Thembisa Shologu
For the first time in the history of South African education, Premier Panyaza Lesufi unveiled a classroom like no other: a functional aircraft donated by Airlink to Rhodesfield Engineering School of Specialisation (SoS), in Kempton Park.
Premier Lesufi, together with MEC for Education Matome Chiloane, presided over the official handover of a decommissioned Embraer 135 passenger jet to serve as a hands-on aviation training aid for school learners.
The school currently has 45 learners (13 girls and 32 boys, most from Tembisa) enrolled in aviation as their eighth matric subject.
“We need to understand that, if you can’t get education right, we will never get the economy right and if we can’t get the economy right, we will never get the unemployment and many other problems we are having right.
“So it starts with education, and for us to twist education means our education must be relevant, for us to twist education means we must make education make economic sense, for us to twist education means our education must be of great interest to our children,” said Lesufi.
To support the initiative, Airlink has also committed to donating additional aircraft parts over time and has seconded two qualified aircraft technicians to Rhodesfield SoS for two years.
The Embraer ERJ135 regional jet, manufactured in Brazil and powered by two Rolls-Royce AE 3007/A3 turbofan engines, is 26.3 metres long, 6.7 metres high, with a 20-metre wingspan. Its fuselage, cabin, wings and tail section provide learners with real-world exposure to modern aerospace engineering and design.
“My dream was straightforward: you cannot have a school a stone’s throw from the airport while our children remain excluded from the aviation economy. Today, Airlink has agreed to be a life partner.
“With this gift, I want to thank you, Airlink. Their future is bright for these children and our country, and we are grateful for that. This affirms that the classroom will be a better place for our children,” said the premier.
This donation underscores the GD’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge, skills-based education that connects learners to real economic opportunities.
It also affirms the role of government and industry partnerships in shaping Gauteng’s youth’s future.
MEC Chiloane said: “This aircraft is not just a donation; it is a declaration that our learners deserve world-class opportunities and that our schools can be sites of innovation and excellence.
“This is a declaration that our learners deserve world-class education; it’s a declaration that the sky is no longer the limit, but the beginning of infinite possibilities.”
“This aircraft is your runway, your hands will maintain aircraft that carry millions, our expertise will connect Africa to the world, and your skills will shape the future. Study smart, dream big and know that you are not just passengers, you are pilots of transformation.”
The aircraft was delivered new to Airlink in 2013 and logged 32,080 flight hours in over 30,100 flights before it was decommissioned.
Airlink’s Executive Manager at Corporate Services, Namhla Tshetu, said the airline has the only Embraer training facility on the continent.
“Today is about ensuring we have a pipeline of aviators to pick from; it is about providing the right resources to the right people.
“All Airlink’s hands are on deck; it is for the learners of Rhodesfield to prove they are worthy. Please break this machine, pull the carpets, lift the seats, break the windows, then rebuild it. It is not vandalism if you are learning from it,” said Tshetu.
SOURCED FROM THE GPG WEBSITE.
