19 Aug 2014

Okavango senior district officer, Mr Letlhogonolo Nkolane has praised the Ministry of Education and Skills Development for actively attending to juvenile misbehaviors bedeviling some of the students in the area.

Speaking at the first ever intervention exercise by the ministry regarding issues of spiritual and moral development for Shakawe Senior Secondary School students on Saturday, Mr Nkolane said he hoped the intervention would bring about changes.

He advised students to scramble for best life opportunities instead of choosing routes that may lead them astray, adding that he hoped the outcome of the intervention would be worthwhile.

Termed multi-sectoral intervention, the programme involved Botswana Scouts Association, Scripture Union Botswana and Lephoi Centre.

The district officer also pointed out that they expected the team to continue with follow up activities and hoped that the school would improve greatly.

He said the local media had depicted a worrying trend of youth challenges such as Satanism, teenage pregnancy and many more which tarnished students reputation.

He said young people needed help which was only possible if people worked hand in hand to ensure that every child was given the attention they should get.

“Something must be done now lest we find ourselves raising a troubled workforce, leadership, and above all, generation,” he said

On another point, Mr Nkolane advised parents not to delegate the upbringing of their children to teachers, but to make it their responsibility as well.

Scripture Union Botswana national director, Mr Albert Tamado said the intervention exercise was a success as they were able to reach more than 1 000 students. 

Mr Tamado said with the help of experts from special support services, Botswana scouts and Lephoi Centre, the interaction included teaching students about life skills, youth issues, sex, drugs, and the importance of education.

He said the programmes were interesting as they used edutainment to entertain students as they learn at the same time.

Shakawe Senior Secondary School senior teacher, Mr Kehilwe Oageng said the programme had instilled self-assertiveness and how to deal with challenges.

Mr Oageng said it showed that God loved them, adding that he expected that they would grow both spiritually and morally.

The student leader, Mr Oteng Galeforwe said he believed they had grasped a lot during the week, particularly because some didn’t know what they wanted in life.

He said the intervention exercise had opened up their eyes, and that had there been such an intervention earlier, there would not be such a high rate of teenage pregnancy at the school.

He thanked the ministry and the partners for the fruitful programme, adding that it had also prepared them to welcome repeating students in September. Ends