24 Nov 2014

The Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, Mr Moiseraele Goya says the curriculum encourages the infusion of culture for students at a tender age.

Speaking at a cultural day celebration at Sehithwa in Ngamiland District recently, Mr Goya said the ministry encouraged culture not only through reading books but through other cultural practices such as traditional dances and beliefs.

“Culture is dynamic with developments but that does not mean people should forget their culture and traditions, I encourage you to cherish culture and develop it,” he said. He also said culture had many benefits as it united the nation to understand themselves, their language, food and dress.

The assistant minister said culture had a positive role in the conservation of natural resources that various tribes relied on as a source of living such as wild animals, trees, hills and others. Culture, he said, also contributed to creation of employment and businesses through artefacts such as weaving, leather making, and moulding.

He implored the elders to instill the importance of culture in the young generation.  “If we teach our children to preserve culture and its benefits, we are preparing a better future for them, a nation which will have botho,” he said.

Mr Goya further said the President also valued culture and that was evidenced by programmes such as the President’s competitions.

In his remarks, the Ngami Member of Parliament, Mr Thato Kwerepe reiterated the importance of cultural preservation and implored parents to instill the spirit of Botho or respect in their children which he said was diminishing. Mr Kwerepe said although culture was dynamic and inter changed by nations, Batswana should not forget their culture of Botho which built their country.

Meanwhile, Mr Kwerepe said he was worried by the decline in the number of Sehithwa Primary School students which was now 564, adding that he feared that the students might be leaving school to stay at the cattlepost. ENDS