The Northern Cape is another province whose education system benefitted from the fast turnaround times from Kwikspace, Africa’s largest manufacturer of prefabricated, modular buildings. Earlier this year, Kwikspace received an order for 60 classrooms to meet the additional space required at 26 high and primary schools spread across the province.

In a short six-week period, Kwikspace manufactured, delivered and ensured that all 60 classrooms were ‘education-ready’ and able to accommodate the increased number of learners across the province. Each prefabricated classroom is equipped with chalkboards, pin boards, electrical plug points, lighting and standard windows – i.e. all the features and accessories found in standard brick-and-mortar classrooms. In addition to the classroom order, the contract included the production and delivery of five ablution blocks for learners at certain predetermined schools. Each ablution facility was equipped with wash hand basins and toilets.

“In addition to the rise in learner numbers that prompted the need for extra classrooms, our country’s response to Covid-19 increased the number of classrooms required,” explains Gerry de Beer, Senior Account Manager, Kwikspace. “To adhere to the person-to-person special restrictions placed on schools to curb the spread of Covid-19, many of them reduced the number of learners per class. resulting in the increased demand for classrooms.”

Kwikspace’s prefabricated units manufactured for learning and academic applications are equipped identically to brick-and-mortar classrooms, making them conducive to a safe and healthy learning environment. Brick-and-mortar classrooms could have cost anything from R9 000 / m2, whereas Kwikspace’s prefabricated classrooms cost in the region of R4 500 per m2, and were ready for use in only six weeks. Constructing brick-and-mortar classrooms would take months.

Kwikspace has, historically, played a pivotal role in helping schools countrywide with their educational, administration, ablution and storage space requirements. This supply increased over 2020 and 2021 as the number of learners receiving formal schooling countrywide increased, and Covid-19 occupancy protocols required that the number of learners per classroom decrease.