Open Gate Special School

06/02/2026

NYDA-Back to School Campaign
A huge thank you to the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) for their generous donation of school shoes to 100 learners with disabilities from disadvantaged backgrounds at Open Gate Special School 🙏.
We're grateful for the support of Mr Sibusiso Makhathini, a NYDA Board Member, who nominated our school for this amazing initiative. Mr Makhathini is an inspiration to us all, having overcome physical impairments to achieve academic success, including a Bachelor of Social Science in Industrial Psychology and Management and a Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Business Management 🎓.

His story is a powerful reminder that an impairment should never hold anyone back from achieving their goals 💪. We're thankful for his kindness and for being a beacon of hope to our learners.

A special thank you to Ms. H Makuyi and her team for their enthusiasm and dedication to our learners, as well as to all members who attended the event 🙌.

04/02/2026

📚✨ World Read Aloud Day at Open Gate Special School ✨📚

Open Gate Special School proudly took part in the 2026 World Read Aloud Day celebrations. The day was filled with fun and learning as teachers read stories aloud to the learners, and learners were encouraged to read and engage with the stories. Laughter, excitement, and a love for reading filled the school, creating a joyful and inclusive learning environment. The celebration highlighted the importance of literacy and the power of storytelling for all learners. 💛📖

28/01/2026

25/12/2025

🎄🎅️

Dear Open Gate Family,

Wishing you a Merry Christmas filled with love, laughter, and joy! 🌟

To all our amazing staff, learners, families, and friends, thank you for being part of our special community. May your day be blessed with warmth, kindness, and precious moments with loved ones.

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace, hope, and happiness.

Merry Christmas from Open Gate! 🎁❤️

Warmest wishes,
The Open Gate Team 😊

09/12/2025

🎁 *Learner Welfare Committee Spreads Festive Cheer!* 🎄

Our committee has been buzzing with joy and hard work, turning the spirit of *Ubuntu* – “I am because we are” – into 48 beautiful, nutritious food hampers for our learners and their families. Thanks to the amazing donations carried over from our Christmas Party, we’ve turned generosity into action and put community at the heart of the season.

A massive *THANK YOU* to our incredible partners and donors:

⭐ Rise Against Hunger KZN
⭐ West End Trucking
⭐ PSG Printworks
⭐ The Optimi Group
⭐ Deiss Technology
⭐ TP Sunrise
⭐ ARJ Engineering
⭐ S. Naidoo and Family
⭐ Mr & Mrs Maharaj
⭐ Mrs Panday and Family
⭐ Mr Keruparsadh
⭐ Mrs N. Maharaj and Family
⭐ Mr Inderjith and Family
⭐ Mr & Mrs Singh
⭐ Mr R. Rajah
⭐ Ms P. Subbigadu
⭐️ God's Warehouse

Your kindness embodies the Ubuntu principle of *“umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu”* – each of us grows when we lift others. The smiles, hope, and comfort you’ve helped create are a living reminder that we’re stronger together.

Thank you, everyone, for making a difference this festive season. 🙏✨

28/11/2025

🌟 Congratulations & Farewell to Our Exit Learners! 🌟

A huge well done to our incredible exit learners of Open Gate Special School. Today, you walked with confidence, pride, and joy and truly, you were all dressed to kill! 💫✨

We are so proud of each one of you and the journey you have walked to reach this milestone. May your next chapter be filled with success, growth, and endless opportunities.

To our dedicated staff, thank you for making this farewell function such a beautiful and memorable event. Your hard work, creativity, and love ensured that our learners felt celebrated and enjoyed every moment.
Here’s to new beginnings, bright futures, and unforgettable memories.

22/11/2025

🎄✨ A BIG FESTIVE THANK YOU FROM THE LEARNER WELFARE COMMITTEE! ✨🎄

What an amazing Christmas party! Our learners were spoiled with treats, gifts, laughter, and unforgettable festive fun. Their smiles said it all! Thank you to our staff, learners, and everyone who helped bring this magical day to life. ❤️

🌟 THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

•West End Trucking
•PSG Printworks
• Optimi
• Deiss Technology
• TP Sunrise
• ARJ Engineering
• S. Naidoo & Family
• Mr & Mrs Maharaj
• Mrs Panday & Family
• Mr & Mrs Keruparsadh
• Mrs N. Maharaj & Family
• Mr Inderjith & Family
• Mr & Mrs Singh
• Mrs R. Rajah
• God's Warehouse

Your generosity made this day truly special for our kids.

🎧 Special Thanks to DJ Marcel

Thank you for keeping the energy high and the kids dancing all day! 🎶✨

🎉 Congratulations to Our Winners:
📱 Sbongakonke Makhaya – Highest learner collector (winner of a smartphone)
🍳 Daya Naidoo – Raffle winner (kitchen appliance combo set)
🎁 Lauren Green – Top staff collector (mystery prize)

Thank you to everyone for the love, support, and festive spirit. Together, we made this Christmas unforgettable! 🎅🎁✨

20/11/2025

Variety Concert 2025🌟💃🏽🕺

19/11/2025

Awards Day 2025✨: Acknowledging our Special Achievements 🏅🌟

10/11/2025

🌞 Grade 4 Excursion to Mountain View! 🚌💦

Our Grade 4 learners had an amazing day at Mountain View Entertainment Centre filled with laughter, fun, and unforgettable educational memories! 🎈 The pool, water slides, Fufi slides, and trampolines were a huge hit, keeping everyone smiling and active all day long.

Learners enjoyed tasty hot dogs and cooldrinks 🍔🥤 while bonding with friends and teachers.

A big thank-you to our dedicated
DH, educators and teacher aides for making this trip so exciting and special! ❤️

09/11/2025

🌟 *CAREER DAY NEWS!* 🌟

Massive shoutout to our amazing learner who inspired us to host an unforgettable Career Day for both learners and parents at Open Gate Special School! 🎓👏 Our very first Career Day was an inspiring and impactful event filled with motivation, learning, and hope for the future!

We welcomed guest speakers from Nicoway Hair Salon, Khulisani Academy, PMB Mental Health Society, Association for the late physical health of the Physically Disabled, and Willowton Culinary School. Each organisation shared their knowledge and experiences with passion and sincerity, offering learners a glimpse into diverse career options available to them.

Through these interactions, our learners and parents were exposed to:
- a range of skills
- employment opportunities
- information about internships and sheltered employment

The event served as a powerful AWARENESS and EMPOWERMENT OPPORTUNITY, achieving the following goals:
💪 Motivating our learners to strive towards achieving their full potential despite any challenges or impairments they may face.
🙏 Encouraging parents to continue empowering their children to follow their dreams.
👏 Highlighting the vast abilities and talents of our learners, showcasing how with the right encouragement and opportunity, these strengths can blossom into fulfilling careers.

A huge thank you to:
- Our amazing learner for sparking this initiative with your curiosity and enthusiasm ❤️
- The Principal and SMT for considering the learner's request and to all for making this event possible 🙏
- Our guest speakers, sponsors, and partners for their time, generosity, and unwavering support 🙌

This event was a celebration of how Open Gate Special School is fulfilling its role as A Special School Resource Centre (SSRC)!

31/10/2025

🎄✨ Open Gate Special School Christmas Party – Spreading Joy and Kindness! 🎅🌟

This festive season, Open Gate Special School wants to make our learners feel truly special! ❤️

As a registered NPO (041-507-NPO), we believe that every child deserves a chance to shine — and on 21 November, we’re hosting a magical Christmas Party to celebrate our amazing learners.

🎁 We want to treat our learners to a delicious meal, fun activities, and other exciting goodies that will make their day extra joyful and memorable!

We’re inviting sponsors and donors to partner with us in making this celebration a heartwarming success. Your kindness and generosity can help us fill the day with laughter, love, and festive cheer.

📍 Venue: Open Gate Special School, 535 Boom Street, Pietermaritzburg, 3201
📞 Contact: 033 342 5281
📧 Email: [email protected]

Let’s make this Christmas one they’ll never forget — because together, we can make every child shine bright! ✨🎁