Walter Sisulu University’s Faculty of Education at its Ibika Campus in Butterworth will, for the first time since its formation, receive its very own faculty building worth more than R70 million, and equipped with state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities.
A site handover was held on Tuesday, January 18, where university leadership, including the campus rector and the dean of the education faculty, officially gave the go-ahead for construction to commence.
Presently, the faculty is lodged with some of the campus’s management programmes, which is set to change when construction of the new building is finalised.
“The Faculty of Education, with its departments, is one with many students and staff at WSU and has been sharing lecture venues, labs and office space with other departments, such as fashion and tourism. This new building will be solely dedicated to the faculty,” said Bonga Silwane, who oversees the project at campus level.
The new building will boast computer labs, a lab for engineering graphics and design, a lab for civil technology, and a lab for electrical and mechanical technology, among other ultra-modern features.
Furthermore, the building will provide special lecturing venues and storage for the foundation phase programme.
“This is an extremely exciting development for the faculty and the campus.
“It has come at the right time as we are at the early implementation stage of our Vision 2030.
“The building will provide us with enough office space for lecturers, together with state of the art classrooms with the necessary teaching and learning equipment,” said the dean of the faculty, Professor Nolutho Diko.
In the past three years, the faculty has invested time and resources into streamlining its programmes to ensure responsiveness to the university’s vision – an impactful, technology-infused African university.
As such, this new home for the Faculty of Education will ensure the realisation of this vision.
“The new building will definitely provide us with more than physical space that is long overdue.
“It will give us a sense of pride, self-worth and belonging. Our teacher trainees will get an opportunity to actually spend time in laboratories and workshops during training,” said Diko.
Construction is expected to be finalised within 18 months from the date of commencement.
