13 Apr 2014

Permanent Secretary to the President, Mr Eric Molale says the People’s Republic of China and Botswana government are making a joint effort in building a resilient communities.

Speaking at a handing over of computer laboratory at Morelelo Primary School in Rakhuna, Mr Molale said the computer laboratory that had been developed with the help of HUAWEI Technologies Botswana should be put to use by all residents of Rakhuna be they young or old.

Mr Molale said as the electronic signature had been passed by Parliament, paying officers such agricultural demonstrators could make use of these computers by capturing their data and processing of all payment without having to go to Gaborone.

He urged elderly people to liaise with the school authorities to find ways of introducing themselves to computer as this could help in telesales, telemedicine and enhancement of their businesses and reduce turnaround time.

“Do not turn these facilities into a white elephant,” he said and urged the community to use the computer laboratory to improve their daily lives so that they become competitive in the world.

Mr Molale said the priority of the use of computers should be given to young ones so that when they get to secondary schools they would be experts in the use of computers.

He said Morelelo Primary School should become a service centre for Rakhuna as the school is best endowed with the resources that can help improve the lives of the community.

Mr Molale said Botswana appreciated foreign investors who were committed to partner with the government to take the country to greater heights adding that HUAWEI Technologies Botswana Pty Ltd is the first company that came to rescue the country with the problem of Nteletsa 1 that had failed after commissioning.

He noted that Nteletsa 2 went on smoothly something he described as a clear testimony of a “foreign investor who comes and work hand in hand with the country that they have invested in unlike fly-by-night investor who come to make quick money and vanish.”

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China in Botswana Mr Zheng Zhuqiang noted that the government of Botswana gives priority to education development and has invested immensely on education.

He said that China has been willing to render support to the educational infrastructure and human resources development of Botswana and as such, the Chinese government has donated to and adopted two primary schools in Serowe and Maun.

Mr Zhuqiang said each year, more than 20 Batswana students are sent to study in China Universities under the Chinese Government scholarship and his embassy is always ready to provide educational assistance.

“Information Technology plays an important role in education,” he said it is a way to get high quality education as is improves learning for students and it makes teaching easier. Director of Deliverance Service at HUAWEI Technologies Botswana Pty Ltd Mr Ramasala Ntwaetsile said his company’s vision is to bridge the digital divide and provide global understanding coupled with human development.

Mr Ntwaetsile said this is done with the aim of enabling greater access to communications and information systems to those who were previously disadvantaged.  ENDS