AN EDUCATIONAL MECCA SCHOOLS
by Stephen Timm

Education is Grahamstown’s raison d’etre. This is evident in the vast number of schools and training institutions. There are over one hundred schools in Grahamstown and the oldest, The Good Shepherd School, holds classes in buildings dating from it’s inception in 1849. Grahamstown is well served by reputed independent and state schools as well as community educational projects. St Andrews College, Diocesan School for Girls and Kingswood College enjoy an international reputation for excellence. There are also very old established state Schools such as Andrew Moyakhe Primary, Graeme College, Nathaniel Nyaluza Secondary and Victoria Girls High School. The largest school in Grahamstown is Nombulelo High School, which educates over a thousand pupils.
  The Gadra (Grahamstown and District Relief Organisation) Matric School, gives about 70 pupils an opportunity to rewrite matric to upgrade their results. GADRA also has a comprehensive bursary program. ABET (Adult based education training) is well established in Grahamstown. The Carinius School of Art provides art classes for a number of local schools.