01 Jul 2014

Members of Ntlo Ya Dikgosi have urged government to speed up the process of the construction of two-teacher classrooms in places where children travelled long distance to and from schools.

Contributing during the debate on the motion which called for the establishment of two-teacher classrooms in some villages, Kgosi Oreagetse Machilidza of Boteti region said government had a clear policy on the distance which pupils, especially the young ones, should travel between home and school.

The motion was brought up by Kgosi Lotlaamoreng II of Barolong, while kgosi Ebineng Potsoeng from Ngami Region, said pupils used to be bused from Nxaraga to Komana village but ultimately such a school was closed when transport was stopped. 

He said two-teacher classrooms could raise the school enrollment as most children would be able to attend near to their homes. 

Kgosi Potsoeng argued that young children could not travel long distances, especially during adverse weather conditions and therefore such schools could be handy.

Kgosi Toteng Ndzonga of Tutume Region said pupils at times went through thick forests populated by dangerous wild animals which may be a threat to their young lives. He said the two teacher school arrangement had worked well for the north east region. 

Kgosi Tshipe Tshipe, who is also deputy chairperson of Ntlo Ya Dikgosi, said the arrangement could also encourage pre-school, which was encouraged and now recommended by government.

Kgosi Thabo Maruje Masunga of North East Region however said the National Settlement Policy challenged the authorities to build more classrooms; as such the government should consider mobile caravans installed with power to digitilise the education system.

He said, in that regard, there would be less engagement of teachers.

Others, who supported the motion, were Kgosi Alfred Monnawathebe of Thamaga Region, who said he was sometimes appalled when he saw students walking long distances to schools to the point of giving them a ride as they would practically beg him by kneeling down. 

Such schools, he reasoned, would reduce the level of drop outs and late coming by young pupils.

Kgosi Lotlamoreng had earlier on submitted that children travelled long distances in some cases and had to battle harsh atmospheric conditions such as cold spells, winds and rains, compounded by the lack of transport.

Responding to the contributions made, Acting Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi, said what was requested was contained in the Revised National Policy on Education recommendation 15 and was currently in practice because such schools had been built across the country as testified by some dikgosi.

He however said it showed that dikgosi were concerned about the welfare of children and agreed that there was dire need to fast-track the programme.

For his part, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Peter Siele, acknowledged that the government was doing its best to roll out education and build schools where possible including in settlements which fall within a radius of 10km to cater for young pupils. 

He noted that at times the construction of the said classrooms took time because of limited financial resources. The motion was however adopted. ENDS