14 Aug 2014

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’S) plays a vital role in transforming education development as well as increasing knowledge to a wide section of the population.

Officially opening Tswagare Primary School library, Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources, Mr Kitso Mokaila said ICT’s has an enormous potential for knowledge dissemination, knowledge acquisition, effective e-learning and the development of more efficient education services

Mr Mokaila implored individuals and private sectors to embrace the “adopt a school” initiative in order to assist government in transforming education system to meet other international standards and also to avoid more transfers from villages to urban areas for better education.

“In order to exercise effective learning, there is supposed to be sufficient water supply and electricity,” he said.

On other issues, Mr Mokaila who is also area Member of Parliament said Barolong constituency has 47 schools and highlighted that the schools’ electrification process was underway.

The donated electronics for educational purposes, he said will then be fully utilised after the completion of the electrification process.

Minister Mokaila said the construction of the water pipeline at Good hope has been completed and it would supply villages such as Metlojane, Chwaanyaneng, Sedibeng up to Metlobo while the second phase would run from the Pitsane, Ramatlabama, Borobadilepe until it reaches Sekhutlane.

For her part, SAFDICO Botswana (Pty) Ltd, director and chief executive officer (CEO) Ms Rutang Moses said to increase knowledge; their company has directed its services at improving educational delivery across schools in Botswana by establishing a school library at Tswagare Primary School.

Ms Moses said their policy is to give back to communities where the company sources its diamonds adding that the company is focused on children and youth education, health and well-being.

She said SAFDICO’s adoption of Tswagare Primary School was their response to Mr Mokaila’s call to ensure that the school does not lag behind but equally benefit from the government’s initiative of “Adopt a school” aimed at encouraging participation by individuals and companies in the delivery of quality education in all schools.

Furthermore, she said they were delighted to support one of the national pillars of being a compassionate nation as pleaded by President Lt Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

“Our efforts are not isolated but supplement and bring to life government’s national vision 2016,” she said.

Our role in “adopt a school’ initiative is to help unlock learning opportunities for the children, who are our future leaders,” she said.

She said their relationship with Tswagare Primary School started with a donation of school uniforms for 60 children both boys and girls and today they have managed to source library books from “Books for Africa” and as part of the donation package included, books, shelves, tables, chairs, computers and a printer.

“We believe that this library will be the heart of the school and it will provide knowledge and empower each child to be well-informed and grow to be intelligent, literate and competent.

Ms Moses implored parents to work collectively with teachers to ensure that the library is fully utilised for the children’s benefit. She assured the school of a continuous support from the company to ensure that they excel well in their academics.

In his welcome remarks the school head, Mr Cassim Tirelo applauded SAFDICO for the explicit efforts in improving their learning environment through the use of ICT’s.

He promised that they would do everything in their power to ensure that students as well as teachers utilise the library to enhance their learning skills.

The school library was donated by SAFDICO, a subsidiary company of (South African Diamond Corporation).

SAFDICO Botswana is a cutting and polishing top-end diamonds company that has been operational since 2006 and has also developed Botswana’s art diamond Technology Park in Gaborone. ENDS