Principle: Mr D. J. Liebenberg
The town is suffering from a severe drought and famine.
Learners collapsed during an assembly due to hunger.
Locusts devoured the trees that had been planted on the school grounds.
Principle: Mr D. J. du Plessis
The hostel was built with the help of the Dutch Reformed Church.
Principle: Mr R. A. van Rensburg
Netball and tennis courts were built.
In 1954, an Olympic-standard swimming pool was constructed at a total cost of R18,000.
Marthinus Postma Junior Primary School opened in 1958, followed by De Aar North Junior Primary School.
In 1959, the number of learners was 830, and even the principal’s office was used as a classroom.
The Sterrie Marais hostel was built in 1962.
In 1966, the first “luxury” school bus was purchased for R5,686.
From 1966, Laerskool De Aar became a junior school for grades 4 to 7 only, as well as for special classes.
In 1968, the school had R6,695.05 in its bank account.
Principle: Mr L. G. Potgieter
First aid and tennis were introduced at the school.
The school needed more sports fields and facilities.
Principle: Mr Bokkie Kamfer
The new school building was inaugurated in 1996.
Principle: Mr Pieter le Roux
A second and third rugby/hockey field. The grounds were prepared, irrigation installed, and instant grass laid. The cost of the project was approximately R150,000.
The netball and tennis courts were upgraded thanks to funds received from the Lotto.
All window frames and ironwork on the school building were sanded down and painted at a cost of R120,000.
Teaching aids in the form of computers and televisions were installed in all classrooms at a cost of R200,000.
The necessary technology was also installed in the staffroom to improve the staff’s work. Seven computers were provided at a cost of R50,000. The Department of Education’s new software and developments in this field were thus made easier for the staff to access.
The computer centre was upgraded with the installation of 30 new computers at a cost of R250,000. Over the past two years, the computer lab has also been used as a reading centre.
An unplanned event that occurred from 2020 was the introduction of load-shedding by Eskom. Frequent power outages during school hours left classrooms in darkness, prevented the use of technology, and disrupted teaching. A generator was installed at a cost of R125,000 as a solution, and solar panels were later added at a cost of R650,000 to counter high electricity expenses.
The unavailability of water in De Aar and a prolonged drought during 2020/2021 also necessitated the installation of a borehole. In the past, several dry holes had been drilled, so this new attempt was met with skepticism. To our great surprise, the first attempt produced 4,000 litres, allowing the school to supply its own water with reasonable independence.
The Covid period made education interesting for everyone, and various platforms were used to ensure that teaching continued. (Please see the separate article dedicated to this.)
Our 1968 Mercedes-Benz bus was completely overhauled mechanically from front to back in 2022 at a cost of R150,000. Ongoing maintenance is necessary to keep the bus roadworthy, and the purchase of new buses in the near future should be regarded as essential.
We ensure that our buildings and grounds are continuously maintained, at considerable cost each year.
In our school’s Centenary Year, two major projects were completed: the upgrading of the netball and tennis courts (±R300,000, funded by the Lotto), as well as improvements/upgrading of the staffroom (±R250,000).
In January 2025, two brand-new Toyota minibuses were purchased at a cost of R1,200,000.
In light of the fact that school fees are not being paid by many parents (and this tendency increases every year), as well as the growing number of applications for exemption from school fees, fundraising has become an undeniable part of the school’s annual program.
Since 2012, a Wildlife Project has been held annually, generating between R90,000 and R140,000 for the school each year. In 2019, the Buzzz Festival was held for the first time and has since become a major fundraiser for the school.
Other smaller fundraising events are held continuously to boost the school’s funds. Despite the growing challenge of unpaid school fees and more parents applying for exemptions, Laerskool De Aar remains financially stable in its Centenary Year.
Since 2012, the composition of the staff has changed significantly. The biggest change has been the replacement of older staff members with younger ones. An interesting fact in the Centenary Year is that only 6 out of 25 staff members are over the age of 50, and the rest are younger than 36. There are no staff members between the ages of 36 and 50.
During the Covid period, schools were provided with teaching assistants, which led the School Governing Body to appoint assistants on a more permanent basis. Laerskool De Aar has gained definite added value from the appointment of these assistants.
The loyal, hardworking staff of Laerskool De Aar must be protected at all times — they remain the most important resource in rural education.
Experienced staff who have retired include:
Mrs. Viviene van Zyl (1992–2015)
Mrs. Madelief Currie (Head of Department – 1989–2017)
Mrs. Martha Gravett (Head of Department – 1983–2022)
Mrs. Isabel Battenhaussen (2005–2023)
Mrs. Lydia van Aswegen (Secretary – 1993–2013)
Staff members who have passed away:
Learners who have passed away:
Nomaphelo Nkumbi (30 November 2012)
Gadwell Makaleni (3 November 2016)
Dionie van der Westhuizen (17 August 2017)
