Phomolong Secondary became the first school to be connected to one of Samsung’s solar power Generators.

The generator will power the Tembisa-based school’s administration block, which accounts for over 90% of its total electricity consumption. Samsung also installed energy-efficient LED lights to help reduce electricity usage.

Launched in March this year, the Samsung Solar power generator provides electricity at affordable prices to schools and community centres across Africa. The generator can provide power for up to eight years before new batteries are required.

“I’m delighted that we are going to be cutting back on our electricity bill, which usually comes to more than R8 000 a month,” says Mocheke Thoka, Phomolong Secondary School’s principal.

“By saving this money, we can afford to do important things, like infrastructure development, without having to sacrifice anything. I’m excited that our students will see that alternative energy solutions are really viable and I hope it will make them think about the importance of being resourceful and using solar power in Africa.”

Phomolong Secondary School is already home to a Samsung Solar Powered Internet School, which serves as the school’s only computer lab. The electronics company also donated several smart TVs and smartphones to the school to bring multimedia content into the classroom and ensure better communication between teachers.

According to Samsung, the school was identified as a suitable beneficiary for its education-related innovations due to its strong leadership, evident by the school’s consistent year-on-year matric pass rate, which increased from 65% to 97.5% in just two years.