quite a big and reputable school brand in many of the country’s big cities” and that one of his dreams was to “bring the best things for East London and Buffalo City Metro in general”.

Mpengesi said he was impressed by the school group’s interest in sports development for its pupils, which he said would tie in well with his planned sports academy.

“You can find this prestigious and highly rated school in most big cities, but their presence in the Eastern Cape is very minimal and I want that to change.

“I know a lot of professionals who cannot take up jobs in East London because they want the best education for their kids.

“That can soon change if we do manage to bring the school here,” Mpengesi said.

Curro schools generally accommodate pupils from grade R to 12, with many also having a pre-school phase that accommodates children from three months to five years.

According to their website, with small class sizes, modern classrooms, fully equipped laboratories and a variety of sports and cultural activities, “these schools offer everything you would expect to find at an independent school ” .

The website further states: “Our small class sizes make it possible for teachers to give learners personal attention in the classroom.

“Our approach to education, supported by competitive school fees, includes projectbased learning.

“This helps to provide learners with 21st-century skills, such as creativity, collaboration and independent thinking.

“Learners in our schools also learn to work with future-focused technology by using tablets in class, rather than textbooks.

“As a leading independent school provider, our enhanced curriculum empowers learners with 21st-century skills necessary for them to become intellectual and socially responsible adults who can take on the future with confidence.

“As a leading independent school group, our schools are fitted with facilities that range from well-maintained sports fields and courts, to highly sophisticated laboratories and aquatic centres, while some of our schools have classrooms equipped with integrated VR [virtual reality] systems and other facilities that can carry our learners into the constantly changing workplace of the future.”

Curro was established in 1998, with a website claiming that it is “a leading for-profit independent schools provider in Southern Africa”.

I know a lot of professionals who cannot take up jobs in East London because they want the best education for their kids