13 Jul 2014

Ninety-three students dropped from school between January and May this year in the Kgalagadi District, 15 of them at Matsha College alone.

The chairperson of the Kgalagadi District Council, Mr Frans Van Der Westhuizen said this during a council meeting in Hukuntsi on July 8. He said the situation was the same for all levels of education except primary level. He added that the challenge was more severe in southern Kgalagadi.

Mr Van Der Westhuizen said the situation meant that the girls were at risk of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. He noted that it would also widen the education gap between boys and girls.

He said another challenge facing education in the district was that the area was not attractive to teachers. Seventeen new appointments on permanent and pensionable basis were made in April 2014, but only seven teachers accepted the offer, five declined and rest did not respond.

He described the issue as of enormous concern, and that the council has asked the Minister of Education and Skills Development for help.

He said a positive development was that the reception class initiative in Kgalagadi has grown from six to 21 schools.

Mr Van Der Westhuizen said they would increase access and equity in education.

The programme trained 20 teacher aides and 14 management staff through the Takalane Sesame Outreach programme – a partnership between Botswana and the United States on improving early literacy in English. Mr Van Der Westhuizen encouraged councillors to work as a team to ensure that every child has access to education. ENDS